Robert E Fuller - a day in the life of a wildlife artist

An area of outstanding beauty?

2012-01-27T14:52:00.000Z

I was interviewed by Look North last week on whether the Yorkshire Wolds should be designated as an 'area of outstanding natural beauty'.

I told them about the wealth of wildlife that can be found on the Wolds.

But it is an interesting concept isn't it? In my opinion there is no doubt that the Wolds are outstandingly beautiful.

But if they are made into an area of outstanding natural beauty it will have implications on the people who live here.
For instance the planning laws will be much tighter. I have already had a battle trying to expand my business and I wonder if things would be even harder to effect change if this area became an area of outstanding natural beauty.
What do you think?

Mugs wearing my Wildlife images

2012-01-25T13:45:00.001Z

Do you like my new fine bone china mugs? There are nine in the new range made by the British manufacturers Hudsons of Stoke on Trent.

They feature some of my favourite images from best-selling paintings.

They come individually gift boxed and you can buy them from March from my website for £12.95 each.

They will be ready in March, just in time for Mother's Day. I think they make great gifts - afterall it's nice to sit down to a cup of coffee and look at a favourite!

Underworld of badger baiting.

2012-01-18T13:52:00.001Z

There was a very good piece in The Yorkshire Post last week on how police nationwide are struggling to tackle badger baiting, which has continued unabated despite being outlawed in 1835.
But the response of the North Yorkshire force to my call the day I spotted badger baiters in the act was prompt and efficient and in the trial that followed the judge praised the local force for their"expidicuous" reaction.
She singled out PC Stephenson, who led the investigation, for particular praise and I would like to add that if it hadn't been for his determination to see the perpetrators put on trial this case might have ended up as yet another failed prosecution.
As it was four men were imprisoned for badger baiting last week in what has become a landmark case in the history of wildlife crime.
The Yorkshire Post also told my story of catching the badger baiters in red-handed. Click on the highlighted words to read it.

Badger Baiters are sent to prison

2012-01-11T14:44:00.000Z

Four men were sent to prison for four months for badger baiting at Scarborough Magistrates Court yesterday. Sentencing them, the judge said that people in Yorkshire would not tolerate such "abhorrent" and "barbaric" behaviour.

I have photographed badgers for years for my paintings and it was because I know these wonderful animals so well that I knew I had to investigate when, one sunny day last January, I heard a pack of dogs barking incessently. When I reached the scene I saw eight men, some of them armed with shot guns, and 13 dogs torturing a badger. It was broad daylight close to a public path, and some of the men were laughing. Two of the dogs were tearing and ripping at a badger, which hung suspended between them like a rag doll in a grotesque game of tug-of-war.

I took out my camera and photographed them and the photographs were used as evidence in the trial that followed.

The story was picked up by journalists from across the country and even got a mention on the BBC World Service. But most of the newspapers shied away from publishing the photographs.

I've decided, in the interests of letting the world know that this medieval sport is still alive and kicking, to publish them here. Some of the images are quite upsetting.

I took this photograph shortly after the men shot the badger that the dogs had been tearing apart. You can still see the smoke in the air.

This was the badger the police found at the scene after the men had been apprehended.

Three tiny, still pink, foetuses, and a torn-off badger's tail were also found lying on the grass nearby. Realising that the carcass of the badger we had found was not pregnant, we knew that there had been more than one badger killed that day.

We then discovered this hole, which had been hastily covered over with turf. Inside was a disemboweled badger sow. She had been pregnant with the three young foetuses.
It turned out that the men had sent a terrier fitted with a locator collar into the badger sett and this dog had conered the badger in its sleeping chamber. They had then known where to dig down to get the badger out of its sett and force it to fight the dogs.
What those men did was truly horrific.

Click on the words in blue to read the coverage in the national press. Judge condemns badger baiters The Daily Mail; badger baiters jailed after dogs tore apart badger The Mirror; Barbaric gang jailed for badger baiting, The Guardian

Badger Baiting Still Rife

2012-01-09T13:54:00.000Z

The trial of a horrific case of badger baiting which I was witness to comes to an end tomorrow. Seven men will be sentenced by a judge at Scarborough Magistrates' Court.

Click on the words highlighted in bold to read an article in The Guardian on badger baiting and learn how this atrocious practise still goes on.

From gravel pits to wildlife haven.

2011-12-15T14:12:00.001Z

Congratulations to the North Cave Wetlands centre which has won an award for transforming old sand and gravel quarries into a magnificent wetland area. I saw avocets like the ones in this painting when I last visited.
At one time I drove all the way to Exmouth to see these birds and now we have them here in Yorkshire!
Click on the text in blue to read how the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust team won an award for transforming this former industrial landscape into a haven for wildlife.

Will Hockney Trail stop at Fotherdale?

2011-12-12T12:06:00.000Z

I read in the papers this week that David Hockney, the godfather of modern art, is to endorse a new tourist trail to the sites from which he painted his latest series on the Yorkshire Wolds.

Warter, Woldgate Woods and Thixendale are among the beauty spots visitors will be encouraged to visit on the trail. I wonder if the painting above - which actually has my gallery in it - will be chosen for the trail?

Painted from the hillside opposite, you can see the gallery in the distance just to the right of centre.

P-p-p pick on someone your own size!

2011-12-08T10:34:00.002Z

Beaches in South Georgia can get a little crowded at times. During my trip to Antarctica I witnessed an incident of 'beach rage' in which a penguin slapped an elephant seal with his flipper as he tried to get to the water's edge.

It was a brave move, as the penguin discovered when the seal rounded on him with a fierce bark.

Despite the fact that South Georgia hosts the largest penguin colony in the world, this unique habitat is under threat.

Rats, introduced by sealers in the 19th century, are killing young chicks at an alarming rate.

Please click on the text underlined to read my column in the Malton Gazette & Herald this week on the South Georgia Heritage Trust 's ambitious plans to eradicate rats from the Antarctic island.

Time to Buy Your Christmas Cards

2011-12-01T14:07:00.000Z

There's still time to buy your Christmas cards online, but hurry up because we can't guarantee we'll get them to you by post after December 21st.

Here are a few from my greeting card range.

This one remind you of the BBC's fantastic Frozen Planet series?

Waxwings always make me think of Christmas.

And of course Robins say it all.

Don't worry if you miss the posting deadline since you can always come in to the gallery to buy them. We are open all every day until Christmas now.

Click on the words greeting card range to order your cards.

Short Eared Owls by the Humber

2011-11-25T00:25:00.002Z

I finally got some shots of short eared owls that are good enough to paint from.

Over the years I have managed to get some good photographs of barn owls, tawny owls and little owls, but short eared - and long eared - owls have been missing from my portfolio.

So last week I set off to a spot just south of the Humber River where the birdwatchers on our guided walks with Michael Flowers had recently spotted 15 short eared owls. I spent two afternoons there waiting and watching.

As I watched a buzzard, a hen harrier and this marsh harrier flew by.

And then five short eared owls appeared and set upon the buzzard. They mobbed him systematically until he gave up and left their territory. Unfortunately the action was too far away to photograph.

It proved a long, cold wait but it was worth it because then the five owls began to hunt.

I had put up a branch for them while I had been waiting in the hope that one of them would perch on it and after four hours of watching this one spotted it and landed on it for a few minutes.

I snapped away as fast as I could. This will make the perfect pose for a painting.

It shook itself, and then set off again to chase away a rival.

Fern's Girl

2011-11-24T15:05:00.000Z

We are building a new studio where the aviary in which I used to keep my pet barn owl, Fern, was.

The work hasn't gone unnoticed. This owl used to visit Fern here nightly.

Last week I noticed some owl droppings and so I waited up one night to see who was visiting - I was delighted to see it was Fern's old girlfriend. I hadn't seen her since the spring.

She seems to have made the old haunt her home and so I've been putting mice out on the beams for her.

Trouble is now I'll feel guilty putting the new windows in!!!!

