Latest trip to Scotland

A few weeks ago, I went on one of my regular trips to Scotland, via the Lake District. I only stopped off overnight in the Lakes, in both directions, looking out over Ullswater, so didn’t get an opportunity to explore photographic opportunities. I also only stayed one night in Glen Coe, but did manage to spend some time in Glen Etive, a side glen of Glen Coe, with Buchaille Etive Mor looming over the glen at its junction with Glen Coe. The weather wasn’t at its best, but it did enable me to get some shots of the real Scotland, in its more usual conditions than the calm serenity typically portrayed in photographs. This made the perfect conditions for moody black and white images. I don’t often do black and white conversions and I deliberately set out with black and white in mind even less, but on this occasion it seemed the obvious choice, so I spent more time than usual in Photoshop as a result, to get the best out of the images.

The reason for travelling this time, was to attend a special weekend at the Aigas Field Centre, where I frequently visit, sponsored by Swarovski Optics, with special guest Johnny Kingdom. Accommodation is fairly basic, in log cabins, but the cabins are heated, so are plenty warm enough, except in the coldest of conditions. The food is exceptional, with breakfast and packed lunches, followed by a three course evening meal to restaurant standard. The weekend itself was very stormy, but we were able to take a rather rough boat trip, before the conditions deteriorated too much. There were good views of nesting seabirds on the cliffs of the Cromarty Firth, including razorbills, puffins and black guillemots. The weekend was ended by a ceilidh, with story telling and singing.

For a change, I spent a few days doing my own thing after the weekend, so that I could explore the grounds. I had hoped to see a fishing osprey, in the small loch in the grounds, but it wasn’t to be. However, I did get some nice, extended views of a willow warbler, that seemed very curious of me, as it flew around me in circles, stopping off on bushes and trees to view me. I was also able to watch it try to catch some insects, if unsuccessfully. Walking through the surrounding upland moorland enable me to capture some of the views from the hill fort, with both Beauly Firth and the mountains surrounding Glen Cannich and Glen Affric visible.

While I didn’t take as many photographs as I usually do while visiting, I was very pleased with some of the results, making it a productive week, not to mention enjoyable. It was nice to be able to relax a bit while I was there, after the stresses of work.

Latest Uploads from the Scotland Trip

A couple of weeks ago, I made my regular trip up to the Scottish Highlands. I decided this time to stop off at two areas I haven’t previously visited, the Lake District and Glencoe. Of course, both areas are well known for their possibilities for the landscape photographer. I was never going to get any award winning shots from either area, with just two one night stopovers overlooking Ullswater and three nights at the Clachaig Inn, at the top end of Glencoe, but it was a chance to do some scouting. The weather on the way up was atrocious, with visibility being so low, that I was barely able to see the mountains surrounding the two stopovers, not exactly ideal conditions for expansive landscapes. Luckily, the weather cleared during my week at the main destination, the Aigas Field Centre. I’m pretty well known up there now and I always feel at home. I don’t really need the photography tuition that was provided by Laurie Campbell, but this time there was a greater focus on fieldcraft, with the chance of stalking deear and feral goats, always useful practice, even if it isn’t always successful.

Because the focus was more on fieldcraft, I actually took less photographs (which also meant less to process and sift through), but I was able to get some shots I was more than happy with. Probably the highlight for me were some studio shots, as I was able to practice with some flash work, something I rarely do. Also useful for me were stalking some feral goats and also a stag that disappeared while we were out of view and building an improvised hide from available material.

Of course, there was also the chance of photographing the resident pine martens at the Aigas Field Centre. Last winter, they resited one of the hides, so that it was suitable for viewing wild pine martens. The whole area was designed with photography in mind, so suitable natural perches and trunks were installed. Also, the portholes of the hide were able to be lifted up, so that the martens could be photographed without having to shoot through glass. Of course, the downside was increased risk of disturbance from the camera shutter. As a consequence of the preparations, I was able to get my sharpest shots of martens to date and even tried some flashwork. I really put my 135 mm f/2 to good use and the f/2 proved invaluable, more so than the flash, with the 5D MkII providing very clean, sharp images. The 7D however, was less successful, as it seems like some lens microadjustment in needed.

All in all, the usual successful and enjoyable trip. I always enjoy being in the Scottish Highlands and particularly enjoy staying at the Aigas Field Centre. For anyone considering staying there, they offer a great variety of activities, not just photography, but also wildlife (including specific bird and mammal, as well as general programmes) and archaeology weeks. Next year, they also have a variety of special weeks and weekends in their programme.

