Red Kites at Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, Wales

30 years ago Wales had a mere handful of breeding pairs of Red Kites (Milvus Milvus), a fact that’s hard to believe when you spend the afternoon at Gigrin Farm with a spiralling mass of over 400 (can be less or a lot more depending on the weather and time of year) of these beautiful raptors filling the sky at feeding time.

Photo of Red Kites in flight over Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, mid Wales, UK

Feeding stations have become an important element in the RSPB’s Red Kite conservation programme and ever since 1992 when Gigrin Farm was first approached, it’s been playing its very important role extremely successfully.

Now a true Welsh tourist attraction, Gigrin Farm is owned and run by Chris and Lena Powell and consists of 200 acres of land starting at 700 feet and rising to 1200 above sea level located in Rhayader in the Wye and Elan valleys in mid-Wales.

Gigrin is also the Red Kite Rehabilitation Centre in conjunction with The Welsh Kite Trust.

Admission to the feeding station for adults costs £4.50, for O.A.P £3.50 and for Children £2.00 (with 4yrs and under allowed in Free)

There are a number of conveniently located hides specifically aimed at photographers and film makers with costs starting at £10pp for ground level (accessible by wheelchair), rising to £20pp for the Big Tower Hide. The Big Tower hide can accomodate 6 photographers with tripods or 8 without, so reserving your spot with Chris Powell in advance is advisable, as it’s very popular.

Photo of an adult Red Kite in flight over Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, mid Wales, UK

Photo of an adult Red Kite in flight over Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, mid Wales, UK

Photo of an adult Red Kite in flight over Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, mid Wales, UK

Photo of an adult Red Kite in flight over Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, mid Wales, UK

Red Kites are instantly recognisable in flight with their distinctive forked tails (fanned when diving) and striking colour, which is predominantly chestnut red with white patches under the wings and a pale grey head. It’s a medium-large bird of prey (females being slightly larger then the males) in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other raptors such as eagles, buzzards and harriers. Vagrant Red Kites have even reached north to Finland and south to Israel, Libya and Gambia.

When the feeding starts there is definitely a pecking order with the older birds going first followed by the younger and then juvenile birds. You’ll witness some spectacular aerial acrobatics with amazing displays of twists, turns, diving and feeding on the wing.

Photo of an adult Red Kite diving over Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, mid Wales, UK

Photo of an adult Red Kite diving over Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, mid Wales, UK

Photo of an adult Red Kite diving over Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, mid Wales, UK

Photo of an adult Red Kite diving over Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, mid Wales, UK

Photo of an adult Red Kite twisting and diving over Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, mid Wales, UK

Photo of an juvenile Red Kite diving over Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, mid Wales, UK

Photo of an adult Red Kite feeding over Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, mid Wales, UK

Frequent visitors to the station are a pair of White or Leucistic (reduced pigment) Red Kites. Normally at a distinct disadvantage in the wild but they’ve been accepted here by the other raptors.

Photo of an adult Leucistic Red Kite in flight over Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, mid Wales, UK

Photo of an adult Leucistic Red Kite in flight over Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, mid Wales, UK

Expect to also see Carrion Crows, Ravens, Common Buzzard and Heron as they also frequent the station.

Photo of an adult Common Buzzard perched in a tree on farmland in mid Wales, UK

Photo of an adult Common Buzzard in flight over Gigrin Farm in mid Wales, UK

Gigrin’s kite feeding – using prime beef – takes place at 2pm GMT or 3pm BST every day.

Red Deer stags Richmond Park

I can’t believe it’s a year since the last time I visited Richmond Park in London to photograph the annual Red Deer rut.

It’s quite an experience wandering through parks such as Richmond during the rutting season and before the sun comes up. Spookily quiet with only the distant roars of stags (Jurassic Park springs to mind!). Sticking to the main road arteries while it’s dark would always be my advice for obvious reasons and you’re also quite often reassuringly, passed by park warden vehicles.

And when you do start to see deer they’re often just dark outlines against a cold colourless backdrop . . .