Raffle Winner

2011-11-18T12:21:00.000Z

This is Mr & Mrs Watkins who won this picture of Hare Today Gone Tomorrow in our exhibition raffle.

Mr Watkins had been having a bad week when he got the news that he was the winner. "I am having chemotherapy treatment and on the way to the treatment yesterday the car broke down and then I heard that my daughter wasn't well.

"But today I found out that the car was alright and then I got home and heard that I had won this prize. So I think now my luck is turning!"

So glad to be involved in the upturn!

Sold Out!

2011-11-12T14:04:00.002Z

Sold the last edition of this print of my painting, Goldfinch on Thistle, today.

That's the 850th of an 850 print run. I'll miss seeing it in the gallery, it's always sad when they go.

Pheasants' Un-seasonal Spar

2011-11-11T12:21:00.012Z

Birds and animals often confuse Autumn with Spring, simply because the days are roughly the same length. But this month has been so mild there have been more than the usual mistakes.

The toads in my pond have begun croaking and I've heard plenty of small birds singing. The most conspicuous confusion, however, has been among the pheasants who have been sparring out in the fields.

I watched a pair last week. They began by walking up and down along invisible boundary lines.

They then turned and faced one another.

And, since neither backed down, began to spar.

Interestingly, when a sparrowhawk flashed overhead, they both pulled up short.

Little Owls on the School Run

2011-11-10T11:05:00.008Z

As our new baby settles in it's been my job to take on the school run in the morning and I've enjoyed the outings. This morning I spotted a little owl on the way back.

Now that the leaves have started to fall from the trees more difficult birds to spot like little owls become more conspicuous.

Look out for their dumpy silhouettes in the bare branches. Little owls hunt in daylight and can be spotted looking for beetles or earth worms.

This one played hide and seek when it saw me reach for my camera.

But it soon came out for a good look at me.

Otter hunt

2011-11-09T11:03:00.000Z

Visitors on our safari through Tophill Low wildlife reserve had a superb day on Sunday. They saw an otter hunting for duck.

Otter are so diffiuclt to get close to. I had a very tricky time trying to photograph one last winter for this painting.

The exhibition is going well and we've been very busy both inside and outside the gallery.

The short-eared owl safaris this week were a success with marsh harriers also spotted, despite the poor weather. Still to come are a second Tophill Low safari, a walk to find red kites and a final foray into the countryside to spot winter migrants. All are now fully booked.

Bonfire Fun

2011-11-05T22:55:00.002Z

Everyone always worries about their pets on bonfire night, but spare a thought for the wildlife living near you.

We have our red kite walk taking place this afternoon between 2pm - 4pm - I'm hoping the fireworks won't have kicked off by then otherwise the roost could be affected.

Exhibition Sales

2011-11-04T11:17:00.000Z

I've sold four out of the six new pictures that I painted for the exhibition.

The red kite paintings are still to go, however.

A New Arrival

2011-11-02T12:34:00.006Z

Our daughter Ruby Wren Fuller was born yesterday, a healthy 8.4lbs. A sister for Lily. And already very patient. She waited until the opening weekend of the exhibition was over, at least!

I've been writing about new arrivals such as the waxwings in my painting below for the Malton Gazette & Herald too. Click here to read my column on winter migrants in today's issue.

Exhibition Success!

2011-10-31T12:34:00.003Z

It's been a great opening weekend to my Winter Exhibition - no thanks in part to the four page spread devoted to it in the Yorkshire Post! Click here to read it and don't forget you've got until November 13th to come and see all my latest original paintings.

Yesterday's walk to see the red kite roost on the Wolds was well received too - a five year old boy who attended confessed that it was the 'best day of his life'. Michael Flowers, who led the walk, says they saw at least six kites, some of them chasing each other through the skies like these two, pictured, was well as kestrels, a green woodpecker and more than 200 field fares. Click here to read his blog about the event.
The short-eared owl safari on Saturday went well too as did Mike Pannett's entertaining talk on policing wildlife in North Yorkshire. There are still places left on the November 5th short-eared safari, click here if you're interested.

All set for the exhibition!

2011-10-28T16:37:00.002+01:00

Just put the finishing touches to this cheetah and cubs original painting. I haven't painted a cheetah before so this oil painting is a first! It's just in time as my exhibition opens tomorrow.

I've now got to sort out my studio - I've been so busy painting it's got a bit 'neglected'. But by tomorrow it'll look great. I've done some big banners with all sorts of facts and information about red kites which visitors will enjoy, as well as some posters about my latest trip to the Masai Mara.

My friend Michael Flowers is leading a Short Eared Owl safari on Saturday afternoon on the banks of the Humber which is sold out & then he's back at the gallery on Sunday to take visitors out to spot the winter migrants that have arrived on the Wolds. There are a few spaces left on this if you want to join him (book online by clicking here)

I've got a talk organised for Saturday night by Mike Pannett - who used to be a wildlife police officer - see blog post below, which will be great fun. I think there are a few places still available if you fancy a night out click here

& then can you believe it I'm waiting for my new baby girl to be born on Sunday (or thereabouts). Busy times!

Hope you can come to the exhibition.

PS Sorry for not replying to any comments of late. For some reason I don't seem to be able to login to my own account to reply - has any one else had this problem?

Frozen Planet

2011-10-27T09:39:00.003+01:00

I really enjoyed watching BBC's frozen planet last night. It reminded me of when I went to Antarctica in 2009 and painted these gorgeous King Penguins. I called this painting 'We Three Kings' which sums their posturing up! However, it is actually a female at the front of the line with two males behind vying for her affections.

Documentary on a wildlife artist - me!

2011-10-27T09:00:00.000+01:00

Some very nice students from York University did this short documentary on me. I've been struggling to get it on You Tube (and then onto this blog) for some reason. Anyway finally managed it so hope you enjoy watching it!

Just the Job Lad

2011-10-22T09:45:00.000+01:00

It's amazing who lives on your doorstep isn't it? This guy, Mike Pannett, lives in the next village along from me and is a former wildlife police officer turned author. He's written several best selling books all about his policing adventures and those he's met on his way. He's giving a talk in the gallery on Saturday 29th at 7pm. The books are hilarious and just sum up the lovely characters around here. I thought you might like to read a snippet.

"Walter, on the other hand, was one of those people you still meet from time to time who has never, in his entire life, been outside of Yorkshire. Never has, and doubtless never will. In fact, he claims to only to have left North Yorkshire on one occasion and that was many many years ago, as a youngster, when he had to undergo surgery at Leeds General Hospital. And, as he always says, it was against his better judgement and it caused him a lot of pain in a tender spot - so he made up his mind there and then that he wouldn’t be going back. What this meant was that in order to see the finest cricket team on the planet he always had to make a note of the Scarborough dates as soon as the fixtures were announced, and keep them clear of social engagements. “Course,” he said, as he sat there on my log, tea in one hand, flat cap in the other, his nose twitching as the smell of smoked bacon wafted through the back door, “if you go back a few years we used to play at Middlesbrough.” He thought for a moment, then sighed. “Aye, I went there a time or two.”

“But that’s in blinking Cleveland,” I said.

Walt shook his head. “Didn’t used to be. Used to be part of us, till them blooming politicians decided to change t’map thirty forty years ago.”

“Oh, right. Like they got rid of Hull and so on.”

Walt sniffed. “I dare say we can manage without Hull,” he said. “And to tell you the truth I’m not sorry we parted with Middlesbrough. I’ve some bad memories of that place. Shocking.” Walt’s face took on a mournful look, as if he were about to relate the sad death of an old friend. “It were early season,” he said. “May time, 1965. I took a day off work and went up on the bus with me Dad. We was playing Hampshire - and they were quite a force in them days. Len Shackleton. Now he was a bowler. Fast and accurate. Too fast, too accurate. Skittled us out for 120-odd. Then when it were their turn to bat we turned t’tables on `em. Got `em out for” - he scratched his head, trying to remember - “any way, let’s say it were close. I think they led us by a handful. T’point is I thought we were topside of `em by now. When our lot come out to bat again we settled back to watch the slaughter. I mean, we were a team chock-full of England players back then, y’know.”

