BWC Owl Day

Snowy Owl

Following on from my photos taken on an open day, here are a few photos I took on an owl day I joined in on a couple of weeks ago. This is for the third of three bits I am writing, the pics from the second (a BWC Photo Day) I will post in a week or so.

As with the open day, the weather was not great. It didn't rain... which would of stopped the owls all together, but there was no light for most of the day with very little light for the rest of it! However, we of course soldier on, and overall I was pleased with a few of the ones I got.

Snowy Owl Feathers

We always start off with the snowy owl and the short eared owl on our owl days, as they are the ones which are more likely to get fed up sooner. Don't get me wrong, they are both still used to cameras and do settle, but they also call time sooner than the others.

Hedwig, our snowy owl, is always difficult as his natural setting would deb in the snow. But we place him on the ground for some more natural pics and put him on a large post for some portraits. The portrait above is not necessarily natural, but it makes a nice picture and we find a lot of photographers that come on our days are just interested in that.

With the light particularly poor first thing I took a lot of more abstract stuff, and was particularly pleased with the close up of the feathers above.

Short-eared Owl

Once Hedwig has had enough, we move on to Fawkes out short-eared owl. This is another ground nesting bird, and so we try to find areas in the rough grass to make it a bit more natural. In amongst the more marsh type reeds and tussocky grass. However, on the day there was a lovely patch of daisies and I just couldn't resist a "pretty" picture of him surrounded by them.

With all our owls we try to place them in two or three different places for you to photograph them. Some more natural, and others for simple portraits, and we are always open to new ideas of where to try them.

Short-eared Owl

I think Fawkes is a stunning owl, and short-eareds are possibly my favourite owl in the world. On a post he makes for a beautiful portrait.

Long-eared Owl

Usually next up on our list would be one of our tawny owls, but with the light so dire we decided to stay more in the open and brought out Archimedes... our long-eared owl. He was having a bit of an off day and was very sleepy, so we didn't see much of his eyes.

Long-eared Owl

When a bit of light did appear for the briefest of moments, we rushed in to the woods with him to place him on one of my favourite sets. Unfortunately again... his eyes remained closed, but I did manage to get these two in a short period when he was alert. The close up above...

Long-eared Owl

... and a much wider one too. I have photographed Achimedes here so many times, I was looking for something a bit different to what I normally do. I'm not sure if this really worked, but still it is good to try!

Tawny Owl

Staying in the woods it was time for the tawny owl, and we used Florence. Our tawnies are often the stars of the show, and I could happily photograph just them all day! There are so many options as to where to put them that we really need to keep an eye on the time to make sure we don't spend to much time with them.

Florence Preening

All our owls settle fairly quickly, but Florence is such a pro now that she immediately forgets that the cameras are there and just watches the world or even preens herself.

This is where we usually call for a break, and stop for some lunch and a swap around with the owls. After the quick change around we are then ready for the afternoon of owl photography.

Little Owl Peeking

This normally starts off with our little owl, Scrappy! He is such a character, and makes for some amazing photographs. I built a little stone wall a couple of years a go (re-built a few times since), and most people laugh when they see it... but framed int he right way it offers some great photo opportunities. I will do a post later in the week showing just the wall.

One of my favourites of the day was this one above of Scrappy half hidden half seen in the nook in the wall.

Wild Fox

While photographing Scrappy in the wall, we had a visitor who wanted to join in! He didn't stay long after seeing us.

Little Owl

Often we just place the little owl on the ground too. They eat a lot of invertebrates, and so it is not rare to see them on the ground beetling for food.

Barn Owl

Next up are the barn owls. You have probably seen lots of barn owl photos from our owl days before, we have a beautiful old gate which we perch them on, and a hide we can get them peeking around as above.

Barn Owl in Flight

The barn owl is one of two owls we fly on the day too. We also fly the tawny owl in the woods if it is light enough, or down one of the tracks more in the open if the light is not too great.

Barn Owl Panning

With movement I often try to do a bit of panning with a slow shutter.

Ethel, European Eagle Owl

We then finish the day with Ethel, our European eagle owl. Again ground shots in the dead bracken look quite nice, and we also have an old rotten tree trunk which makes the perfect perch for her to sit on.

