The migrants return

It’s wonderful to see and hear the return of the migrants. For the past couple of weeks the morning air has been alive with the calls of various warblers and several cuckoos. It really feels like Spring! Barn owls are out hunting most mornings and evenings and kestrels and even the local foxes are all competing for the unseen rodents that remain hidden amongst the new vegetation. Territorial squabbles abound. The return of one of my favourite birds, the common tern is also a delight, though I suspect that the commandeering of the ‘tern raft’ by the black-headed gulls is more than a little nuisance. Still, first come, first served!

One of a pair of Great-crested grebes has also been very active. I suspect that the female has an active nest somewhere in the vicinity and the male bird has been fishing during much of the daylight hours. This has given me the opportunity to capture some great moments and to witness this elegant bird in some less than flattering poses. Still, it was interesting to see the huge paddle feet of this species.

I was delighted to see the local fox the other day. I watched with awe as it sprung into the air and pounced on an unfortunate short-tailed vole that it swiftly despatched and took back to its den. I was very lucky to be in the right place at the right time. The photographs may prove a little disturbing but that’s nature I’m afraid.

A hesitant Spring…

Finally we have been treated to a spell of mild, dry weather. The cold northerly and easterly winds have been replaced by their southern counterparts and it looks as though Spring has arrived at last. The trees are beginning to bud and blossom and the local wildlife are busy preparing for the next generation.

Of course, the local predators are always around to take advantage of the situation. Very early one morning, I managed to get a photograph of the local fox with a goose eggs between its jaws; it’s remarkable that such a savage jaw could hold a fragile egg with such delicacy.

The swallows have also returned. Initially, in small groups but yesterday evening, there were more than fifty skimming over the surface of the lake. I managed one decent photograph but anymore would certianly lead to madness. A pair of common buzzards have been visiting on a regular basis and trying to keep their distance from the local jackdaw and black-headed gull communities.

The local barn owl seems to have paired up too and appears to be doing well despite the increased competition from other predators. I was about a hundred yards away from one of the owls the other night when it turned and issued a warning screech in my direction. I backed off straight away and the owl flew off. I was only trying to get back to my car!

But the most wonderful aspect of the past few weeks has definitely been the quality of the light. When the light is that good it’s so hard to stay at home! The last picture in this blog entry demonstrates this beautiful light. A single white horse from the neighbouring farm against a broken old fence. I just had to take a picture!

[As usual, please click on any image in order to see a larger version]

It’s an ill wind…

For those of you who may be waiting for an update from my recent trip to Iceland, I’m afraid you may have to wait a couple of more weeks. I’m still processing my images and exploring different compositions. The good news is that I am now the proud owner of a brand new Nikon D4 and a 24-70 f2.8 lens!

The story started back in Iceland. We were marooned at a small hotel near Jökulsárlón when the weather closed-in. High winds and blizzard conditions meant that we could not travel so we spent the time braving the brutal conditions on the nearby beach, photographing the sea-ice against the fine, black volcanic sand. I had my Nikon D3s and my favourite landscape lens on a tripod when a sudden large wave caught me off guard and the whole kit and kaboodle ended up in the sea! I was furious with myself but I can tell you; sea-water and sophisticated electronics are not the best of bed-fellows. I e-mailed my home and contents insurance company from my hotel and informed them of the accident. Within two weeks of me returning home, I had a brand new camera and lens and since Nikon no longer manufacture a D3s, I was told that my replacement would be the new Nikon D4. Well, I wasn’t going to argue! I must say that my insurer was first class. I don’t usually endorse products or services on my blog, but I will make an exception and say that Hiscox people were fantastic; with great communications and a very prompt, friendly approach to my first, and hopefully last ever claim.

The arrival of my replacement camera coincided with B.S.T. and extra of hour of light in the evenings. Though the weather has been cold, it has been very dry and the evening light simply marvellous. It’s been a real pleasure to watch the golden light and deepening shadows at dusk. Tophill Low was unusually quiet for the time of year but at least the local Barn Owls and Roe deer have been active. Richard Hampshire, the warden at Tophill Low has told me of the death of two Barn owls following the recent spell of cold weather. It could be that their food source (mice and voles) has had their population reduced by the flooding. So my advice to anyone photographing these birds is to do so with a heightened sense of empathy. Please be aware that these creatures hunt to stay alive and not just for our photographic pleasure.

