Nature & Wildlife Photographers!
If you're a bit stumped on where to visit for your photography, we've found a few beautiful places for you :)
Foxholes, a tranquil woodland near Burford, Oxfordshire;
May marks the blooming of a sea of Bluebells in Foxholes, and by summer the tall foxgloves will be in their full glory. Later in the year, you can photograph over 200 species of Fungi. Take along a macro lens and see if you can photograph a colony of White Admiral Butterflies.
Finemere Wood, 8 Miles NW of Aylesbury;
Finemere Wood has long been loved for it's etheral beauty; the higher ground is dotted with primroses, and bluebells carpet the woodland floor. You can also find orchids, and as the year progresses, the lovely yellow St Johns-wort will take advantage of the clearings.
Finemere Wood is another place to go butterfly spotting; this nature reserve is fantastic for the gorgeous Purple Emperor, and you can spot the White Admiral butterflies here too. Warm weather may encourage the Silver-washed Fritillary (I know, they're an orange colour) that'll lead you to the patches of Violets.
Bowdown Woods, near Newbury in Berkshire;
Home of the Bomb Site, an ammunition store during and after WWII, this reserve is a Wildlife Trust project to create spaces for wildlife & people together. A young birch and oak woodland is host to old surfaced tracks that create a network through the trees, while the ancient woodland (Bowdown Walk) is a magical dense forest that gives up its wonderful views across the Kennet Valley. Again, you can spot the white Admiral & Silver-washed Fritillary butterflies in the clearings.
Sydlings Copse, 3.5 miles NE of Oxford;
A secluded gem, this was once described as one of the richest habitats in central England. Home to ancient broadleaved woodland, reedbeds, a stream and heathland, you can find over 400 plants here. Butterflies to be photographed include the Purple Hairstreak, Brown Hairstreak, Common Blue and Marbled White. You'll need a macro lens for this one :D
Spring welcomes Cowslip flowers, and the Hairy Violets (a misleading name, they're beautiful flowers) begin changing colour in the grassland.
In the heath's gorse, along with a scent of coconut, Lizards can be found basking in the sunshine on stacked log piles. Grass snakes and slow-worms are also around, though perhaps less comfortable with a human presence. A diverse range of wasps and bees can be found (or heard) living in burrows in the sand.
Snelsmore Common Country Park - Newbury, Berkshire;
Snelsmore is home to such a range of habitats that it may prove worthwhile to visit over consecutive days; heather, wet bog, and woodland make it perfect for a host of nationally rare species such as the Nightjar, ground-nesting nocturnal birds that are also known as Goatsuckers (ancient folk tales) and Nighthawks.
The heath is home to ling, bell heather and cross-leaved heath. Other plants such as bilberry and crowberry are also dotted around. Areas of gorse provide proection for winchants and other scrub-loving birds, along with a varity of Moss and Lichen - these can make for gorgeous photographs in the right light.
Kestrel and Green Woodpeckers also thrive on the large number of insects that inhabit the heathland - grab a telephoto lens and if you see one, why not send us a photo? :D
The woodlands contain mainly oak and birch, but chestnut, beech and hazel and willow are also standing on ceremony. Goldcrests and longtailed, great and blue tits are found during the early Spring (just so you know for next year..) feeding on the newly forming tree buds. In May, the woodland floor is covered with bluebells.
Tawny Owl, the Grey Squirrel and small birds such as Warblers, Wrens and Robins can be found in the trees, while the ground is home to Adder, Grass Snake, and the Common Lizard. If you prefer water over earth, head towards the pond for a breeding population of Palmate Newts. Just don't fall in.
If you're a bit stumped on where to visit for your photography, we've found a few beautiful places for you :)
Foxholes, a tranquil woodland near Burford, Oxfordshire;
May marks the blooming of a sea of Bluebells in Foxholes, and by summer the tall foxgloves will be in their full glory. Later in the year, you can photograph over 200 species of Fungi. Take along a macro lens and see if you can photograph a colony of White Admiral Butterflies.
Finemere Wood, 8 Miles NW of Aylesbury;
Finemere Wood has long been loved for it's etheral beauty; the higher ground is dotted with primroses, and bluebells carpet the woodland floor. You can also find orchids, and as the year progresses, the lovely yellow St Johns-wort will take advantage of the clearings.
Finemere Wood is another place to go butterfly spotting; this nature reserve is fantastic for the gorgeous Purple Emperor, and you can spot the White Admiral butterflies here too. Warm weather may encourage the Silver-washed Fritillary (I know, they're an orange colour) that'll lead you to the patches of Violets.
Bowdown Woods, near Newbury in Berkshire;
Home of the Bomb Site, an ammunition store during and after WWII, this reserve is a Wildlife Trust project to create spaces for wildlife & people together. A young birch and oak woodland is host to old surfaced tracks that create a network through the trees, while the ancient woodland (Bowdown Walk) is a magical dense forest that gives up its wonderful views across the Kennet Valley. Again, you can spot the white Admiral & Silver-washed Fritillary butterflies in the clearings.
Sydlings Copse, 3.5 miles NE of Oxford;
A secluded gem, this was once described as one of the richest habitats in central England. Home to ancient broadleaved woodland, reedbeds, a stream and heathland, you can find over 400 plants here. Butterflies to be photographed include the Purple Hairstreak, Brown Hairstreak, Common Blue and Marbled White. You'll need a macro lens for this one :D
Spring welcomes Cowslip flowers, and the Hairy Violets (a misleading name, they're beautiful flowers) begin changing colour in the grassland.
In the heath's gorse, along with a scent of coconut, Lizards can be found basking in the sunshine on stacked log piles. Grass snakes and slow-worms are also around, though perhaps less comfortable with a human presence. A diverse range of wasps and bees can be found (or heard) living in burrows in the sand.
Snelsmore Common Country Park - Newbury, Berkshire;
Snelsmore is home to such a range of habitats that it may prove worthwhile to visit over consecutive days; heather, wet bog, and woodland make it perfect for a host of nationally rare species such as the Nightjar, ground-nesting nocturnal birds that are also known as Goatsuckers (ancient folk tales) and Nighthawks.
The heath is home to ling, bell heather and cross-leaved heath. Other plants such as bilberry and crowberry are also dotted around. Areas of gorse provide proection for winchants and other scrub-loving birds, along with a varity of Moss and Lichen - these can make for gorgeous photographs in the right light.
Kestrel and Green Woodpeckers also thrive on the large number of insects that inhabit the heathland - grab a telephoto lens and if you see one, why not send us a photo? :D
The woodlands contain mainly oak and birch, but chestnut, beech and hazel and willow are also standing on ceremony. Goldcrests and longtailed, great and blue tits are found during the early Spring (just so you know for next year..) feeding on the newly forming tree buds. In May, the woodland floor is covered with bluebells.
Tawny Owl, the Grey Squirrel and small birds such as Warblers, Wrens and Robins can be found in the trees, while the ground is home to Adder, Grass Snake, and the Common Lizard. If you prefer water over earth, head towards the pond for a breeding population of Palmate Newts. Just don't fall in.
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