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You sometimes encounter these animals when walking forest tracks. These were part of a much larger troop, the rest were hiding in the bush to the side. They are quite shy animals who generally avoid contact with people, barking like dogs when they are uneasy.



There is only one alpha male in any one troop, along with numerous females and playful youngsters.
Although shy, it wouldn't be advisable to back that male into a corner, I think you'd have your hands full!!

Sometimes light presents itself very favourably and who knows when this will be? Furthermore, when subjects pose perfectly in this light you have to take advantage. This happened when we were in a tiny little bird hide in the middle of a marsh in The Gambia. The light wasn't particularly pleasing, quite harsh in fact, as it tends to be in these hot countries by mid-day, but suddenly the sunshine was pleasantly diffused and mellowed by a densely leafed tree.

Fortunately for me it shone right on two Little Bee Eaters perched together.

A pair sat out in the sunshine, posing nicely.

Removing ticks off cattle on a boiling hot day.

Three of the six species of glossy starlings readily seen in The Gambia, all perched on the same log.



Lesser Blue eared top right.

Bronze tailed middle left.

Purple Glossy bottom right.

Purple Glossy is the biggest.



Quite a spectacle.

Klass’s Cuckoos are small and unobtrusive birds about six inches in length. They can go undetected because of their small size, especially the females which are rarely seen, and they are more easily located by their calls and song. They inhabit light woodland, forest edge and Acacia scrub where they parasitize small passerines. The male is a striking emerald green above, white with very light barring below and with a light eye ring with a conspicuous white spot behind.



While searching for other birds we luckily came across a beautiful male, he really is a stunner.

Most Shrikes are solitary birds, certainly in the UK and also in Europe. However, in Africa things sometimes are different with some shrikes appearing in pairs or even greater numbers e.g. Yellow Billed Shrikes. The White Crested Helmet Shrike though, really exemplifies this behaviour. These are gregarious birds within the species. They typically gather in small flocks of five or six birds and roam about light forests and semi open bush country. They are not too shy and they can with caution be approached. They have a striking appearance with a black and white plumage, a large white crest and a conspicuous yellow eye wattle.



We were fortunate to come cross a party of five birds early one morning and they were flying around a clearing at tree top level, when they perched, they allowed me to get reasonably close, you can get some reasonable images if you are careful.



As with all wildlife, keep quiet with no sudden moves. Learn to read when a bird is comfortable or nervous and back off if necessary.

It was a pleasure to be driving along with our other top bird guide friend Massaneh Sanyang, Mass for short, who is probably the best all round naturalist I’ve met in The Gambia. His knowledge is not only about birds, but butterflies, dragonflies, animals and plants. He is always collecting plants when we are out walking typically for making things like tea and remedies for all sorts of ailments.
He was bemoaning the habitat loss in the country, in particular bush clearance for building and the felling of hardwood trees like Mahogany for sale around the world.
He was talking about the Black Shouldered Kite and how few there are around now compared to a few years ago when they were plentiful. This conversation came up when I was asking him about them because they are one of my all-time favourite raptors. They are so beautiful, their body is little bigger than a Common Kestrel but their wingspan is greater. They appear ghost-like with their grey white plumage and with intense ruby red eyes - quite stunning.



As if to be, when we turned a corner Mass shouted there above – a Black Shouldered Kite, I couldn’t believe it, we were all laughing at the coincidence. We screeched to a halt and I jumped out and fired off a few frames as it hovered above us. It then drifted away and landed in a nearby tree. I told him I had to give it a go and get nearer to it; I wasn’t expecting any luck because these birds are quite nervous. However, using an old building as cover I sneaked forward and to my surprise it tolerated me and I was able to get quite close indeed.



They really are a stunning bird!

