Wildlife Photography - Rare Bird Behaviour!

[@Derbyshire_bird_tours]

Really enjoying this mini series from the Island of Skokholm. Really missing being able to get out and film so these films are helping to fill a void, thanks Matt.

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you so much Stewart! So glad you enjoy it! I am kind of glad I sat on this for so long so that I can release it in a time like this :). 1 more to come, hopefully it doesn't disappoint :). Thanks again for watching!

[@clairegould8041]

Awesome. You can really see your passion, and everyone else’s on the islands passion clearly. Can’t wait till part 3.

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you Claire! Yeah the Island was definitely an "embrace the inner nerd" kind of place :D. Thank you for watching (great last name btw) :D!

[@linusetchingham64]

That panning fulmar shot is stunning! Great video Matt looking forward to the next one 👍🏽

[@MattGouldphotography]

Cuffed you enjoyed that shot in particular Linus! That was one I was super happy with 😁. I hope not to disappoint with the concluding part 😁. Thank you for watching!

[@lisamarie7527]

Looked like such a great time Matt!! Not only photographing the wildlife but seeing the researchers do their work first hand! So great!! Thanks for sharing. Cheers Matt :)

[@MattGouldphotography]

Lovely to hear your thoughts as always Lisa! Glad you enjoyed the science bit :). It was quite a surprise for us at the time as well. Glad you enjoyed it! And thank you for watching :)

[@paulm8157]

Solid post, Matt! Impressive footage, stills, story-telling, music, and pacing (not bad for a “pot washer”😁). Long tele panning combined w/fast birds, a real challenge. Predation capture extra special, to say the least. Part 2 posted almost a year after part 1, a tad off-setting. I take it all parts were pre-Covid. Was gull 74’s predation just an outlier? Did 74’s tag include a micro-chip? Big appetite if the bird downs one rabbit each day. Also learned new term “pufflings”. Cheers!

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you so much Paul! Hahahah well not all of the footage was mine :D (credits in the description) but thank you. Yeah everything was shot in 2019 :). And yes I have taken my time getting around to it, but the concluding part (my favorite) is only a couple of weeks away :D. And no 74 was not alone. In fact the gull you saw at the end wasn't 74. That particular gull was our target because it was seen to be the most effective and regular hunter. I believe there was quite a large amount of gulls that hunted the rabbits. I believe 74 was catching a rabbit roughly every two days. Though that is not confirmed :D. Sadly I don't know many details around the tracking of the birds other than what was included in the video. Yes! Pufflings, great word :D

[@JohnCooper-jl5nt]

Love all of your Vlogs Matt. This one was particularly impressive. Good luck for the future.

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you John that's super nice of you to say! Hopefully they will continue to be enjoyable 😊

[@raymondpenalver7095]

About time you had your own program on the telly Matt, love watching your videos mate 👍

[@MattGouldphotography]

Ha, thank you so much Raymond :D. I don't expect that to ever happen but I can assure you, I am not leaving KZbin :D. I will be making videos about wildlife for life :). Thank you for watching, greatly appreciated :)

[@paulg8278]

Interesting video Matt. I've followed you from your start out and It's really good to see how your photography has improved and your enthusiasm for your chosen subject (Wildlife) has not wained. Keep it up, buddy.

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you so much Paul! That really means a lot that you think that and that you are still watching :D. Plenty more videos to come for sure :)

[@IanSmithFotografi]

Matt.. love your vids .. I’m a landscape photographer but recently added wildlife after watching your films... I got the Olympus 300 f4 pro and converter and managed a kingfisher already.. cheers!

[@MattGouldphotography]

Hi Ian! Firstly thank you for the kind words! Glad to hear you enjoy the videos. Second, welcome to the party! 😁 Great to hear you got a kingfisher already, hopefully that's the first of many wild encounters 😁

[@itztom3665]

Superb video pal. Cant wait now for episode 3, will you or wont you. Fingers crossed that it is a yes.

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you Ric! Hope you enjoy part three 😁

[@KGsPhotography]

Brilliant Matt can't wait to see if you are successful in part 3!

