Wildlife Photography across the Water: Depression follows Depression = Even more depression

Sunday, 6 May 2012

Depression follows Depression = Even more depression

OK so I am talking about the weather now. With one North Atlantic anti cyclone following another in quick succession, I don't need to tell you how depressing it has been.

My 5dmk2 has stayed firmly in the cupboard and as the wildlife garden grows even skywards, little flowers and very little bug, moth, or butterfly activity has been evident.

The tadpoles are doing really well now and growing fast, but then they were late in appearing this year.

Nesting activity is taking place and for the first time we have nesting Blackbirds in the climbing rose at the front of the house.

We have had plenty of Swallow and House Martin activity overhead, but as yet no Swifts. They are being seen well in parts of the country so it is just a matter of time before I can marvel as they scream and reel overhead and I will know that summer is finally here.

Slightly further afield, Jac and I took a trip around the Cotswolds today and saw some nice sights and a particularly sad one. The sad one was seeing a beautiful, very tiny Fox cub dead in the road. It looked beautiful and in perfect condition but sadly was not wise enough for dealing with the busy Fosse Way.

Great sights and sounds included Sedge and Reed Warblers, Great Crested Grebes, Red Crested Pochards, Reed Bunting and some particularly close encounters with some Buzzards and Kestrels as we rode around on a very sunny, but blimmin' cold day.

Oh! Did I say ride?

Well we took delivery of a new baby a couple of weeks ago.

She is a Triumph Bonneville T100, a modern day creation of the great 60's British motorcycling icon. With new technology, that uncannily includes keeping the oil on the inside of the engine, this delightful machine is my first venture back on to a motorcycle properly since May 1995, when my last one bit me very badly.

A couple more bits are due to be delivered from Triumph, including a screen and a different seat and she will be complete

So now with limited space availability for carrying stuff I need a new camera which I will l ask you about in my next blog, but get your thinking caps on. I need a decent quality P & S with a decent-ish lens, and good (for a compact) image quality, naturally.

It wont be so long before my next blog, but I have been grateful for the break (and maybe you have too)

Martin

1 comment:

robbieb6 May 2012 at 21:12
Hi Martin, if you think your weather has been bad we had snow yesterday with near blizzards at times - it didn't stay long though . At the cliffs yesterday at 6am it was around -5C.

I'm dead jealous about the bike, I still miss mine so I know how you feel.

Robbie
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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.