Right Place, Right Time

 Unless you are working in a studio or a prepared set of some kind a great deal of success in photography is about being in the right place at the right time. Of course you won't know what you have missed if you don't see it but there have been many times when I have been in the right place but I haven't been ready or I have just seen the bird I wanted to photograph fly away as I arrived or got set up. Imagine the frustration of arriving at a hide to be told by another photographer that a kingfisher has been about and seeing the fantastic images he has captured and then sitting for an hour or so afterwards and seeing nothing.

Last October I went down to Cornwall for a short break, I was mostly prepared to photograph the landscape and some sunsets. I was not expecting to do any wildlife photography, because it was short break I knew I wouldn't have the time to sit for a long time staking out my prey as it were.

On the last day of my trip I was visiting St Ives and after a spell sitting on the beach and paddling in the cold sea I went in search of a place to eat. I was walking around a small headland and got talking to a guy from Lancashire who was watching some birds on the rocks, they were Rock Pipits and he was excited because he had never seen them before. At this point in time my camera was packed away, food not photography was on my mind. As I left him to the pipits I walked around the path and spotted a small group of people with their mobile phones held high as they tried to photograph a kestrel that was hovering just above the path. I have rarely seen a wild kestrel so close and at first I just watched and then realised I was missing an opportunity. I got my camera out and started shooting before realising that the settings were all wrong. I soon rectified that and then gradually approached closer and closer to get what I think are some amazing shots. This chance encounter was certainly a case of being in the right place at the right time. I was buzzing, not just because I knew I had got some good photos but because being so close to this beautiful bird was a real treat and an experience I won't forget.

As an aside, you will know that kestrels and other birds of prey have exceptional vision, they can spot their prey from tiny movements from height and then approach almost silently before going in for the kill. But, did you know that they also have the ability to see in the ultraviolet spectrum and this allows them to see the urine/scent trails of mice and small rodents which reflect UV light and leave what can be described as a "glow trail" this can lead the kestrel to its prey by following the trail even if the mouse is hidden.

Anyway here are some of the shots I captured that evening, you can see from the first 2 images how close it was to the path.

Common but Beautiful

 

Last weekend I went over to see my son and daughter-in-law and took a number of pictures of their exotic pets. I have sorted out several to share on this page however I just haven't got round to it during the week so I will need to get more organised because there are some really interesting shots that I am sure you will love (or maybe they will give yo chills).

However today I was off work and for the first time in a while I felt really motivated to go out and get some new pictures. I got up at 5:30am and headed off to a reserve near Preston called Brockholes. Getting there early was a good idea because there was lots to see, from Brown Hares, Roe Deer, Longhorn cattle, all manner of birds and lots of wild flowers. The conditions were perfect and I had a fabulous time and got a really nice selection of shots. I would say it is the first time in a long time I have felt so positive about an outing like this and I can't wait to share some of my favourite images.

The first pictures I wanted to share were taken about 45 minutes to an hour into my visit. I had spotted this Common Kestrel hovering in the distance and I watched it settle in a tree off to my left. As I tried to get closer it kept flying off along the treeline and settled just out of range. It was so frustrating but as I very slowly made my approach it had obviously worked out that I was not a threat and it stayed settled for some time.

I was really pleased with the first image because moments before it had pooed (too much information???) so I knew I didn't have long before it took to the air again. I wasn't wrong.

What surprised and thrilled me most however was that the bird flew almost directly towards me and went into a stoop almost directly above me allowing me to get the next two images, before it realised it was just a bit too close and then flew off.

For me the second picture is my picture of the day, possible even picture of the year so far, it is almost definitely going to feature in my calendar for 2023. I love the shape of the kestrel as it hangs there in the sky, I love its piercing glare. I love the way its tail is fanned out so you can see every detail. The light on the underside of the wings is perfect and the shadow of its claws... This bird is so so beautiful. 

OK, I will stop gushing now.

I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I do.

