On January 27, a large attendance of members and guests gathered for an evening of delightful contrasts with two contrasting presentations.
First, was Chris Sharpe, a well known amateur ornithologist and principal editor of the widely acclaimed Manx Bird Atlas, published in 2007.
Describing himself as ‘a researcher and cameraman’ these days, he spent part of 2013 and 2014 netting and ringing birds at the Landsort Bird Observatory on the granite island of Öja, an hour south of Stockholm, Sweden.
Öja is less than three miles long and under a mile wide and sits in a north-south orientation in the archipelago.
It is acknowledged to be a resting place for almost 500 different species of migratory birds who feed on the local insects and berries. The remote observatory is blessed with most (but not all) essential comforts so only very dedicated ornithologists need apply!
Chris gave a fascinated illustrated talk during which he projected clear and close-up images of many beautiful birds which had been caught, ringed and recorded. His commentary displayed his comprehensive ornithological knowledge which has earned him a much deserved and growing reputation. Also featured were images of the Landsort lighthouse, the oldest in Sweden, and the general environment, all greatly enjoyed by an appreciative audience.
Chris then showed a short film he had made in October and November, 2015, in Madagascar, a visit to study three different endangered species of lemur (the Common Brown, the Coquerel’s Sifaca and the Aleotra Reed Lemur) for the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.
Next came a splendidly impressive travelogue by Chris Nicholls, showing the unique, picturesque island of Santorini in the Aegean Sea. With his wife, Ruth, he had taken a tour by car in 2014 with local photographer, Olaf, who advised him to ‘follow the Rule of Cs’, when capturing his images, namely control, composition, curiosity, creativity, communication and cheek.
Santorini is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago and is a popular port of call for cruise passengers. It is also a romantic location for wedding photographs, particularly for the Japanese, it seems. The southernmost member of the Cyclades group, the island is easily recognisable by its blue roofed, whitewashed buildings, many perched precariously high on the rim around the Caldera (the sea). They visited several of the hundreds of pretty churches as well as the volcanic beaches and the archaeological site of Akrotiri. Chris’s images were much admired.
On February 10 at 7.30pm at Thie Ellyn, there is a presentation by Lara Howe and another practical session. The entries for the Open Print Competition competition will also be due that night.
Antony Hamilton