Apart from the local Roe deer and Barn owls it has been relatively quiet. I did spot the local one-eyed otter very early one morning and a pair of Kingfishers has been very active. I spotted a pair of Great-crested grebes one morning too. A lonely Redshank is often about and the Pied wagtails have returned to the reserve.

So how is my new camera performing, I hear you ask? Well, I’ll let my latest pictures do the talking!

…that blows nobody any good.

A cold, cold March

It’s almost a couple of weeks since I returned from Iceland and I’m still slowly trawling through my catch. I hope to bring you an account of my trip (assuming your interested) in the next couple of weeks. The picture of the Aurora above is one of my favourites from my trip.

Meanwhile, I’ve spent a couple of very cold mornings at Tophill Low and a delightful Friday evening showing some pictures to the good folks of Lund village. Richard Hampshire’s recent blog mentioned the untimely death of one of the local Barn owls. It’s always sad to hear such news but I can confirm that a Barn Owl was hunting this morning as usual, so this must have been another owl?

Black-headed gulls were present and diving on the cormorants and curlew. However, it was this morning’s bitter easterly wind blowing directly at me for four hours that finally made me give-up and return to a nice, warm bed.

More later…

The last couple of Saturday mornings have seen me trudging through the mud and water-logged fields to Tophill Low. Long, cold hours in the hide and surrounding fields have been tough on my body and mind. I finally replaced my Sorel Caribou winter boots that developed two large splits in the rubber. Ok, I may have had them for four years but I don’t exactly use them every day. Let’s hope my new North Face winter boots will keep my toes warm and dry during my trip to Iceland in a couple of weeks time.

This will probably be my final post before I return from Iceland in the middle of March. I don’t know how many winter wildlife opportunities there will be but fingers-crossed, I hope to be showing you some wonderful landscape images from my trip—later next month. So, please watch this space.

As I write this entry, it’s a dreary Sunday morning with snow forecast later. I hope you don’t mind if I just show you all a few images I’ve taken over the past couple of weeks. Here goes…

Winter has arrived at last

As usual at this time of year, I arrived at Tophill Low before dawn. Thank-goodness the road had been semi-cleared of the wet snow. Once on the footpath, the only tracks in the virgin snow were those that had been left by the animals and birds. It was quiet too, except for the bitter easterly breeze that rustled the remaining leaves and the dead reeds. The sun gradually rose above the partly frozen surface of the lake, but the curtains of clouds remained firmly shut and the winter landscape took on those familiar pastel shades.

I quickly set up my camera and long lens and waited some movement. I stared at the ice pattens on the surface of the lake; even daring to make a couple of quick exposures of grey and white surface.

The reserve appeared desolate and there was nothing showing on the icy-frozen surface of the lake. I could see a few tracks on the surface and I was hoping for a glimpse of the local fox. I’d seen fox tracks in the deep snow on my approach walk and I stopped several times to view the paw prints. I saw where the fox had stopped and scratched away the surface of the snow leaving a little bare patch of mud and grass. Well, I waited over seven hours in the freezing cold but the fox was obviously elsewhere.

The local barn owl was active and more than made up for the fox’s shyness. Apart from a few hours rest between dawn and ten, it was hunting throughout the day. Always marvellous to watch, I was also conscious of the added difficulty that the snow had added to the availability of its staple prey.

One of my favourite sounds of winter is the raucous chuckle of a group of Fieldfare. I sat and watched them take the hawthorn berries, much to the annoyance of the resident pair of blackbirds, who clearly did not want to share. The Fieldfares Latin name, Turdus pilaris appears to be quite fitting, certainly to a non-scholar such as myself.

Finally, just as I was about to leave in search of a nice warm bath, I saw some movement in the far distance and something was running across the surface of the ice. I clicked a couple of times but I couldn’t see to well and thought it was a common moorhen. When I got home and reviewed my images, I was delighted to see that it was a water rail.