First Book Published on Blurb

I have just published my first book on Blurb. It’s been a project for a while now, but the past week or so, I finally put the finishing touches together. It’s basically an account of my experiences with nature, both at home in the UK and in Nepal back in 1994. As an added touch, I have also included a number of photographs.

http://www.blurb.com/books/2236892

The Fall and Rise of the Eurasian Otter

When I was growing up in the 1970’s and 80’s, the Eurasian otter was scarce. Decades of pollution in the rivers of the UK and much of Europe as a whole was having a serious detrimental effect on otter survival. Being an apex predator, any pollutants were concentrated, causing organ damage, ultimately leading to premature death. Even less severe cases of pollution were probably enough to reduce the fertility of otters, which for a species that perhaps lived 3-6 years in the wild and reproduced every 18 months or so, was a serious concern. In the early 1980’s, the situation had become so bad, that the otter had disappeared from many countries in central and southern Europe and much of England and Wales too. There was a real danger that the Eurasian otter would become extinct in most of Europe. Only in Scotland, where there were populations of coastal otters and Northern Europe, were they still widespread. The only other areas in the UK, where there were still healthy (albeit small) populations, were Southwest England (mainly Devon and Cornwall) and parts of Wales and inland Scotland, particularly higher ground, where the effects of pollution were lessened.

It was during this time, that I had an ambition, or perhaps given the situation, it was more like a dream. I wanted to see an otter in the wild. Of course, not only was the otter population plummeting, but they are also largely nocturnal in most habitats, which made the chances of seeing one, pretty remote.

Fast forward to 2008 and the otter population was much more healthy, at least in the UK. Many areas had been repopulated from the west and they were slowly spreading east. I visited Scotland and was finally able to fulfill my dream of 30 years earlier. I caught sight of my first wild otter, running along one of the supports of North Kessock bridge, near Inverness, before it dived into the surf. It was around 6.30 am and bitterly cold, with frequent snow flurries, but it was worth it. My ambition was achieved, but I wanted more. I then spent hundreds of hours in the summer, observing otters in the daylight, much closer to home at Shapwick Heath. Unlike most populations, the otters on the Somerset Levels show themselves at all times of the day. It is probably in part due to the local diet, where freshwater mussels make up a large part of what they eat. One of the reasons that otters are nocturnal, is because their favoured prey items are less active then, so they can expend less energy catching them.

Over the past ten years in particular, but really since the 1990’s, the otter population has become stable and even increased slowly. However, the past has shown how precarious that recovery may be. Pollution, while lessened, still occurs and a recent incident involving paint thinner almost certainly had some effect in parts of the Somerset Levels. There is also a new threat, this time from a fluke carried by oriental fish that have escaped into the Somerset river systems and have since spread further afield. This bile fluke (Pseudamphistomum truncatum) can contribute to death and certainly debilitates infected otters. Generally, parasites are adapted not to cause serious harm to their host, it’s in their interest for the host to survive. However, the otter isn’t the natural host and as is commonly the case with accidental hosts, it causes serious harm to the otter’s internal organs.

Human activity also remains a threat to the survival of the Eurasian otter as a species. While pollution is lessened, in the period when the otter all but disappeared, many fish farms have sprung up. This has now become a source of potential conflict, with calls from some quarters for an otter cull. This call, has largely come about due to ignorance. Many seem to think that otters have deliberately been reintroduced by scientists and conservationist on a large scale, which simply isn’t the case. Even some individual anglers have joined the call for a cull, with some heated debates on internet forums. The fact is, the greatest cause of depleted fish stocks in rivers is human activity. If a river is able to support otters, then it is a good sign that there is some sort of balance. Otters simply are not present in high enough densities to cause depletions in fish stocks and numbers would soon decrease, if there were insufficient prey items (i.e. fish and crustaceans) to support them. Only in fish farms, where they are allowed access, are they likely to cause a problem and that problem is one that is easily overcome. Fish farms are big business and many of the fish are prized oriental carp, worth thousands of pounds, so an otter let loose in a fish farm will cause alot of damage. However, it is the responsibility of any business to protect their assets. In the case of fish farming, it is very easy to keep otters out, by using fences. Otters won’t try to force their way through an electric fence, as it would cause them discomfort. Like many predators, they will go for the easiest prey, if the fish farm isn’t otter-proof, then it will be the fish farm, but if it has adequate protection, then the otter will go elsewhere, where they won’t get a jolt of electricity. Also, to put things in a bit more perspective, there are an estimated 3500-4000 otters in England and Wales, with a further 4000-4500 in Scotland (many of which are around the coasts). Their diet consists of around 90% fish and crustaceans. In comparison, the American mink has a diet of around 40% fish and crustaceans, with the rest being birds and small mammals. The mink is much smaller than the otter, so will eat less, but population estimates for the mink are around 35000 to 40000, perhaps five times as many as otters. It is therefore likely that mink account for more fish predation in total than otters, not to mention the other problems they cause to native breeding birds and small mammals, such as the water vole, which has seen an 80% drop in numbers in the period that the American mink has been at large in the British countryside.

Otter Swimming Through Reeds

Eurasian otter in lake

I now have several photographs of otters, but none that I am really happy with. Otters have provided me with hours of pleasure and I hope they will continue to do so for many years to come. While the otter is a protected species, it still faces numerous threats, mostly either directly (through pollution and altered habitat) or indirectly (through realease of non-native species, such as oriental fish) caused by human activity. If the otter and the whole of the habitat each one inhabits is to survive, we have a responsibility to protect our environment. We must preserve the otter for future generations to enjoy.