Flock of Gold

I made Flock of Gold at sunrise in September 2024, when tens of thousands of red knots gathered at Snettisham in Norfolk. At high tide the birds roost close together. I love watching so many birds form one huge mass. As the sun rose behind them, the flock took on a golden glow. I waited for one bird to open its wings. That small movement gave the photograph a clear point of interest.

The photograph holds two scales at once: the pattern of the whole flock and a brief movement by a single bird. No bait or attraction was used. The image came from watching the birds and waiting for the moment I had in mind.

Flock of Gold is one of the photographs that means the most to me. It takes me straight back to that morning and the pleasure of being there. I’m proud of the awards it has received, but the memory matters just as much. Before photography, I hardly spent any time in nature. Experiences like this made me realise how much I had been missing.

Subject

Red knots (Calidris canutus)

Place

Snettisham, Norfolk, England

Made

September 2024

Method

Natural behaviour, without baiting