WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY | Lockdown Little Owl Recce

[@ajay2502]

I believe this is the first video of yours I've watched, most definitely not the last! I work full time at a supermarket, so to be able to watch videos like these are my escape to wildlife while dealing with the day to day! Thankyou!

[@SimonWantling]

Thank you very much and glad you like it. Totally admire the job you're doing in the current situation. Hats off to you. 👍

[@ajay2502]

@@SimonWantling appreciate that! Cant wait for it all to be over so I can go out and watch my kingfisher friends and attempt to get some pics that aren't just a blue blur! By uploading this videos you are doing a great thing tho! You are keeping alot of people going, giving a little bit of the outdoors to those who can't get out atm so please keep them going! They are a great tool to spread cheer and some hope for brighter says to come!

[@jocan55]

Great video Simon. Thanks for posting. Definitely nice to see other beautiful parts of our world, and others enthusiasm for photographing birds/wildlife. Also thanks for the message to be safe and well. You also. I appreciate your time and effort.

[@andykimpton7877]

Hi Simon Love your Vlogs, nice to see your local area too. I love Little Owls so while we are all locked down it will be nice to see your success with him/her going forward. Stay safe and well.

[@SimonWantling]

Thanks Andy. Very glad you like them and I'll do my best with the Owls. Not seen them yet but I'm working on it. 👍

[@lisamarie7527]

Great video Simon!! Thanks for taking the time to go out and vlog! Hope you’re doing well and staying safe!! Cheers from 🇨🇦

[@SimonWantling]

Thank you Lisa. You stay safe too. All the best..

[@kevincarolan4539]

Great blog Simon very much like you I live in North Essex Cambridge border and up till now did not realise how much wildlife was around me it has given me much more to look foreword to in coming months, looking foreword to your little owl project.

[@SimonWantling]

Thanks Kevin. Yes it's easy to overlook isn't it. Looking forward to seeing what's about. Thanks.

[@EspenHelland]

Nice vlog Simon 👌Wish we had little owls up this way! Take care

[@SimonWantling]

Thanks Espen. I wish I was living up your way 😉

[@Birds-in-Norway]

Thanks for your consideration Simon. You too. Take care of yourself. Stay safe. Wish you a nice weekend. Best regards, Knut.

[@SimonWantling]

Thank you. Hope you're ok and that you're keeping safe and well. All the best..

[@Birds-in-Norway]

@@SimonWantling Thank you. Everything is good here.

[@JohnFormstone]

Good luck with the Little owl project Simon. Thanks for sharing. Stay safe and well. 👍

[@SimonWantling]

Thanks John. You too..

[@steves8661]

Great honest Vlog Simon like you I'm blessed to live in a rural location and this horrible situation is giving me time to explore locally much more Take care keep posting stay safe

[@williammcgillivray6017]

Thanks for the video take care

[@SimonWantling]

Thanks William.

very nice video !!!!

[@SimonWantling]

Thank you. Take care...

[@jamiebarrera6153]

:-) nice one mate :-)

[@SimonWantling]

Cheers Jamie..

[@GodfreyYork]

Great scene-setter Simon, an excellent video as always. Look forward to seeing what you come up with on your local patch. A bit of a challenge under the circumstances, but Skylarks perhaps?

[@SimonWantling]

Thanks Godfrey. Was thinking of having an early morning walk over the fields tomorrow for Sky Larks so let's see. Thanks for the comment.

[@susanhershey2142]

I'm a new follower. Love the content and that you show the reality of wildlife photography: Sometimes you get it, sometimes you don't! Just takes time and effort! I also have found it difficult to make myself go out, even with the added time off...funny, how that happens. Take good care.

[@SimonWantling]

Hi Susan, thanks for subscribing and glad you like the content. Yes it seems a strange feeling doesn't it. It is terrible times at the moment so can be hard to motivate yourself. People here have been great and say the images and videos gives them some pleasure so that gives you a boost. Hope you're ok and take care.

[@susanhershey2142]

@@SimonWantling YES! Thanks so much - nice to hear from you. I was just posting on your latest Instagram post. Bird photography is my great love, and so therefore having the free time is great, however limiting where I go is very new for me, so that's a challenge, but important to follow. Will try some new places tomorrow and see what happens. Hope you're still working on photographing the Little Owls (I don't think we have them here in New England) so I'm eager to see what you get!

