ChrisA

Great Crested Grebe with Coot nest building

Langford Lakes is a Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Reserve near Salisbury. The reserve consists of 3 Lakes that were originally gravel excavation sites in the 70’s and 80’s. A 4th lake has been put in place in the Summer of 2013, with a new hide added there to the existing 4 at the reserve. The reserve attract a wide range of wildlife, with lots of bird life including Great Crested Grebes,

Mallard Duckling Portrait

Arundel Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust is just down the road from Arundel Castle in West Sussex. There is charge for entering the site if you are not a WWT member. On the day I visited it was £11.50 for an adult. The a large number of excellent hides and viewing areas, and the layout means you can get fairly close to the wildfowl there. A reasonably long lens 200-300mm would

Brent Geese incoming

Normandy Marsh is the first lagoon you come to if you walk from Lymington’s Haven Boat Yard towards Keyhaven on the Keyhaven-Lymington Nature Reserve. This is a large lagoon and attracts a large number of overwintering birds, and is worth a visit for the photographer during good winter days. Even if not going around the whole reserve. Additionally the yacht marina provides opportunities for landscape and abstract boat photography. Views

Four-spotted Chaser

Otmoor RSPB nature reserve is only about 15-20 minutes away from Oxford, hosting mainly wildfowl, ducks & waders, on a wetland & reedbed habitat. You may also see several different types of birds of prey, such as Red Kites, and is host to large number of starlings in the winter. I recommend both obtaining directions before setting off to the reserve as it is not signposted, and taking food &

Lapwings at Titchfield Haven

Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve near Haven is run by Hampshire County Council and is open Weds-Sundays. There is a charge for visiting the reserve itself which now has 8 bird hides which overlook reedbeds and fields. There are two sides to walk round, one is a boardwalk through trees, the other a mostly gravel path. Parking is free on the nearby shoreline. The reserve is a breeding ground in Summer

Anderwood Autumn Trees 3

Anderwood is a Forestry Commission Car Park in the New Forest, just off the A35 near Lyndhurst, Hampshire. The car park is of reasonable size off a short gravel track. There are bookable barbeque facilities there – so can occasionally be busy. Photographically the woodlands nearby are probably best in the Autumn, when the seasonal colours are out and there is also a variety of fungi to photograph. There are

Black Headed Gulls on Bridge

Radipole Nature Reserve is an RSPB reservein the centre of Weymouth, Dorest.  The reserve is a wetland with lots of reedbeds that provide shelter for a variety of birds, including Bearded Tits and Cetti Warblers.  Recent improvements to the walkways and the Visitor Centre have been made in 2012.  The walkways allow the photographer to overlook and access more of the reeds than in the past.  A hide which is

Tern Feeding Juvenille (3)

Blashford Lakes is a Hampshire Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve just North of Ringwood. The reserve overlooks two large lakes with 5 hides that view them, and it also has another woodland hide, and two other lakes without hides on them. The reserve is open all year round except for Christmas Eve and Day. The reserve car parls are open from 09:00 to 16:30. The reserve is known for having Bitterns

Tern Feeding Juvenille (1)

On a recent visit to Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve, I had the pleasure to watch and photograph some Common Terns feeding their youngsters at close range.  Viewing them from the aptly named Tern Hide overlooking Ibsley Water, the young terns perched on posts only a few feet from the windows. Here is a profile picture of one of the juvenilles sitting on one of said posts. I was also fortunate

Black Headed Gulls on Bridge

Radipole Nature Reserve is an RSPB reserve in the centre of Weymouth, Dorest. The reserve is a wetland with lots of reedbeds that provide shelter for a variety of birds, including Bearded Tits and Cetti Warblers. Recent improvements to the walkways and the Visitor Centre have been made in 2012. The walkways allow the photographer to overlook and access more of the reeds than in the past. A hide which