British Reds & Blues
Category
Land Animal
Location
Isle of Wight
Gear
Canon R5 mark II
Description
For the past two years, I have been captivated by these endearing little mammals and the challenge of photographing their behaviour in the wild. As is well known, red squirrels on England's south coast are only found on the Isle of Wight and Brownsea Island. My vision was to photograph them amongst one of Britain's most iconic spring displays—the woodland bluebells. Achieving this required several reconnaissance visits from the mainland, carefully monitoring the progress of the bluebells and the weather to ensure the flowers were at their peak. The ancient bluebell woodlands around the Winford area on the Isle of Wight are well known for their resident red squirrels, which can often be seen foraging both high in the trees and amongst the woodland floor. I took several days' holiday staying on the island to maximise my opportunities, spending the quiet early mornings in the woods when the squirrels are at their most active and the light is at its softest. The image I had envisioned required patience. Sitting quietly for hours, I waited for curiosity to overcome caution until, eventually, a red squirrel followed the fallen log and paused perfectly amongst the bluebells. In that moment, everything came together to capture a scene that celebrates two of Britain's most treasured woodland icons.
Photographer
Hang Ross
Social Media
Instagram: hang_ross76
Facebook: Hang Ross - New Forest captures
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