Bird Nest Photos

[kielder]

Can I make a suggestion that these rules go somewhere more prominent, as I put an image up, had it taken down and wasn't told why or given a link to where this information was, and looked in the rules section and Gallery help and couldn't find it, it was another member who found it.

[big bill]

How about photographers that go to out of the way [places like John O Graots and are photographing the seabirds on the rock cliffsmost of these birds are on ledges that they make use of as nest sites.
No person would be able to get within 15feet of them without using a rope as you have the cliff face to start with then the area before the cliff face is fenced of so the only way possible is to use a long lens or digiscxope to get a photograph here you are showing the bird within the context of its surrounding what would happen here would a photograph be shown or not,
Its the same with the Puffins on the various sites they are always within distance of the nest burrowes do you stop showing photographs of Puffins?.
I am in favour of not disturbing the bird at the nest but wre do you draw the line,its happening now in normal photography where people are up in arms and photographerrs are being stopped and searched by police and security guards for taking pics in public places or within the vicinity of children slowly the photographers rights are being eroded away

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by kielder

Can I make a suggestion that these rules go somewhere more prominent, as I put an image up, had it taken down and wasn't told why or given a link to where this information was, and looked in the rules section and Gallery help and couldn't find it, it was another member who found it.

You make this sound as though you were not contacted about your post.
Just for the record to make it quite clear, I sent you a PM explaining why the image was removed. I even asked if you had another shot you could substitute.

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by big bill

How about photographers that go to out of the way [places like John O Graots and are photographing the seabirds on the rock cliffsmost of these birds are on ledges that they make use of as nest sites.
No person would be able to get within 15feet of them without using a rope as you have the cliff face to start with then the area before the cliff face is fenced of so the only way possible is to use a long lens or digiscxope to get a photograph here you are showing the bird within the context of its surrounding what would happen here would a photograph be shown or not,
Its the same with the Puffins on the various sites they are always within distance of the nest burrowes do you stop showing photographs of Puffins?.
I am in favour of not disturbing the bird at the nest but wre do you draw the line,its happening now in normal photography where people are up in arms and photographerrs are being stopped and searched by police and security guards for taking pics in public places or within the vicinity of children slowly the photographers rights are being eroded away

Bill, we do use a bit of common sense. A general view of a cliff top wouldn't be rejected, but a shot where the nest is very evident would.

[big bill]

My apoligies Graham I thought that when you said birds nesting that would have taken the Sea Birds in a swell nesting in amongst the cliffs,its just that I agree with the whole debate that no wildlife should be disturbed whether on a nest or not no photograph is better than the well bveing of the animal or Bird.
The reason I asked about the seabird colonys was that I was aiming on taking a trip uypto John O Graots to capture them up there also across to Dunnet Head as ther was a post on another site about Puffins in that area .
Butr I agree with the predicament that Stu has and agree with Birds at the Nest predicament but unsure as to how to resolve it

[shutterbox]

I for one have several nests in our garden but i have refrained from taking photographs purely as it would disturd the occupants, however if out and about i see a nest clearly visable and i felt i could take a photo with a zoom lens i may do so if legal. Is it not possible to submit images with the EXIF data attached to verify a zoom has been used ? As a novice photographer and a nature lover i can see the concerns other people have on the subject. A difficult one to say the least.____JIM

[Chris Hammond]

I don't hold particularly strong views either way, but one thing that eternally puzzles me is exactly how any wildlife photographer can become 'experienced' if only the experienced photographers are considered worthy of taking, for instance, nest shots? As I understand it the authorities only issue licences to people who have solid experience of nest photography. I'm always left wondering how they gathered sufficient experience (legally.) in the first place?

[Steve S]

A license is only required for photographing certain species of bird at or near the nest. For the non-license birds there is obviously less of a problem in the grand scheme of things, i.e. they are very common and populations are robust. For hosting nest photography WAB could align itself with the licensing requirements for nest photography. Simply not accepting nest photography is the easiest way to administrate it, but is in keeping with using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Originally Posted by Chris Hammond

I'm always left wondering how they gathered sufficient experience (legally.) in the first place?

Last time I looked, to obtain a license a photographer has to provide evidence of photographing six birds at the nest, of the non-license required species. These photographs will be used to assess whether the photographer is sufficiently experienced to be let loose on the more vulnerable species. If there is any doubt no license is issued. For particularly vulnerable species the number of licenses issued in a year is restricted.

Steve.

[Words]

I'm perfectly happy to live with the local rules on WAB, though I agree that a note/link on the upload page would make finding the rules much easier.

Chris, it is possible to gain experience with non-schedule 1 birds (so it's legal) and to take photos in such a way as to demonstrate that you're not disturbing them. Obviously long lenses are necessary and I presume a note of how the photos were taken helps. I'm not particulalrly looking to get a licence, but have been documenting herring gull chicks from birth. The fact that I've been able to photograph them more or less daily for a month probably helps prove that I've not disturbed them in any way and am taking appropriate care.

[glsammy]

There used to be a message on the uploading screen.
I've asked if it can be put back again.