I have now been at Regua nature reserve / Guapi Assu Bird Lodge for 2 weeks now. Everyone here is lovely and all the Volunteers are European mostly British. We have to do our own projects and help with general maintenance. I am spending my days and some nights walking the main trails finding cool insects etc sadly yet nothing new or rare yet but at my rate it will happen.
Although it is primarily a Birding Lodge it is really important to appreciate and understand the full diversity and the roles that each species has to play, without certain plants or insect species many birds would not be able to survive.
I am compiling a photo database of the non bird wildlife for them. You do get some fantastic birders like Sally and Chris Thornburn from Greenwich who appreciate all nature but you get others who just care about the birds. And I hope my photos will open peoples eyes and educate them too the wider diversity and the roles played.
Now yes there are other good photographers there but to do what I am doing you need a good eye for detail, a lot of the insects are small or hidden. You also need patience, passion, time a decent camera ( a decent bridge camera will do) and of course Talent – now I’m not being big headed both Nicholas and Raquel( the administrators ) think I’m amazing at what I am doing and want me back.
You can spend a few thousand on a good camera and lens but if you don’t have the skill, passion for the subject of your photo or understand the subjects behaviour then you won’t get a good photo.
Also I wish this was not the case but over the years I have come across a fair number of arrogant British birders. We can no longer treat wildlife the way the Victorians did. So if you get a good photo of something rare or unusual behaviour, don’t just have on your hard drive collecting dust. Copyright it and share it with others through sites like Flickr etc and let the Reserve where you took it use it if they wish (they will credit you). Its only through sharing information etc can we learn to protect more species from extinction. The human race is the biggest disease to the Earth.