Walt looked suddenly older, as if the gravity of his memory was weighing him down. “D’you know,” he said, “I was at Muriel’s house the other night and we were watching that there History Channel. They were on about Pearl Harbour, and there was President Roosevelt saying, ‘This day will live in infamy’.” Walt snorted, and seemed to snap back to the present. “Why, he should’ve been at Acklam Park that day. Then he’d know what infamy was. One of their bowlers - probably that lad Shackleton - he took six wickets for ten runs. Six for ten. Against t’finest team in t’land.” Walt clutched his brow and closed his eyes. The memory - and the pain - was still very much alive. “Twenty-three all out. The lowest score in the history of our county. They went on to win by ten wickets.”

If you fancy coming and listening to Mike's talk, click here to book he's going to be personally signing books on the night! Should be a great laugh.

Great Feedback

2011-10-21T09:20:00.003+01:00

I'm really chuffed. I got a really nice email last night from a customer who ordered the first red kite at deepdale print.
"I opened it and cried for there was my picture exactly as it had always been in my head and from exactly the right artist. I got so excited that my husband decided to buy the print as a Christmas/ moving in present to ourselves. It arrived today JUST PERFECT. Thank you so much I can't begin to explain just how special this is. It will take pride of place in our living room."
Isn't that nice?

Winter Migrants

2011-10-20T13:34:00.002+01:00

Wasn't it exciting to see Spurn Point on Autumn Watch?The east coast is such a fantastic place to watch migrating birds as some arrive and others leave our shores to escape the approaching winter. I painted the above picture of a fieldfare feeding on apples last winter.

Professional birdwatcher Michael Flowers who leads our two exhibition walks to find winter migrants on the Yorkshire Wolds spotted about 300 fieldfares at Stone Creek on the River Humber this week. Red wings, such as this one I photographed last year at Spurn Point, were also seen, whilst more than 3,000 goldfinches were spotted there this week on their way off to warmer climes.

Don't miss out on the chance to join Michael Flowers on his next two walks taking place near the gallery. Click here to link to our booking forms.

Red Kite Painting Finished

2011-10-14T12:20:00.002+01:00

I've just finished this painting of two red kites engaged in an aerial combat - good job too because the exhibition opens on October 29th! I used acrylics this time and I'm pleased with the effect.

White Rhino Double

2011-10-13T09:50:00.009+01:00

I had a sense of deja vu when BBC Wildlife Magazine dropped through the letter box this week. On the front cover was this photograph of a white rhino by Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011 finalist Wim Van Den Heever. Aside from the thorny twig adorning its horn, it looked very like the picture below which I took of a white rhino in Kenya in 2004.
To achieve the effect of white against black I set my camera on manual and set the exposure on the brightest part of the animal, this threw the darker parts deeper into shadow. I took my photograph at midday, which is when most people recommend that you don't take a photograph, but I believe you just have to take the opportunity when you get it.

New Prints and Cards Now Available

2011-10-12T12:56:00.008+01:00

I have four new limited edition prints and two new Christmas cards now available.
They include the limited edition collection taken from my latest original paintings of a red kite in flight and a red stag with hinds.
For prices or to order direct please click here to link to my new catalogue.

Bee Keeping is Over

2011-10-07T12:17:00.001+01:00

My wife Victoria and I have kept bees for a few years now and last year we had almost 100lbs of honey from our hive.

But last week my bee-keeping days were brought to an abrupt end when I discovered that I have a serious allergy to bee stings.

I had driven the hive and 12 others belong to a friend of mine back from the moors, where they had spent the summer feeding on heather.

I got back quite late and my friend Nick and I began working quickly in the growing dark to unload the trailer when we discovered that one of the hives had slipped in transit and was spilling bees. In my hurry I hadn't zipped my protective suit on properly and some of the bees crawled into my gloves whilst others got into my neck and ankles. I was stung about 10 times.
Within minutes I began to feel a numbness and tingling in my throat. I was itching everywhere and then began to feel nauseous. I tried to carry on as normal and set off to drive home but after 200 yards my vision began to go blurry and I felt very sick and disorientated.

Nick thankfully took the wheel and rushed me to York Hospital. Unfortunately the doctors advised that I ought not to take too many chances and so sadly I shall have to say goodbye to my bees - and all that free honey!

A sparrowhawk with a casual hunting technique

2011-10-06T10:02:00.006+01:00

I spent a few days watching this a young sparrowhawk feed her chicks and discovered that she had adopted a very casual hunting techniqueShe had taken to raiding wood pigeon nests and bringing the chicks home for her own.Normally sparrowhawks are formidable hunters and rely on their incredible speed to surprise their prey, so this was a very lazy approach.

For more on the story click here to read my latest column in the Malton Gazette & Herald.

Winter Exhibition

2011-10-05T14:45:00.000+01:00

My Winter Exhibition opens on October 29th and you are all invited of course! I've been putting the finishing touches to a new series of paintings of red kites to accompany the walks we will be offering and of course I shall be warming the mulled wine and preparing some mince pies for my guests!
Please do print out the featured invitation for your free entry.

Ngoro Ngoro Crater: The Eighth Wonder of the World

2011-09-29T10:41:00.012+01:00

The Ngoro Ngoro Crater has been described as the eighth wonder of the world and it really does live up to expectation. So much so that I couldn't quite finish my series of blogs on my August trip without posting some of the pictures I took there.We visited the crater during the last three days of our Masai Mara safari. It was my third visit to this remarkable volcanic bowl and as always proved well worth crossing the border into Tanzania for.

It was quite dry there and although the animals in this crater are isolated by the steep crater walls from the vast savannah that surrounds it, the wildebeest still migrate locally.
Their steady progress made a dramatic picture against the back drop of the salt pan and the crater walls behind. These elephant had clearly been stripping the bark from the yellow fever trees.

Again the steep walls of the crater set the scene each day.

Black rhino are a rare sight in Kenya and Tanzania, but the Ngoro Ngoro Crater is well-protected and supports a stronghold. There are nearly 30 living in the 10 mile wide crater.
There were plenty of lion there too. This lioness was in season and in a playful mood. She jumped across a muddy river - hence the 'black stockinged effect up her back legs - to greet another lioness and left a pride male looking rather disgruntled on the other side.

We came across this year-old cub and his mother. He looked in very poor condition.

I suspect he had been attacked by another lion, or hyenas.

When we stopped at a toilet block we noticed a dead bull buffalo about 70 yards away. He was in too good a condition to have died of disease or age. Then as we all filed out of the toilets we saw this male lion glowering at us.

I walked a bit closer to get a photograph and he dragged it under a bush. I decided it was time to get back in the car since I didn't know where the rest of the pride were.

I liked the almost pink morning light on this shot.

Braced against the wind.

Ostrich are plentiful in the crator.

Serval cats live in grassland, specialising in catching rodents and birds. I got this shot of one pouncing.

It was such a fantastic safari that I plan to lead another next year. If you're interested in booking a place click here for more information.

Book a Walk on the Wild Side

2011-09-28T10:34:00.009+01:00

Book now if you want a place on one of the wildlife events taking place during my Winter Exhibition. Choose from daytime walks to see short-eared owls, red kites, and winter migrants or evening talks to hear wildlife police officer Mike Pannet talk about his experiences in North Yorkshire and a cookery demonstration for Christmas!
Click on the title of an event to book online or call the gallery on 01759 368355 to secure your booking.

Short Eared Owl Safari

Professional birdwatcher Michael Flowers takes you to a secret location near the Humber Bridge to see these magnificent birds in the wild.

Sat Oct 29th, Sat Nov 5th, Monday, Nov 7th: 1.30 - 4.30pm

Tickets £10

Ex-PC Mike Pannett on the wildlife beat
Heartbeat meets James Herriot - a humourous talk by this Wolds author to launch his new book 'Just the Job Lad' about his adventures as a wildlife police officer in North Yorkshire.

