Wildlife photographer's highlights of 2024

From courting kingfishers to a grey seal giving birth, amateur photographer Martin Yelland has had a year filled with wildlife.

Mr Yelland, from St Erth in Cornwall, has made a concerted effort to capture unique photographs in 2024 - without disturbing the wildlife.

His unconventional methods and specialist camera equipment have allowed him to photograph an array of wildlife in 2024.

Looking back at the last 12 months across the south-west of England, Mr Yelland said witnessing the birth of a grey seal pup was a "once in a lifetime" experience for him.

He said: "The top moment [of the year] for sure would be the birth of the grey seal.

"My wife and I have started to volunteer for the Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust... and we've learnt a lot about seal behaviour from them."

Mr Yelland said the equipment he used helped him to capture wildlife photographs without disturbing the animals.

"The lens is probably about as long as my arm, and I wear full sort of camo gear, which isn't especially necessary as such, but it's good to blend in, and keep out of sight...

"I want to get good shots... but I want to capture natural behaviour, and you couldn't really get any more natural behaviour than that [birth of a seal pup], so that was definitely the highlight of the year for sure."

Mr Yelland said another highlight of the year was when he and his six-year-old son went to photograph a great spotted woodpecker nest in Cornwall.

He said: "I set the camera up on the tripod, so I suppose it was set up for him [his son], but he enjoyed watching... it was before the babies fledged, and he got a couple of good shots.

"One of them got put in a birdwatching magazine, so that was good, because they put his age as well, and they read it out in the school assembly.

"My wife and I, we try and get our two boys involved... we just try and get them outside and interested in nature."

Talking about why he is so passionate about wildlife photography, Mr Yelland said it was the "adrenaline" which stood out.

"When I'm watching a male kestrel land with a vole and the female comes, you might only have four seconds you know, for those birds to pass that animal to each other, and then they're gone.

"Even if you've got the best kit in the world, it's not always about the kit, it sounds cheesy, but you know, being there at the right time, it's a fleeting moment..."

"I don't think I'll ever lose that excitement... and if I do it's probably time to do something else," Mr Yelland said.

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