Many years ago, I watched a wildlife programme on TV and I witnessed the spectacle of Carmine Bee Eaters flying around and landing on large animals like Hippos. Ever since I have wanted to see these birds up close because their vibrant colours fascinated me. Most Bee Eaters are either coloured with a variety of greens, blues, yellows or a small amount of red. These are so different, with their carmine red, pink and turquoise bodies and a bottle green head with a black mask - I have always thought they were absolutely beautiful.
I have been trying to locate these birds in The Gambia for five years but have always come up short. It’s been very frustrating. l have seen all the other species of Bee Eater in the country, but these birds have remained stubbornly elusive.
They are an intra African migrant and although fairly widespread can still be awkward to find. They can turn up almost anywhere but also be frustratingly absent the next day. On our last visit to The Gambia, we were due to travel ‘Up-river’ to Janjanbureh near Georgetown in an attempt to see them but we were delayed. To rub salt into the wounds they had been seen a few days earlier but were not there when we arrived, it was so disappointing!
Fast forward to just before Xmas last year when we had an email from the new owners of the lodges we always stay at, offering a special deal on accommodation, food and airport pick-up, which was very tempting indeed. By a remarkable coincidence a few days later while we were considering the offer I also received a WhatsApp message from our bird guide friend Dawda Barry, it read ‘Steve, do you still want the Carmine Bee Eaters’?
He told me he had found a site ‘Up-river’ where these birds were turning up every morning around the same time to feed on grasshoppers and dragonflies etc. This was the straw that broke the camel’s back, we booked up immediately and we told him to pick us up from the lodges the day after we arrived.
After a straightforward flight and journey to the lodges, arriving on a Friday, the new owners who are very nice people, were a little surprised after being told we would see them on Monday afternoon.

It was a smash and grab attempt for the Carmines.

The following morning after a quick breakfast and a packed lunch we were on the road in Dawda’s Mercedes. The journey was broken up into two stages because to attempt it in one isn’t realistic, it’s just too far. We stopped at Tendaba camp first and had a boat trip where we saw the Pel’s Fishing Owl, so a good start. Next morning we were on the road again, and after a few hours we arrived at our new accommodation, we went out for a bit of birding and didn’t see much really and I confess to being a little disappointed because Dawda said he had seen Carmines there previously. I was beginning to get those old feelings of Déjà Vu. However, Dawda assured me that tomorrow would be better. We had dinner and turned in.
The following morning, I was chomping at the bit to get going, but Dawda said there was no point in going too early and we would go somewhere else first. His confidence was not shared by me, but he was the professional guide and presumably knew what he was doing.
When we arrived at the site, a large wetland with literally thousands of Ducks, Geese, Herons and Egrets, it was quite a remarkable spectacle. We then navigated along a dirt track through the marshes and parked up. It was now 10.00 we walked along seeing many Blue Cheeked Bee Eaters but no Carmines. Dawda went walking and we stayed put and watched the area where we were, but still no luck.
I could see him coming back and he told us he had found a single bird and was confident more would come. We followed him to a group of dead trees and there on the top of one was a Northern Carmine Bee Eater – at last!
It was a bit distant but I was hopeful, Susan and I sat on an old fallen log under the shade of a small tree because it had now become quite hot. We were about fifteen yards from a short dead single tree stump and I set up in readiness. We couldn’t see to our left so it was a surprise when a single Carmine drifted past us, and then another and in total six birds appeared and started to hunt for food. What happened next was so fulfilling, a single bird perched right in front of us on the tree stump.



We were stunned, but it was no time for complacency, I shot it immediately and after looking at the camera screen I knew I had a good shot – What a feeling, I really can’t explain it.
It flew off but came back to the same perch time and again, we were enthralled and amazed because it was totally unfazed by our close proximity.







Because of the bird being faithful to this perch I decided to try and catch it in flight by focussing on the perch and then switching off the auto focus on the lens to avoid any hunting. I don’t carry a tripod in Africa because of the extra weight, so after the bird left the perch, I remained hand holding the camera and lens looking at the perch. Susan was watching the bird and when it was on its way back to the perch and about three yards away, she said ‘Now’ and I just held the shutter button down trying to capture it in flight on its approach. This worked after a fashion and I managed some flight shots as a bonus.











