I’ve just returned from Portugal where I did a talk and photography workshop as part of the WAVES Xth International Symposium on Wild Fauna being held at the University of Trásos-Montes and Alto Douro, in Vila Real city. Located in the North of Portugal close to the Douro Region, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The beauty of photographing wildlife is that it is always changing and evolving, encountering the unexpected. In this environment the photographer must learn to work with these changing environmental conditions and behaviours, and the result cannot always be predicted. For me this only adds to the excitement of wildlife photography. Its been a really busy period for one to ones and workshops with clients over the last several weeks. Here are a few images from the field I took alongside them all, as well as a few from my own project.
The onset of spring cannot be denied now, with the warming temperatures, lighter evenings and the morning dawns becoming earlier. Spring is upon us, though there maybe many false dawns before the days of frost and grey fog are behind us. Spring is one of the four seasons and my favourite. It’s the period between winter and summer, and for me the words Spring and Springtime bring thoughts of life, birth and regrowth to our countryside.
Red Squirrels are not that common in England due to predators, viruses and changes to the landscape that all pose threats to our native red squirrel. The introduction of the grey squirrel from America is the main reason behind the sharp decline, and one of the most devastating impacts of this is the squirrel pox virus. Grey Squirrels appear to have a natural immunity to this disease but they can be carriers, and if infected grey squirrels live alongside red squirrels they pass on this disease which can be devastating for the red squirrels.
Nature provides food all year round for wildlife in readiness for the coming months ahead, whether it be the spring time or autumn into winter. Often some of these bounties are more richer than others and as a measure of that certain species give us a clue to this with their higher than normal numbers, one such species is the Waxwing.
With some of the mildest temperatures on record it’s been a funny couple of months with regard to wildlife. With daytime temperatures averaging around 16c it’s been really mild and warm and nature hasn’t really known what is happening. Some birds are calling and almost displaying behaviour that’s normally suited to the onset of spring.
I write to you from the amazing islands that lay off the North Coast of Scotland, closer to the arctic circle than to mainland Britain- The Shetland Isles. A place during this time of year where the sun rarely sets and lights the whole day which can really throw your body clock out. I’m spending a week alone here before my clients on my Stunning Shetland photography photo-tour arrive to enjoy their week with me and this islands wildlife.
There are few places left in the UK where you can be alone and find that solitude we are crave at times, Shetland though is one such place where you can be and see very few people. I’ve had a wonderful week, seeing some beautiful places and wildlife and I hope my clients see the same during their time with me over the next seven days.
One of my favourite places is the most remote point of the UK- Hermness a wonderful and remote places and home to thousands of nesting seabirds. After two ferries I got there and spent two days there camping, photographing the Gannets, Puffins and other seabirds that live there. The cliffs are truly beautiful and they are a picture within themselves. I used them to frame some of my images along with the natural light to create some nice images from my time there.
After a great few days on Hermeness, I then headed to Noss an island that has some of the most spectacular colonies of breeding seabirds anywhere in the world. I took the boat trip from Lerwick and headed to this amazing little island.
Once there the skipper slowed down the boat and for the best part of an hour we slowly drifted around the cliffs there and its an amazing place, the smells, the noises and sites are truly stunning. The following images I hope convey what I saw and the sheer size of this place and the birds.
Its an amazing place and I’m returning there next week with my clients. I spent the next few days just sitting and watching for any wildlife and being at one with nature and the solitude is truly beautiful and something we all seek from time to time. I count myself very lucky to have the great outdoors as my garden as I call it.
Just a few of the wonderful moments I’ve had with nature over the last seven days. I’m hoping the weather holds and the wildlife sightings continue over the next seven days. My photo tour starts tomorrow, and we then head out to Hermness on Sunday, a boat trip with my friend and D-Day veteran Geordie on Tuesday to the island of Noss and in between we’ll visit many sites and places to see the amazing wildlife these islands have to offer.
So goodbye from Shetland and I will post a short blog covering our week. dates and all the information for my 2015 trip are now up on my website, click on my Stunning Shetland trip and its all there, many thanks.
Spring time for me is the best time of year. Wildlife is everywhere and bird song fills the air, even more so over the last several days, waking up to several inches of thick snow which I thought this maybe an April fools too far. A cruel trick of nature where I do hope not to many species have suffered with one of the coldest March’s for many decades. I have been working on my projects in between my One to Ones. Hopefully they will bear some fruit over the coming months and I will update my blog with them fingers crossed.
