Staple Diets

There are over 200 species of British breeding birds. My own Lightroom library contains over 50, but somewhere along the line that staple of British wildlife photographers, the Great Spotted Woodpecker, had always slipped through my nets.

While up in Scotland working on Exposing The Wild's Scottish project I have had and will have plenty more time to remedy this.

Samuel and I have set up a hide and feeding center in a small forested area near our base. For whatever reason, the local birds seem a little reluctant to visit the feeders but the suet we packed into holes drilled into an upright log has been rapidly disappearing

Today, after an hour and a half wait, I finally got to see (and photograph) the culprit; the long awaited not-so-illusive Great Spotted Woodpecker.

These are rather unoriginal shots, but hopefully I will have plenty of time to come up with something a little more unusual over the coming weeks.

It is always nice to crack a duck. Perhaps the kingfisher will pop along tomorrow to say hi, or perhaps not. This is what makes this wildlife photography so interesting!

Recipe for a frustrated photographer

1) Take one photographer, one camera, and one tripod.

2) Place in a nettle-lined canvas oven.

3) Cut a slit in the oven overlooking a perch positioned over a stretch of the idyllic Scottish river Whiteadder.

4) Garnish with a covering of midges.

5) Sun-bake for four and a half hours on the hottest day of the year so far.

6) Do not, on any account, let a kingfisher alight on the perch.

Well that was an unproductive morning. Off to another hide this afternoon? I think so!