A Christmas day adventure

I was up before dawn on Christmas day for a rare trip to Tophill Low. The damp, cold weather of late had been curbing my enthusiasm for the outdoors, so I have spent much of my time in my darkroom at home, making platinum prints from some of my recent, digital negatives. I find this to be a wonderfully creative and relaxing process and after years of practice, I’ve recently been achieving some pleasing results. *(I’ve placed a small example at the base of this page but it’s nearly impossible to reproduce the wonderful subtle tones of such a print.)

Anyway, I digress. I arrived at Tophill Low kitted out with my two cameras, 500 mm lens and my tripod. I meant business! I struggled through the mud in grey, pre-dawn light. I soon reached the top of the dyke only to find that the way ahead looked impassable. Barmston drain had flooded across the footpath and into the adjacent fields. Only the fence was visible above the flood water. I estimated that the river level was about two metres above the winter average. Here’s what I saw…

I had to make a decision. Should I return home to my warm bed, make a very long detour, or have a closer look at the flooded footpath? Of course, I chose the latter! It wouldn’t be Xmas day without a little excitement now would it? I ploughed through ankle-deep mud until I reached the fence. I took a deep breath and edged across the bottom rail of the rickety fence with a rucksack on my back, my camera round my neck and my tripod in my left hand. At one point, the bottom rail disappeared and I had to make a long step to avoid the cold flood water. Two-minutes later I was on dry (drier) land and somewhat relieved.

When I eventually arrived at the hide, the water was lapping around the base of the wooden support piles. Watton Carrs had turned into one huge lake and only the trees protruded from the top of the submerged island. Plenty of teal and mallard were about but little else. The geese were generally absent and most of the cormorants remained at their roost site. A grey heron and a lone mute swam made brief appearances and managed to break the monotony for a few minutes. However, it was a stunning Little Grebe that was the star of the show and it is the picture I have chosen to use at the head of this post. I stayed about four hours but frequent heavy showers and the threat of rising flood waters finally enticed me home.

A Happy New Year to everyone and thanks for reading my posts. I’m looking forward to my trip to Iceland in February 2013 and hope that we’ll get a few crisp winter days and some lovely light soon!

The Twisted Oaks of Dartmoor

Last weekend, I finally managed a trip to Dartmoor. It had been on my ‘wish-list’ for sometime. Actually for more like seventeen-years; ever since I first read Eddie Ephraum’s book, ‘Creatiive Elements’. There was a picture of a wonderfully twisted Oak tree and a huge, gnarly granite boulder. I knew that one day I had to go and see the magic for myself, so off I went, driving the long 400 or so miles to Devon from my home in Driffield. I arrived at the ‘Two Bridges Hotel’ at around 9:00 pm, just in time for a few beers and a sandwich in front of a large and welcoming open fire.

I awoke early the next morning, rushed breakfast and headed up the valley for a mile to the edge of the Wistman’s Wood. Conditions were almost perfect, with very little wind and an overcast sky. I didn’t want sunshine; and then it started raining. I was dressed for the cold rather than the rain and the freezing water soon found it’s way through the seams of my down jacket, soaking my t-shirt underneath. I sheltered under a granite boulder for ten minutes, before just getting on with job. The rain eventually stopped and I spent an enjoyable few hours slipping and shuffling around the fantastic trees and the moss covered boulders.

Quoting from Wikipedia, Wistman’s Wood is a rare relict example of the ancient high-level woodlands of Dartmoor, and because of this it has been a Site of Special Scientific Interest since 1964. The wood consists mainly of stunted pedunculate oak trees that grow from between moss-covered boulders and are festooned with epiphytic mosses, lichens and ferns. There are also some rowan, holly and willow trees. It also supposed to be haunted but I didn’t see any ‘Hell hounds’ during my short trip.

After a quick warming drink at the hotel, I drove a few short miles to Princetown for views of the infamous Dartmoor prison. Actually, HM Prison Dartmoor is now a Category C prison and houses mainly non-violent offenders and white-collar criminals. Still, it looks a foreboding place with its granite walls and barbed wire. Here’s a couple of photographs I took that afternoon:

The following day dawned sunny and bright but I was disappointed. I knew that the strong contrasty light would cause horrendous problems up at Wistman’s Wood, so I chose the soft option to explore the River Dart. I drove east through Dartmoor, re-tracing the route that I had travelled in the dark on Friday evening. I stopped to take a few photographs at Dartmeet where the granite boulders are warn smooth by the tea coloured waters of the River Dart.