Red Deer stag standing in the mist before sunrise in Richmond Park, UK

I usually prefer to wait for a certain set of natural conditions before making my way up from Kent. In order to attempt to create images of Red Deer with a certain amount of atmospheric presence. I like it when the early morning temperatures start to fall below 4 degrees Celsius (lower would be even better) and for a cloudless sky at sunrise lasting for at least an hour afterwards.

I didn’t witness as much aggressiveness this year (maybe I’m too late – harems already seem to be in place), just a lot of roaring and strutting. So, no fighting shots.

Red Deer stag (Cervus elaphus) during a golden and misty sunrise, Richmond Park, UK

Red Deer stag (Cervus elaphus) on a golden and misty sunrise, Richmond, UK

Red Deer stag (Cervus elaphus) on a golden and misty sunrise, Richmond, UK

With it being such a nice morning it wasn’t long before I was joined by likeminded photographers, at least 25 in my immediate vicinity . . .

Photo of a photographer at the Red Deer rut, Richmond Park, London

I’m just waiting for the ideal conditions once more, hopefully before the rut ends, to make the trip again . . .

Water Voles – Are things looking up for Ratty?

It was August 2009 when I last photographed European water voles in their natural environment, so when the opportunity came along recently to photograph them again, I jumped at the chance.

When Kenneth Grahame put pen to paper at the turn of the last century to capture the exploits of Ratty, Mole and Toad in The Wind In The Willows, water voles were a regular sight in our country’s streams and waterways.

Driven to the brink of extinction in the 1980s and 1990s from pollution, habitat destruction and predation by the North American mink, the water vole had the unenviable title of the “UK’s fastest declining native animal”.

Photo of an adult water vole (Arvicola terrestris) feeding on watercress, Kent, UK

With populations having dropped by an incredible 95 percent from the 1960s and conservationists warning of total extinction, plans were put in place to protect this much-loved animal.

With the North American mink seen as the main threat, reserves, local councils and conservationists alike have been controlling mink numbers whilst at the same time creating and improving water vole habitat. There has also been the deployment of a number of successful captive breeding and reintroduction schemes (although disease has hampered efforts). The cumulative result (as well as improved protection under the revised Wildlife and Countryside Act) has seen “Ratty” return with a vengeance to many rivers across the country.

One WWT centre even reported colonies of 2,000 earlier this year when the same spots in 2007 yielded fewer then 10 animals!

Some water vole facts . . .

• The term  - Ratty – was derived from confusion over similarities with the brown rat (it’s often informally called the Water Rat). However, the water vole is very different and can be distinguished by its blunt nose, neat fur covered ears and a furry tail (and it’s cuter of course!)

Photo of a water vole (Arvicola terrestris) with its distinctive fur covered ears, Kent, UK.

Photo of a Water Vole (Arvicola terrestris) with its distinctive blunt nose, Kent, England, UK

• On average, water voles live for less then 1 year in the wild, but have been known to live for up to two and half years in captivity.

• Water voles reach 140–220 millimetres in length (excl tail) and have to eat at least 80% of their body weight (which is 60 – 360gms) a day just to survive.

Photo of a Water Vole (Arvicola terrestris), adults weigh from 160–360 grams, Kent, England, UK

• Water voles are expert swimmers and divers.

Photo of a Water Vole (Arvicola terrestris). They are expert swimmers and divers, Kent, UK.

• They live in, and excavate, complex multi-story burrows often on the banks of rivers and streams, normally located adjacent to slow moving, calm water. The burrows normally contain numerous nesting chambers just in case of flooding as well as a food store for long winters.

Photo of a water vole (Arvicola terrestris) at a typical stone walled river bank entrance.

Photo of a young water vole (Arvicola terrestris) eating watercress at its river bank burrow entrance.

• With several litters possible, water voles can produce up to 30 young in one summer.

Photo of three young water voles (Arvicola terrestris) 4-5 weeks old, Kent, UK

Photo of two young water voles (Arvicola terrestris) 4-5 weeks old, Kent, UK

• Sadly, 70 percent of young water voles die before their first winter, as a result of predation from domestic cats, North American Mink, weasels, foxes, owls, herons, stoats, snakes and more.