All the photos above where taken on the same day, on one of our owl days, and with no advantages over what you get if you come along to one of them. Overall I was very happy with what I got considering the conditions, and extremely pleased with two or three of them.

For the article I have been asked to use a variety of photos over the past year to show what is possible in different situations for both this and the BWC photographic day. I may well post these pics later in the year too to show you what was used.

Thanks for looking.

My Photographic Advantages

Squirrel Man - taken by Steve Bottom

This is an extended version of a blog post I wrote for "Foto-Buzz", a new online forum/magazine for keen photographers run by pro togs and most famously Andy Rouse...


Let me start by saying I am a "Keeper" first and foremost... I have an undying passion for British wildlife which has grown and developed since I was young, and I have been lucky enough to immerse myself in a life and career working closely with British animals. As the Head Keeper at the British Wildlife Centre in Surrey, I manage the animals and keeping staff in our daily duties. Everything we do is aimed towards the conservation and education of our, often overlooked, wonderful wildlife!

I am a photographer second... Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it very much, I have taken to it far more than I ever thought I would, but it is still only a hobby for me and another way to spend time with the animals I work with and care for. Where as before I used to spend any spare time just sat watching th animals of an evening, now I do it with a camera in tow. If I get a nice photo, then it is a bonus, and quite often I never pick up the camera and just sit there watching, enjoying and learning.

A lot of people who see my photographs say "Well of course, you are always there... you have all the time to take photographs." But this is far from the truth... Yes, I am always here... practically 24/7... But I am always working! I have little free time to actually spend with the animals, and therefore take photos of them. Far less in fact compared to many of our members who visit us on an almost weekly basis to take pictures. But I am not naive to the fact that I do have advantages. Big advantages in fact, but then I feel I have earned these with my loyalty and dedication to the Centre and our animals.

Scottish Wildcat

Evening light - When I do get spare time, it is usually in the morning or evening after the "working day" has finished. This often leads to the best light wight he sun lower in the sky, and often gives the lovely warm light most of us prefer. Of course this is after everyone has gone home, so I have the Centre to myself to enjoy.

Roe Doe

Entering enclosures - I have the luxury of being able to enter any of the enclosures at any time, removing the obstacles of fences and barriers. And although we allow photographers to enter the enclosures on our photographic days, there are still some animals we can not allow you in with for various reasons.

Dance of the Adders

Right place right time - Animals have some amazing behaviours and rituals, some very rarely seen in the wild and rare in captivity too. But, if our animals display any of these traits I am more likely to be around than most to see it.

Wildcat Kitten

Rarely seen - I am privileged to have seen many rare sights and animals, such as extremely young cubs, kits and kittens... long before they are more visibly on display.

Fox in Snow

Seasons - As I am always there, I am also always there in the different seasons. Perhaps the most enjoyable from a photographic point of view is the snow! No matter how difficult it is to get to the Centre in the snow, I can just step outside the door and I am there. I curse the snow from a work point of view... everything takes longer, and if no other keeper can get in then I have to do all the work. But, I can do it with a camera on the trolley next to the day old chicks, chopped up rabbits and raw fish and stop at every enclosure to take some snaps!

Evening Barn Owl

Pro togs - One of the biggest advantages is having the professional photographers visit us to run their workshops. Helping them by keeping the animals interested for their clients puts me in the best position to eavesdrop in to what they are teaching. This has helped me immensely in improving my photography in more ways than one, but perhaps the most in terms of trying different things and pushing my limits to develop, grow and create my own style.

BUT -  the biggest advantage, and something only I have and ever could, is the bond I have with these animals...

Me and Ethel - taken by Izzy Coomber

I work closely with these animals everyday, and so have built up a mutual trust and respect which does't happen overnight.

And a Nice Chianti...

This allows me to get closer to these animals than anyone else could.

Vole's Eye View

And with the trust we have in each other, allows me to try things that no one else could.

The Grinning Fox

And allows the animals to act far more comfortably and naturally, showing off their true personality, when no one else is around!

My bond with the animals is THE advantage I have, and what I use to try and take some special British animal photographs as souvenirs of the animals I care for.

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.

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