Regal Eagle

 This is an African Fish Eagle, this species of eagle lives in Africa and feeds on fish, in case that needed clarification :)

Its range is across sub Saharan Africa wherever there are large bodies of open water. It is the national bird of Namibia and Zambia.

From the first picture as it launches itself from the tree it is quite deceptive in that this is a really large bird, with a wingspan of up to 2.8m (9 feet) it is incredible that it is so manoeuvrable is such a tight space. Once in flight it is agile and graceful and a really beautiful sight. At one point during the display it swooped between myself and my mum, its wings tucked in with mere millimetres from each of our heads.

At rest on a post having snacked on a dead chick it struck a fantastic pose and fixed me with an intense stare as I looked at it through my camera's lens.

My favourite images are the second and fourth. On the second one as well as converting it to black and white which works really well I have tried out the newest update to the masking tool in Adobe Lightroom, this is not something I have tried before and I am really happy with the result. It is now in my list of all time favourite pictures.

Cat Face

 This selection of pictures are of a Eurasian Eagle Owl. This is the UK's largest species of owl and it is really quite magnificent. They were almost extinct in the UK now so long ago apart from those birds in private collections but in recent years there has been an increase in their numbers. This increase has received a mixed reception because they will take other birds of prey as part of their diet, including other endangered species so the conservation programme has to be carefully managed.

I think they are really splendid birds and I have been lucky enough to see one in the wild, it was a visitor at Burton Mere Wetlands a few years ago and it attracted a large number of twitchers  who were all lined up in the hope pf catching a glimpse.

I think there is something feline about these birds, at least in the shape of the face especially in flight, what do you think???

Poised for the Kill

I know these aren't the greatest shots of (what I believe is a female kestrel); I can blame the poor light, or the cold wind, or the fact that the bird was moving and that it was quite a long way off. However I really like these images, really like them. 

I love the layers of light and the way the little light there is brightens up the plumage. I love the form of the bird as it hovers searching for its next meal.

I watched for some time and three times it plummeted down but each time coming up "empty-handed" before moving on to another patch of ground where from a different vantage point I later saw it devouring its prey

Soaring

Today I am posting my 1500th blog post!  That is something of an achievement and when I realised yesterday that I was going to reach this milestone I wondered what I would be able to share, I hoped to find something special in my portfolio but as it happened the three images I have fopr you were taken today and they are a fitting choice.

I have had a busy day today but I found time this afternoon to visit Burton Mere. I wasn't really expecting to see very much but there was quite a variety of species to be seen and with it being the hottest day of the year so far it was good to get out and soak up some sun.

Towards the end of my visit I spotted this buzzard soaring overhead, this was quite a surprise and I didn't have the settings quite how I would have wanted but as it swooped and soared above me I managed to get a few shots the three above being the most usable.

I had snapped a Sparrowhawk earlier in the day but it was too far away to be any good, and just after the buzzard flew by a Marsh Harrier also took a low pass but it was too quick for me to get anything other than a snap as it disappeared in the distance.

Although it would have been great to get pictures of all three the fact that I saw them all in such a short space of time was enough to put a smile on my face.

Up With The Birds

Tamron 150 - 600mm f/5:6.3 

ISO 250   600mm   f/10   1/320 sec

I had pulled into a lay by for a short break on the drive from Amsterdam to Vejle (Denmark) and I hadn't intended to get my camera out at all, but as I got out of the car to put some rubbish into a bin I spotted a Great Spotted Woodpecker low down on the trunk of a tree. I grabbed my camera and approached as quietly as I could but before I could get a shot he had flown away. Disappointed I turned to go back to the car and saw this beautiful male Peregrine swoop past.  I managed to snap a couple of quick shots before he disappeared and although this isn't the sharpest of images I was pleased to get it. If you look closely you will see that this bird has been ringed.

Although I missed the woodpecker on this occasion I did manage to photograph one in Gothenburg a few days later so I will be sharing that one in a few days time.

