May 2025 Viewfinder
There are heat waves and cool encounters in this month's Opposite View Wildlife Photography newsletter.
Some like it hot…not me, I like it comfortably warm.
The Goldilocks zone for me is around 20 degrees celsius, preferably with a gentle breeze. Anything warmer than that and this wildlife photographer quickly melts into a sweaty mess. But as spring temperatures soar, there's more at stake than my comfort levels.
While I'm in no doubt that plenty of people have been enjoying the sunniest spring on record here in the UK, the extended period of summer-like weather in spring is obviously concerning. And not just because I don't fancy looking like a lobster.
The effects on wildlife of sunnier, drier springs happening earlier in the year is potentially devastating. This issue was highlighted on the BBC’s Springwatch programme earlier this week. They used the example of a pied flycatcher being unable to time raising its family with the emergence of the caterpillars it needs to do just that. This is because the caterpillars are appearing much earlier in the year than they used to, when the pied flycatcher has only just arrived in the country (watch from 19 minutes 55 seconds for a full explanation). The programme used the predicament of one species to clearly demonstrate the challenges all of nature is facing due to our changing climate. It's well worth watching.
While I'm on the subject of Springwatch, I'd like to do a shameless plug. The first episode of its companion online series Watch Out features one of my images in a segment on unusual nests (check it out at 15 minutes 50 seconds). The photo they used of a moorhen nest in a tyre hanging from a barge was captured along the canal in Hamiltonhill during another hot and sunny spell of weather in May last year. This meant that heat haze, harsh shadows and blown-out highlights could potentially ruin photos of the adorable moorhen family - another downside of the 'good' weather! Luckily, all three issues were avoided in my images and I've finally had a photo deemed decent enough to appear on telly!
Now, while I may sound like I'm doing the typically British pastime of talking incessantly about the weather - moaning when it's sunny and complaining when it isn't - I promise that I have actually enjoyed some of the effects of the sun and heat this month. You can read about a couple of examples in May's blogs, including how a few patches of sunlight helped me nail images from one of my best wildlife encounters yet. In my species spotlight, I also share my passion for photographing a coastal bird whose parental dedication I probably wouldn't have been able to capture if it had been raining.
And talking of the rain, it has now been coming down here in Glasgow on and off for over a week. The wind has picked up and the paths on my local patch are quieter. I'll leave you with a photo of a bird that will probably be relieved to see fewer people out and about. I photographed this osprey on a walk around a nearby reservoir. It seemed to be attempting to fish but there were a number of people enjoying the water, swimming and paddle boarding.
The bird seemed frustrated and occasionally swooped down towards those in the water, causing a few hysterics from the sun worshippers. In the end, it seemed to give up and flew off in the direction of the treeline in the distance. The grumpy look it gave us as it flapped over our heads seemed to sum it up. The rain came not long after. Can ospreys do rain dances?!
Best wishes,
Rhiannon
Opposite View Wildlife Photography
Through my lens
Den discovery - photographing fox cubs in spring
One last check. A final scan of the woods with my thermal camera to look for any wandering deer before heading back. Five more minutes until a return to the home office was required. I let out a sigh as I neared the top of the hill, no deer today. A quiet moment of resignation that was interrupted by a scuffle in the undergrowth and a furry flash as two animals flew past me. Camera raised just in time to watch them come to a skidding halt in front of a tree – a couple of scuffling foxes. It took a few minutes for my excited brain to process that these were cubs, not adults – the first fox cubs I’d ever seen on my local patch.
In this blog, I share my full account of discovering red fox cubs in a nearby wood and how I attempted to capture the magic of these spring encounters.
Species spotlight
Rock pipit - the shoreline specialist
A stroll along the coast on a hot and sunny day, when the sun’s rays are tempered by the cool breeze from the open water, can be a refreshing and relaxing experience. That is, until you’re chastised by a small bird emerging from the heat haze to bounce up and down on a nearby rock. That’s when you know you’ve encountered a rock pipit defending its nest or fledglings from would-be sunbathers and rock pool explorers. My advice is to heed their not-so-subtle warnings, move away to a respectful distance, and settle down to watch these fascinating shoreline specialists hard at work.
In this blog, I explain how to find and photograph this hardy coastal bird and share some of my images.
And finally…
In 2011, 2012, and 2013, I attended an in-person conference at the Royal Geographical Society in London called WildPhotos. It was two days where I could completely immerse myself in learning more about nature photography.
These were weekends full of inspirational talks and impressive images from hugely successful and creative photographers from all over the world – many of whom had received recognition at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards. I felt gutted when they pulled the plug on WildPhotos, as it gave me an excuse to geek out on nothing but wildlife photography for two days straight every year.
So, I was delighted when WildPhotos returned last year to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Wildlife Photographer of the Year. So happy, in fact, that I wrote a blog about the event. And now it looks like it might become a regular fixture, as Wildscreen have released tickets for this year's WildPhotos event, which will be held online and in London on 17 October. Unfortunately, I can't attend in person but I'm looking forward to viewing the sessions remotely.
If you have a chance to go along or at least get an online ticket, I highly recommend it.
Keep in touch
Thanks for reading this! If you have any comments or questions, opportunities for photography or if you would like to use any of my images, please leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.
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