Wildlife Photography across the Water: Drought conditions continue

Sunday, 4 December 2011

Drought conditions continue

I wasn't referring to the weather conditions, although we haven't had a lot of rain recently. No I was thinking photographically.

I had decided this weekend I would get out to one of three locations.

Was it to be from the choice of a couple of Bitterns that are making a regular appearance at Slimbridge at the moment or across to Northants where there are reports of a lot of Short Eared Owls making regular shows, or should I stay closer to home and concentrate on my own garden subjects?

Dave's recent blogs on his woodpecker perch encouraged me to get my 'woodpecker' silver birch back into service.

So I did that yesterday , mixed up a load of fat, suet, seeds, nuts etc and liberally spread the stuff around to see if I could attract any garden wildlife.

It has been quite a lean spell with only occasional flurries of activity. I thought after the last short colder spell of a few days that we had got the birds back in from the countryside, but they have disappeared again.

So that didn't bode too well.

Waking up early this morning, or should I say being woken up by the two Burmese kittens that live with us, the light was dull grey flat and threatening rain. That ruled out an early drive to Slimbridge for me - it have got lots of flat grey ducks in my archives thanks.

Second choice of garden birds was looking bleak too, with just a few Magpie, Wood Pigeon and Blackbirds making use of the food I had put out.

And with the light staying rubbish, what was the point of an hours drive across to Northants. I have got lots of SEO's in fine light.

So a day in the kitchen preparing fine food on the run up to Christmas, and ice cream just coz I like it was a better use of my time today.

But I am getting itchy shutter finger nevertheless, and as I finish this blog off this afternoon, listening to the wonderful late Gary Moore playing Parisienne Walkways on Planet Rock radio, it has started to rain heavily - drought over!!

1 comment:

robbieb4 December 2011 at 16:41
Hi Martin, our rain has now stopped (finally)and has now turned much cooler - we've had rain, hail, sleet and the odd snow shower most of the week. Snow showers are now forecast for the next few days. Over in the States there has been a major movement of Snowy Owls due to food shortage (over 100 seen in one State) so fingers crossed for here.

Robbie
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

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.