• Despite their cute appearance both male and female water voles are often aggressive if another invades their territory. During fights, often with high-pitched squeals, chunks of fur can be ripped off.

Photo of two water voles (Arvicola terrestris) squabbling, Kent, England, UK

Male water vole (Arvicola terrestris) with a chunk of fur missing on its left flank. Evidence of some territorial rivalry.

• Unfortunately, in most of Europe water voles are seen as an agricultural pest, and in some parts of Russia they are killed for their fur.

Photo of a Water Vole (Arvicola terrestris) feeding amongst reeds, Kent, England, UK

The Environmental Agency’s 2010 survey showed new strongholds in Wales, Scotland, Cumbria and the Norfolk Broads and this year saw comebacks at sites in the Midlands, Gloucestershire and North Yorkshire.

So, things do seem to be looking up for “Ratty”, but we mustn’t get complacent, they still need a lot of help. The life of a water vole is an extremely fragile one and no matter how successful the various protection schemes are, I find it hard to imagine that we will ever return to the pre 1960′s population figures of 8 million. But you never know!

Photodune author of the week

I am really happy to be featured author of the week this week on Photodune’s micro stock site. I also have an image of a Kingfisher perched on a branch featured as image of the week

Apple announces third gen iPAD

Apple today announced the launch of its third generation iPad, creatively called the New iPad! Don’t know why it’s not being called the iPad3 or iPad HD. Maybe Apple don’t own the domains!!

Confirmed new features are a long awaited retina display, iSight Camera, 1080p HD video recording, 4G and A5X chip with Quad core graphics.

I deliberately held off buying the previous two versions in the hope that Apple would eventually release an iPAD with a retina screen, like that in the iPhone 4. The new screen should really enhance the customer experience, not just for improved clarity in general web browsing but also in the presentation of image and video content allowing photographers to really show off their portfolios to clients in all their glory.

Battery life will remain unchanged: 10 hours total, and 9 hour battery life on 4G.

The device weighs 1.4 pounds and is 9.4mm thick but this won’t make it any less mobile.

Launch date in the UK is 16 March (apart from Belgium with a launch date a week later for some reason) and with no change in the pricing structure.

All in all not such a huge upgrade package for owners of the current iPad2, but for first time tablet buyers it’s pretty sweet.

I for one can’t wait to get my hands on the New iPad ….

Wintering Snow Buntings

Wintering Snow Bunting, Norfolk – Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/6.3, 1/1250sec, ISO 400 – © Andrew Sproule

One bird species that I’ve wanted to photograph for some time now is the Snow Bunting. In the UK they are most commonly seen in the winter, arriving from late September and leaving late February early March. Each year an estimated 10-15,000 birds winter here, with the majority staying in the northern regions. However, they can come as far south as the Kent and Welsh coasts as well as some parts of Northern and the Republic of Ireland. A region that they tend to frequent on a regular basis is the North Norfolk coast and although I’ve seen them plenty of times at several well-known locations, I’ve never managed to successfully photograph them until this year.

Wintering Snow Bunting (female), Norfolk – Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/6.3, 1/2500sec, ISO 400 – © Andrew Sproule

The aptly-named snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) is a hardy, medium-sized songbird of the high Arctic. During the breeding season, the adult male snow bunting is largely snowy white, except for a contrasting black back, black wing tips and black central tail feathers. Outside of the breeding season, the male and female snow bunting are more similar in appearance, both developing more buffy plumage. Juvenile snow buntings are distinguished from the adult by a greyer body and head, and a dark brownish-black tail and wings.

