Urban Wildlife Photography - Birds of Prey
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- Опубліковано 6 лют 2025
- One of the best spots I've found for bird photography!!!!
Bristol is home to some amazing urban wildlife and as a result can be a brilliant place for wildlife photography. But even in a city where opportunities like this are not too uncommon, a spot like this with so many opportunities to photograph birds in flight (and more), has to be made the most of.
Special thanks to Miguel Anton and Toby Pickard for this one.
Toby Pickard:
Instagram (@tobypickardphotography): / tobypickardphotography
UA-cam (Toby Pickard Photography): / @tobypickardphotograph...
Miguel Anton:
Instagram (@miguelantonfoto): / miguelantonfoto
UA-cam (miguel anton): / @miguelantonwildlife
Mystery link: • Building A Tiny House ...
fantastic video pal and what an amazing spot to witness that amazing sight of the fledgling kestral chicks.
Thanks so much fella! Glad you enjoyed it 😊
Awesome shots! After 20 years without a camera, I took up birding and bird photography 2 years ago. I’m simply amazed at the wildlife all around my area. I proudly claim the title of Bird Nerd! It is fun to share with family and friends that haven’t seen these animals and birds. I always say “ the more you look, the more you see!”. Thanks for taking us along on your adventures!
Amazing photos and video footage of the Kestrels, really enjoyed your video and can see how much you love what you do :)
Cheers Nicky! Glad you enjoyed it! I do indeed love what I do, but its more of an obsession at this stage :D
One of your best yet, brilliant
Great as always loved it
Thank you John! Glad to hear it!
Amazing video dear friend 💓
I really agree with your comments on taking the opportunity to educate people about local wildlife. Good for and keep doing it!
Brilliant storytelling again Matt, sometimes we miss the beauty right under our noses. Cheers Keith
A awesome video Matt and a great hat
YES Rudy! Love the hat appreciation 😂😉. Thanks for watching 😊
Glad you got the picture! Stunning
Fabulous Matt, what an awesome day you had and a great message. That last image though, absolutely stunning.
Very good video, as always 👍
Cheers Michael! Thanks for watching!
Fabulous video, please keep them coming. Phil
Why thank you Phil! I have tons on the way :D
Lovely.
Thank you so much 😊
Very Nice video! That’s really great! Thanks for sharing this!
Much appreciated! Thank you for watching!
Fantastic video Matt, and another superb set of images, keep them coming. I must get out and about more, now I have seen your vids, you are quite inspiring.
Loved every minute Matt, and great message too. What a fantastic location!
Thank you so much Paul! Yes its a great spot, one of the few that disturbance is almost impossible as well which is lovely :D. Thank you for watching! Keep up your cracking content :)
Thanks Matt. Another great video. Really enjoyed it. Will try and visit next year.
Worth doing so for sure Keith 😊
Gets better with each video. You always manage to find something interesting to film and I liked the interaction with the onlookers this time. I guess the location was perfect for that. Look forward to the next one.
Awwww thank you Susan that's so kind of you to say! Though you are right, the location is a massive factor 😊. Thank you for watching
Another great video, Matt. It brought back some great memories of when I lived in Bristol for uni 15 years ago. I was like those onlookers, no idea there were such cool critters so close by. I'm still new to wildlife photography, but like you, I do try to point things out when people see my big lens and ask questions. Anything we can do to inspire people to care about wildlife and the environment is a good thing. Thank you for sharing, both the video and the message. Cheers from Maine, USA. :) Paula
Absolutely stunning photos mate! What a privilege that must have been! I fully agree with what you were saying about mop enjoying wildlife first hand, I experienced the same last year watching peregrines at Chichester Cathedral, they were so high up, but I had my long lens on a tripod so would let people look at my screen, and its so nice to give people a little peak into their world in person. Great Video Matt, stunning footage!
Absolutely stunning Matt - what an inspirational video - would love to get that close to some kestrels that are incredible!
Definitely one of my favourite spots in town! Also worth checking Stoke Park where you can see them hunting for mice and voles. We're definitely lucky to have wildlife like that at our doorsteps.
Oooooo thanks for the great tip! May have to check that out in the spring! :D
Nicely done Matt. You came away with some stunning images. Thanks for taking us along.
