Just be out there! This is the no. 1 lesson, every wildlife photographer needs to learn. It’s often a bit wearisome. Not to sleep in, to set out in the dark only to be out at the break of day, to wait endless hours to be - more often than not - unsuccessful in terms of taking images. But it’s worth it. I never regretted getting out, even when I saw no animals at all. And sometimes it just pays off other than you planned or expected.
A few days ago, I set out to photograph the beautiful and well beloved kingfisher. It is quite shy, so you need a plan and a good disguise and a lot of patience. I made for a local stream which still runs quite naturally. It offers clear, not too deep waters and high banks that provide the kingfisher with nesting holes in summertime.
I lay in camouflage under a carved out high river bank, fully overshadowed and rarely visible. I waited for the kingfisher to show up downstream, from where I already had heard it’s call. I was concentrated searching and listening, when suddenly in my back, I heard really loud splashing sounds.
I could not really believe what I saw: A young roe deer waded downstream. It was focussed on the difficult walking and did not notice me at all, until it was about ten meters close. When it finally heard the shutter clicking, it stooped and watched me intently. I did not move and so the little deer decided that I was no risk. It continued its path and made slowly for the northern bank. It passed me with less than five meters distance. An amazing experience and a breathtaking moment!
I later figured out, what probably happened. The roe deer wanted to cross the river to make for the thick and sheltering bushes there. It left the shallow southern bank, but must have had some difficulties to climb the steeper and higher northern bank (where the kingfisher nests). So it chose to wade the only knee-deep rivulet downstream, to find an easier spot to climb. Once it was safe out of the water, it slowly disappeared in the bushes.