[@SimonWantling]

Hi Susan, ah, I think I just replied. As mentioned in my Instagram post. I am lucky to live out in the middle of nowhere so nice to hear out for a walk at first light with the camera. It's is tough times but we'll get through it. The UK is also bad at the moment but I'm sure it'll improve in time. I will try my best with the owl. I limit my walk to 1 hour to stay within the guidance so can't really put a huge amount of time in. If the crisis calms down later in the year then I can certainly bring you owls from my other private sites but although I've had permission to still visit them, it would require me to drive which wouldn't be right - so staying local. Take care and thanks very much for subscribing and the comments.

[@stevecolwill9761]

Good to see you again, Simon. Before this lockdown I had found a perfect site for photographing a pair of barn owls, but as I would have to drive there I haven’t been out to it since. We all need to keep healthy, mentally as well as physically, and a walk in the countryside from home is the perfect medicine! Stay safe. 👍🏻

[@SimonWantling]

Thanks Steve. I know what you mean. I'm missing the barn owls and although the farmer gave me written permission to access the sites during the crisis, I've decided not to as it wouldn't be right to do. They will still be there when this is all over and like you say, important to keep yourself and others safe. I'm using my local fields as an opportunity and only this morning found Hares which I'm very pleased about. Hopefully images to follow. Good luck and stay safe.

[@russp78]

Great vlog as always Simon, stay safe and I hope to see you soon

[@SimonWantling]

Thanks, and you too..

[@AndyGustavsson]

Lovely video Simon, looking forward to see what you will be up to this season! Take care and stay safe

[@SimonWantling]

Thanks Andy, you too.

[@craigmaisfield3247]

Great video mate. Be nice to see some footage of the little owls. Keep safe mate.

[@SimonWantling]

Cheers Craig. You too..

[@juliesole6532]

Greetings from Ontario, Canada! I came across your channel and subscribed not too long ago. I love wildlife/bird photography, and try to photograph the bird life in this area, which is very flat, rural farmland. Total amateur! As spring is coming on, many varieties of birds are making their first appearance this year... Robins, red winged blackbirds, blackbirds, killdeer (they like farmland), and woodpeckers such as the beautiful northern flicker and the red bellied woodpecker. More varieties will appear as spring turns into summer. I guess we all must appreciate and find the beauty in areas around our homes these days. The only owl I have managed to see here is the beautiful snowy owl, just once, near the shores of Lake Erie, a short drive from here. I look forward to your future videos and photography. Thank you!

[@SimonWantling]

Thanks for subscribing and sharing your story. Good luck with the photography and it would bee great to see any images you take. Take care..

[@peterosborne9802]

Good to hear from you, lovely vlog. Today my wife and I took a walk over our local heath, just a ten minute walk away. Spent nearly an hour wandering around an area I know well but not from a photography point of view. However like you I took a few shots scouting out the area for later. Just a few people about we all kept our distance from each other. Felt very weird, but after wards great to get out and just enjoy the serenity and calm of being in nature. Stay safe my friend. Peter.

[@SimonWantling]

Thanks Peter. Glad you managed to get out. You need to get some exercise with all this staying at home. Stay safe also and hopefully we'll be out and about over the coming months.

[@clivewelch1025]

Hi Simon good to see you out and about but be careful when you are my friend. Where I live the police are out stopping people asking why we are out. Until next time take care and stay safe.

[@SimonWantling]

Thanks Clive. Only about in my village and part of my daily exercise walk across the fields. As mentioned, I'm not driving to my usual sites as that doesn't seem right at the moment 👍

[@deanseldon5640]

Times are hard.thanks for entertaining us Simon.if everyone stick to the guidelines I’m sure we will all be back out soon.ive been following a fox family for 2 years now will try and post some shots

[@SimonWantling]

Thanks Dean and you're right, although over the past few days traffic has started to increase again. Hope it's not wearing off !! Looking forward to seeing the fox images. 👍

[@CamillaI]

Lovely to live in such a rural setting, will look forward to seeing the results in the coming weeks ,keep up the good work we need it thanks Simon

[@SimonWantling]

Thanks Camilla. Take care.

