The wonders of our native wildlife caught on film
Nov 14 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal
ENVIRONMENT Editor Tony Henderson on the ingenuity of the region’s amateur wildlife photographers.
A TOUCH of freeze-frame photography produced a winning wildlife shot for photographer Jonny Beniams.
Jonny, 48, won the adult category of the 25th Northumberland Wildlife Trust photography competition with his picture of a wren visiting her nest built in a tangle of rope.
The rope was hanging from a hook in an outbuilding at Jonny’s home at Errington Red House Farm near Humshaugh in Northumberland.
He runs the Garden Muscle landscape gardening business and in April was about to take the rope for a job when he noticed the nest.
"I was in and out of the building over the next few weeks and the wren got used to me," said Jonny.
He decided to try for a picture and spent two hours inside a disused fridge freezer in the outbuilding, with the door slightly ajar.
"The bird kept coming and going, and it was fantastic to get the shot," he said.
"I am not a serious photographer and had bought the camera to do before and after shots of landscaping jobs."
Jonny’s winning shot was just in time, as the four young wrens flew the nest two days later.
Second place went to 73-year-old George Clough, of Bothal Cottages in Ashington, for his picture of a tree covered in mosses and fungi in Kielder Forest.
George, who worked as head porter at Ashington Hospital for 33 years, said: "I only took up photography three years ago. Kielder is one of my favourite places and I thought the tree picture was something different."
Joint third went to Graham Dixon, of Hexham and Tim Mason, from Amble.
Graham, a previous winner of the competition, captured an image of fox cubs.
"They were playing and chasing each other about. I had to sneak up on them and when they heard the click of the shutter they looked towards the camera," he said.
Tim’s shot of a butterfly was taken at Hauxley nature reserve near his home.
It was far cry from his wildlife photography beat on the Falkland Islands, where he worked as head teacher at the British Forces primary school before retirement.
"The islands are wild and beautiful, and it is a unique way of life," he said.
"I was at Hauxley to photograph birds but it was a lovely hot day and there were lots of butterflies around. The one in the picture kept moving on and I kept following it."
A special highly commended award went to George Rockett, 58, who lives near Ireshopeburn in Weardale.
George used cardboard to mask the windows of his car, which he parked near a stone wall used by perching birds.
A hole in the cardboard enabled George to capture his picture of a robin.
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