To say I was pleased would be a gross understatement.

It was a huge ambition finally achieved.

All shots taken with a Canon R5 Mk2 + Canon Rf 100-500 f7.1 lens - handheld.

After cruising one of the creeks of the Gambia river for a couple of hours we were preparing to return to the main landing point. However, just at the end of the creek we caught a brief tantalising glimpse of a bird with legendary status.

The Pel’s Fishing Owl.



A few seconds and then it was gone, what a bird….

Susan and I have just arrived back from a couple of weeks birding in West Africa where we enjoyed glorious unbroken sunshine and mid-thirties warmth. We booked our usual very nice quiet accommodation out in the countryside which is secure and well away from the main tourism hotels which are plagued by noise and harassment from ‘Bumsters’. The food at these lodges is of a very high standard and the staff are really friendly and have over time become friends of ours. Our other two friends and top-class bird guides who we have been using for a number of years, and who we are in regular contact with transported us every day in their own vehicles finding lovely birds out in the bush and forests.



Green Turaco coming for a drink.

We only birded in the morning up until about 13.00 because the heat in the afternoons, especially out in the bush is really debilitating. We instead spent this time at our lodge lounging by the small pool with a cold beer listening to the birds singing and the palm trees sighing in the warm breeze.
More blogs will follow in time illustrating the various birds we saw and tried to photograph on the trip.

I spent an hour in a hide at a nearby flooded lake this morning. I am trying to get used to my new camera before I take it away on any trips. There was nothing much around unfortunately except this Grey Heron that came in to land in quite a nice light. This is a very common bird and as a result is somewhat overlooked but good light is everything, it makes such a difference to any subject.



Canon R5 Mk2 + Canon EF600 f4 L IS 2 lens.

A consequence of using the Canon R6 Mk 2 mirrorless camera over the past 9 months is that my Canon R5 has become almost redundant. Although it veritably is a great camera in a static situation, it’s bird tracking in flight performance is so limited compared to the R6 Mk 2, there really is no comparison - I was shocked to see it.
This has sounded the death knell for the R5 because it's very difficult to go backwards, technology wise – it’s pointless. However, it’s also very thought provoking when you realise the rapid and relentless way camera technology is moving forward. It now costs serious money to stay ‘ahead of the game’ so to speak.
With regard to the Canon R6 Mk2 my only two gripes are;
Firstly the ‘Pre capture’ mode – it is a pain to operate because the files captured are written to a folder in the camera and that folder cannot be downloaded en bloc. The user has to ‘Cut’ individual files from the folder, in camera, and then those files are written to the memory card as low resolution Jpegs.
Pre capture undoubtably works and it’s a brilliant feature, but it really is unnecessarily protracted on this camera.
Secondly at twenty ‘fps’ you have around eight seconds of shooting time before the camera’s buffer fills when shooting compressed RAW files. It’s enough in almost all scenarios and I have to admit to having hardly any problems when using SDXC V60 cards. You only need the V90 cards if you are shooting 4K video. However, using the 40fps feature on the camera is only viable when shooting in Jpeg, because these card’s write speeds are far too slow at 280mb/sec.

I still maintain, however, that apart from these small ‘gripes’ it is still a very capable camera indeed!