A few miles further, I stopped at a lay-by at the top of a steep wooded hill. The autumn colours were absolutely stunning, so I grabbed my camera and tripod made a quick exposure and hopped over the fence to reach the bank of the river. I spent a couple of hours exploring the slippy river bank and taking the odd picture or two. I found that judicious use of my warm polariser on my 24-70 Nikon zoom, cut through the reflective glare and revealed those lush green tones of the vegetation and the quiet pools of the river. Here’s a couple of example photographs:

It certainly was a worthwhile trip. The weather was perfect and the autumn colours were stunning. One day, I hope to return and stay a while longer. This time, I didn’t even scratch the surface.

Cormorants & Swans

So far, it’s been a rather quiet autumn. The good news is that sunrise is now at a reasonable hour. Unfortunately, it’s now too late in the season to enjoy a leisurely hour or two of photography after work. Never mind, the rich autumnal colours and the sweet earthy smells more than compensate for this minor inconvenience.

Cormorants and Swans seem to have provided the best photographic opportunities for me during the past few weeks. The good news is that these birds both possess contrasty plumage and are rather large too; so autofocus issues haven’t been a problem. In fact, I have been delighted with the performance of my D800 in that department.

I have been tending to use my Nikon D800 in DX mode with just my 500 f4 lens. This combination gives me an effective focal length of approximately 750 mm and still at f4. I have found that I prefer this combination to my Nikon D3s with a 1.4x on the 500 mm f4 lens, as this loses me an additional stop of light and to be frank, the quality of the image detail is far superior without a converter.

Of course, the D3s comes out to play when the sun has set. I have started to bring my D3s and a 300 mm with me, ever since I met face to face with an Otter as I returned to my car. The family of Mute Swans that have been defending the lake for the past few months are still resident and quite remarkably, still displaying their combined aggression to any unwelcome visitors. The resident fox has been laying low and the Barn Owl seen very infrequently, and usually well after sunset.

Anyway, here are a few images taken during the past few weeks. I hope you enjoy them and please don’t be afraid to leave your comments.

Finally, here’s a picture of a A Cessna F150M ‘G-HULL’ from Beverley Airfield. How I wished it was a Heron or a Raptor!

Young buck surprise!

I’m back! My summer sojourn with landscape photography is at an end and I’ve returned to my wildlife photography. I do hope that I didn’t bore you with my images of the Wolds? I’m pretty sure I will return to the sea & the land later in the year.

The sun had already set and my camera’s meter was telling me it was time to go home when I spotted two Roe deer amongst the tall grass.There was a young buck and a much older doe and they appeared to be engrossed in their mating behaviour. I watched them patiently for about fifteen minutes as the buck showed a considerable amount of interest and finally ended up mating with the mature doe.

I wasn’t too sure of the quality of the pictures but was pleasantly surprised to see that most of them were sharp despite the high ISO and the very low shutter speeds employed (good old Nikon D3s). I was quite puzzled by the behaviour exhibited by this pair of roe deer so I made a quick copy of the files and sent them to my good friend Marc Baldwin at Wildlife Online. Marc was kind enough to send me the following note”

The photos clearly show a sexual liaison between a young buck and a mature doe. The mutual grooming and doe squatting on the ground to urinate (thereby releasing a flood of various hormones that tell the buck how close to being in estrus she is) are well-known peri-courtship behaviours in this species. Interestingly, there was no obvious frenetic chasing of the doe by the buck, which is often a precursor to copulation (and possibly stimulate ovulation). The fact that the buck appears quite young (probably in his second year) might suggest that the female hasn’t been mated earlier in the season by a mature male (from previous pics you’ve posted, there are a few around) and I know that, in Red deer (not sure about Roe), the females can become quite impatient — well, frankly slutty! — the longer they go without being mated and by the end of the season the female can often solicit any available males shamelessly to provoke a mating. It wouldn’t surprise me if this also happened in Roe.

Even though the light was poor, I find this set of images represents to me, the true essence of wildlife photography—a rarely seen event that I can share with others. It’s always worth staying that little bit later, even if it’s too dark to photograph. You never know what you’ll see.