All Day Breakfast

A few weeks ago I shared a series of photos taken at an owl and bird of prey sanctuary and while it was a thrill to see so many beautiful birds of prey up close it cannot match the thrill of seeing one of these birds close up in the wild.

Today was my first chance to get out with my camera for a while and I was hoping for some good photo opportunities. I went to the Lancashire Wildlife Trust reserve at Brockholes near Preston. 

Top of my list of species I hoped to see was the Kestrel and so I was really excited to see this male Kestrel as I pulled into the car park. The bird in all four pictures is the same one, the first image though was taken at the start of the day when it was very dull, the other shots were taken about an hour later when the bird was tempted back by a handful of tasty mealworms put out by another visitor.

As you can see from the second shot he didn't waste any time at all snatching his first mouthful before he had even settled on the post and then in the third shot that expression seems to say "stay back, these worms are mine!"

These pictures were shot at 300mm (or thereabouts) but with fairly low shutter speeds and high ISO because of the poor light meaning they are a little grainy. I was able to get really close though so I haven't needed to crop these pictures at all.

Kestrel

You may remember (if you saw it that is) that in a recent post I spoke about how I had watched the film and read the book Kes which inspired my love of birds of prey. On that occasion I shared some pictures of a beautiful female kestrel and so today here are a couple of shots of a young male kestrel.

It is a small yet powerful bird but hunched up on its perch it looks quite timid. Close up though you can see its piercing eyes and vicious looking beak. 

I just love these little birds and I love to see them hovering along the roadside or hedgerows while hunting for their prey.

Visiting a bird of prey centre once I was told that kestrels (and possibly other birds I don't remember) are able to track prey, such as mice, through the grass by being able to detect the trail of urine that mice leave behind. How's that for an interesting fact of the day.

Snowy Owl

I love the brilliant orange eyes of this beautiful Snowy Owl as he is looking intently at the surroundings.

I also love the expression on his face in the first shot, it is a half smile and I think he looks really quite cute.

Lanner Falcon

Today's offering from the Turbary Woods Owl & Bird of Prey Sanctuary is this beautiful Lanner Falcon.

This is not a native species but is normally found in Africa and Southern Europe. In 1666 some were reported in The Forest of Dean and Sherwood Forest but these were likely to have been escaped hunting birds.

They have a different hunting style to the Peregrine Falcon which tends to stoop attacking its prey at great speed from above, the Lanner by contrast has a more horizontal flight and takes its prey in flight. This bird was part of the flying demonstration and it was truly a great spectacle. As it flew above the trees a large flock of pigeons scattered noisily before the falcon returned to the arena to chase the lure. It whooshed past at speed and getting a photo of it in action was incredibly difficult we will see later in the week whether I was successful or not. For now these three shots of the falcon on its perch will have to do.

I think the first picture is my favourite because it is looking straight at the camera with its piercing gaze. I have cropped the third image to get a little closer to highlight the detailed markings on its face and to show off that imposing beak.

Kestrel

This is an adult male Kestrel, it was perched on top of a tree surveying the area for prey. 

I love birds of prey and since I was small Kestrels have always been a special bird for me. I loved the story/movie Kes and for a long time I would imagine having my own Kestrel, perhaps one that I raised from a chick. I have always loved to see them hovering along the side of the road or above the hedgerows with such grace.

They are fairly small and delicate looking and in this shot you can see what looks like a mayfly just above its head, that and the buds at the ends of the branches give a sense of scale.

Not long after this shot was taken the bird was disturbed by some kids running by and it flew off but I had really enjoyed watching him at fairly close quarters.

Make Sure You Get My Best Side

This aloof looking creature is a Great Grey Owl, I stood watching him for several minutes and every time that I moved to try and get a full face photo he looked to either side.  I felt certain that he was deliberately doing it.  However, as much as I would have liked to get a shot with him looking directly at me I think these pictures really give a good insight into the character of this beautiful bird.