Tonight, Bradford Camera Club was transported to the sun-drenched Greek island of Lesbos with Pamela Boulton and her talk, “Travels with a Camera.” Pamela’s entire presentation focused on her inspiring trip to the island, renowned as a key spot on bird migration routes.
The trip was a true club effort, as Pamela travelled with three other members from her camera club, sharing the adventure and the photographic bounty.
Pamela began by explaining the draw of the location, emphasising that Lesbos is a major destination for birding enthusiasts. She shared the valuable lesson that despite the warm climate, they had not considered the effects of wind chill, proving that preparation must cover all conditions. We also heard about the quick start to the photography—she was photoing birds from the get-go, even in the hotel car park!
Pamela’s success lay in visiting a number of diverse habitats, including woodlands, plains, lake mouths, and streams, which ensured a huge variety of subjects. This diversity is why the island is so vital to migration: over 330 bird species have been recorded on Lesbos, making it a spectacular funnel for birds moving between Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Her stunning portfolio, taken entirely during this trip, was rich in wildlife and nature subjects:
The bird photography was spectacular, covering a wide range of species from large raptors like the Lesser Kestrel, Eleonora’s Falcon, and general eagles and falcons, to wading birds like Herons and Egrets, and a spectacular flock of flamingos.
She also captured smaller subjects such as Swallows, Warblers, Whitethroat, the striking Red-backed Shrike, various Buntings, Turtle Doves, and the colourful Bee-eaters.
The presentation included beautiful images of botany (including a stunning poppy field), the island’s insect life, with vibrant photos of butterflies, and herpetofauna, featuring subjects like terrapins and toads found near the island’s wetlands and streams.
Pamela pointed out that many of the species common to Lesbos would be less common or rare sightings here in the UK, which explained the excitement of photographing such a rich variety of avian life in one place.
Thank you to Pamela and her travel companions for sharing their journey and proving that combining a systematic approach to location scouting with technical skill can lead to both breathtaking images and practical lessons learned in the field.