Photo of the Month March 2025

The highlight of this month’s adventures in the landscape took place unexpectedly after a failed shopping trip with my wife. But more of that later!

Words of Wisdom! Sony A7RV, 24-70 at 53mm, f11, 3.2 sec, ISO 100, tripod.

I have something of a fixation for the famous warning painted at the steps leading up from Portstewart Strand to the coastal pathway leading to the town centre. I even used it recently as an illustration for a talk on King Solomon who could have done with taking these words to heart! And when the tide is in and there’s a chance of some direct sunlight I like to try to improve on my previous photos of this icon. On this occasion, despite the blue grey skies, the early March sun made a brief appearance to light up the words and create a pleasing reflection as the sea receded, creating the swooshy, white trails.

Next day came a trip that was a fulfilment of a long-standing ambition: to photograph red kites. These beautiful birds of prey had long been extinct in Ireland but were re-introduced in Co Wicklow in 2007, Co Down in 2008 and Co Dublin in 2011. It is estimated that there are now 29 established pairs in Northern Ireland, chiefly in Co Down but they have now been sighted in each county. On this occasion, however, the destination was the delightfully situated village of Avoca - TV’s Ballykissangel and home to Avoca Weavers - in Co Wicklow.

Ballykissangel (Avoca). Sony A7RV, 24-70, f11, 1/160, ISO 200, handheld.

As we gathered in the car park opposite the church (see photo above) it didn’t take long for the red kites to begin circling overhead, attracted by the pieces of raw meat the someone had brought along for the occasion. The power, speed, grace and sheer acrobatic skill of the birds took my breath away. I took many photos but mostly I just stood and watched. I managed to capture one as it flipped over in a dive for food.

Dive! Sony A1, 200-600, 404mm, f6.3, 1/1600, ISO 320, handheld

From Avoca we headed south to County Wexford and to a farmer’s field outside the village of Fearns to witness the spectacle of a starling murmuration. The conditions were perfect, with clear skies and no wind. As twilight approached we spotted the first little group of starlings heading back to the woods for their nightly perch. As we watched, group after group arrived, swelling the throng to countless thousands of birds that miraculously moved as one, forming many remarkable shapes in the evening sky.

Sony A7RV, 24-70, f2.8, 1/1250, ISO 1600, handheld.

This was my first attempt to photograph a murmuration of this magnitude and it was quite challenging. The light was fading all the time, the birds were moving fast across the sky, so I had to keep the aperture as wide open as possible and the shutter speed as fast as possible, which meant a higher ISO. On reflection I would have been better using the A1 for these photos, but everything was happening so fast that I didn’t want to take the time to change.

At one point a peregrine falcon appeared, hunting for supper. This panicked the starlings into flying even faster, with multiple changes of direction in the attempt to confuse the peregrine. The attempt failed. The peregrine is the fasted animal on the planet and it was soon to be seen heading off with an unfortunate starling clasped in its fearsome talons.

These starlings are not our native birds but migrants from Scandanavia that would be gone from our skies in a few days so we were delighted to still have them in such ideal conditions. The following photo is probably my favourite in terms of the shape the birds created in the sky above the forest.

Sony A7RV, 24-70, f2.8, 1/500, ISO 2000, handheld

What these images can’t convey is the sound of thousands of beating wings as they swooshed this way and that above our heads. I was told to expect to be ‘dive bombed’ but thankfully I managed to avoid this fate! It was lovely to see families, friends, old and young, photographers, birders and those who simply love the natural world, all enjoying the spectacle. Almost unnoticed the sun set behind a beautiful lone tree and I couldn’t resist switching my attention for a moment to capture its afterglow.

Sony A7RV, 24-70, f2.8, 1/500, ISO 640, handheld

Midway through the month I took a late afternoon drive to the coast at Dunseverick. For a few moments the low sun lit up the landscape and provided a few lovely opportunities to photograph very familiar scenes.

Sony A7RV, 24-70, f8, 1/320, ISO 160, handheld.

Dunseverick Stream, Sony A7RV, 24-70, f11, 1/125, ISO 400, handheld.

Sheep Island, Sony A1, 200-600 at 415mm, f6.3, 1/1250, ISO 320

As I had my A1 with me and the long lens in order to photograph the fulmar that nest on the cliffs, I was able to isolate Sheep Island against Rathlin with Scotland beyond. I love the contrast between the sunlit island and the variety of blue tones throughout the rest of the photo. The light from the setting sun falling only on the island makes the photo.

On my way home I stopped at Dunluce Castle to try to capture the sun setting beside it. Once again the long lens came in very handy to pick out the dramatic red sky above the hills of Innishowen.

Dunluce Castle, Sony A7RV, 24-70, f8, 1/80, ISO 400, handheld

Innishowen Fire, Sony A1, 200-600 at 400mm, f6.3, 1/1250, ISO 2500

A week later and a beautiful morning walk with my wife on Portstewart Strand, I decided to experiment with a 30 second exposure, which has the effect of smoothing out the sea and softening the sky. This required using a 6 stop ND filter. We both like the colour and the peaceful feeling it gives.

The Strand. Sony A7RV. 24-70, f16, 30 sec, ISO 50, tripod.

The following day was very different, with dark clouds piling in across the Atlantic, creating a very different mood over the Royal Portrush Golf Club - a reminder that the British Open is only a couple of months away. I love the contrasts that changing weather produce, especially over the coast.

Royal Portrush, Sony A7RV, 24-70, f11, 1/125, ISO 100

White Rocks, Sony A7RV, 24-70, f11, 1/100, ISO 320.

The best landscape photography this month came unexpectedly. We had run out of coffee so headed to one of our favourite cafes along the coast only to discover that we had chosen the wrong day and it was closed. However, since it was a beautiful morning we decided to take a brief walk at White Park Bay. Conditions were close to perfect for photographing the old school. My favourite is the final photograph as the portrait orientation allows the inclusion of more of the clouds. And I now know the photo looks fantastic as a large acrylic print, as I have just delivered one to a delighted client.

Sony A7RV, 24-70, f11, 1/50, ISO 50, handheld

The Old School House, Sony A7RV, 24-70, f11, 1/50, ISO 50.