Wildlife Photography across the Water: Corvids

Wednesday 10 June 2009

Corvids - In praise of the unloved

Rooks, Crows, Jackdaws get a bad press from all corners.

Well I quite like them - or least Jackdaws and Hooded Crows. These few images were taken on my recent trip to Mull.

Hooded Crows are found across the Highlands and remind me of Carrion Crows in Silver waistcoats - I think they look pretty cool. It is great to watch them for a while as they seem to be quite playful and have 'character'. They are not the easiest of birds to photograph, and have eluded me in terms of half decent images.

Jackdaws are not widespread on Mull - this image was taken on Iona. I had a great five minutes watching one on top of a fence post shouting at a black and cat that was sneaking up on some House Sparrows. The cat turned round and sat below the Jackdaw, being taunted very loudly. After a while the cat kept trying to jump up to shut the Jackdaw up, and as the cat jumped the Jackdaw just took off in a hover a couple of feet up and then back on to the post to resume shouting. It was a great cameo.

On the trip back south from Scotland, Dumbarton is usually where I see the last of the Hoodies, and a little sadness knowing that it will be another good few months before I am back to see them again.

Martin

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Bio's

David Courtenay, a self taught wildlife and nature photographer, has been capturing images for over 30 years. He has had a passion for wildlife since early childhood and remembers being glued to the television whenever Survival, Wildlife on One and other natural history documentaries were shown. In the 2006 he swapped his established career for the life of a wildlife photographer, such a move demands a measure of uncompromising passion and commitment.

David has travelled extensively throughout Europe as well as spending more than 7 months in India working with local guides and trackers in search of Bengal Tiger, Asian One horned Rhino and Asian Elephant. He has also photographed Wildlife in Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Sumatra, Africa, Canada and America. Working closely with Conservation companies he tries to raise funds to help Wildlife that has been put on the endangered list by poaching and habitation loss

Martin Dyer has had a passion for avian wildlife since childhood, particularly raptors. Photography was also another keen interest and it was with the specific availability and control of the whole process that digital offers that Martin was then able to combine the two in 2003. Based in the UK, Martin is a regular visitor to Scotland, specifically the Isle of Mull to watch the Eagles resident there. Other trips to Europe and around the UK are usually part of Martin’s agenda in a typical year.

However, as a firm believer on making the most of the local patch, Martin has spent a lot of time and hard work creating a wildlife garden which is reaping the rewards with many new species and varieties of wildlife. A keen member of a number of wildlife photographic groups, Martin is keen to expand his portfolio into other areas of wildlife, and has already established a wide portfolio of images of fungi.