Moving on, last week I received a very good offer from a discerning woman photographer for my Canon R5 and after much deliberation I decided to sell it and to upgrade to the Canon R5 Mk2 - an early Xmas present.
The above-mentioned reservations with the R6 Mk2 have been fully addressed on the R5 Mk2.
Pre capture is now in full RAW and each file is written to the media card conventionally. Also, I can shoot without restriction at various frame rates, up to 30fps using compressed raw files, this is because the R5 Mk2 unlike the R6 Mk2 uses the very fast writing CF Express Type B cards -1200 MB/s.
These are huge advantages, and in addition the stacked and back lit sensor coupled with a top end ‘Digic X’ processor is lighting quick to read and process data, drastically reducing waiting time and eliminating frame blackout and rolling shutter at very high frame rates.
The autofocus itself has its own dedicated ‘Digic accelerator’ processor, this should be particularly useful for tracking birds in flight; it appears to be another step up from the R6 Mk2 – remarkable!
Unfortunately since I bought this camera it has rained virtually everyday with leaden skies and dull flat light - it couldn't be worse| However, this morning for an hour it was drier and I went for a walk on a local canal, the light was still generally very poor and light drizzle hung in the air, but glimpses of sunlight broke through intermittently. I came across a small flock of Starlings in a tree where they were perching and resting and then flying down to feed in a nearby field. As they swept across me the camera still locked onto them even in this very variable light.



Quite remarkable focussing in these conditions really and I can't wait for a sunny day to put the camera through its paces.
In addition there are other features like eye-controlled focussing where the camera, once calibrated to your eye, focusses on whatever you are looking at – remarkable, I may try it at some time.
I am not going to abandon the R6 Mk2, far from it, I am using it without a battery grip which I have now transferred to the R5 Mk2. It’s so light and portable that when I go walking for a distance, particularly up a steep hill, it will be my camera of choice. I will also use it in tightly wooded situations combined with my Canon EF 70-200 F4, which has as a consequence now got a new lease of life. I enjoy using this lens with a 1.4 converter and the 1.6 crop mode on the R6 Mk2 giving me an effective focal length of 200x1.4x1.6 = 448mm/f5.6, it’s featherweight and razor sharp.
Also, particularly good for butterflies and dragonflies.

What a thoroughly miserable spell of weather we are enduring in the Brecon Beacons this November. Heavy rain, strong winds and low grey cloud, it’s enough to depress anybody. However, today we have had a break, it is dry and very mild with bouts of sunshine. I drove down to a local church where about a hundred Starlings were flying into the old Yew trees in the graveyard and eating the berries. It made a nice scene because Starlings are beautiful birds and against the dark Yew needles and bright red berries, they looked very nice indeed.



It didn’t last long though, because suddenly they all scattered and I knew something was wrong and then I could see what it was. A Common Buzzard had been watching them feeding and came in low through some bare trees with a view to catching a Starling unawares.
I managed to lock onto it for a couple of seconds and get a few shots, but by then the Starlings had already flown so there was no success for the Buzzard.



It made a second pass later in the sunshine but it left without any luck so to speak.



In Autumn and Winter raptors like Common Buzzards, Sparrowhawks, Goshawks and Peregrines often try to predate Starlings when they are feeding and during murmuration prior to roosting.

The weather forecast is predicting up to 100mm of rain tomorrow for the Brecon Beacons and this combined with very strong winds makes for highly dangerous conditions for anybody walking the mountains.
Let’s hope for some dry cold weather soon.

We were out walking yesterday looking for birds and possibly some fungi, unfortunately there was no luck whatsoever on the bird front and the fungi count was little better either. However, at the edge of a deciduous wood there was one highlight, a medium sized pure white mushroom that stood out like a sore thumb in the leaf litter.
Pure white should be a warning sign in the mushroom world because it can possibly mean that deadly poisons are present.
On closer examination this particular mushroom exhibited some of the characteristics of the Amanita genus (in particular the Destroying Angel). These are a family of extremely poisonous mushrooms, which include the infamous Death Cap. These names weren’t pulled out of a hat; they were named thus for a reason.
A recent case in the national news involved a woman from Australia who deliberately and fatally poisoned some of her relatives using the Death Cap mushroom added to a Beef Wellington.
Destroying Angel is possibly more dangerous than Death Cap, not in terms of toxicity, but because it can be confused with other small white mushrooms such as young Agaricus Campestris (Field Mushroom) and Agaricus Sylvicola (Wood Mushroom) which can grow as it does on woodland edges.
Distinguishing features of this particular mushroom is the ‘Egg Sack’ at the base of the stipe and the stipe itself which is patterned with varying degrees of striations and also then the remnants of the skirt which attached the cap to the stipe and is still at the top of the stipe.