Sat Oct 29th, 7-9pm.

Tickets £7.50

Red Kites on the Wolds

Join professional birdwatcher Michael Flowers to watch a flourishing population of red kites come in to roost.

Sun Oct 30th, Sun Nov 6 and Sat Nov 12th; 2-4.30pmTickets £10

Special Tophill Low Safari Extravaganza

Seek out otters and other mammals in the reserve with the head warden, then sit back and watch as 100s of gulls and geese come in to roost on the lakes of Tophill Low

Sun Nov 6, Sat Nov 12th 2-4.30pm Tickets £7.50

Cooking for Christmas
Chef Ali Bilton of JSR Cookery School demonstrates fantastic dishes for Christmas.

Fri Nov 11th, 7-9pm

Tickets £7.50

Winter Migrants on the Yorkshire Wolds

Discover the latest migrants to have flown into the UK with professional birdwatcher Michael Flowers.

Sun Oct 30th and Sun Nov 13th: 10am-12.30pm

Tickets £10

Equipment

2011-09-26T14:36:00.001+01:00

I've had quite a few queries about which camera gear to take on a trip like the one I just took to the Masai Mara in Kenya so I've decided to devote a post to it!There is no hard and fast answer as it will always depend on space and budget, but I have used Canon cameras for 14 years now and over this time I have collected an array of different camera bodies and lenses.

I have five digital SLR bodies and 10 accompanying lenses, ranging from 17mm to 800mm, and six flash guns as well as a load of other gizmos and gadgets such as tripods, lights and hides.

For photographing wildlife my favourite camera body is the 1D Mark 4 and my most used camera lens is the 500F4.

When travelling around weight is always the biggest issue - especially on flights. I usually manage to get a friend or relative to carry a rucksack for me, jammed with gear.

On my latest trip to the Masai Mara I took three camera bodies:

Two 1D Mark 4s and one 7D

Four lenses:

400mmF4IS.DOI,

70-200mmm F2.8,

24 to 105mm F4

300-800mm F5.6 Sigma Lens

Two 1.4 converters

And 10x40 Swarvovski Binoculars

A Wimbly Tripod head and clamps

Camera cleaning equipment and a bean bag!

It is possible to hire camera equipment, some people on our trip used www.lensesforhire. co.uk but when buying I recommend getting the best you can afford. A digital SLR camera body and accompanying lenses are best, I recommend the two leading brands Canon or Nikon.

They have the widest ranges to choose from. Sigma and Tamron will do cheaper lenses to fit canon and Nikon, but over the years I have found Canon and Nikon to be the best quality.

If a lens has a huge range of zoom it is usually too good to be true - having said that the 17 - 270 Tamron lens got 93percent in a test in Outdoor Photography magazine. I imagine its value for money would have been a big consideration. I can't comment myself, not having any experience of it.

Don't get caught up in the amount of megapixels, there is more to getting a good photograph than megapixels!

If I were to give any advice on photographing wildlife it would be to use one thing: patience. If you wait long enough, you will get the shot you want!

Farewell Masai Mara

2011-09-25T17:00:00.001+01:00

I took so many photographs in the Masai Mara that if I don't stop posting now I'll go on forever. I wanted to leave you with a few final shots to give you a lasting flavour of this memorable trip. There was a breeding herd of elephants quite close to our camp and it was wonderful to watch them with their young.

Follow my leader.

The storm clouds in the background and sunlight playing across the plains gave such wonderful photo opportunities.

We always liked to be out before sunrise to make the most of our opportunity.There's nothing like being out on the plains as the sun comes up.

We had our breakfasts out on the savannah.

This is the whole team together. Their hard work and generous hospitality made our trip such a tremendous success.

Bird Life

2011-09-25T11:17:00.001+01:00

What the big cats and vast herds of the Masai Mara have in stature, the birds make up for in colour and character. These little bee eaters were very entertaining to watch. They often hunt in pairs and then return to the same branch after catching insects on the wing.

A lilac-breasted roller.

And by far the ugliest bird in the Mara: the Marabou Stalk. What this bird lacks in looks it makes up for in character. For this shot I slowed the shutter speed down to one eigth of a second to blur the rapids of the Talek River behind.

These two were fighting over the intestines of a wildebeest!

Lion does the catty paddle!

2011-09-24T11:09:00.000+01:00

This was the most extraordinary sight we saw during our safari - and it was on our first morning too!Lions detest water so we watched in astonishment when this male stepped into the swollen Talek River. Look out for the full story of his escapade in my column in the Yorkshire Post today.The river was in full spate and he lost his footing half way across and had to paddle fiercely against strong currents. As he emerged on the other bank, he shook himself down and strode across the plains as if he owned the place.

We tried to cross the river at the same spot a few days later, but were less successful.

We were stuck for half an hour!

Early Morning Leopard

2011-09-23T16:00:00.000+01:00

We came across this male leopard early one morning. There was a dead wildebeest nearby, so he had clearly made a kill in the night.

Masai Mara's Celebrity Lions

2011-09-23T10:36:00.003+01:00

There were one or two TV celebs to see in the Masai Mara too. This is Notch, the pride male that starred in the BBC series Big Cat Diaries. He's getting on now, but at 14 years old is still worthy of a good photograph! And his teeth, which he treated us to a good view of during this enormous yawn, are still impressive!

This pride of lions are used to being watched, but are nonetheless wild. Notch was quite a formidable presence. He is pictured here drinking from a rain puddle in the track.

And here trying to ignore a swarm of flies!

Cheetah close up

2011-09-22T09:44:00.004+01:00

There is so much to say about our trip to the Masai Mara in Kenya that it will probably take several blogs. We saw cheetah most days. It always amazes me to see how bold they are. This one walked right past the vehicle.

Below two males are scent marking their territory. One morning we spotted this topi (pictured below) stamping its foot in annoyance. When we looked over to see what was bothering it, we spotted hyena filing by on their way back to their dens after a night of mischief! This one was bringing a trophy home with him.A night on the forage had been a bit much for this bat-eared fox pictured here taking a restorative nap.

Lion Pride

2011-09-21T11:06:00.007+01:00

As the herds migrate across the savannah, their predators come out in force. We saw lion everyday.

This pride was very close to our camp and we had plenty of opportunity to watch them.

And sometimes they 'people-watched'. This lioness was watching a group of Masai men walking in the distance. Lion are wary of Masai - traditionally they would have hunted them.

This yearling was very playful, we watched as she tossed this stick about like a kitten with a toy before encouraging the other lionesses to join in a game of chase.

Shaking off after a shower of rain.

This lioness had a huge scar across her face. The guides named her Ugly Betty.

This was her good side.

Lions can sleep for 20 hours a day so there can be quite a bit of waiting around to get a photograph.

Our camp was elegantly furnished. We ate our evening meals by candlelight. It was very atmospheric as you sat down to dinner you could hear lion and hyena outside.

On one evening the Masai watchmen put on a dance for us around the campfire.

They have a curious style, more like pogo stick jumping than dancing!

Masai Mara Marvel

2011-09-16T10:53:00.005+01:00

I've just got back from a two week safari to Kenya's Masai Mara.

I've been to Africa 10 times in total and have visited six different countries on this vast continent, but I'm drawn back to the Mara again and again.

This time I took a group of 12 people from Yorkshire with me to share my passion for the place.

I had the help of some expert guides, pictured below, whose local knowledge is unsurpassed.

From left to right are: Daryl and Sharna Balfour, myself, Pierre Burton and Phil West.

And of course we saw some magnificent wildlife. We timed our trip to coincide with the world's largest animal migration, when 1.5 million wildebeest, and 100s of 1,000s of gazelle and zebra cross these vast plains in search of fresh grazing and water. And we camped close to the Mara and Talek rivers where we were ideally placed to see the herds cross. These dramatic river crossings are very noisy, exciting events to watch.

