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Planning A wildlife Encounter

While every wildlife encounter is unique, it helps if you get yourself into the right place at the right time. Planning is essential from being on the bird cliffs at the right time of the year, to knowing the location where deer will feed during the winter months in Scotland. All of the wildlife encounters I suggest are not hidden or secrets. They can be found easily and with planning are possible for most people. Just remember that you are not going to find Atlantic puffins in Iceland or Scotland during the winter months and cherry blossom and bluebell woods are somewhere to visit in the spring.

• Planning an African wildlife safari – An introduction to planning the ultimate wildlife encounter with tips and advice
• How to ensure an African safari is ethical – Not every safari has the best interests of the wildlife at heart. This brief guide shares how to find the best safari
• Planning a wildlife adventure to the Shetland Islands – At the tip of the UK, the Shetland Islands are the perfect places for wild encounters with nature
• Skomer Island – Off the coast of Pembrokeshire in Wales is a wild haven. Home to puffins it is perfect for a summer wildlife trip
• Winter wildlife in the Cairngorm Mountains – The Cairngorms have some of the highest peaks in the UK and the wildest weather. The wildlife that makes this winter landscape their home are hardy and worth the time to discover
• Wildlife in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone – Chernobyl is one of the last places on earth you would expect to find wildlife but the lack of humans is helping the survival of many species in this desolate landscape
• Wildlife in Iceland – While Iceland is all about the landscape, the wildlife quietly shows itself the further you immerse yourself in the landscape
• Best places to see wildlife in Reykjavík – A summary of places to go wildlife watching in Reykjavík in Iceland
• Seals at Donna Nook – A guide to visiting the seals at Donna Nook in Lincolnshire

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BIRD LIFE

Birds are beautiful and many are easy to see from the comfort of your own home or local park. While planning is needed to see some of the rarer species it is possible to find, enjoy and photograph bird encounters almost anywhere in the world.

• Owls in the UK – A massive guide to the owls that can be found around the UK with descriptions and photography tips.
• Gannets at Stóri Karl – This second largest gannet colony in Iceland is located in the north east of the country. It is easily seen from the cliff top without any ferry crossings or complicated logistics (other than the road trip to get there)
• Puffins at Hafnarhólmi – An island home to puffins in the East Fjords region of Iceland
• Where to see puffins in Iceland – 6 locations to find puffins while travelling in Iceland

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MAMMALS

Mammals are some of the hardest wildlife encounters to plan. They are much more sensitive to the presence of humans and fieldcraft becomes essential if any meaningful photographs or experiences are to be gained.

• Muntjac deer – This small and timid deer is found across the UK and is often heard long before it is seen
• Red squirrels – These quiet but playful mammals can be found across Scotland and in small areas across the rest of the UK
• Big 5 Safari animals – The big 5 are the safari animals that are top of the list for first time visitors in southern Africa
• Arctic foxes in Iceland – a journey to Iceland in winter to see the foxes

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Marine LIFE

The underwater world has a little bit of everything including beautiful corals to massive whales . It is a diverse world and one of the most undiscovered and explore environments on the planet. Small glimpses can be seen while rock pooling on the shore line or taking a dive but there is so much beyond our reach that this is just a tiny snippet.

• Manta rays in the Maldives – These graceful creatures are surreal and any encounter is a moving experience that you will never forget
• Sea urchins – The life of these weird creatures that you didn’t know. It’s more than the dired shell you find on the beach
• Plastic tide – Photography project looking at the items washed up on the high tide lline

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Plants, Trees and Fungi

Without plants, trees and fungi much of the planet would not survive. Woodlands provide an ecosystem that supports so much of our world that it is essential for our survival. Flowers support insects, without which we would have no crops. All are intertwined with the well being of the planet and the organisms that are found here.

• Prickly pears in Morocco – These weird plants are seen all over Morocco as are their colourful dried flowers. It is often easy to overlook the market finds and not think about where they have come from.
• Bluebells in the UK – In spring the ancient woodlands of the UK come alive in a swarm of blue. Learn when is best to go for a bluebell walk.
• Lavender fields in the UK – A very short season but with planning you can experience these stunning fields of purple and pink
• Cherry blossom in Japan – Japan, Cherry Blossom and Spring is the perfect mix for an amazing display from mother nature
• Snowdrop walks in the UK – An introduction to finding snowdrops in the UK

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Street Animals and domesticated Animals

While wildlife encounters are amazing many animals lead a semi wild life. This is seen in wild cats and dogs that roam the streets of many cities. This semi-feral existence can be hard for them, but is the only life they know. For thousands of years man has used animals for working the land, helping with chores as well as a companion. these domesticated animals have personalities that are often seen through brief encounters and interactions.

• Street dogs of Chernobyl – these dogs are the descendents of the animals left when the city of Chernobyl was evacuated in 1986. Many were culled immediately after the disaster but many survived and now roam the empty streets
• Street cats of Marrakech – Every corner in Marrakech has a cat and each restaurant has a hopeful feline patrolling the visitors as the relax in the ancient city

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The Night Sky

The night sky is a magical place. It is absorbing and if you let your mind wander to the sheer scale of what is out there it can be quite scary. Everything from the aurora borealis to alpenglow is down to the interaction of the sun and the moon with our planet.

• How to find the Northern Lights – It is not as easy as it seems and even if you do find them you need to know what you are seeing
• Best places to see Aurora Borealis – Some places on earth are perfect for seeing the northern lights, this guide will show you where to go
• Photographing noctilucent clouds – These shimmering clouds can only be seen in a few places over a few weeks each year but are stunning and worth the hunt
• Alpenglow – That brief light on a mountain top at sunrise is a magical moment that can be seen and photographed is hard to find and predict
• Sun, Moon and Night Sky – A small collection of images
• Star photography – An introduction to photographing the night sky
• How to photograph the northern lights – a beginners guide to photographing the northern lights

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Wildlife Photography

Wildlife and travel often go together, but sometimes it is possible to capture wildlife close to home. Wherever you are these simple techniques will help you capture beautiful wildlife on camera.

• How to photograph wildlife in your garden – Start easy. Home gives you time to play with your camera and see what you have achieved on the big screen before capturing more moments
• How to photograph puffins – Puffins are the ultimate character when it comes to bird photography. Their personalities become obvious the more time you spend with them and can make for fun photographs
• Photographing Icelandic horses – Icelandic horses are semi-wild, but are beautiful creatures to photograph in Iceland
• Bluebell woodland photography – Bluebell woods are part of the English landscape and for a few weeks each year the colour and scent fills the beech woods across the country
• Winter wildlife photography in the Cairngorm Mountains – The Cairngorm Mountains National Park is one of the last wilderness areas in the UK and with this comes a range of wildlife, perfect for winter photography
• Planning an African photography safari – lots of planning is needed for this amazing experience to ensure you see the wildlife and locations you want
• How to get a smooth background in wildlife photographs – Easy guide to get silky smooth backgrounds in your wildlife photographs
• Wildlife photography in Shetland – Shetland is an amazing location to photography wildlife with a range of birds and mammals to find.

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