Wildlife Photography across the Water: Persistence pays off

Thursday, 23 July 2009

Persistence pays off

Just every once in a while, we find examples of the persistence and dedication of nature having successful outcomes.

I have been lucky enough to see the fortunes of a pair of Great Crested Grebes at my place of work.

Back at the beginning of the year, we needed to undertake a project to shore up the banking around the lake as it was subsiding. As a nature lover, I was aware, as was the Project Engineer of the breeding pair of Grebes that nest in the affected area.

To that end, he bought a floating island, pre-planted with reeds for it to nest. It was placed about 15 metres away from the previous nest site that was actually within touching distance of a public footpath. This was put in position well before the breeding season and the reeds in the effected area were removed.

However, this didn't deter the Grebes and they promptly built there nest on the open water right next to the footpath.

She sat on eggs for many weeks but it was clearly a failure.

They tried again with the same result!!

By this time, the reeds on the floating island had grown and it was now occupied by a Coot that has fledged a couple of chicks. But they tried for a third time, and happily a couple of weeks ago two little chicks hatched, looking just like little black and white mint humbugs sweets.

So I headed off to the Lake in my lunchtime today and got some images to share with you.

Mum, Dad and the two chicks

Hitchin' a ride a two week old chick just about
outgrowing mum and hanging off the back

Man made floating island with a tiny Coot chick

So with perseverance and dedication, nature has made it. It has been great to see that they were finally successful, despite them ignoring the helping hand that we tried to give them.

As a result of them nesting where they did, our project works were much delayed and are only just commencing at the furthest point away from them.

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.