The sheer numbers of these beasts as they file out onto the plains takes your breath away.

When spooked by predators, or when a member of the herd gets left behind momentarily, they can really move fast.

I photographed this at a shutter speed of a 30th of a second to get this 'motion blurred' effect.

We had some incredible sightings of Africa's big cats, including this magnificent leopard.

This leopard was hidden deep in thick bush when we first caught sight of her. We waited for about two hours and then just as the sun was setting she emerged and slunk off to hunt.

We watched as she climbed a termite mound, presumably to use it as a lookout before heading off into the growing dark.

As with all wildlife, it just proves that if you are patient, you'll see more.

Just look at those whiskers!

HRH Princess Anne

2011-09-15T09:47:00.004+01:00

I was very honoured to be invited to a reception at the House of Lords last week to celebrate the first stage of a programme to eradicate rats from South Georgia.
The event was hosted by Baroness Barbara Young of Old Scone and attended by HRH Princess Anne.
Top conservationists, scientists and those with an interest in the Antarctic, including wildlife producer Alastair Fothergill, were among the guests.
The conservation project will help protect the unique colonies of ground nesting birds in South Georgia.

Celebrating the eradication of rats from South Georgia with Princess Anne

2011-09-07T11:19:00.004+01:00

I am heading off to the House of Lords tonight for a special ceremony to mark the sucess of the the first phase in a massive campaign to eradicate rats from South Georgia.

Having been to South Georgia to study its incredible sea bird colonies, I have followed the programme with interest and am delighted to have been invited. Princess Anne is among the guests!

The South Georgia Heritage Trust hopes to eliminate the entire rat population from the island with this ambitious project.

Rats have had a devastating impact on ground nesting birds since they first arrived on the ships of sealers and whalers in the 19th and 20th century.

This project aims to turn back the clock and restore South Georgia to its status as the most important seabird breeding island in the world. For more information follow this link

Badger Painting Sold

2011-08-25T12:04:00.001+01:00

I've sold one of my paintings of a badger! I chose to use a combination of pencil and acrylic paints to bring out the texture of the badger's fur.

Pencil is a very underated medium and yet it's the first one everybody uses when they draw.

I shall be putting out lots of pencils and paper in the gallery for a special event to encourage people to draw on September 24th .

The Big Draw is part of a nationwide push by the Campaign for Drawing to promote art for all ages.

The event at the gallery is free and I shall be on hand to give advice and encouragement.

Kestrel Kids

2011-08-23T14:17:00.002+01:00

A family of kestrels have been nesting in an old sycamore stump I put up for them near the garden! They actually nested in the garden to begin with, but sadly lost their first brood to a carrion crow.

These pictures are of their second brood. I spent some time watching the three chicks as they grew.

To read all about their antics click here to link to my latest column in The Yorkshire Post.

Otter watch.

2011-08-20T14:07:00.002+01:00

I have seen otters in the sea in Scotland many times, especially in Islay and Mull, but I've found it much harder to find them in fresh water.You may remember my failed attempts to photograph an otter earlier this year. I got pictures of an otter holt, photographs of otter prints and photographs of otter spraint, but no otters. Now, four months later, I have finally snapped one hunting close to the River Hull.

Unfortunately there was a reed in the way as I took the photographs!

Who...Who are you? Fotherdale's Tawnys

2011-08-15T13:45:00.002+01:00

The Fotherdale tawny owl family are growing up fast.They still come at night to feed from my bird table and in the day they perch in the line of sycamores below the house. Three of the young usually sit together.

Sometimes it is very difficult to see the family.

The male is usually the hardest to spot.

Shooting Season Begins

2011-08-12T14:35:00.001+01:00

The shooting season opens this week for red grouse. It's not a sport I take part in but I accept that the grouse we see on the moors are only there because of it. I took these photographs whilst in the Dales this spring. These youngsters will be about ready to aim at now.

Regent's Park still an oasis of calm

2011-08-10T11:15:00.003+01:00

My article for the Gazette & Herald this month was on my visit to Regent's Park to see the famous heronry http://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/features/columnists/9175548.Artist_makes_city_trip_to_visit_a_wild_resident/ what an oasis of calm this photo is in light of the recent looting and riots in London. The herons were not thankfully caught up in any of the riots as the violence is only in small pockets in London.

The day that the article was published I sold this original of a Regent's Park heron in the gallery. The customer said that it was the subtle colours in the heron's plummage that made her buy the painting. The lady is originally from London but it is going to be hung in her home in County Durham.

Serengeti Highway

2011-08-08T15:36:00.001+01:00

I'm very worried about the plans for a road across the Serengeti. It looks as though it will slice straight across the migration route. Click here to read more about it.

Roe Buck

2011-08-06T13:34:00.001+01:00

I photographed this handsome buck at the edge of a small wood last week. I had spotted it with a doe in a nearby hay meadow but didn't have my tripod or camouflage jacket in the car so I had gone home to fetch them.

When I got back the doe was lying down and was barely visible. I waited for half an hour before the buck reappeared.

He casually wandered off to graze the hay and then began grooming before vanishing into the wood again.

Hare Abundant

2011-08-05T13:20:00.004+01:00

For an animal in decline, there seems to be a lot of hares about on the Yorkshire Wolds at the moment.

Kingfishers on Road to Recovery

2011-08-04T12:25:00.002+01:00

Kingfisher populations were among the most serious casualties of last winter's bitter snows.As ponds and streams froze over there were reports that some populations tried to relocate to the coast, where their fragile systems are unable to cope with the salt water over prolonged periods.
I know of several local sites where I usually find these brightly coloured birds and can confirm that in some the populations have died out.
But there are encouraging signs in others. Pictured above is a kingfisher that will have fledged earlier this year and the pair went on to have a second brood too!

To Cull or Not to Cull?

2011-07-14T12:30:00.005+01:00

The government is due to make a decision within the next few days on whether to allow farmers to shoot badgers on sight in a bid to stop the spread of bovine tuberculosis. I seriously doubt this will solve the problem of the continuing spread of bovine TB.
The disease is a serious concern for farmers and I do feel for those that have lost their herds.
But I don't think giving farmers a licence to shoot badgers will help.
What tends to happen when you cull animals in a specific area is that other animals then come in and colonise that area and the pertubation that follows makes it more difficult to control the spread of disease.
It also seems to me that the government is passing the buck onto individual farmers to solve what is a nationwide problem.
Unfortunately I don't know what the solution to the problem is. But I don't think this is it.

Lapwing Chicks

2011-07-13T10:15:00.004+01:00

It is rare to see lapwings nesting in this part of Yorkshire. But a friend of mine has created specific 'lapwing strips' to encourage these beautiful plumed birds. I spent three weeks watching three successfully hatch their broods.

These birds have benefitted from higher level stewardship scheme funding and it has really made a difference to their success in this area.

To read about the antics of these three chicks as they hatched click here to link to my latest column in The Yorkshire Post.

Owl Safaris

2011-07-07T12:37:00.003+01:00

The owl safaris I held this summer have been a great success.
Originally meant to complement my summer exhibition I had so much demand that I ended up doing five safaris in total - even giving up my birthday evening for one!
But they were worth it. We started each safari here at the gallery to look at the kestrels and tawny owls that nest in a line of sycamores below my kitchen window and then headed off to Givendale, passing by the spectacular field of orchids on the way.
In all we saw little owls, buzzards, barn owls, yellow hammers, woodpeckers, and more. Each safari always ended with a warm drink and a chat over what we have seen at my kitchen table whilst we waited for the tawny owls to come to feed at the bird table.

Wildlife Watching with The Press

2011-07-02T14:13:00.001+01:00

I took a journalist from The Press out wildlife watching with me and he enjoyed himself so much he has written a very complimentary article in Wednesday's edition all about it. I took him to my badger sett and we stopped off to look at some tawny owls and a barn owl chick on the way. He described me as an 'excellent' guide with an 'artist's eye for detail'. Hope all of you who have been on the owl safari's were as pleased with the experience!

