Birding in Yorkshire
- Les Pickstock
- Apr 29
- 3 min read
Partly due to Barry’s many Yorkshire adventures we are all aware of the superb landscapes and wildlife – mainly birds – to tempt us to photograph there. So in April I spent a day in the Haworth/Penistone Hill area, as it is reputedly good for ‘birds of prey’ as well as many small birds species; and is within three quarters of an hour’s drive from my daughter’s in Pool, near Leeds, which I tend to use as a ‘base’ for Yorkshire photo trips.
As in all these ‘wild’ cases, the main ingredients are lots of luck and bags of patience, irrespective of equipment, weather and expectations. I have previously spent a similar day near Harewood House* where there is a large Red Kite breeding colony. But as they are no longer actively fed, getting photographically close is all but impossible unless you scatter meat food for them in visible locations. I’ve had better results for wild Red Kites in a small park 50 yards from my daughter’s house.
Getting older, I’m finding ‘patience’ is a bit easier – here I did 6 one-hour stints (7 if you count the pub lunch) just sitting and waiting. But I also find carrying equipment increasingly painful. One camera/one lens is now my preference (no idea what I’ll take to Scotland!). Even adding a coffee flask and a bag of sandwiches can be troublesome if I cannot park nearby.
Going to RSPB or similar sites you tend to ‘walk around’ the prescribed paths. I also like finding a likely location for wildlife, in the countryside, and just ‘sit there’ for an hour or so awaiting any birds’ appearance and hopefully not putting them off. By sitting still, birds often come very close, especially if there are safe bushes for them nearby. I have also been known to scatter a few seeds…
On this particular, warm day I have to admit I nodded off twice, so after lunch I did not take my chair, but just found a not-too-comfortable place to sit at each location. At times like this I take my tiny Apple Shuffle music player; I find it prevents boredom, and holding about 2 hours of MP3s I do not notice the ‘repetition’, especially if I leave it off for half an hour or so in between.
When not using my camping chair, I like to sit on a log or rock; or lean on a wall or fence. If sitting on the ground, I try to lean against something, and have my knees bent/ raised, so my 100-400mm lens rests on them, thus not feeling the weight, but it is in a good operating position. Getting up is sometimes troublesome!
Whilst finding a (hopefully) suitable location for birds – a combination of shelter, bushes, woodland, water, drystone walls etc – finding a parking spot on these narrow and busy-ish roads is far from easy. There are no laybys or passing places. Twice I walked over a mile from where I parked to my spotted photography position.
Whilst my ‘goal’ was owls (even just one!) clearly ‘small’ birds predominate and sitting quietly by bushes etc really helps in not frightening them off. Unlike RSPB reserves etc ‘country birds’ are not used to having humans nearby.
Last year my wife paid for me to go to Gauntlet (just outside Knutsford) for a day’s photo experience. It is an excellent international bird site; but I saw/photographed more British birds in Yorkshire on this occasion than the £120 Gauntlet experience.
Whilst I often go to RSPB and similar reserves I prefer this ‘naturally wild’ approach AS LONG as the weather is OK. I'm too old to sit out in the rain or strong winds, and I’m really susceptible to the cold these days. But the joy of a successful day, knowing you’ve photographed ‘really wild’ beings is superior to going to managed locations where you can almost guarantee numerous shots of specific species. I’m unsure if this way of capturing wildlife is suitable for a ‘group’ outing; perhaps a ‘group’ would not be conducive to the ‘peaceful’ atmosphere I find to be a major part of the experience.
This is the third time (in 3 years) I have done this approach, and due to the location and the weather, and the birds, the most successful. I will repeat.
NOTE * Harewood House, to the North of Leeds, has also closed it’s (once famous) aviary.
Nice one less, i like the images and feel your pain. Barry
Thanks for writing your blog and sharing your experience of photographing birds in the wild Les.
A great read. It must be so much more rewarding, getting photographs of birds in their natural setting than a managed environment.
Getting that one photograph of these beautiful birds in flight, is worth the wait and effort.
I can relate to the issues you have with carrying camera gear as you get older. It definately gets harder and more tiring as you get that little bit older.
Nowt wrong with having a cheeky nap when out with the camera...
Great set of photos...
Keep enjoying your hobby