All my time of late has been taken up working on a sand martin colony and building two new pools for bathing photography. This is in the quarry where I have been given full permission to do what I want and its private and its great !They have agreed to leave the small cliff face ( which they created anyway for the martins) for at least three years, maybe longer.
The hide for the martins is on a sand pile heaped up and levelled. And it took about a week to get it in place. The birds are not bothered anyway as the quarry men and lorries and big machines are around all the time. I think they recognise my yellow jacket as they are going in before I get in the hide. I reckon as there are 400 holes at least.
Dave K had a session in the hide and when I saw him out he said a Sparrow hawk had been several times and had at least two birds . I am spending as much time as possible there and some really interesting stuff is coming to light, ( and some nice pics too ! ) which no doubt I will bore you with over the coming weeks.
I have had my eyes opened by watching these great little birds at close quarters for so long. I don’t often get soppy about predators and prey but I have been recently as I will recount shortly. I have learned more about bird behaviour in sessions in the hide than I have in a lifetime.It is a great delight and priviledge to spend time with them. Anyway here’s a starter.. Adult feeding chicks ,which believe me all happens very quickly. The two on the right got fed at the last visit by the other parent. This is one keeper out of 200 images with this action shot in mind.
D200
Sigma 50-500
350th sec at f8
ISO 640.
JohnR
A cracker! Looking forward to seeing more - especially the hawk
Posted by David Sewell on July 20, 2009 at 6:14 AM
Great stuff, John, and nice to thinnk you are ensuring the survival of the site for a few years simply by being there. Good image, look forward to seeing some more.
When we made an artificial sand martin bank on one of the Theale gravel pits the initial take up was very good, then the local sparrowhawks found it and occupation has been poor ever since, we had created the avian equivelent of a McDonalds drive thro' me thinks
Posted by Colin Preston on July 20, 2009 at 11:13 AM
An absolute cracker John one of the best Sand Martin shot I have seen.
Posted by Andy Shepherd on July 20, 2009 at 11:54 AM
A superb nh study John, and how lucky you are to have them close by. A wonderful image, and I look forward to seeing some more from the series, 'nasty' ones included It is part of nature after all.
Fran
Posted by Rene de Heer on July 20, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Lovely composition John. Great image!
Rene de Heer
Thanks all. I've just got back after another session and the Sprawk came 6 times in 4 hours! The good news- not one kill - so the birds are learning !
Got some more lovely parent and chick stuff and about 80 S Hawk shots. Will be Christmas before I get through that lot !!. J
ust going back now from strengthening the hide a bit.
Cheers
Thanks again.
JohnR
Discussion
26 repliesAll my time of late has been taken up working on a sand martin colony and building two new pools for bathing photography. This is in the quarry where I have been given full permission to do what I want and its private and its great !They have agreed to leave the small cliff face ( which they created anyway for the martins) for at least three years, maybe longer.
The hide for the martins is on a sand pile heaped up and levelled. And it took about a week to get it in place. The birds are not bothered anyway as the quarry men and lorries and big machines are around all the time. I think they recognise my yellow jacket as they are going in before I get in the hide. I reckon as there are 400 holes at least.
Dave K had a session in the hide and when I saw him out he said a Sparrow hawk had been several times and had at least two birds . I am spending as much time as possible there and some really interesting stuff is coming to light, ( and some nice pics too ! ) which no doubt I will bore you with over the coming weeks.
I have had my eyes opened by watching these great little birds at close quarters for so long. I don’t often get soppy about predators and prey but I have been recently as I will recount shortly. I have learned more about bird behaviour in sessions in the hide than I have in a lifetime.It is a great delight and priviledge to spend time with them. Anyway here’s a starter.. Adult feeding chicks ,which believe me all happens very quickly. The two on the right got fed at the last visit by the other parent. This is one keeper out of 200 images with this action shot in mind.
D200
Sigma 50-500
350th sec at f8
ISO 640.
JohnR
Craig
www.craigchurchill.co.uk
Bob.
Appreciated. You may not like the ones with the nasty old Sprawk in so much. !!
Cheers
JohnR
Oh by the way a nice picture of these birds
David
Dave
Look forward to seeing more of them.
Ian
When we made an artificial sand martin bank on one of the Theale gravel pits the initial take up was very good, then the local sparrowhawks found it and occupation has been poor ever since, we had created the avian equivelent of a McDonalds drive thro' me thinks
Super stuff John, very envious indeed
Andy...
Its a cracking image and one I would love to have.
Just get rid of the bird pooh, bottom left.
Fran
Rene de Heer
Got some more lovely parent and chick stuff and about 80 S Hawk shots. Will be Christmas before I get through that lot !!. J
ust going back now from strengthening the hide a bit.
Cheers
Thanks again.
JohnR
David
Brett