European Eagle Owl

European Eagle Owl, Bubo bubo

The European Eagle Owl is one of the largest owls in the world. We have three eagle owls here, Ethel who is used for photography days and flying display, and Doina and Igor who are our elderly couple on display.

Igor and Doina were donated to us from an elder couple who used to have them as pets. The couple then got to an age where they felt they could no longer care for them adequately, and wanted to find a safe home for them. Igor and Doina are now well in their 60's, showing how long lived these birds can be.

Ethel, the European Eagle Owl

There is varying reports around about eagle owls in Britain, and whether they were here or not, and are they officially here now or not...

There is some evidence to suggest they used to be in Britain, thousands of years a go, but were then absent until recent decades. We now have quite a few back in the wild, according to many sightings and surveys, making a decision about what to  do with them difficult.

Most likely they are escapees from captivity, and therefore shouldn't really be here. However there is a chance, although unlikely, that they have migrated over from Europe. Now if they have come over naturally, they are fully protected by European law, and quite rightly too... But the question is if they were captive, then shouldn't we really remove them?

Whether they are captive or not, nothing can currently be legally done unless they are proved to have come from captivity... very difficult to do.

Eagle Owl in the Evening

So what is being done?... The RSPB are closely monitoring there population and effects on other wildlife, and in particular where they are bordering where our last few hen harriers are.

Personally, I'd love to see them recognised as being a British bird again. We have very few top predators in this country, due to us persecuting most of them in the past, it would be great to see a few come back... especially if they are as beautiful as a European eagle owl.

Anyway, enough rambling, lets look at some pretty pictures :-) Above is Ethel in the evening light, during the Autumn to get the warm coloured background with the leaves on the trees.

Eye!

Most of my photos come straight from camera with just a slight tweak in levels of contrast and saturation, if I feel it needs it, and a crop... again if I feel it needs it. Very few I actually "manipulate". In fact, I think I could count on one hand then number of photos that would be seen as having been manipulated, out of the thousands I have taken over the last six years. These two have been though...

Above, very simple, converted to black and white and then colour selectively added in. This was actually done on an iPad app called "Colour Splash". I am not sure if I like selective colour or not, but wanted to give it a go and was done in the first year I had my camera.

I do like black and white, but I am no good at it... One day I would like to try through. For some truly amazing black and white wildlife photography check out David Lloyd! Stunning work, and he has a new coffee shop table book coming out this Autumn.

Vole's Eye View

This one took a lot of work, and was not fully sharp in camera either, but is still one of my favourites of Ethel. I had to remove the telemetry and anklets she was wearing the biggest photoshop job I have ever had to do, but I think unless I tell people I have done it know one knows so I am pretty please with it.

One day I will re do this photo with my new camera.

Me and Ethel - by Izzy Coomber

Lastly, one of me with Ethel taken by Izzy. This was from when I was training her to fly.

Okay, thanks for looking everyone, next up is the snowy owl, and then we will be officially launched with the bluebells from this year, which is what I have been most requested to show.

What to expect...

Grinning Fox

Welcome all to my new blog, "Matt's Photos". I am looking at this blog as a sister blog to the BWC Keepers Blog, and as a place to share some more of my photos. For more about this blog click the link above. There are also links above to find out more about me, the camera gear I use and links to the BWC blog and my photo sharing sites etc.

For this first post I thought I would just show you ten photos from over the years. These will give you and idea of what to expect on this sister blog. Hope you enjoy.

Above is a photo of Flo our friendly fox, taken with a wide angle lens which gives it an almost comical feel. This was the first photo I took which I was REALLY pleased with. It took a while to grow on me, but is now one of my favourites. It is a lovely portrait, but a little different. Not taken with a remote trigger as many think, I was actually behind it at the time.

Winged Assassin of Bluebell Wood

Above is Florence flying over the bluebells. I have been lucky enough to have many photographs in the papers over the years, but this is possibly the most famous.

Day Old Badger Cubs

Working at the BWC I am lucky to see many unusual or very rare sights. Above is not a great photo, but it is something I like showing people. It is of two, one day old badger cubs. Even from day one you can see that they have the classic black and white striped face!

Lucy Flying a Barn Owl

I have a very hard working and dedicated team of keepers, that work hard to maintain the high standards of welfare and presentation we have at the Centre. It is like photographing them in action, and if possible unaware, to get more natural poses. It is good for the records and as souvenirs. It is a shame the barn owl was moulting above and so had half a tail, but you can only work with what you have got.

Dance of the Adders

Different behaviours are always fascinating to me, and arguably my most anticipated every year is the "Dance of the Adders". This is one I took in the first year I had a camera, and still possibly my favourite. Taken from outside the enclosure, and so shows the great opportunities you can get here even with out the exclusive access of our photo days.

Fox Smelling Daffodil

My favourite fox, Pickles, sadly non longer with us. Sniffing the daffodils. This is the first photograph I took that got noticed and encouraged people who have never been to the Centre to follow my photography.

Autumn Hedgehog

 I love using the light, and backlight in particular. I also love colour, and the above shows both nicely.

Fisheye Otter on Ice

I was once told that a fisheye lens is good, but you can't use it for wildlife. After this I was determined to prove them wrong. I love my fisheye lens. It takes great quirky portraits, but can also be used well in other ways. The above is my most highly awarded photo, being Highly Commended in 2012's British Wildlife Photographer of the Year. It was amazing to see it in the gallery alongside other great amateur, and many amazing professional photographers work.

Beautiful Bonnie

One of my first, and still one of my favourite, of all photos. Showing Bonnie, the pine marten, off to her beautiful best. It is not the best technically, but still I love it and that is all that matters.

Vole's Eye View

The editing I do is minimal, and tends to only be slight tweaks in levels and cropping. Apart from the obvious photoshopped images for fun, I could probably count on one hand the number of images I have actually "manipulated". The above is one of the ones I did manipulate, it is also a little soft and not of high quality. But it is unusual, different, and so one of my favourites.

Thanks for looking.