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you KG! Glad you enjoyed it! See you in part 3 :D

[@keithhumphrey7529]

Great video Matt! Looking forward to the next instalment.

[@MattGouldphotography]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it Keith! Thank you for watching! Next installment isn't far away 😁

[@jimflinn8305]

Two great films Matt, looking forward to part three

[@MattGouldphotography]

Cheers Jim! Glad you liked them. Hopefully part 3 doesn't disappoint 😊

[@prestons3400]

5:25 is it a chiffchaff or a willow warbler

[@MattGouldphotography]

Hiya Preston, I am 80% sure that its a Chiffchaff... though I am no Warbler expert :D.

[@prestons3400]

@@MattGouldphotography great 👍🏻

[@sferguk1]

Fantastic video. I've witnessed this before on Skomer it's amazing behaviour. Just as a side note your number 74 at the end of your video doesn't have a red leg ring so are you sure its actualy 74 or another GBBGul?

[@MattGouldphotography]

Cheers Shaun! Yeah the full at the end was a different one on our path back 😊. Multiple gulls exhibit this behaviour, it's just that 74 was the most frequent 😊

[@sferguk1]

@@MattGouldphotography Ah ok very cool none the less. Love your videos mate, keep em coming.

[@MattGouldphotography]

@@sferguk1 Thank you Shaun, plenty more on the way :)

[@JPLamoureuxsTravels]

Fantastic stuff buddy! been looking forward to this, i have to get over there asap... brought a good nature fix to my day 👍🏼😉

[@MattGouldphotography]

Cheers JP! Really glad you liked it! Yeah it's a cracking place 😊. Glad to have provided your nature fix 😁

[@kenwashburn2276]

I love this channel ! Thanks Matt !

[@MattGouldphotography]

Wow thank you for the lovely compliment Ken!

[@twiztedzero1685]

Whoa this is real cool, never knew gulls would eat rabbit/hares. Love your hat, you might think about getting a couple of cotter pins, insert them just in front of your ears between the hat and the band, and bend the legs down to hold them in place so the end of the pins form a loop hanging down. Get some paracord, a toggle, put the toggle on the bottom of the cord, and affix a pair of hook clasps to the ends of your paracord. Then you'll have your windstrap. Windy blustery days you can hook on your cord, and place it behind your ears, and the wind won't steal away your hat. The rest of the time you can coil it up and put it in your pocket. I'll make pictures later if you need to see it visually. :) Anyways that's your tip from across the pond. :)

[@MattGouldphotography]

Ahhhh excellent tip, something you've done before by the sounds of it 😁. Thank you, but I tend to use that hat in hot weather only, when it's rarely windy, I have my beanie for more blustery conditions 😁. And thank you for watching, glad you enjoyed it!

[@samh1432]

Incredibly interesting behaviour, also could have made a pack lunch, saves the trouble of leaving the position. Great video Matt, look forward to seeing the next one!

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you Sam! Yeah lesson learnt with the pack lunches for sure 😁. Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching! 😊

[@roblunnen1653]

I must say that I enjoy watching your enthusiasm and skill and story telling skills very much. I am trying to dubplate your style to improve my skill level. Well done!

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you Rob that's so kind of you to say! I hope you get the results you were after soon 😊. Thanks for watching!

[@anson4924]

Great video as always and congrats on getting the shoot of 74 feeding on rabbit!

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you Anson! Glad you enjoyed it! The one at the end was actually a different gull 😊. There are multiple on the island that exhibit this behaviour. 74 just does it the most frequently 😊

[@anson4924]

@@MattGouldphotography oh interesting, must be some social learning involved here, which makes it even more interesting and once again state how smart gulls are.

[@MattGouldphotography]

@@anson4924 Yeah I thought so, super interesting! Glad you agree :).

[@ChrisHunt4497]

Looks like a great weekend Matt. Fascinating but gory. Our gulls here are softies. Their speciality is ice cream and chips. 🤣🤣🤣 Love the channel and your film making. 👈

[@MattGouldphotography]

Ahhh that does indeed sound like a far more innocent meal 😅. Thank you for watching and for your kind words 😊

[@maxencelemoine4190]

young me hearing my parents : "don't swallow chunk of food that big !". older me watchnig the intro of this video : "wait a minute ! "

[@MattGouldphotography]

Hahahahah :D. So true :D

[@WILDFL]

Brilliant video as always Matt!

