Filming Requires Patients

I was up and out before the milkman had even delivered. Partly this was because it was so icy that I wanted to give myself more time to traverse through the Forest safely. It really was traitorous underfoot. I used the tripod as a walking aid and I did not fall over once, well not while walking.

I had gone out as early as I had heard that a relatively rare bird had been sighted in the wood. With the weather the way it has been, and the location made it sound possible. Thus I wanted to see if I could film the bird. Now while when we see great footage on TV or a great image in a Book or Magazine, I am sure we all realise just how much hard work and shear good luck that is involved.

As I was first looking I saw the white wing bars of a bird flying off, and as my quarry has them, had I found them that quickly? I could not identify the bird and as other birds have white wing bars, I just did not know if I had found the bird or not. Keeping the camera ready I scanned the trees for the bird, with binoculars.

The Crossbills were there, and feeding on the pinecones hidden in the darkest parts of the trees. So while I saw them and tried to film them I just got some dark footage of branches and twigs where they had been. I stayed for about four hours but I failed to get any decent footage. But at least I did see the birds, about seven males and ten females. While I was trying to film one of the dog walkers came past, he was not in control of his dog, the dog was sliding on the ice, or his own feet. While trying to keep his footing he slid right into me. Knocking me over and the camera, he was very apologetic and while I was trying to make sure he was okay, he was worried he had broken my camera. I showed him that the camera was fine; he left me his phone number telling me that he would pay for any damage. I told him that it was an accident and as no one was hurt and nothing was broken that he should not worry. Well you can bump into some really nice people in the wood.

On the way back the thaw had started so it was far less difficult going back than it had been going. When I got back I noticed a mammal paw print in the snow of my back yard, as I collected the milk. I think it could have been a rat, but where it had melted it was impossible to tell for sure. While some people will say yuck at that, rats are wildlife too.

While talking of filming wildlife, or trying to, this week in a new BBC natural history series, they showed film of Narwhal. It had taken the crew six weeks to find and film these whales, so I don’t think that my failures are that bad.

Anyway here’s a link to some of that footage