Anticipation!!
Watching nature can undoubtedly turn into a drug, it’s one that I yearn for and have admittedly become a junkie for. Regardless how many times I’ve seen beavers, Pine Martens etc, I still get that intense feeling of anticipation just before they appear, and it almost borders on anxiety to be honest. The more I think of that last remark; I know that’s how it feels, especially if I have clients wanting to see their specified creature. It certainly adds another, and possibly sharper, edge to the proceedings.
Tracking down and photographing wildlife tends to fall into three categories, a surprise show, looking/waiting for the subject at hand or stalking. As much as everyone loves a wee surprise I prefer the latter 2 of the 3 categories. Knowing that the animal or bird that you are longing to see is in the area and possibly only feet away just adds to the thrill of the chase. I often find that the anticipation of “that” appearance heightens the senses and gets the adrenalin flowing. A crunch in the undergrowth, a scratch on a tree….is it a marten? Your heart beats faster; your eyes search the depths of the night; is it or isn’t it? It’s probably a squirrel or possibly even just the wind!! A splash in the water….could it be a beaver or an otter? Probably a fish or a duck!!! But is it? Your eyes start playing tricks; the moving water and the ever increasing darkness provide silhouettes and shapes that fit in with your imagination and your desire to see what you want to see. An owl calls close to you then you sense an almost indistinguishable flutter overhead; is it the owl or is it more than likely the breeze through the trees. Sighting stags or hares on a hill after an arduous climb then crawling on all fours to get to a vantage point downwind of them in the hope they come within camera shot can stretch your body’s limits. As your pulse rate quickens, you pray to the gods and offer so many promises to the deities that you will never ever keep and you cross your toes and fingers in the hope that your desired animal will appear. All of it makes you feel alive; you remember a base long forgotten art, almost primordial, and now feel at one with nature; the hunter and the hunted. But the only shots fired are those from your camera when the target appears. But your heart is still racing so you breathe deep, desperately trying to slow your body down and you exhale slowly and silently then, “click” you fire off that competition winning shot. All your efforts and time have culminated in a photo that you will go home with and regardless how fantastic it is, it could always be better. So, you return for another opportunity to get your heart racing and THIS time get THE perfect shot.
Nature always surprises me, just the other day I was tweaking my woodland hide and a wee Red Squirrel appeared. I was standing on the opposite side of the feeding area from where he popped up. He saw me and presumably thought I was in the process of setting out his hazelnuts and feed for the birds and martens. He had a wee rip around the area and realised there had been no bait set out as yet. He ran right around the perimeter of the site, ran right up to me within a foot, chattered his discord, wagged his tail and then moved back and sat on a log and just glowered at me. I initially thought the little beggar was going to take a chunk out of me but thankfully not. I do feed the hide area up regularly but make a point in leaving at least one day free a week without baiting up. I also don’t over-bait as I prefer to have the animals and birds forage for their own food and not be overly reliant on me. Saying all that, it is wonderful that the animals now trust my presence and obviously recognise me when the site feeders are replenished. I have a few pheasants at the hide now that clean up around the feeders and they often are no more than a few feet away from me as I fill up the feeders. I’ve recently also had coal tits on my shoulder waiting for me to top up the feeders. As the days become shorter and colder, the birds and beasties are driven by the need for food and will become quite brazen, acting almost as if they love you. In no way is that the case, as all they yearn is an easy and effort free meal. In one way I just love the trust but I also find this disturbing as I in no way want the animals relying on me for food and them thinking human contact is a good thing, in most cases it turns out bad for the animal or bird in question. On the same theme but regarding the beavers and not baiting, I spent an inordinate amount of time at the river which must have had an impact on castor as they often came very close to me if I was on my own. I think my scent became part of the river to them and although I was not part of the family so to speak, I became a constant fixture that the beavers knew that didn’t relate to a risk. I just love that trust but at the same time I try to discourage it. Wild animals should remain that way…wild. My late father offered me a fantastic piece of wisdom, “Take nothing but memories, leave nothing but footprints; respect the animal and leave it as you found it hopefully unaware you were even there”. Having animals trust you is a special thing and offers its own rewards but, personally and possibly ethically, I prefer them wild and untrusting, it makes the encounter that bit more special in my view.
