Recent Photos

Wildcat stare

Apologies for the lack of photos recently, work has been busy, but there will be a few more regular updates coming soon with a project I have been asked to help with for a couple of months. More announced soon.

Here are some of my recent photos taken over the last few weeks.

Wildcat

The above two trying something a little different with one of our wildcats Macavity.

Aluco in red light

Catching the lovely evening light with Aluco in one of our tawny owl perches for our owl days.

Highland Cow

We have three new Highland cows, which are being looked after by David (Centre owner). Had to take a simple portrait as they are such lovely looking animals, and then trying to see how friendly they are and how close I could get I of course brought out the fisheye lens.

Donalbain the highland cow

Looks like he is smiling in this one :-)

Malcom the highland cow

Trying the tail end

Member Gary K Mann kindly bought in some mirror carp for the otters for Christmas... Little Buster had a field day with his!

Buster with carp

Buster with carp

Buster

He is coming out a lot more frequently now, and really looking quite handsome.

Chasing on ice

This last one shows Emmy chasing Elwood, one on the ice one below it swimming. Always great fun to watch!

Thanks for looking.

Photo Talk Tweaks

Barn Owl

I am doing a photography talk in a couple of weeks time. I do a lot of talks about the Centre and the work we do here, and of course use my photos to illustrate these, but have only done a few talks specifically about my photography... 

I always promote the Centre in these too, and try to make them educational about the animals as well as photography and convey my passion for British Wildlife. Although photography is a big hobby for me, I still see it only as that... a hobby, a way to enjoy time with the animals and always see myself as an animal lover and British wildlife enthusiast first. 

For my talk in a couple of weeks, I am combining two of my other talks to make it a little different. While doing this I am updating some of the photos and a few other tweaks. While doing this I thought I would share a couple of photos, old and new, that I may be putting in.

Above is one of my latest, and one of my favourites, of Big Pete in flight. The light was a little to high still for the back light I like, but it still came out alright. I enjoy playing around with exposures and metering whenever I get the chance.

Red Squirrel

 One that I have not used before, a very simple and softly back lit portrait of a red squirrel.

Deer on the Run

A couple messing around with panning, a slow pan with the deer above.

Super Owl

And this one is a much more extreme panning shot. Any slower and I think it would be unlikely to know what it was flying through the shot.

Flying Florence

Above is another I haven't used much before. Florence flying on one of our owl days. The light looks quite strong, which is probably why we did it side lit.

Badger

This one I only showed a little while a go, but is possibly my favourite badger photo I have. I don't take to many of our badgers, but was lucky to get this one evening a couple of weeks ago. The light was strong, but again... using it as side light and setting the right exposure and metering created quite a nice effect.

Evening Eagle Owl

A simple portrait, but in the nice warm evening light... taken out on our nature reserve in the autumn, giving the nice warm autumn colours in the background.

Watching the Sunset

And finally, one used before... but not often. I messed this one up a little, but still like it :-)

Thanks for looking.

Short Eared Owl

Short Eared Owl, Asio flammeus

Next up on my list is the Short Eared Owl... Now for me this is the most beautiful owl you will find living in the UK, and quite possibly the most beautiful owl in the world. We have just the one at the BWC, "Fawkes", and we are lucky to have him as they are extremely rare in captivity. 

We hope to be able to find him a mate in the future, and attempt to breed them, but chances are slim. However, if we can find him a mate, we have Julian Ford from Huxley's Falconry Centre on hand to help us with their breeding. He has successfully bred them in the past, and is keen to help.

Short Eared Owl

Fawkes is steady on the glove, and comfortable to be viewed by the public, but he still knows he is an owl and was not hand-reared. Would it be possible to train him to fly?.. I think so, yes, but it would be a lot harder to do than with the rest of our flying team which were hand reared and imprinted. Couple this with the fact he is our only one, I think the risks say best not.

Above is one of my favourite photos of Fawkes. They are ground nesting birds, and so this is more suited to how you may see them in the wild when not flying.

Side-lit Short Eared Owl

We still use Fawkes for our Owl Photographic days, which allows you the opportunity to photograph all seven British owls in one day down on our nature reserve. Above was taken one evening while scouting out the evening light with Andy Rouse in preparation of his owl workshops he runs here. Softly side lit, showing the difference in pupil size in dark and light, and the light allowing to find a natural black background.

Short Eared Owl in the Evening Light

Another side lit one above, on another night, and slightly earlier in the evening. This one shows off his ear tufts nicely. It's not often you see our short eared owls tufts, but as you can see he does have them, they are just, well, short.

Short Eared Owl in Yellow

Another of him on the ground. This one was during the day in the summer, but when it was a bit overcast to avoid the harsh light. Placed in the yellow flowers to compliment his eyes. Is it natural?.. Possibly not, but it makes a pretty picture. 

Fawkes in his new home

And finally, thought I had to include at least one from our new aviaries in these posts. Above is Fawkes in his new home.

Our new aviaries are a huge improvement on the old ones, and allows you to see the owls much better, whilst being better for them too. Win win. Fawkes has settled in extremely well, and is usually perched on the branch above in the middle and back of the pen, or is sat on the ground to the back left under some rush.

You can see our new pens do allow for photography of the owls, this photo was taken from outside the aviary and from behind the stand off barrier, but as I always say for something a bit more special/natural... that's what our photographic days are for.

You can see his ear tufts again too which is nice.

Thanks for looking.

Long Eared Owl

Long Eared Owl, Asio ottis

I appreciate I am throwing images at you at the moment, and will continue to finish the British owls every other day for the next week, but I am just keen for there to be a few posts back-logged before I officially launch this blog. Bare with me, and then I will reduce the postings to just two or three a week as I do with the main blog once all is go...

But, to continue the owls, here are a few long eared owl photos for you. We have three long eared owls at the Centre. A pair which we hope to breed from in the future, and our flying team member "Archimedes".

Archimedes will be the one in all these photos...

Oh, while I remember... If you click on one of the photos, it brings up all the photos in this post in a kind of lightbox slide show with black background, and at a larger size. You can then use the arrow keys to flick through them. I have been doing the main blog for quite a few years now, and only discovered this yesterday!  It helps show the detail in the tawnies facial disc photo in my last post.

Anyway, on to Archimedes.

Long Eared Owl

One of the things about all owls are the facial discs, and in particular the incredible eyes they have. This was one of my first photos of Archimedes, sat in an oak tree, with the leaves nicely framing his face. It was short-listed for the B.W.P.A a couple of years ago.

Wizards Owl

Archimedes in the evening light, I don't know why, but this always reminds me of a wizards staff with a withered old owl on top... Silly I know.

Long Eared Owl Silhouette 

I am not a huge fan of silhouettes, but with something as uniquely identifiable as a long eared owl it can look quite nice. I don't think it would have the same impact with a barn owl for example.

Forest Owl

One of my favourites of Archimedes. Once again, pulling back to show him in an environment. The blur in the m idle was unintentional, but I don't think detracts too much... and if you look closely you can see his anklets, but hey ho.

Peeking

A peek from Archie... Not sure if I like this one or not to be honest, but it has been one of my more popular ones from internet sharing.

Fire Owl

Now this is perhaps my favourite... Taken in the extreme late evening light, which had a red glow. Back lit on a fence post and just illuminating the outline of him. The barbed wire fence catches some of the light too which I like.

Sunset Owl

And finally, one of Archimedes watching the sun set. Taken two summers ago... watch this space (well, the main blog space), as I will be doing a couple of evening owl shoots this summer, photographing right until the sun sets to offer the chance of silhouettes and evening light etc. First come first serve when announced.