Click here to read the article.

Woodpeckers Fledge

2011-07-01T12:28:00.005+01:00

I spent a fascinating few weeks watching a pair of woodpeckers raise their chicks.

This photograph was taken a few minutes before one chick fledged.

The nest hole was at least 15ft high so I set my hide on top of two stacked potato boxes.

I then rigged up a remotely-controlled camera on the other side of the hole so that I had an all-round view of the action. The female seemed quite happy about my rig-up.

But the male was far more cautious and peered at me suspiciously the first time he came in with some grubs for the chicks.He would hang upside down looking for grubs under the bark close to the nest hole and was very adapt at prizing off the bark.Woodpeckers take in food on their way in and take droppings out on their way out.
Sometimes they fed the chicks on aphids gathered from the leaves of the tree the hole was in.

I watched as the chicks became bold enough to venture out of the hole. The adult pair encouraged the chicks to fledge by easing off on their food supplies. The chicks got so hungry they actually pecked at their parent's feet in frustration, before they eventually took the plunge and emerged from the hole.
It was a pleasure to see them eventually fledge. To read more about this story click here to link to this week's Ryedale Gazette & Herald.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year Semi Finalist.

2011-06-30T11:52:00.004+01:00

My photographic studies of a group of hares in last winter's snow have made it to the semi-finals in the country's most prestigious wildlife photography competition: the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011. Sadly this means they won't be on display in the Natural History Museum this October, but I am pleased to have made it to the second round of judging - not bad for a first attempt!

The photographs were taken during an eight-day spell of heavy snow during which I watched 51 hares group together to mate.

It really was an incredible sight.

During blizzards the hares hunkered down into the snow to brace the wind.

This picture, which I used as a study for a painting, was also a semi-finalist.And this pheasant photograph made it to the semi-finals of the 'Animal Behaviour' category.

Excited Badger Cub

2011-06-25T11:49:00.001+01:00

Watch this very sweet badger cub setting off for his evening outing. It is so funny seeing him run round and round in circles with sheer excitment.
I videoed him from the badger hide that I built near to me. I hope to get good enough photographs here to paint from in the future and I think he'll be quite a character to capture on canvas.

Wolds Secret Orchids

2011-06-24T10:22:00.007+01:00

The orchids are out on the Yorkshire Wolds now. I photographed these alongside the very busy A166. Hundreds of people drive past them every day. I wonder if they give them as much as a second glance. There is almost an acre of wildflowers here. When the top soil was scraped off to build the road, the chalk that was left behind made a perfect habitat for them to flourish in.

I spent a little much-needed down time there just after the exhibition and watched as the insects gorged. This is a six-spot burnet moth on a common spotted orchid.

And here he is again on a southern marsh orchid I loved this harvestman taking shelter in the common spotted orchid.I managed to catch the burnet moth as he took off. The common spotted orchids are so large this year they remind me of cathedrals.
I also saw this pyramidal orchid.
And these common blue butterflies, pictured here on mouse ear hawkweed with another male flying in.

Tawny Owl in Flight

2011-06-23T10:55:00.006+01:00

I've started to experiment with a stroboscopic flash recently. It fires off a rapid series of flashes so that you can record multiple images of a moving subject in a single photograph. This picture of the tawny owl I feed outside my kitchen window was taken using it. It has to be dark to achieve this, otherwise you get a ghost effect since the background is also exposed.
You also have to get the timing right. The shot above was taken with the flash set set to fire at nine times a second.But here I had it set to go off more frequently and the owl overlaps. I watched the owl through a telescope as it sat on a post at the edge of the garden and triggered the camera with a wireless remote shutter release. The camera was set on manual with the lens at F4 and a speed of an eighth of a second.

Blackbirds Fledge

2011-06-22T14:31:00.004+01:00

We had a family of blackbirds nesting just above the front door to the gallery during the exhibition. They didn't seem to mind all the comings and goings - and we must have had nearly 3,000 people visit over the course of the fortnight!

The nest was balanced precariously on the top of my woodpile which is stacked by the door. But just as I was about to take a photograph showing how close it was, the blackbirds fledged.

How will you treat the king of your jungle on Father's Day?

2011-06-17T10:00:00.006+01:00

If you haven't bought your Dad anything for father's day how about a greeting card featuring the king of the jungle combined with a walk to look for owls on the Yorkshire Wolds?

There are a few places left on the walk with professional birdwatcher Michael Flowers between 2pm and 4pm. To book click here. He'll be pointing out birds of prey and summer migrants.

You won't see any of these though!

Puffin Walks, Photography Talks and Summer Styling

2011-06-15T12:42:00.005+01:00

The events we laid on during the exhibition this year have been a great success. The talk last week by landscape photographer Joe Cornish was particularly fascinating and the gallery was brimming with people wanting to see his beautiful photographs, like this one of Lindesfarm.
The puffin parade with professional birdwatcher Michael Flowers also went down a storm on Monday. Click here to read about how they got on.
Similarly Susan Nicholls' workshop on wirework sculpture last night was a hit.
There are still a few events left including gardener Gilda Brader and dress designer Jenni Palmer's talk tomorrow night on styling for a summer garden party so if you're interested click here to book.
Sadly the owl safari's are all fully booked.

Tree Creepers Fledge

2011-06-11T13:49:00.001+01:00

I saw these four fledgling tree creepers clinging onto a tree trunk the other evening. I heard them as I was on my way to visit the badger sett that I watch. They were huddled together like this ready for the night. They still depend on their parents to feed them at this stage but are no longer in the nest.

At the badger sett there were five adults and just one cheeky cub. Oddly, one of the sows had taken her two cubs away for the night. She must be feeling a little insecure. I saw her come back to the sett for a little while and dive into the burrow and then shoot back off up the hill where she must have stashed her cubs.

Let's hope she begins to feel a little more secure soon and brings the two cubs back. On the way back I looked in on the tree creepers and found them fast asleep with their heads tucked under their wings.

It was about 11.30pm and there were now five of them.

Paintings Going Like Hotcakes!

2011-06-10T12:07:00.002+01:00

So far my summer exhibition is doing really well!
I've sold seven original paintings in the first week! This barn owl is going to Australia straight after the exhibition is over - it was bought by an Australian couple on day one! It means I'm going to have to get on with some more painting. I only actually completed seven new originals for the exhibition!

Wildlife Roundup

2011-06-09T14:14:00.002+01:00

It's still a bit soon to be offering an overview of the year but when The Yorkshire Post asked me to give them a round up of my wildlife watching year I could hardly refuse. The result, published on Saturday, which happily coincided with the opening of my summer exhibition, is a romp through the seasons picking out the remarkable way in which wildlife manages to survive despite the odds.
After a fiercely cold winter and unseasonably dry spring, kingfishers, badgers, deer and even barn owls are fighting back. Click here to read the piece.

Exhibition starts tomorrow

2011-06-03T14:48:00.005+01:00

I'm just about ready for my exhibition which opens tomorrow. I finished this original yesterday.

It was taken from my studies of a little owl family just down the road from my gallery at Thixendale. This juvenile spent its days either hiding under a fallen downn elm log or standing on this post and calling for food from its parents.

I've also painted this barn owl for the exhibition. I've called it Barn Owl at Burdale. Burdale is about 3 miles away from my gallery and one of my favourite places to watch barn owls. I saw this beauty hunting for several hours before it landed on this post right in front of me.

I'll post some more of my paintings tomorrow if I get chance! Hopefully it'll be busy in the gallery and I'll sell lots of paintings - wish my luck!

Originals Catalogue

2011-05-30T22:13:00.004+01:00

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My exhibition starts on Saturday (4th June), so I thought you might like to have a sneak preview of the originals that are going to be on display! I've got finishing touches to do this week to two final paintings one of a red stag and one of a little owl and then I should just have enough time left to tidy my studio before I open the gallery doors...

