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2008 (coming soon)
2009 (coming soon)
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- One of 47 entries in the i3m blog (42 before this & 4 since).
Wildlife Photography: The English Adder
- June 17, 2009, 5:52 pm
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A chance encounter with the UK's only poisonous snake
The thing with nature photography is you never quite know what you’re going to get (or was that a box of chocolates according to Forrest Gumph?) Anyway, it doesn’t matter how well planned your expedition; some days you’ll get nothing and some days it will just walk out of the woods in front of you.
Today was just one of the days. Now it pays to be prepared when it comes to nature photography. Wandering around with your camera powered down, lens cap on and a macro lens in place is not conducive to being ready for anything. Get your camera as ready to go as you can. Even with some very ‘fast glass’ flicking switches and removing lens caps is just going to give your subject time to spot you, freeze, think and then run.
Field Craft for Nature Photography
This afternoon was actually an opportunity to develop some field craft skills while scouting for some well populated early morning locations. Suitable attire, careful movement and approaching downwind of the location drastically reduce the ability of the animal’s three senses (hearing, smell and sight) and a couple of good encounters with rabbits had proved that the field craft and patience was going well. This combined with finding fresh signs of both fox and deer had made the nature location expedition an all-round success. So we were heading back when we spotted a rare sight down in a well wooded ditch near a main road. A female adult Adder complete with bulging stomach from eating its last meal. Photography bingo!
Respect and keep your distance
Now lighting was poor but the camera was already set and the Adder was a little full after its meal. Carefully, so not to disturb or alarm the snake, we had enough time to get some relatively good shots of this elusive British Snake and push the day’s photography into the ‘superb’ category! Now if you’re reading this from some snake infested country thinking ‘Why so excited over a snake?’ then to explain; the Adder is the UK’s only venomous snake (there are only three types of British snake) and a rare sight. If you’re reading this in the UK and thinking ‘Venomous Snake!’, then it is reported that it’s over 20 years since a fatality and anti-venom will reduce the symptoms to nausea, drowsiness and some sever swelling. So treat these animals with the respect they deserve and use a good lens to keep your distance.
Where to look for the Adder
As for locations Adders need light, warmth and cover. Ideal locations are the edge of managed forests where a population has a chance to grow in a coppiced area before the canopy closes out the light overhead. When this happens the population will move to the edges as with our female today.- Get your camera as ready to go as you can. Even with some very ‘fast glass’ flicking switches and removing lens caps is just going to give your subject time to spot you, freeze, think and then run.
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