Wintering Snow Bunting, Norfolk – Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/6.3, 1/2500sec, ISO 400 – © Andrew Sproule

Wintering Snow Bunting (female), Norfolk – Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/6.3, 1/2500sec, ISO 400 – © Andrew Sproule

Wintering Snow Bunting (female), Norfolk – Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/6.3, 1/2500sec, ISO 400 – © Andrew Sproule

Wintering Snow Bunting (female), Norfolk – Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/6.3, 1/2500sec, ISO 400 – © Andrew Sproule

Wintering Snow Bunting, Norfolk – Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/6.3, 1/2500sec, ISO 400 – © Andrew Sproule

Wintering Snow Bunting, Norfolk – Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/6.3, 1/2500sec, ISO 400 – © Andrew Sproule

Wintering Snow Bunting, Norfolk – Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/6.3, 1/2500sec, ISO 400 – © Andrew Sproule

Next challenge is to photograph the male in its breeding plumage in the summer!!!

Get to know your local patch

Many of us are on a constant quest to improve our photography and for some this means travelling to exotic climes (both in the UK and further afield) to photograph what we perceive as more exciting species. Let’s face it – most of us feel that we do not have the luxury of stimulating wildlife subjects on our doorsteps and the thought of photographing commonplace flora and fauna is not that exciting.

But what if travel is not an option! What if you don’t have the time, money or even the inclination to journey far from you local area!

Perhaps the most commonly offered piece of advice given is to persevere and go and find some wildlife near by. In other words “get to know your local patch”.

Unless you’re a full-time professional photographer, very often, you have limited time to invest in your photography. So, to improve your chances of success, you could focus on one or two subjects as a longer-term project. Getting to know your chosen subject intimately will eventually yield results as you start to become skilled at spotting quirky habits and rituals, which can often become heightened and exaggerated at different times throughout the year. You will start to be able to predict when an opportunity is about to present itself.

Realistically, most amateur nature photographers, like myself, working within their local environment will only be able to cover one or two species thoroughly per year in any detail and most of us obviously aspire to do more than that.

But, I don’t see this as too much of a problem? I have a small public access country-park lake (probably ¾ mile in circumference) in my vicinity in Kent, which has all the usual suspects – Mute Swan, Coot, Canada and Greylag geese, Mallard etc and I love trying to capture these in different ways, angles and in different light and weather conditions.

Adult Greylag goose preening - Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/5.6, 1/1600sec, ISO 400 - © Andrew Sproule

Adult Great-crested Grebe - Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/5.6 with 1.4x extender, 1/2000sec, ISO 400 - © Andrew Sproule

Adult Mute Swan - Canon 1D4, Canon 15mm Fisheye f/2.8 @ f/16, 1/200sec, ISO 400 - © Andrew Sproule

A pair of Eurasian Coot at first light - Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/5.6, 1/500sec, ISO 200 - © Andrew Sproule

Adult Canada goose - Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/5.6, 1/800sec, ISO 200 - © Andrew Sproule

Adult Mallard drake bathing at first light - Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/4, 1/1250sec, ISO 200 - © Andrew Sproule

And there’s always the unexpected visitor. The lake has yielded Kingfisher, Snow, Egyptian and Red-breasted geese, Red-Crested Pochard and more. . .

Adult Tufted duck drake - Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/5.6, 1/2000sec, ISO 400 - © Andrew Sproule

Adult Egyptian goose at sunset - Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/4, 1/640sec, ISO 500 - © Andrew Sproule

Adult Red-crested Pochard - Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/6.3, 1/2000sec, ISO 400 - © Andrew Sproule

Adult Red-breasted goose bathing - Canon 1D4, Canon 500mm IS USM f/4 @ f/4, 1/1000sec, ISO 400 - © Andrew Sproule

I frequent this lake which is local to me, but in your area it could just as easily be woodland, forest, fields, river, canal etc etc (as always please seek landowners permission if not publically accessible).

Pretty much all wildlife is incredibly complex and therefore can be extremely engaging. All wildlife are creatures of habit, and if you take the time to observe them fully, you will see your chosen subject/s differently. The increasing popularity of the BWPA (British Wildlife Photography Awards) is testament to this fact. Other countries have similar photography awards celebrating their wildlife’s unique diversity.

So, when the chance to travel does present itself you will be in a good place to be able to take advantage of any opportunities using the skills you’ve acquired from “your local patch”.