The Food Pass
When you have been photographing birds of prey for more than fifty years the challenge eventually is not the bog standard photo but the food-pass photo – that split second moment when the prey is passed from the male to either the female or the young. Your failure rate is extreme – either they have their backs to you or their eyes are closed(for protection).
Hen Harriers pass their prey in mid air. Barn Owls pass prey direct to their young but with Long Eared Owls the male is more selective. He will pass prey to the young directly if they have left the nest otherwise he will only pass prey to the female. In today’s blog photo the male is waiting for the female to take the vole ! directly off him but she is still feeding the young and he will have to wait until she is ready!
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I have spent the last 49 years visiting Islay and filming its Corncrakes. During that time the number of calling male Corncrakes has fluctuated from less than ten to more than one hundred.On Islay the Whisky industry rules and to facilitate its growth many flower-rich pastures have been turned over to growing Barley, which is next to useless for Corncrakes. Islays biggest customer for Whisky is the USA which may well soon see a 25% import tax placed on its import. If this comes to be then the two new distilleries, already approved on Islay, will in all probability be held in abeyance and maybe some of those Barley fields may revert back to flower-rich pastures as shown in this weeks photo. So all is not lost for Islays rapidly declining Corncrake population! www.facebook.com/gordonyateswildlife
As we endure awful weather for filming wildlife it is perhaps time to reflect on the 52 years that I have been filming Hen Harriers. For the first forty years I took cine films which were seen all over Britain. In more recent times I have taken digital photos of the adults returning to feed their young and digital photos are perfect for identifying their prey.
There is no doubt that the male Parrot Crossbill is one of the most spectacular and illusive British birds. Every year some breed in the Highlands of Scotland but in England they are rare visitors. So rare in fact that in more than seventy years I have only come across one flock – so enjoy this weeks encounter!
In 1958 I found my first birds nest (a Blackbird’s) and in the 67 years since I have recorded and photographed thousands more – but never in January. So filming Herons building a nest on the 30th January, last week was an exceptional event. The male was bringing sticks to the female who then placed them in the nest. He was a magnificent specimen
At long last we have now had some decent winter weather and the camera has come out again! You always know that conditions are hard when the local Barn Owl appears over the frost and snow looking for prey. In the garden Reed Buntings have now returned to feed along with more than a dozen Blackbirds and thirty plus Goldfinches. How long will it last?