[@MattGouldphotography]

Chuffed you think so! Thank you for watching and dropping a comment 😁👍

[@arpadszabo6170]

Hello, nice video, it really makes me want to travel again. Another good place for in flight photos is at the puffin colony in Lunga. The cliffs are really dark there and the puffins home in just towards you.

[@MattGouldphotography]

Hiya Arpad! Cheers for the tip about in flight photos at Lunga! Will have to add that to my list :D. Thank you for watching!

[@arpadszabo6170]

@@MattGouldphotography Yeah, you definitely should. The only 2 drawbacks are that you have to use a tour provider to get there (you get 4 hours in midday, but also visit Staffa, which is just as awesome, especially when the flowers are blooming). And that there is way too much to photograph, since almost every seabird nests there. By the way, one more thing that I learned too late. In the city centre of Oban there is a small colony of black guillemots, they nest in drainage pipes and are totally unafraid of people.

[@MattGouldphotography]

@@arpadszabo6170 Hiya, thanks for the tips. And yeah I know Oban quite well as that is where I went for the otter videos I did recently. Or at least thats where we got the ferry from :D. I plan to go back and photograph those guillemots though :D

[@TheSambrad1990]

Brilliant video. That place so definitely on the bucket list, looking forward to the the next one

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you Sam!!! Yes, it should be the top of everyone's for sure. It's a great feeling being cut off from the rest of the world. Hope not to disappoint with part 3 :)

[@karenbusby9906]

Very interesting, and what an amazing place. It's so odd to see a gull acting like a bird of prey! Fabulous as always Matt :)

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you, glad you found it interesting! Much appreciated

[@theohembury7249]

Really enjoyed that video. Get me to Skomer!! Looking forward to the next one.

[@MattGouldphotography]

Glad to hear it Theo 😁. Hope you get there soon and thank you for watching 😊

[@camperteagolfer2386]

Jaffa Cakes oh yes. Great video. Love the shot of the chap in the hut taking info on the bird. So much info in a single picture.

[@MattGouldphotography]

Hahahah. Gotta love those Jaffa Cakes :D. Glad you enjoyed the science bits, thank you for watching :)

[@timohammesfahr1674]

Another great video as always. Thank you, Matt ;o)

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you Timo! Very kind 😁.

[@VideoNatur]

Wonderfull and spectacular video, thanks a lot! Kind regards, Rolf

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you so much Rolf! Chuffed you enjoyed it 😁

[@stanas01]

Great video, very interesting. I work at a coastal site where we get plenty of nesting herring gulls and lesser black back gulls. We also get a few greater black backs who nest a little later and it seems like it’s deliberate because they predate the other gulls chicks.

[@MattGouldphotography]

Ooooo sounds like a cool place to work. But yeah they are brutal birds to be honest and very clever too. I think most just pass them off as "just gulls" but they are fascinating and resourceful. Thank you for the kind words and for watching 😊

[@stanas01]

@@MattGouldphotography it is, we have nesting peregrines, nesting choughs among plenty of other interesting birds on site it’s just a shame I can’t take a camera on site ha ha. Those GBBG’s are big birds, it’s hard to appreciate how large they are until you get up close. Your welcome, only found your channel a couple of months ago but definitely up there with the best 👍🏼

[@MattGouldphotography]

@@stanas01 that sounds awesome Timo! Sucks about the no camera rules though! Completely agree about the size 😁. And thank you that's a massive compliment! I hope not to disappoint in the future then 😁

[@AndrewJulianPhotography]

Nature can be brutal and narly but it sure is amazing to watch! Thanks for sharing the unique experience with us

[@MattGouldphotography]

No worries Andrew, glad you enjoyed it :)

[@SimonWattsWILDPresentationsUK]

Whenever on Skomer,Skokholm or Ramsey I'm sure that the GBBG's are monstrously bigger than on the mainland. Not of course but I guess it's the fact they're such prominent sentinels on these finite pieces of land. Adored that Matt, freedom for a few precious minutes. Thank you. Si.

