Best recent black-and-white
bird photographs
W
e present this year a selection of 15 photographs by six photographers. Tony Hamblin has had no less than six photographs
included, an all-time record; it is the fourth year in which his photographs
have been selected. Tony Bond's work is represented for the eleventh
successive year, with a selection of three photographs, the first time he has
had three included. Other 'long-serving' photographers include Dennis
continued ...
462
[Brit. Birds 82: 462-472, October 1989]
305. Common Gulls Lams emus, Strathclyde, June 1988 (A R. Hamblin) (Olympus OM2N; 300 mm
Zuiko;IlfordXPl)
306. Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus, Merseyside, January 1988 (Tony Bond)(Canon A-l; 300 mm
Canon; IlfordXPl)
309. Marsh Tit Parus palustris and Coal Tit P. ater, Warwickshire, February 1988 (A. R.
HambUn)(Olympus OM2N; 85-250 mm Zuiko zoom; 3 flash heads; Ilford XP1)
307. House Martins Delictum urbica nest-building, Strathclyde, June 1988 (Tony Bond)(Canon A-l; 70210 mm Canon zoom; Ilford FP4)
308. Wren Troglodytes troglodytes feeding young, Lancashire, May 1988 (Dennis Green) (Hasselblad 500C/
M; 150 mm Sonnar; METZ 402 flash; Kodak T-MAX)
310. Pintails Anas acuta, Netherlands, April 1987 (Hans Getaw)(Pentax LX; 600 mm Novafiex; Kodak
Plus-X)
311. Shelduck Tadorna tadorna, West Glamorgan, May 1988 (Harold E. Grenfell) (Nikon F301; 300 mm
Nikkor;IlfordXPl)
312. Razorbill Alca torda, Lothian, June 1988 (A. R. Hamblin)(Olympus OM2N; 24 mm Zuiko; Ilford
XP1)
313. Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius, Merseyside, October 1988 (Tony Bond)(Cnnon Fl; 300 mm
Canon; Ilford FP4)
314. Redshank Tringa totanus, West Glamorgan, April 1988 (Harold E. Grenfelt) (Nikon F301; 300 mm
Nikkor + 1.4 converter; Ilford XP1)
315. Rock Pipit Anthus spinoletta, Strathclyde, June 1988 (A. R. HambUn) (Olympus OM2N; 300 mm
Zuiko; Ilford XP1)
316. Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis, Warwickshire, September 1988 (A. R. //amifo) (Olympus OM2N; 85250 mm Zuiko zoom; Ilford XP1)
317. Blackbird Turdus merula, Gloucestershire, February 1988 (A. R. Hamblin) (Olympus OM2N; Zuiko
300 mm; Ilford XP1)
318. Curlew Numenius arquata, Merseyside, April 1988 (Steve Young) (Nikon FM2; 600 mm Nikkor;
Ilford XP1)
319. Barnacle Geese Branta leucopsis, Netherlands, January 1986 (Hans Gekiis) (Pentax LX; 300 mm
Pentax; Kodak Tri-X)
Best recent black-and-white birdphotographs
471
Green, the fourteenth year in which he has had an entry, following his
'debut' in 1972; while Harold Grenfell is included for the twelfth year
since his first in 1967.
T h i s year's selection is as fine as ever. T o n y H a m b l i n ' s mating
C o m m o n Gulls Lams canus (plate 305) makes a superb wing-flapping
action shot, with Tony Bond's delicately preening winter Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegus (plate 306) providing a foil in that it has interest, but
much less vigorous action. The second of Tony Bond's trio, a pair of
House Martins Delichon urbica nest-building (plate 307), is another delight.
Again an action shot, both birds at the nest together with each individual
clearly shown—no awkwardly t u r n e d heads or 'blank' eyes lacking
highlights.
Another nest shot, this time of a Wren Troglodytes troglodytes feeding
young (plate 308), provided Dennis Green with a fine picture, as the adult
presents a meal to one of its youngsters. T h e nest is in a pair of old socks
hanging on a nail in a shed. Little imagination is required to hear the
young calling vigorously. A noisy confrontation is provided by Tony
Hamblin's winter feeding shot of a Marsh Tit Parus palustris and Coal Tit P.
ater disputing some (no doubt baited) feeding site (plate 309). Again, both
birds are well shown.
Hans Gebuis is represented for the second year, and we particularly
liked his drake Pintails Anas acuta with their fine reflections (plate 310)—
an unusual picture. Another duck, a Shelduck Tadoma tadoma, apparently
looking up briefly while feeding (plate 311), provides the first of Harold
Grenfell's two selections. We thought it captured well the character of this
species.
Tony Hamblin's Razorbill Alca torda (plate 312) is a straightforward
portrait, to which we were drawn by the clear feather detail, together with
the strong sense of habitat- introduced by the out-of-focus rocks dropping
away to the sea. T h e Grey Phalarope Phalaropusfulicarius (plate 313), Tony
Bond's third entry, is another portrait, slightly unusual in that the bird is
wading, rather than swimming as is more usual with this species.
A n o t h e r wader is provided by H a r o l d Grenfell's fine study of a
R e d s h a n k Tringa totanus (plate 314), showing a scattering of dark,
breeding-plumage, upperparts feathers. Its complete isolation from a
distant out-of-focus background adds to the visual impact.
A fairly common sight on British coasts in J u n e are Rock Pipits Anthus
spinoletta feeding young; Tony H a m b l i n ' s shot (plate 315) succeeds
because again the photograph shows so well the rocky habitat of the
species.
Goldfinches Carduelis carduelis feeding on thistles or teasels Dipsacus
fulbnum are a common sight in late summer and autumn, and we admired
Tony Hamblin's fine portrait of one perched on a teasel head (plate 316),
pausing while feeding with a seed at the tip of its bill. In winter, another
common sight is thrushes feeding on ivy Hedera helix, a n d •ag2cm'^,arn^'srias
done justice to his subject with a well-caught female Blackbird Turdus
merula in the act of swallowing a berry, surrounded by a mass of sunlit ivy
leaves (plate 317).
472
Best recent black-and-white
bird photographs
Flight shots of waders, particularly single birds, are not often attempted
by bird-photographers. We particularly liked Steve Young's Curlew
Numenius arquata in flight low over the sea (plate 318), the water adding
greatly to the atmosphere of the shot. T h e final photograph is also of birds
in flight, Barnacle Geese Branta leucopsis (plate 319) on their Dutch
wintering grounds. This picture, by Hans Gebuis, shows a small group,
presumably just arriving or simply moving a short distance in the feeding
area, other birds on the ground behind putting the whole picture in
context.
We hope that our readers have enjoyed seeing these photographs as
much as we enjoyed selecting them. We shall be making a similar
selection next year, and invite bird-photographers to submit their best
recent black-and-white bird photographs for consideration; the closing
date is 31st January 1990.
We should like to take this opportunity to remind nest-photographers
of the requirements of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981).
R.
J.
CHANDLER,
ERTC H O S K I N G , J.
T.
R.
SHARROCK
and D O N S M I T H