All these indicators should be a red light to anybody finding this mushroom. I don’t profess to being a fungi expert, in fact quite the opposite, but even to me this would set the alarm bells ringing.
This mushroom contains extremely powerful ‘Amatoxins’ which if ingested, even in small amounts as little as one cap, can have very serious consequences indeed.
Symptoms manifest themselves within five to twelve hours with severe gastric upsets, namely, sickness, diarrhoea and stomach cramps. However, there are a strange set of circumstances attached, because after a few hours these upsets finish and for a day or so a person is relieved, thinking it’s all over and recovery is underway. However, those feelings of recovery are the precursor to the horror show that is about to unfold. This starts with volcanic vomiting, raging diarrhoea, delirium, coma and a protracted death from liver and kidney failure. Immediate medical treatment must be obtained at the first set of symptoms because by the time the secondary and much worse symptoms manifest themselves it may already be too late.
Treatments are also arduous and very challenging and even if survival occurs it may be in the form of a liver transplant, which well documented evidence shows itself can have very serious implications.
This genus of mushrooms is responsible for about fifty percent of all deaths from fungi poisoning in the western world.
So, if you fancy a few mushrooms with your crispy bacon and scrambled egg of a morning, it’s probably best to be on the safe side and go to a supermarket, because picking one of these may result in it being your last breakfast.
Happy Halloween.
A serious caveat to all who seek out fungi in general – If you are not absolutely one hundred percent sure of its identity: Don’t Pick It!

Susan and I have just spent a few late Autumn days down on the Devon coast relaxing after a period of work around the house and garden. It was probably the last opportunity this year for some pleasant weather before the predicted rain and winds arrive.
Although cloudy in the mornings the sun broke through most days by the afternoon, and the weather was mild throughout. After some sightseeing around the local areas in the mornings we were sat outside a nice seafront pub by mid- afternoon enjoying a few refreshing beverages, clad only in tee shirts in the very pleasant sunshine.
We hadn’t intended doing any birding or taking any photographs but I brought my Canon 100-500 zoom lens with me ‘Just in case’ because it’s so easy to carry around, and on one morning we did have a short walk around a local wetland which was very pleasant and I managed to take a few images.


Water Rail.


Lapwing.


Little Egret.


Carrion Crow.

One particular area of damp meadow was quite productive because as we were walking along some Black-tailed Godwits flew in to feed.



They were a lovely sight as they spiralled down low in a flock of about twenty birds.

I could see where they landed so we decided to walk back along the board walk near to them to get a better look.



They were quite confiding but inevitably they took flight, however, they flew surprisingly very close to us, to the extent that I could barely frame them – what a lovely experience, because you don’t usually get that close to waders in flight.









At the risk of repeating myself ad nauseam, a big prime lens would have been no use in this situation, but my little 100-500 zoom lens mounted on a Canon R6 Mk2 was perfect.

What a combination this is!!

A few cool beers after this pleasant episode went down very nicely.

Later reading a leaflet about the local area I came across by accident a few lines about a heathland nearby where Dartford Warblers were resident. It’s late to get good views of these birds now because after breeding when they can at times be quite showy, they tend to become shy and very awkward to find, but any chance of seeing these enigmatic little birds is worth a try.
We paid a visit the following morning, which was bright, calm and mild - perfect conditions for these birds, they don't like cold windy days and it was only fifteen miles away after all. As soon as we arrived the potential for seeing these birds was obvious, a mixture of gorse and heather and a mild climate what’s not to like if you’re a Dartford Warbler!
Only a hundred yards from the car park along a track we could hear their scratchy song, so we were quite hopeful of at least a sighting. Almost immediately we could see a bird on a gorse bush but a little far away and against a light-coloured sky, not ideal but a sighting at least.



