Year End

At the beginning of the year my photographic targets for the year included hunting Long Eared Owl and young Kingfishers perched on a branch after fledging. Up to six hours a day were spent, under cover, in June and July to capture the Long Eared Owl and I was almost successful with the young Kingfishers. My dream of five young Kingfishers on the same branch was spoiled when two of them perched nearby so I had to make do with three on the branch and two elsewhere as shown in this weeks gallery. My work on Hen Harriers on Islay continued and after 43 years is now nearing completion!
The end of this year is quite special in that it is fifty years since I started to film wildlife. Initially it was a hobby but for 22 years I was a full time professional wildlife film-maker travelling the world from the Seychelles to Spitsbergen to make films. It was a dream come true and I can still remember the day I had to pinch myself to believe that here I was, in my hide, on the Arctic tundra of Alaska waiting for a Snowy Owl to return to its nest!! – a long time since, as a ten year old, I won the Nature prize at a secondary Modern school in Bury! Click here