This image of a jackdaw was taken on my recent trip to Bempton Cliffs. As this reserve is known for its seabirds, this photo probably isn’t what you would expect. I should probably say now that I am planning to share plenty of seabird images soon, but I never miss an opportunity to post a portrait of a beautiful corvid, such as this one.⠀
One of the smallest species of corvid, jackdaws can be seen in both rural and urban environments. Artist, illustrator and author Matt Sewell, has described them as “The least creepiest of the crows, often seen swaggering about like they’re carrying a couple of radiators.” It’s a comical description but spot on. One of their distinctive features is the silvery sheen on the back of the head, which this image shows, along with the stunning pale eye. What I like most about this photo is the iridescent sheen on the bird’s feathers. The colours blend from black to purple, turquoise and blue. ⠀
I wasn’t going to Bempton Cliffs to photograph a jackdaw, but when this bird landed on the fence post near to where we were walking I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to take a photo of one of my favourite birds. I always aim to be ready, when a bird lands right in front of me like this, by ensuring that my camera is set up in advance. In this case, when I got out of the car at the reserve and could check the light and determine the settings that would work best. You will always need to make adjustments (and I made a ton of those when I was photographing the gannets), but if you have a good starting point you stand a better chance of getting a decent shot when something unexpected happens…or before your subject flies away!