Badger Cubs

2011-05-28T11:00:00.000+01:00

There are three badger cubs at the sett by my badger hide this year.
It's so good to see them after last year when there were no cubs there at all.
This year the clan is made up of just five adults and the whole sett is much calmer than it was two years ago when there were nine adults. At that time tensions were running high and fights would break often break out.
Already the badgers are getting more adventurous. Badgers start emerging from their underground chambers shortly after 8pm, whilst it is still quite light.
The sow pictured above with her cub is only two years old. The badgers begin to get more confident after 9pm when the light begins to fade. I have to start using a flash at this point to be able to photograph them.
This is the largest of the cubs. I think he is a male.
I put food in this hollow log thinking it would make a good photographic opportunity.
It really is a delight to watch these new youngsters as they explore their new surroundings.

Boxing Hares

2011-05-19T11:38:00.000+01:00

I watched these hares box the other day. I first spotted a group together in a field.

The there was a female in season and she had attracted a large gathering of males.

I watched for about half an hour before they sped off across the field in pursuit of this female.

You can see this female is surrounded by males.

I will be focusing on hares for my next exhibition which runs from June 4th - 19th and have just finished this painting for it:

Black Grouse Lek

2011-05-18T13:41:00.007+01:00

The black grouse lek is one of the most remarkable courtship displays that you can see in this country: more reminiscent of a tropical bird dance than that of an English grouse.
I spent a week last month waking before dawn so that I could photograph this incredible event on the Yorkshire Dales. On most days the weather was against me and from my hide on top of the windswept moors I was unable to get photographs good enough to paint from.
But thankfully on the last day the sun came up and I got some shots to be proud of.

The black grouse males circle with their tail feathers fanned and then every so often leap up into the air calling out. Meanwhile the females saunter nonchalantly through the middle of the commotion, causing the males to whirr about even more excitedly.

Occasionally the cocks also spar.

These two sparring cocks were evenly matched and fought for quite some time: feathers were flying.

When not lekking, their posture reminded me of Bantams.

Click here to read my latest column in The Yorkshire Post on how I went about photographing the lekking grouse.

Kamikaze Pheasant

2011-05-12T11:06:00.000+01:00

You may remember the pheasant that was attacking villagers in Newsham in North Yorkshire last year. I came across a similarly vicious bird in the Dales. I was driving along a moor late one evening when it rushed out into the middle of the road in an attempt to cut me off.

This cock bird was highly territorial and wanted me off his patch. I decided I ought to try and get it off the road before it got run over.

But when I got out of the car with my camera he rushed at me, pecking and sparring my arm.
It really hurt.

It was so fearless I decided to go back to see it the next day, knowing I was likely to get some good shots since it was unlikely to shy from the camera.
This time I brought my assistant photographer, my daughter Lily, with me.

But what with the aggressive pheasant coming too close for me to focus.

And Lily hanging off my shoulders, it was a little difficult to get a good enough photograph to paint from.

They say you shouldnt work with children and animals!

Technology

2011-05-11T10:23:00.003+01:00

I don't pretend to be overly keen on computers and much prefer to leave the day to day running of the business to my wife Victoria whilst I go out watching wildlife, but this week our web host went bust and even I have noticed the effects.

Who would have thought just 10 years ago that it would be almost impossible to run a business without a working website and an email address? These days everybody really does rely on them - even wildlife artists like me!

Anyhow, if you're one of the frustrated many that can't get an order through please bear with us and telephone on 01759 368355 or revert to snail mail for the time being:

Fotherdale Farm,

Thixendale,

North Yorkshire

YO17 9LS

Tree Creeper

2011-05-06T10:34:00.003+01:00

Tree creepers are so well camouflaged they can be very hard to spot, but their high-pitched calls give them away. They creep up trees, as their name suggest, in search of insects and larvae in crevises under the bark. They can even nest behind peeling bark.You can clearly see how long their claws are - designed to give them grip as they ascend vertical slopes.

Yorkshire's Red Squirrels

2011-05-05T12:24:00.007+01:00

I spotted a thriving community of red squirrels during a visit to the Yorkshire Dales. They were running along a stone wall on the outskirts of a village near Hawes. It turned out that villagers had been tempting them out of a nearby coniferous forest with hazelnuts.

This confierous forest was gradually being replaced with deciduous woodland. Red squirrels used to be widespread in deciduous forests but are now mainly confined to coiniferous plantations where the food source doesn't favour greys squirrels - the species that, due to a virus it carries, has all but decimated reds in this country.

Environmental agents now favour new plantations of native deciduous forests over conifer plantations but I wonder whether this current thinking will spell the end of these few remaining red squirrel strongholds.

Just eight miles away from this red squirrel community I spotted two grey squirrels - a little too close for comfort for my liking.

To find out more please follow this link to read my latest article on it in the Malton Gazette & Herald.

Adders in Allerthorpe

2011-04-13T13:41:00.003+01:00

Whilst watching adders on Allerthorpe Common recently, I discovered that they eat lizards.Click here to read about my encounter in the Ryedale Gazette & Herald.

BBC Countryfile Feature Me!

2011-04-13T10:51:00.001+01:00

I've edited down the Countryfile feature so now if you click on the arrow you just get the section with me in it!!!

London's Grebes

2011-04-08T14:33:00.003+01:00

There was plenty of other wildlife in Regents Park. The little grebe below came by and I got a few standard shots. But then I moved nearer the bank where there were some daffodils reflected in the water. This gave the colour to these more unusual shots. I took an exposure reading of the largest part of the grebe and under-exposed the rest of the photo to add to the effect. A great crested grebe then came by. It was a beautiful male, but it was catching small fish and when it dove it travelled a long way so it was difficult to predict where it would reappear.

Herons in Regents Park, London

2011-04-07T13:41:00.002+01:00

In the countryside herons are amongst the most wary of birds so I took advantage of a weekend trip to see friends in London to visit the heronry in Regents Park.

I took some strips of pheasant, partridge and pig kidneys with me and it wasn't long before the herons were queuing up for the scraps.

At one point I had 15 herons standing in line!

I have never been so close to wild herons before.

The males' bills go red during the mating season.

It really is incredible to see how they have adapted to this urban environment.

This one was playing catch even though the park was very crowded.

And these two were fighting over the remaining scraps.

This one was catching the last sun rays of the afternoon.

TV Appearance!

2011-04-06T14:26:00.009+01:00

If you missed us on Countryfile this Sunday then click here.

You have to scroll to the end of the programme - I was the last feature.

But it is worth watching the whole show because it featured so many special places in the Yorkshire Wolds, including Flamborough Head and the bird colony at Bempton Cliffs.

It was such fun filming with the team - think I'll miss my acting role!!!

Listen out for me on BBC Radio Humberside.

2011-04-01T13:49:00.001+01:00

I'm going to be on BBC Radio Humberside tomorrow morning. I'm going to be interviewed by Ruth Barcroft, pictured below, for Saturday Breakfast Show's 'Learn Something New' slot.

Ruth wants me to talk about how I take my wildlife photographs and to advise people on how to get up close to the shiest of creatures.

Frog Frolic at Fotherdale

2011-04-01T11:04:00.004+01:00

We moved to Fotherdale Farm in 1998 and one of the first things I did was build a pond.Now we have a very healthy frog and toad population. The other day I counted 80 as they were spawning.

As you approach the pond they tend to disappear under the water. But if you lie down they soon reappear.

Plus getting a low perspective makes for better photographs. In this one you can see the yellow flag irises reflected in the water.You can tell the difference between frogs and toads by their size, by the fact that toads walk and frogs hop and are generally more streamlined. Also toads are warty and have slit eyes.March is the mating season for both species and it can seem a bit frenzied. Here two frogs are mating.

But here there seems to be a bit of confusion! This toad is getting over friendly with a frog.

And this toad is in a frog sandwich!!!

Need a Card for Mother's Day?

