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.

Owl Chick Growth

Archimedes, Long Eared Owl Chick

I try to keep up with any new and interesting books on British wildlife, and today had a new book about owls come through the post. This, along with the fun feedback I have had from the "Hedwig" set of photos of him growing, made me think of posting these photos of owls during their growth.

Above of course is Archimedes, our flying long-eared owl. Below is a series of barn owls followed by tawny owls.

Barn Owl Chicks

When owls start of life they are quite a messy ball of fluff, but much like the ugly duckling story, they mature and develop into beautiful owls. These barn owls above are about 3 weeks old, and it is 3 weeks or younger that I like to get an owl if we are to then train it to fly.

Barn Owl Chick

From a pure white bundle of fluff, the barn owl starts to look messier with some darker colours coming through where feathers are beginning to form. You can even see the classic heart shape face from this young age.

Barn Owl Chick

They moult through there feathers, usually the tail and wings are among the first to develop. This allows them to learn to fly at an early age as possible.

Barn Owl Chick

Feathers then working up the back and around the face. It is usually the front of the owl and the top of the head last to moult through... but not always.

Barn Owl Chick

Then all that is left is a few whips of downy feather all over the body, but mainly around the wings.

Big Pete, Barn Owl

And then there you are... a beautiful adult owl, as beautiful as Big Pete above.

Tawny Owl Chicks

The above two are tawny owl chicks at 2 days old, you can even still see the egg tooth on each of there beaks. I think tawny owl chicks are among the cutest of them all.

Two Young Tawny Owl Chicks

A few days later, and the eyes just opened, still very dependant though of course and still quite fragile.

Tawny Owl Chick

As they grow they become a ball of fluff before the feathers start to come through, but there whole growth stage does not take long. An owl is fully grown in around 12 weeks.

Tawny Owl Chick

As the wing feathers develop, the owl can start to branch out, stepping out on to the branches and flapping its wings, lifting itself off and landing again, just building up the muscles and technique ready for a test flight.

Tawny in the Evening

Once fully grown they are a skilled and adept hunter, and ready to fend for themselves, although they may still stay in the vicinity of mum and dad for a few more weeks before being chased off to find their own territories.

Thanks for looking

Animals in the Bluebells

Tawny Owl Flying over the Bluebells

Hello to visitors new and not so new. For those that have come for the first time from the BWC Blog, or any other link, this blog is to share more photos from around the British Wildlife Centre. Photos that may not necessarily be linked to a story on the main blog, or just extra photos that I thought some of you may like to see, but I didn't want to clog up the main blog with for those that didn't.

Firstly, for those that are new, have a look back through the archives and you will see a few photos of all seven British owls and the earlier post this week with some fresh water vole pics taken a few days ago.

For everyone who has been visiting, thank you for the support, this blog has got of to a flying start and in only 3 weeks of being active is already averaging over 50 independent hits a day! I really am surprised, but very pleased, that so many of you want to see more BWC action! I am sure this will continue to increase over the weeks, especially today when I officially announce it on the main blog.

OK, enough rambling, the most requested photos were for some I took in the bluebells earlier this year. I am sure you can imagine I took many, so have included a few here...

Above is Florence flying over the bluebells, I took one similar a few years a go which became very well known, I have included it below, but this one above has shown how far I have come personally in my photography. The newer photos definitely have a style to them... but then I still find it hard to chose which I prefer out of the two.

Hedgehog in the Bluebells

This is one of our hedgehogs called Timone. I love bluebells, just the blaze of violet across the woodland floor contrasting beautifully with the vivid green. I always feel I need to make the most of it, and do some photography, but have to have an animal there to make it worth while. This usually means owls, as they are easier to take down to the woods and are trained. It would be impossible to take one of our foxes down there for example. However, one of our friendly hedgehogs can easily be moved, and they seem to enjoy the enrichment of exploring the woods.

Barn Owl in the Bluebells

Big Pete on the edge of the woods.

Little Owl in the Blubells

Little Scrappy, almost completely lost in the bluebells.

Scrappy in the Bluebells

And one a bit more isolated, with just an impression of colour in the background.

Long Eared Owl in the Bluebells

Archimedes, one of our long eared owls, very sleepy during his shoot... could barely open his eyes.

Larry!

By coincidence, a tawny owl chick was bought in on the afternoon I was heading down to the woods. So we took him with us while we were waiting for the local rescue centre to come and collect him.

Eagle Owl in the Bluebells

Ethel the eagle owl... not very natural, but a pretty picture.

Lucy and Ethel in the Bluebells

A lot of the photos I take for work can be done on my own, but some I do need help. Mainly for the owls if there is no where to tether them... To be honest, I highly doubt they would fly off, they are well trained, but it is best not to take the risk. Above is Lucy in the bluebells with Ethel.

So, they are a pick of ones I took earlier this year. You may have seen some already on the BWC website. Below are a few from the years...

Harvest Mouse on Bluebells

I mentioned the difficulty of mammals above for the bluebells... I once took some badger cubs down to the woods to photo in the bluebells, but didn't really make the most of the chance. It was the first year I had a camera, and I didn't really know what I was doing.

Above is a harvest mouse. Easy to perch... but very difficult to find a bluebell strong enough to take his weight. Surprising since they only weigh as much as a two pence coin!

Peeking Tawny in the Bluebells

This is Florence peeking around a tree taken last year. This is one of my favourites, and one of a few I submitted in to the BWPA this year... it didn't get short-listed though.

Florence in the Bluebells

Portrait of Florence in the bluebells.

Winged Assassin of Bluebell Wood

And lastly, the one I took of Florence flying over the bluebells a few years a go. Different to the first, and I am not sure which one I prefer, but this was one of the first photos that really got noticed by people other than visitors to the BWC. It made it in to three national papers on the same day, and has sold a few prints over the years too... all proceeds of which I donate to the good work we do here at the BWC.

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.