Beak performance

The antics of elusive kingfishers, Cornwall’s emblematic choughs, badgers and foxes inspired one keen wildlife photographer to take to writing children’s books.

St Ives postman Martin Yelland fell into animal photography after starting a family. Now, after three years of going out for hours at a time at all times of year to watch, enjoy and capture on film some of Cornwall’s amazing wildlife, he thought he’d tell the stories of his animal friends.

‘I used to go bodyboarding all over the world in places like Indonesia or France,’ said Martin. ‘But that’s not fair on my wife or my sons so, instead, we go out on walks along the coast and in the countryside. I love it. I love showing our sons that where we live in Cornwall we have some amazing wildlife.’

Martin set up a camera trap in a friend’s field where a gap in a fence has seen badgers, foxes and even otters come through in their search for food.

‘While I would easily spend several hours trying to snap a fox or a kingfisher, I can’t always be there,’ said Martin. ‘That’s why I got the camera trap going. You never know what the animals will do so it takes hours and hundreds of pictures to get some good ones, but there are some funny ones too.

‘I’m not like some of the twitchers you see. I’ll be in the bird hide on the Hayle estuary for hours and they’re in and out ticking boxes in their books. I think it’s a shame. There’s so much to enjoy. Our wildlife is so beautiful. I find it so relaxing watching birds and animals do what they do.’

This love for nature led Martin and his wife Zoe to write and illustrate a children’s book, called ‘Choughs and Chums’ in honour of their first son, Noah.

A second book, ‘Kerra the Kingfisher’ is close to completion and should be with the printers in the coming weeks. Martin writes the words and Zoe does the illustrations based on his photographs.

Choughs and Chums is available from ChoughRock.co.uk.