Well, from the last post you might well wonder what the next trip might be and how dissatisfied could I be with that!
I have to admit, we photographers are never happy, We always want to improve on a previous best image of a particular species. That's why we often try time and time again for then same species that are common at home. I have always maintained though that an interesting shot of a common species is better than a shot of a rare bird sat on a branch. The same can be said when on holiday too although it's always nice to add new species to your portfolio, home or abroad.
As with all wildlife photography there can be no guarantees that you will see anything, never mind get a photograph. Hides and guides will help though and if you are abroad your time is limited so short cuts are welcome and a guide will certainly stand you a much better chance of seeing more species.
In The Gambia though the concept of a bird hide is one that as yet has barely been tried. The trade in photography tourism is on the rise across the whole globe as what was once unaffordable equipment is now available to amateur hands like myself.
On this particular trip I took Canon 1DX11 and 5D1V bodies, a 100-400mm zoom and 500mm f4 prime lens along with teleconverters and an expensive tripod and head. Added together you could buy a family car for the cost of purchasing them brand new! My choice of how to spend my life savings!! You could however come close to the same fire power for much much less.
For my second trip I teamed up with another person I already knew , again someone I'd met at the Bakotu hotel a couple of years previously but kept in touch with. He'd already been on an "up river" trip and had a day at a specific location that when he described it I was keen to try. Off we went with a different guide and one I have used in the past for an agreed price of £50 for the half day tour. An hour or so's drive found us about 100m beyond the spot I'd been to a couple of days previously to view the Owls. Maybe guide Number 1 hasn't a clue this place even exists?
From a guiding point of view , there wasn't much need although the expert eyes were very helpful. These local guides seem to have much better eyesight than we do, maybe genetics I don't know but I am often amazed at what they pick out that I haven't seen.
The place itself was interesting and a definite step in the right direction from a photographic point of view but it was far from the finished article. A large garden with several more pots of water as well as a much bigger water hole which may well have been an irrigation aid for the garden . Whatever, it did attract birds to both, the light was much better but we were still some distance from our subjects. A simple screen would hide our presence to enable much closer views.
Nevertheless I got to take photographs of some more species seen just the once during the holiday.
African Pygmy Kingfisher was a superb find and one only seen twice in the past.
Melodious Warbler gave me my best shots ever as did the Greater Honeyguide.
Although in truth I saw that two days before as well on my other guided trip.
The same could almost be said of the Lesser Honeyguide. I saw one locally to the hotel but it was extremely brief and my photo was a write off.
The other Honeyguide was indeed a "lifer" and again not seen elsewhere.
That's the Spotted Honeyguide which didn't offer the best of photo opportunities, again, distance being a major problem too.
To make up the collection of bird species seen here and nowhere else I could add.
Snowy-crowned Robin-chat
Lavendar Waxbill
and Black-rumped Waxbill
and if I'm honest I suppose I could have tried for better photos had I not been distracted by more attractive ( to me) species as I have photographed them in similar circumstances in the past.
To make up the days sightings I had Red-cheeked Cordon Bleu, one I usually see in Kotu but not this time.
and another pair of Cardinal Woodpeckers but with less photographic opportunity than the previous trip.So there again though, a guided trip had paid off . Between the two half days I had added 25 species I wouldn't see at Kotu.
A combined price of £60. Not bad but for reasons I can't really explain I decided not to bother with any more trips and stay local. It wasn't just the money side, it was about having breakfast with my wife instead of deserting her to eat alone when I set off at the crack of dawn. It was about the expectation of not seeing much I hadn't seen already and yet these two previous trips had indeed served up several "lifers". I think part of it was about keeping something for next time because as always, I know I will return.
TBC
I have to admit, we photographers are never happy, We always want to improve on a previous best image of a particular species. That's why we often try time and time again for then same species that are common at home. I have always maintained though that an interesting shot of a common species is better than a shot of a rare bird sat on a branch. The same can be said when on holiday too although it's always nice to add new species to your portfolio, home or abroad.
As with all wildlife photography there can be no guarantees that you will see anything, never mind get a photograph. Hides and guides will help though and if you are abroad your time is limited so short cuts are welcome and a guide will certainly stand you a much better chance of seeing more species.
In The Gambia though the concept of a bird hide is one that as yet has barely been tried. The trade in photography tourism is on the rise across the whole globe as what was once unaffordable equipment is now available to amateur hands like myself.
On this particular trip I took Canon 1DX11 and 5D1V bodies, a 100-400mm zoom and 500mm f4 prime lens along with teleconverters and an expensive tripod and head. Added together you could buy a family car for the cost of purchasing them brand new! My choice of how to spend my life savings!! You could however come close to the same fire power for much much less.
For my second trip I teamed up with another person I already knew , again someone I'd met at the Bakotu hotel a couple of years previously but kept in touch with. He'd already been on an "up river" trip and had a day at a specific location that when he described it I was keen to try. Off we went with a different guide and one I have used in the past for an agreed price of £50 for the half day tour. An hour or so's drive found us about 100m beyond the spot I'd been to a couple of days previously to view the Owls. Maybe guide Number 1 hasn't a clue this place even exists?
From a guiding point of view , there wasn't much need although the expert eyes were very helpful. These local guides seem to have much better eyesight than we do, maybe genetics I don't know but I am often amazed at what they pick out that I haven't seen.
The place itself was interesting and a definite step in the right direction from a photographic point of view but it was far from the finished article. A large garden with several more pots of water as well as a much bigger water hole which may well have been an irrigation aid for the garden . Whatever, it did attract birds to both, the light was much better but we were still some distance from our subjects. A simple screen would hide our presence to enable much closer views.
Nevertheless I got to take photographs of some more species seen just the once during the holiday.
African Pygmy Kingfisher was a superb find and one only seen twice in the past.
Melodious Warbler gave me my best shots ever as did the Greater Honeyguide.
Although in truth I saw that two days before as well on my other guided trip.
The same could almost be said of the Lesser Honeyguide. I saw one locally to the hotel but it was extremely brief and my photo was a write off.
The other Honeyguide was indeed a "lifer" and again not seen elsewhere.
That's the Spotted Honeyguide which didn't offer the best of photo opportunities, again, distance being a major problem too.
To make up the collection of bird species seen here and nowhere else I could add.
Snowy-crowned Robin-chat
Lavendar Waxbill
and Black-rumped Waxbill
and if I'm honest I suppose I could have tried for better photos had I not been distracted by more attractive ( to me) species as I have photographed them in similar circumstances in the past.
To make up the days sightings I had Red-cheeked Cordon Bleu, one I usually see in Kotu but not this time.
and another pair of Cardinal Woodpeckers but with less photographic opportunity than the previous trip.So there again though, a guided trip had paid off . Between the two half days I had added 25 species I wouldn't see at Kotu.
A combined price of £60. Not bad but for reasons I can't really explain I decided not to bother with any more trips and stay local. It wasn't just the money side, it was about having breakfast with my wife instead of deserting her to eat alone when I set off at the crack of dawn. It was about the expectation of not seeing much I hadn't seen already and yet these two previous trips had indeed served up several "lifers". I think part of it was about keeping something for next time because as always, I know I will return.
TBC
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