Lovely video!
Cheers NH :)
Great video and of a bird (at least our local version of it) that I love to photograph. A couple years ago I got to spend several months following the antics of a pair of American Kestrels as they went through courtship, breeding, breeding and more breeding and then finally seeing a very aggressive female rip apart prey that the male brought to her. And then a pause until the day the youngsters (4) fledged and the parent worked like crazy to keep them fed. And finally the day they started to learn to hunt for themselves and they then disappeared from that locations. Likely they had managed to catch all the easy prey and their parents moved them on to another location. For us the American Kestrel is more frequently seen during the winter months but they do breed in our area as I had the pleasure to watch.
Your monologue on educating the public about the birds is something I have had the pleasure to do on a number of occasions but it can seriously get in the way of bird photography opportunities. Loved your video, I look forward to the next.
Thank you Nick! Yes it's crazy how active and hard working the parents are right? So amazing to watch! Glad to hear you share the passion for wildlife with passers by as well. I think if there is a spark of interest then it should be grabbed :D.
Thank you again for such lovely feedback! I hope I get to photograph an American kestrel too one day :)
and as always a GREAT FILM! I do so look forward to your films(i call them that because i think films are a step up from a video). you are one of the few channels that i look forward to watching and sharing. the quality is fantastic and the content is well worth the time to watch over several time. Well done! this is what I try to aspire to.
Aw thanks so much Rob! That is so nice to hear, I really appreciate it. I do try to keep the content interesting and varied so hopefully your enjoyment will continue 😊
Nice video Matt....
Much appreciated Rupesh!
Absolutely nailed it with that last shot 😍
Great video
Thank you Preston! :)
That's so AWESOME!!! I wish everyone knew more about the local wildlife. I love this so much!!! Thank you for sharing!!!
Hopefully with times changing and interests growing, so will the knowledge and respect 😊. Thank you so much for the lovely feedback!
Good video and that last shot is stunning Matt, keep up the good work
Thank you Dylan! Glad you enjoyed the last shot :)
Great footage and stunning scenery. They're such cute little raptors! :)
Glad you enjoyed the footage! They really are beautiful!
Absolutely stunning work as always Matt……. ❤️
Cheers Paul, that's very kind! Thank you for watching! 😊
Wow what an awesome spot ! I had a great encounter with one on Salisbury Plain last week . Great success story! Great video ! 👍😍
Thank you so much! They are such great birds! Glad you had your own encounter :)
What a wonderful video Matt, I love the way you champion wildlife photography in your local area, really inspiring.
Thank you Rachel, well I feel there is a wildlife photo around every corner so I'm glad you enjoy that aspect of the channel 😁. Thank you for watching!
Wow, that would certainly put a smile on most peoples faces. I've been lucky enough to ring Kestrels this year, a brood of 5, and it's always a thrill. Great video as usual Matt, cheers.
Oh wow! That is really up close then 😂. Very enviable 😁. Glad you enjoyed the video, and thank you for watching as always Stewart 😊
Amazing captures, Matt! Thank you for sharing!
Great film, Matt!
Wow, fantastic video, thanks Matt. The shot at 8:22 is stunning.
Enjoyed an amazing few minutes, close up with a Kestrel on the SW coast path at Bude a couple of weeks back. They truly are the most beautiful birds.
Thank you Neal! Glad you had your own encounter as well. Though the coastal path sounds even more spectacular 😁.
Thank you for this, it sure was worth the wait. You captured these amazing birds wonderfully!
Glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thank you for the kind words!
Wonderful Matt. Frequented that park for many years, I have relatives in Bristol, well Patchway. Can remember getting my first Bullfinch there as an 8yr old. Looks like I might take a jaunt that way next year. So good to watch, bravo - perfect result as a finale, well done. Si.
Oh wow, would love to see a Bristol Bullfinch. I see them all too infrequently these days. Glad you enjoyed it, definitely recommend checking I out when you're next down this way 😊
Top draw vlog again! As with a few others I follow on UA-cam. You're in the premier League of wildlife photography. Well done Matt👍
Thank you so much Michael! Glad you enjoyed it! And thank you so much for the really kind words :D.
