Swallows and Amazons (armed with 5D Mark Two’s)
Photographing swallows with my new Canon 5D Mark Two is a lesson in patience for a number of reasons….
I’ve got a busy week ahead of me so I needed to get my fix of a certain favourite place of mine to stand me in good stead for the trials and tribulations that await me. I am naturally preoccupied with photographing barn owls whenever I come here but there is plenty to look at whilst I wait for the sun to fade. Hare’s are always a good source of target practice (with my camera) and they capture the light well so I tend to fire a few shots of those off whilst I wait.
My favourite place to lay in wait for the owls also happens to be a rendevous for some lively swallows. Now if you want to try out the tracking system on a DSLR then try it out on a swallow. If it (and you) can track and photograph one in flight buy it and congratulate yourself. I love to watch swallows in flight, they prefer open grounds because it allows them to swoop as low as possible in their attempts to feed on insects, they are not as town friendly as the house martin or swift, look for them in buildings in and around farm yards and rural villages with fields around them. If you want to photograph one then look for overhead wires, telegraph poles and aerials, they use these to rest upon and survey their surroundings, they have a distinctive sound and enjoy using it.
Swallow in Lincolnshire
Swallows are on the decline, insecticides are killing insects which in turn diminishes the swallows food source, we don’t want to lose these birds if, for no other reason than their penchant for eating bluebottles and dung flies. Two insects I wouldn’t be sorry for never seeing again. So because of these swallows I took my eye off the proverbial ball and walked away from my favourite owl spot. I walked up a narrow country lane in search of some hares whilst I waited for the light to change and the owls come out to hunt. As I ambled along a barn owl enjoyed my lack of prescence behind my back and did its hunting in good time. Turning around I saw the unmistakable sight of the barn owl’s wing span and ran back flicking the camera and lens switches on as I went. I was too late, it had turned and began to make its way along a path which bordered one of the many ditches and dykes around here. I switched the camera to A1 Servo AF and hoped it would entertain me for one shot if nothing more, it duly obliged…..
Barn Owl in Flight
One chance, once shot and a wasted opportunity for better ones. Lesson learnt.
That’s a classic owl shot !
I seems to me that you’re actually getting the best out of that camera - something few peope do with gher end stuff.
Most people hardly scratch the surface of of equipment capabilities normally.
Well played sir !
Rod
July 13, 2009 @ 7:50 am
Miles,
Superbly captured photographs.
We were only commenting yesterday on the beautiful colouring of the Swallow. They have been flitting from wire to wire and I never cease to be amazed at their annual return. They tend to gather here during August/September and I watch them what appears to be a busy chatter about their forthcoming big journey. There are usually between 13 and 15. I shall count them carefully in view of the decline you mention.
I wonder if the owl recognised you and came back for a ‘hello’ or a second look?
Anne
July 13, 2009 @ 5:30 pm
Miles,
It may not surprise you to know that the swallow is admired in other cultures too… for instance vintage Japanese gear with swooping swallows or sparrows or dragonflies, seem to be snaped up very quickly in preference to more elaborate designs. Must be something to do with simplicity and elegant style as seen in raw nature. The silk paintings/prints on the inside of a man’s Haori (a kind of jacket) are often sublime and would grace any wall…. and I expect on the average man as well for that matter (don’t get too excited Miles, they probably wouldn’t fit a westerner with your manly build
)
Thank you for showing us your photographs….. we all enjoy your pictures and the stories behind them.
Cid
p.s. so you didn’t see any Amazons then?
July 13, 2009 @ 6:45 pm
I still have never seen an owl in the wild. Bald eagles, herons, raptors galore - but never an owl. I even had a screetch owl in a tree next to me on a camping trip and couldn’t spot him - this after he nearly gave me a heart attack. Sorrow to hear about the swallows - I love them if only for their mosquito consumption and amazing acrobatics. Every time a mosquito dies the world becomes a little bit better place. Unfortunately in the states we are losing bats at an alarming number. Some strange fungus is killing off whole colonies at a time. Scary stuff. Anyway, great shots - off to smoke some pork butt.
July 13, 2009 @ 8:07 pm
Dave,
Swap you for a glimpse of that eagle! I hate mosquitoes with an unreserved passion, they attacked me relentlessly in the Maldives a few years ago.
The smoked pork sounds good…..
Miles
July 13, 2009 @ 8:40 pm
Cid,
Very interesting but I’m not suprised, they are very pleasing to the eye aren’t they? As for the amazons, thankfully not.
Miles
July 13, 2009 @ 8:41 pm
Anne,
They do love their perches and telephone wires and the like are perfect for them, I’d be interested to hear how many you count next time.
Miles
July 13, 2009 @ 8:43 pm
Rod,
Thanks, I’m just sorting out the menu mode tonight, there’s so much packed inside this thing it is quite incredible.
Miles
July 13, 2009 @ 8:44 pm
Miles,
Let that be a lesson in chasing after other birds.
I have to say, the swallow against the perfect blue sky has such amazing impact. A truly great shot. Sad to think that we’re eradicating these guys’ natural feeding grounds with our convenience chemicals. No wonder conservationists implore us to encourage them into our own garden spaces.
GDave
July 14, 2009 @ 6:06 pm
@ Dave: Wouldn’t it be more pleasurable (if not healthy) to smoke tobacco rather than pork butt? Do you use a pipe, or just roll it in paper?
Annie
July 14, 2009 @ 6:23 pm
GDave,
Just spotted a kingfisher which, for me blows most other bird species out of the proverbial water, I love them.
Miles
July 14, 2009 @ 8:26 pm
Annie,
The best part is it takes 5-8 hours to smoke it properly. You can drink a lot of beer while smoking pork butt.
Serious side, it is a Southern delicacy. Many fights have broken out about the proper methods (pipe vs paper etc). Once it’s done, you have the starter for 100’s of dishes - all of them outstanding. Americans argue about BBQ like English argue about cheese and French argue about everything non-French.
Dave
July 15, 2009 @ 3:20 pm
Had a Bateman’s XXX Bitter last week Miles - outstanding. I knew this place would come through:
http://www.drinkgoodstuff.com/ny/default.asp
July 15, 2009 @ 3:23 pm
Dave,
They’ve got Old Speckled Hen too!!! Get some of that down you….lean your head back and think of England!!!
Miles
July 15, 2009 @ 8:29 pm
@Dave,
Oh I well know how rabid the BBQ crowd can become. Sauces, incredients, fuel for the bbq–it goes on and on. The best part is the eating, of course.
What wood do you use in your smoker?
Annie
July 15, 2009 @ 11:35 pm
Annie,
I use a mixture of hickory and apple wood chips soaked in water and a dry rub of paprika, cumin, chile powder, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and habenero powder on the pork. I put pulled pork and chorizo empanadas on the app menu last week and they have been flying out of the kitchen.
Dave
July 16, 2009 @ 4:57 pm
Miles,
It is raining heavily as I write. Looking out of my window lots of swallows have decended on the telegraph wires. They sat long enough for me to count them - 38 will you believe?
Yesterday I took my life in my own hands coming out of the door as they were dive bombing around the house as fast as lightening. Just amazing.
Anne
August 5, 2009 @ 10:02 am
Anne,
Wow, that’s a hell of a lot, bit like my garden which is now officially a sanctuary for sparrows
Miles
August 5, 2009 @ 9:12 pm