2011-03-31T10:42:00.003+01:00

Now there's a mother's love for you: The way this tiny reed warbler struggles to keep up with the demands of the huge cuckoo chick got me thinking about parenthood in general.Cuckoo chicks trill in such a way that they sound like a whole nest of hungry chicks which is part of the reason why their hosts work so hard to keep them fed. Don't forget to thank your mum for all her hard work this Sunday!

Photographing Long-Tailed Tits for a New Painting

2011-03-30T13:34:00.004+01:00

I spent a day last week photographing this long-tailed tit building a nest.Long-tailed tits make their nests out of very soft materials which then expand as the chicks grow. They use lichen, cobwebs, moss, sheep's wool, or anything soft to make these intricate nests. The trouble is they nest so early, usually before any leaves are out, that they are very visible. I've been trying to get a photograph of nesting long-tailed tits for many years now and each time I find one they get predated by magpies. There were some magpies close by so I decided to protect the nest with netting. It was tricky because I had to fix the netting whilst they were off foraging for feathers to line their nest and then hide whenever I heard the contact calls between the pair which announced their return. I used this very simple camouflage netting to hide behind whilst I photographed them. Long-tailed tits have such delicate colouring they make beautiful subjects to paint. This is a one I painted a few years ago. I liked the way it was tugging at a length of soft sheep's wool.

Spring at Last!

2011-03-25T13:56:00.004Z

Isn't it nice to get out in the fresh air without having to bundle up into warm clothing. I've spent two days photographing a pair of long tail tits and the signs of spring are everywhere.

Wildlife Log Footage

2011-03-24T13:33:00.008Z

For those of you who remember my wildlife log which I discovered whilst looking for otters along the River Derwent, I've now got some very amusing footage of the animals using it. It really is very funny seeing them all slink along it - look out for the wood mouse. If you blink, you miss him.

A badger

A fox crossing.

A wood mouse. Did you see him?

And a pheasant!

Countryfile Visit

2011-03-23T10:40:00.005Z

I took a film crew from BBC Countryfile out wildlife watching with me last week.

It was quite a hectic day, but Julia Bradbury was very easy to talk to and made it fun.

They wanted to film at my wildlife log as well as find some barn owls and some hares on the Wolds.

But wildlife isn't so biddable. I managed to find some hares, but the barn owl flew off as soon as they spotted the crew!

Countryfile filming here tomorrow

2011-03-17T13:30:00.004Z

COUNTRYFILE

BBC Countryfile are coming to film here tomorrow! They'll be arriving first thing and want to spend the whole day with me as I look for subjects to photograph on the Wolds.

Julia Bradbury will be coming at breakfast time and the camera crew are hoping to catch the kestrel in the garden as it comes in for its morning feed - I hope it appears!

They do say: 'Never work with animals or children' but I'll have both as I try to get some toast down my two-year-old daughter and keep a look out for the kestrel at the same time!

Afterwards the camera crew want to see the wildlife bridge I found as well as some barn owls . I just hope the weather stays clear and the animals appear!!

Masai Mara Wildlife Trip

2011-03-16T11:38:00.005Z

Africa's great wildebeest migration is something I'm drawn back to again and again - despite having already seen it five times!

Tomorrow I shall be giving a talk here at the gallery all about this wildlife spectacle. I've spent today making sure the projector works and going through my photographs.

The way in which some two million animals are driven by instinct to plunge through crocodile- infested rivers and risk lion-studded plains in the search for fresh grass is spellbinding. My column in The Yorkshire Post this month tells of my safaris to see this amazing event. Follow this link to read it.

There are just three places left on the wildlife safari I will be leading to see the migration in Kenya's masai mara this August so please book now if you're interested.

BBC Countryfile Visit!

2011-03-11T12:13:00.004Z

Yesterday I had a visit from a researcher and a director of BBC Countryfile.

It seems they are going to be filming in the Yorkshire Wolds next week and are looking for some wildlife subjects.

I showed them around my favourite spots and found them some red kites in Millington, a barn owl that had braved yesterday's high wings and at least 50 hares! You can't say the Wolds isn't teeming with wonderful wildlife - I hope they find it worth filming.

Otter Search Reveals a Wildlife Bridge!

2011-03-11T11:25:00.012Z

My search for this elusive otter continues....

I decided to give up on the log and followed some tracks up a tributary of the Derwent until I found an otter holt. I set my camera up there for a few days but all I caught was a wood mouse and the dreaded mink again!So I carried on walking up the tributary until I came across a tree that had fallen across the stream. The stream fell between two badger setts and it was clear that the badgers used it to cross back and forth so I decided that this would be a good place to also set up a camera. Sure enough I got plenty of shots of badgers crossing back and forth.
But look what else I caught on camera.
A fox.

(He actually spotted the camera and the next night he crossed further downstream!)
A pheasant.
Even a cat
And a spaniel!

What a busy wildlife bridge!

Otter Search Goes On

2011-03-10T12:51:00.007Z

Otters are nocturnal and so I left my camera at the site to see if I could capture this otter on film. My camera is set to go off whenever it detects movement and when I checked it after the first few days I found these pictures. A moorhen drifting past.

A little grebe.

And some pigeons. Disappointed, I scouted for more clues to confirm I had been right about this being an otter's territory - although I was pretty sure after spotting the spraints. Sure enough I found some otter tracks in the soft mud along the river bank. The 10p piece shows the scale of the tracks.

Interestingly, not too far away from the otter prints I also spotted some mink tracks, pictured below.

It is not good news to find mink. These non-native species are ruthless killers and to find one along a riverbank spells destruction for so much of our native wildlife, especially water vole which have suffered considerable decline since the arrival of mink in the UK.

Determined to root out the otter, I threw a rabbit that I had found on the side of the road onto the log in the hope that this would flush it out. Although otters mainly eat fish, they will go for small mammals and birds as well.

But when I checked the camera later, it was the mink that was tucking into the rabbit. After several days of waiting for the otter to appear I was beginning to give up when my camera captured this image one night.

It was an otter's backside! Ah well, I shall have to be patient. Otters are so shy its going to be a matter of just sitting tight and waiting for a picture that I can use to paint from.

Otter Search

2011-03-09T13:45:00.003Z

I've been trying to get a decent picture of an otter recently for an idea I have for a painting. Otter numbers have increased considerably along the Derwent River in recent years and, after a tip off from a fisherman friend of mine, I have been scouring the banks looking for signs of their presence. It didn't take me long to find this log which had been caught up in willow branches. A log like this is an irresistible stopping-off point for an otter.

A closer look at the log showed me what I was looking for. It is well worn, with no moss along the top and at the back a pile of otter spraints.

Otters leave these spraints, literally piles of poo, to mark their territory and warn other otters that this patch of the river is theirs.

Now that I had found the spot all I had to do was wait for an otter to appear. I set up my camera, and also a remote controlled camera which I left out all night for several days.

Watch this space to find out what I saw.

Falcon Fracas

2011-03-04T14:43:00.003Z

The other day I watched a buzzard take on a peregrine mid-air. The pair locked talons and tumbled alarmingly through the sky in a spectacular display.

Read more about it in this week's Gazette & Herald column by clicking here.

Wild Dogs Coming to Chester Zoo

2011-03-02T13:29:00.003Z

Chester Zoo is getting a new pack of wild dogs, or painted dogs as they are sometimes called, and have asked me to provide some photographs for their publicity material. I took these shots on a safari to Tanzania in 2008.

Wild dogs are so like our domestic dogs in character, it is such a shame that they are now so endangered. Hopefully the new pack at Chester Zoo will promote their plight and help conserve them for the future.

And Badgers Get to Live Another Day Too

2011-02-18T12:33:00.002Z

It seems squirrels AND badgers have had a narrow escape this week. After yesterday's dramatic climbdown on its plan to sell off our forests, today the government has announced a delay to its decision on whether to give a planned badger cull the go-ahead. Apparently there has actually been a drop in cases of TB in cattle.
Whatever the reason, badgers can run free for now.