However, after this things got a little frustrating – very brief glimpses of birds disappearing down into the gorse and heather was the norm.
Never mind because one thing wildlife photography has taught me is that you don’t give up easily and after spending an hour walking up and down the track we managed some better views of these lovely little birds – quite satisfying!





After this though things became very quiet, typical behaviour for these little birds at this time of year, and anyway it’s quite hard sometimes to see them even if they are perched out because of the way they blend in to their environment. We left contented and stopped for some lunch before retiring to our favourite watering hole in the afternoon sun.

This was a very nice end to our mini break.

Sitting in my usual place where I encountered the Kestrel (Previous blog) I heard a commotion and looking across a reedbed I could now see the culprits, a raptor was being vigorously pursued by a Carrion Crow. As they approached, I attempted to frame both the performers on this frenetic stage. The crow, the antagonist, was almost upon its victim, a female Sparrowhawk. However, just as the pair were about to engage, the Sparrowhawk seemed to look at me, the only member of the audience, with an almost disdainful glance, as if to say, ‘just watch this’



And with an impressive burst of speed coupled with aerial dexterity she left the crow in her slipstream, probably quite annoyed and embarrassed, if crows can ever get embarrassed.

Style and speed are always preferable to brute force!









Canon R6 Mk2 / Canon RF 100-500 handheld.

I was sitting quietly on a stone wall under a tree early this morning looking across a grassy meadow and enjoying a glorious morning. The sky was blue with just a few wispy clouds and a warm breeze blew. There was nobody else around - just as I like it!
Suddenly about a hundred yards away I could see a bird flying towards me, I realised it was a kestrel, a bird which has become quite scarce in the Brecon Beacons, so I was interested immediately, curious to see what would happen, usually as soon as raptors see you they veer away and fly off, but this bird kept on coming.
I got ready to focus my camera and as it approached I fired a few shots.



But on it came,

I fired some more shots.




But on it came again.

This was really unusual because Kestrels are quite spooky birds.
Then the unbelievable happened I couldn't shoot any more frames because it was too near and I just expected it to fly over the top of the tree above me and disappear, but it didn't - well not at once. Incredibly it perched fifteen feet away on a branch and just stared at me inquisitively for what seemed about twenty seconds and then it flew off.



Fortunately I had my Canon 100-500 lens with me which allowed me to zoom right out so I could frame this lovely bird. I was really surprised by this behaviour but it was a lovely experience.

Canon R6 Mk2 + Canon Rf 100-500 - Handheld.

The Clouded Yellow is a scarce and difficult to find butterfly in the Brecon Beacons and to come across one feeding on Knapweed this morning in glorious sunshine was a lovely find for Susan and myself. These beautiful butterflies brighten up anyone's morning.



Canon R5 + Canon Rf100-500 lens.

I was out walking this morning along the River Usk which is quite low, allowing Dippers and Grey Wagtails to hunt insects over and under the water. I casually came across a family party of Spotted Flycatchers consisting of about six birds a lovely sight. I tucked myself away under some willows and watched them, adults and juveniles together. The young birds were quite adept at hunting flying insects, they had obviously been taught well.
I could see them perching on isolated branches before launching into flight at passing prey. I thought this particular situation might be where I could try the 'Pre Capture' mode on my Canon R6 MK2. I have this feature pre programmed into the camera so it's just a press of a button to activate it, I waited for some time until a bird perched in a suitable position - and this is preferably an uncluttered background and an open space for the bird to fly into.
Using full frame mode to give a wider field of view, I waited...





It does work up to a point, as catching fast and unpredictable little birds like these in flight, using conventional methods would be quite difficult.