[@MattGouldphotography]

Hahhaha it does give that illusion for sure 😁. Glad you enjoyed the video though Simon! Thank you for watching and dropping a comment 😊

[@phileverett5877]

another great vid Matt, really enjoying your content. Amazing behaviour. Interesting that 74 swallowed the rabbit whole whereas the second bird pecked it apart. Was 74 a bigger bird or perhaps smaller prey or separate learned techniques perhaps? Looking forward to Part 3

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you Phil! Glad you enjoyed it! Yeah it was interesting to see the two different techniques. Though I think it may have been down to the rabbit itself, the one being swallowed looked a tiny bit smaller which I think my have been enough

[@CharlieYoungDives]

Loved it 😍🙌🏻 Can’t wait to visit this island someday!!

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you Charlie! 😁 I am sure you will and I can't wait to see what awesome content you come back with 😁

[@dannysedgwick6119]

Brilliant as always! you might want to say that the gull eating the rabbit is a greater black backed gull as their is also lesser black backed gulls

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you Danny! Yes fair point 😊. Thanks for watching 😁

[@johannaknowles8569]

Wow so crazy 👍🏻 thanks for capturing

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you Johanna! Chuffed you enjoyed it! The final part has just come out 😊

[@TJPhotography]

Love your vlogs!! Keep it up :)

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you so much, thats the plan :D

[@sarahtaylor8503]

May I ask where please? I’m a passionate young wildlife photographer.

[@MattGouldphotography]

Hi Sarah, yes its in Wales, the Island of Skokholm, but Skommer is also brilliant :)

[@jackhadfield3943]

Release it now pleaseeeeeeee

[@MattGouldphotography]

hahahah Sorry Jack, hope it will be worth the wait :D

[@Rudy60426]

awesome video Matt

[@MattGouldphotography]

Much appreciated Rudy! Thank you for watching!

[@Distinctly.Average]

Great bit of predation behaviour. Similar happens on Beachy Head but crows on rabbit. They start by picking their target and blinding it, from there they can spend up to an hour killing it before the dismemberment begins. I’ve often seen kids in tears there but I always find it fascinating to watch. It probably happens elsewhere but it is the only place I have seen this so regularly. I can only guess the crows have discovered a valuable food source and learnt to take full advantage of it.

[@MattGouldphotography]

Wow, I actually had no idea about crows doing that! I may have to make a trip there once this is all over. I imagine it may be hard to watch but fascinating like you say! Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it!

[@fenraven]

A couple of years ago, I captured a great white egret with a duckling in its beak. I photographed most of it and posted pics, and everyone was aghast. A lot of people do not want to witness real-life behavior, and I remember feeling bad for the duckling, but I was also thrilled to have seen it firsthand. I'd do it again, and in fact, I did, just a few months ago, when I saw a crested caracara fight off a turkey vulture for roadkill rabbit, then fly off with it.

[@filmowiec_tv]

Beautiful movie and shots 📷👍

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you so much, I am glad you like it :)

[@sfiron]

Outstanding video

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you Shaun! Glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@oliverfrankphoto]

Amazing video 😀👍

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you Oliver! Super chuffed you like it! :)

What an incredible behavior! I had no idea they eat rabbits. Thanks fro sharing this story Matt

[@MattGouldphotography]

Glad you thought so Grzegorz! Chuffed you enjoyed it and thank you for watching!

[@alexanlord]

great video!

[@MattGouldphotography]

Much appreciated Alex! Thanks for watching! 😁

[@danieljamesphillips8364]

The rabbit in the background like 👀👀👀👀

[@MattGouldphotography]

Ha, some of them were remarkably close to the gulls considering they must have know what was going on 😅

[@samleslie4110]

great video

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you Sam!

[@roodieroo]

Epiiic! I remember in Venice seeing a gull swallow a rat whole and just being baffled by it! Saw another one swoop up a mouse in Bristol. This one eating a rabbit is next level though!

