Tony Howes

 

I have been interested in Natural history since school days, as a boy I remember laying in bed at night listening to a bird singing at the bottom of our garden, I knew it was special and wonderful, but didn't know that the singer was a nightingale until my paternal Grand father told me later, my own parents had no interest in such things. Likewise I remember chasing a large white bird seen flying over the meadow behind our house, trying to catch it, bewitched by its beauty, of course I stood no chance, that was my first encounter with a barn owl, I have been touched by magic ever since whenever I see one.

 

My first camera was a bellows type, a ''Kershaw king penguin'', then a progression through various models over the years to the Canon gear I use now. Birds are my main interest, but I happily photograph all types of N/H subject matter.

 

I grew up in the time of the heavy horse, most farms had them to do all the hard work, wildlife was plentiful, fields were left in stubble all winter, food for birds in the way of weed seeds was everywhere, crop spraying was almost unknown. Things have changed, now I doubt very much that our Grand children will ever have the magical experience of listening to a nightingale, or the purring of a turtle dove down in the spinney.

 

I live in Thorpe St Andrew, just outside Norwich in Norfolk with my wife Wendy, other interests are making and erecting barn owl boxes, (Well over one hundred young have fledged from them so far), growing and looking after my collection of Bonsai trees, and gardening in general.

 

Tony Howes Nov 2019