What an amazing story Matt! I've just seen myself on the video ;-D
Woo day before my birthday, can I get a shout out 🤣 can't wait for the video mate
Well happy birthday in advance 😁
@@MattGouldphotography haha thank you
I'm in Florida, and I only recently saw my first kestrel. I was immensely excited! The shot I got wasn't great, but it'll serve until I get another chance at them.
Ahhhh the shot only serves as a memory jogger with the first encounter. It's all about the experience which I'm chuffed to hear you have had 😊. There will be another opportunity for a photo no doubt 😉👍
Thank you for such amazing content🔥
And thank you Aryan for such an amazing comment :D
Solid episode, Matt!👍 Awareness message effectively made, especially by venue popularity w/photographers and others. Music tempo spot on, although, IMO, volume at first almost drowned out your comments. Sterling stills, even if shot you had in mind was elusive - next time, am sure your persistence will be rewarded. Glad wind did not victimize your hat.😁
Smartphone app Google Lens can ID imaged object, like Red Vallerian - in case passersby don’t know offhand. Ever use the app?
Re: camera angle, do you have a right angle finder in your kit? (Eyepiece accessory w/built-in magnifier , useful.)
What makes a bird a “bird of prey”? Gulls chomping rabbits (prior vid) birds of prey? How about a robbin plucking/eating worms? Sparow dining on insects? Seed-eating budgie, I get. But otherwise aren’t most birds “birds of prey”? Cheers!
Good day Paul! Glad to hear you enjoyed the vlog! I actually ended up using a similar app called "Seek" to identify it which works quite well i've found. And I have considered the right angle finder before but it isnt a common problem and It would just be another piece of kit to bring so I didn't go for it.
So, I am not a zoologist but its my belief that a bird of prey is classified as raptors . I think it comes down to them being specialist hunters of mammals, reptiles or fish with certain features like talons and a hooked beak. Having said that there is some confusion around Owls which I don't fully understand. I think because they share a lot of these characteristics but followed a different evolutionary path (most visible in their feet). Hope this cleared it up a bit but like I said, I am not the expert, I just try to make them look pretty ;).
Thanks for watching!
Good stuff! What lens were you using in this video?
waiting, trying to dont start eating my lunch till the video is available jajajaja
Glad to hear it :D
Nice work Matt I want to get up there but told parking is a nightmare as I've got lower back probs would appreciate any info thanks
Hiya Derrick, sorry for the late response. I actually didn't find parking an issue. Most roads around the area have some pay and display parking. I parked on Clifton down road if that helps. But there is no avoiding a steep (but not always long) walk so i'm not sure how that would affect your back.
Hope you get out there this year :)
During June, I followed a couple of kestrels and found out they were nesting in an abandonned tower on a beach. I went there every day, several hours a day, so they can tolerate my presence. Of course, the day the 4 juveniles decided to go out of the nest, I was late and missed it. I was watching them when a group of photographers (that's what they called themselves...) went to take pictures near them despite my warnings (less than 1m). Some juveniles didn't move because they were so afraid and they others scattered flying, or trying, and landed harshly on the rocks. I was so pissed of after them while they made me the bad guy because I was jealous of their pictures. I'm sure scared birds must be a nice subject for a picture... The problem was that the tide was rising and I was worried the juveniles couldn't fly back on the tower. I went back the day after that and couldn't find the parents or the 4 juveniles. I had to come back several days to spot the parents and some of the young, but it was way harder to approach them because they were more cautious. I didn't find all of the 4 youngs, but the area is big and they were hiding very easily between the rocks and algae, and as they were growing, they were moving all the time. It was the first time I was so into wildlife photography because it is not my thing (more into seascapes), but it was rewarding till this event. I didn't take good photos like you but I was so happy to be around them, watching them, observing their behaviour... I know that now, I need to invest in a good long lens hoping to live others experiences like this one.
is that the Clifton suspension bridge please?
Where are these locations to see wildlife
Stop teasing and upload it, already! 😏
Give it 30 minutes 😅
Bit of a tip.. sack the music at the begining
Shame you don't like it. Sadly I feel it has to stay if only for nostalgia 😁
Great video
Thank you Sam!