[@MattGouldphotography]

Yeah for a bird so often seen as boring or common they can be pretty brutal. I've not seen them go for something a small as a mouse though. That must have been crazy. Thanks for watching :)

[@FollowThomas]

Wow, that Great black-backed Gull swallowed whole thing down less than 10 seconds 😲 🙂

[@MattGouldphotography]

Yeah it didn't much around thats for sure :D

Nice video, Like n.95 and Greetings from Italy :)

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you 😊

[@MKrištínWildness]

Very nice and interesting video.

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching!

[@sdrtcacgnrjrc]

That swallowing the rabbit whole reminded me of a heron.

[@MattGouldphotography]

Yeah, really similar style you're right. I am sure there is a solid scientific explanation out there as to why :D

[@choccyfrolick]

I loved this video. Great black backs not much liked by crofters as they can peck the eyes out of baby lambs. Seeing one swallowing a rabbit whole was quite amazing, although not surprising, given the reputation they have.

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you! Super chuffed you enjoyed it! I knew they were brutal buy I didn't know about the lambs eyes!!!! Yeah Irene did amazingly to get that on camera! Thank you for watching! 😁

[@mauriciomolina3469]

amazing, at the end i watched the video with some popcorns hahahah

[@MattGouldphotography]

Ha, glad to hear you enjoyed it and that you and your popcorn made it through :D

[@stevesvids]

Eeeek... ive a dilemma now. I love wildlife, love birds, love rabbits, love photography. Do I watch the next installment? 🤔

[@MattGouldphotography]

Ha, a completely understandable dilemma Steve! I will of course understand if you don't watch the next installment :D. Thank you for watching this one though :D

[@stevesvids]

@@MattGouldphotography I also Love all of the Matt Gould Productions.... so I'll watch it.... from behind the sofa 😄🙂👍

[@MattGouldphotography]

@@stevesvids Hahahha Matt Gould productions, love it :D. Thanks Steve, hopefully it's worth it :D

[@iastorgaphotos]

Whoa! 👊🏼👍🏼!

[@MattGouldphotography]

Thank you Irene :D

[@dannyjspring]

I take it you've seen Herring Gulls hunt and take prey before?

[@MattGouldphotography]

I have yeah but not rabbits :D

[@dannyjspring]

@@MattGouldphotography - I’ve seen them take Purple Sandpipers on Berwick-Upon-Tweed’s pier, Which was a surprise to me at the time.

[@MattGouldphotography]

@@dannyjspring yeah I think gulls are far more resourceful than they are given credit for to be honest. I would be surprised to see that as well though 😁

[@adamsmith6594]

Oh ... comment deleted? OK lol.

[@MattGouldphotography]

Hi Adam! I haven't deleted your comment and I can't see it in the "held for review section". By all means send it again. There must have been some technical error. This is the first comment I've seen from you on this video.

[@adamsmith6594]

@@MattGouldphotography oh right. I mean its ok but it wasn't offensive. Wierd. Here it is again ... cheers Matt Fascinating footage Matt but I've seen this sort of thing before. I've watched them many a time diving next to pier stantions and scrabbling down to reach large starfish. They bring them up and beat them until each leg comes off. Others watch and soon pick up the behaviour. I've also saw one last summer following dogs around and greedily gulping up their poo as they went. Literally following them around waiting. But here is a few examples I remember from nature programmes several years ago which are here on utube as clips. kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5fJeIFrhL52fLs kzbin.info/www/bejne/h2i9imqbaL2re7c kzbin.info/www/bejne/amOogpaMaZuEjbM They also readily take on pidgeons. Ice creams and I have had a pasty pinched over my shoulder and it was off with it. Anyway have a look at these clips. Particularly the bats. This clip made it in to the news. They were going to cull it to stop it but were prevented from doing so because it was deemed that as both species had been around for hundreds of years that this must be normal.

[@MattGouldphotography]

@@adamsmith6594 Thank you for sending it again Adam. I don't know why it didn't make it the first time. Great to see these clips of other gulls doing it. I guess they are just so adaptable that they will take any opportunity for food. I am chuffed to hear they didn't cull them. It does seem like completely natural behavior to be honest. Thank you for sharing as always Adam :).

[@adamsmith6594]

@@MattGouldphotography no worries 👍