Wildlife and the Art of Camouflage Part One
How nature adapts to an everchanging landscape…
One of the joys of going on my photographic walks is observing the way our landscape changes with every nuance a seasonal shift in temperature and weather conditions brings. In our busy lives we all too often miss those ever so slight alterations to our world as each day unfolds, be it a leaf colour in Autumn or a field of yellow in the Summer, and rather ashamedly we take these changes for granted and accept them for what they are.
Seasonality is important for us in so many ways but not only for us humans, the animal kingdom’s very survival depends greatly on its ability to adapt to seasonal changes and failing to do so can be a matter of life or death. Nature has its own unique way of painting a picture of a landscape with a pallette of colours the natural world has to embrace and by taking a momentary step away from the madness of modern day life we can see how wildlife adapts to the changes.
The Nocton Hare
There is much to be seen on a woodland walk but twice as much to be missed, patience is the proverbial virtue coupled with a decent dose of good luck if you are to have any chance of seeing, let alone photographing wildlife at work and play. More often than not I come across something special by chance rather than stealth or skill, standing quietly allows me the opportunity to observe the landscape and determine the wildlife most likely to thrive in the shrubs, fields and trees which surround me and improve my luck in seeing them.
There have been several examples of how nature has done its best to conceal itself from the inquisitve eye of a large camera lens and I enjoy recording the rare occasions when technology wins the day. Hares and rabbits are of a particular interest to me, there is something very Beatrix Potter about the sight of one darting into a field of peas or spinach beet or, like this one, sitting perfectly still in a brilliant camouflage of fur and field combined with a dimming early evening light. Nature at its very best…
That’s very true - I wonder how much of what is seen is dependent on ‘being tuned in’
I know I see things nowadays that would once have simply passed me by.
Perhaps I was too busy, perhaps I didn’t really care who knows . . .
Fantastic picture btw
Cheers
Rod
June 10, 2009 @ 8:19 am
Rod,
Thanks and a great comment. We are all guilty of taking things like this for granted which is why we should all stop once in a while to take it in and appreciate it.
Miles
June 10, 2009 @ 8:30 am
Miles,
You’re so right about seasonal shifts. This hills here have change colour dramatically recently, from brown to deep green, in what seems to be no time at all. Excellent wildlife stalking too and that photo is stunning. Have you changed the way you are optimising?
GDave
June 10, 2009 @ 4:17 pm
GDave,
I’m sure it’s beautiful where you are and I hope to read more about it soon?!
As for the optomising I cannot take the credit, my brother has sorted that. It’s been very frustrating seeing the loss of quality as I’ve resized these pictures for the web and now we may have cracked it.
Miles
June 10, 2009 @ 4:40 pm
Thank heaven for brothers, ay? Kudos to both of you!!
June 10, 2009 @ 7:35 pm
Annie,
Not sure my Father would agree
Miles
June 10, 2009 @ 9:29 pm
Lovely photo of the hare, Miles. She looks about to bolt - did she - or did she let you pass by?
I also live in a rural area and enjoy herds of deer in the backyard and wild turkeys.
Although not a comment on this post - an odd convergence has happened between us - on the day you posted your “New Car” blog, I passed a small truck on a westerly bound road marked “Lamborghini Concierge Service”. I knew that inside the truck lay a new beauty of a car for some lucky fellow.
June 11, 2009 @ 1:46 am
Laura,
She did indeed bolt! I must say I envy you with the deer, I’ve only ever seen one around here.
That is a spooky story, I think it’s mine and they’ve got the wrong address because funnily enough, I’m still waiting for mine
Miles
June 11, 2009 @ 8:20 am
Miles,
Your photography is stunning. You really are an artist. Some chefs are true artists. Without even “knowing” you, I know that. Your talent filters through in so many ways (food, plants, writing, photography, the way you frame your shots).
On a hike a couple of weeks ago I kept seeing a bear in the distance. I had reached the summit of a peak (not a “high” one by Colorado standards, but a good hike nonetheless) and was resting and enjoying the view. The bear was below in the timber — lumbering between stands of pines. No photos as he (or she) was too far away for my point and shoot camera. Plus, sometimes just observing is more fun than scrambling to take a picture.
I’m going to email you a fishing photo that I think you’ll enjoy.
Thanks, Miles. Great post.
Melissa
June 11, 2009 @ 12:29 pm
Melissa,
Thank you for that, it’s very kind of you.
Hopefully from now on you will see the photographs somewhere near to how they should be seen.
Wish I could have seen that bear, lucky, lucky you.
I’ll settle for the fishing photo though
Miles
June 11, 2009 @ 4:02 pm