[@B8J8R8]

Hi Simon thanks for your reply ,love your EXELLENT,vidios keep up the good work regards bernard

[@paulmiller7624]

Thank you so much for your kind message back I currently use a nikon d750 with my sigma 150/600 lens and also my nikon 70/200 the tripod I also use is a neewer tripod which i brought with the removable head it also came with the Z head and the video head which I tried whilst looking through my living room window where I spotted a tree creamer on the tree by my window I'm trying to get a photo of it ...sorry for the loss of your friends due to this covid stay extra safe please....

[@paulmiller7624]

Where olive in Treherbert in south wales just down the road from me is a village called treorchy ..,in Treorchy there is a second hand furniture shop called 2 good to waste , In the shop they have set up a owl cam where customers can look at the tv monitor to see the baby barn owls . Where this shop is its close to houses and a main road And close to the mountains . I never new that barn owls would nest in the roof of a shop Or near houses and a main road it's amazing to see the baby's and the adults close up ...

[@SimonWantling]

How wonderful. They are amazing birds and my favourite owl to photograph. They can be quite tolerant of people. Great that they have set up a camera on them. Thanks again

[@paulmiller7624]

Simon how do I send some of my photos to I've been doing indoors with my nikon set up on my tripod and using my remote control system so I'm not holding my camera I've already set the focus on my nikon and I've taken a few images of the birds out side my window ,,, plus I hope you are covid free and your family and you are all safe and well ...

[@SimonWantling]

Hi Paul. That's sounds good. If you visit my website - www.simonwantling.co.uk and use the contact page to contact, I can then reply and you'll have my email address. Thanks.

[@narrabarker]

Nice video as usual Simon. Was that a green woodpecker calling just before 6 minutes? Do you ever try and photograph them, I'd love a video on that? Keep safe and keep up the great work.

[@stevenesbitt6070]

Hi Simon nice video again mate, chin up all will be fine 🙂 have a question do you know what bird called in the background around 5.55 just before you mentioned the wind turbines. Heard that call at mine the other day and don’t know what made any ideas? All the best Steve

[@SimonWantling]

Thanks Steve. Glad you liked it. Let's see how the local projects work out. The birds that called were a mating pair of Kestrels which were heading for the tree I showed you around. 👍

[@stevenesbitt6070]

Take care mate and thanks 😀

[@liamjepson2671]

Iv also been utilising local woodland .did a scout today and found quite a few deer tracks

[@SimonWantling]

Excellent. Good luck with that.

[@countryman1]

Keep your chin up it will get better some time.

[@caspersj1165]

Most of the surrounding areal seems to be cultivated fields. are there some nearby meadows or uncultivated fields, where the little owl fourage? Here in Denmark the Little owl is almost extinct and seems to only survive in a few old gardens and church grounds..

[@SimonWantling]

Hi, yes most the area is cultivated fields. Would be nice to have some green meadows there but it's mainly farmed. I've never photographed them at this location but should be interesting to see how it goes. There are a lot of sky Larks in the fields so will also look to photographing them also plus other stuff that turns up.

[@caspersj1165]

@@SimonWantling Interesting. Maybe they fourage in the strips along the creek. Looking forward to see what you find at this location. And great work by the way..! :)

[@fototyz]

Nice one..... ok if I can find you I’ll post some of my images 😎

[@benpulletz]

Do you rate the 300 f2.8 is ii might buy one just wanted some advice on it? Wonder if it would be upgrade from my current 100-400 is ii!

[@SimonWantling]

Hi Ben, I've never used it as I'm on the 600mm but yes I hear they are amazing lenses. Firstly the extra stop of light gives you more options. It would handle extenders better than you zoom even though it's another excellent lens plus I would imagine the image quality would be a tad better. You'd lose the flexibility of the zoom but out of the two, the 300 would be my choice. Always good to try before you buy though as it'll be heavier I think. Hope that helps 👍

[@benpulletz]

Simon Wantling thank you Simon 👍 Stay safe and well !

[@B8J8R8]

Hi Simon where did you get your, brown jacket from and what does it cost regards Bernard

[@SimonWantling]

Hi Bernard. It's actually a green fleece jacket by Fjallraven. The lighting was giving it a brown appearance. I wear all their clothing for my photography. Not cheap but fantastic. Here's the link to the jacket. www.fjallraven.com/uk/en-gb/men/tops/fleeces/forest-fleece-jacket-m