Birds of Prey and Owls
Venue: Gloucester
Date: Tue 27 March 2012
Overspill Day Mon 26 Mar. September Dates TBA
Duration: 12am - 6pm
Places: 8
Cost £160.00
Out of all the bird species we are blessed with in the UK it is, in my opinion, the raptors that are the most appealing, the most powerful, the most dramatic and, perhaps not surprisingly, the most photogenic. However they are the cleverest of birds, the most elusive and consequently the most difficult to photograph. Probably some of the hardest birds to capture in flight and yet if you join me on this workshop that is exactly what you will be doing with my guidance and the skill of one of the UK's top falconers. All these images were taken on last years workshop at this fantastic location and they would certainly sell re-couping the workshop cost with ease.
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| European Eagle Owl |
Eagle owls are now breeding wild in the UK and the fact that they do is a very contriversial subject mainly due to their great size. With a wingspan in excess of five feet this bird would have no trouble taking an animal the size of a full grown cat. Raptor by the way is the collective term for both birds of prey and owls. Getting yourself into a position to be able to photograph them is far from easy; especially you consider that a large number of them are nocturnal like the barn owl below. So how do you get within camera range?
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| Barn Owl at Dusk |
Well experienced bird photographers use various techniques and one of the commonest is with food. This method can be seen working every day of the year in Wales is called baiting. All birds including raptors respond to free, easy food. At the Gigrin Farm Red Kite Centre each day the sky is devoid of birds one minute and in the next filled with hundreds of red kites along with an assortment of buzzards simply because of the free food on offer.
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| Common Buzzard Landing |
How did I photograph this buzzard? Exactly the same way as the other six participants who joined me on my last bird of prey workshop – they all got this shot or something very similar. If you would like to be able to photograph birds like this one in a natural setting then join me on this fabulous workshop. I insist on British species in immaculate condition and that is what you will get. Will you get this buzzard? All being well the answer is yes but it cannot be guaranteed because birds do go out of condition especially when moulting but then it might be replaced by something like a short-eared owl or this fabulous long-eared owl.
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Just imaging getting birds in flight like barn owls, eagle owls and buzzards in late afternoon light flying with a backdrop of autumn colours. Yes this is going to be a great workshop and will fill up very quickly especially as it takes place the day before we go to Gigrin Farm for the red kites making it perfect for doing both consecutive days. See “Raptor Break” details on the Red Kite page.
This will be an afternoon shoot of 5/6 hours of concentrated flight shots together with back lit portraiture on natural perches all taking place in the open Gloucester countryside with a falconer who knows exactly what we want and ensures you get it.
Why not take my "Raptor Break" and save £25.
We start with the Birds of Prey workshop on Tuesday 27th, then a short drive to a nearby hotel that evening. This tends to be a great relaxed evening spent with like minded fellow photographers. The following morning, a relaxed breakfast and then on to Gigrin farm and shoot the Red Kites. Participants booking this break will be given priority booking on both dates and receive a £25 discount bringing the joint cost down to £260.
This means that you now split the long journey by booking on both workshops but you need to make your booking sooner rather than later. You will need plenty of card space on both of these these workshops – that’s for sure!
One to One Workshops
If you would prefer to have a 1-1 workshop on the birds of prey the cost would be really expensive as I would have to hire the falconer plus a helper for our exclusive use. At the time of writing I do not have their current rates but I will find out for you if you are really interested and loaded!.