Owl locations

[LongLensPhotography]

I'm looking to try my hand at the owls or similar relatively chunky birds around / near Cotswolds.

I'd prefer wild ones or at least in a sensible price range for access (certainly can't afford £70 a pop!)

Kit-wise I have a trusty 400mm 5.6 prime on 5D3 so I suppose I need to get relatively close for a frame filling shot.

 

[Byker28i]

You mention £70, I take it you've looked at the gloucester barn owl centre? That's their price for a 5 hour day with a small group taking images.
What I will tell you is that they set everything up for you to get great shots and use the money to support their work rescuing the birds. Lots of birds for you to shoot in natural settings that you probably wouldn't get otherwise or certainly not without lots of fieldwork and luck.

 

[Byker28i]

How about Slimbridge? about £12 to get in, swans flying around and other birds
http://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/slimbridge/

 

[Byker28i]

Owl centre gets you great opportunities

How about lying on the ground with a very wide angle lens whilst an owl with 5 foot wingspan lands about 2 feet away from you

 

[snooks]

£70 to get access to birds like that is money well spent IMO plus the added bonus of helping towards the cost of rescuing birds

 

[gramps]

Birds of Prey Centre, Newent, Glos ... around £12 entry: http://www.icbp.org/index/


Barn Owl by Roger, on Flickr


Falcon by Roger, on Flickr

 

[Byker28i]

I've also found
Walks with Hawks in Cheltenham - http://www.walks-with-hawks.co.uk/
The Falconry School - Gloucester - http://thefalconryschool.com/
Cotswold Falconry - Morton in the Marsh - http://www.cotswold-falconry.co.uk/

or work with the Hawk and Owl trust - http://hawkandowl.org/groups/south-gloucestershire-group/

Or keep you eye open for regular display teams and shoot those public displays, or perhaps even contact and arrange to shoot over their practices for free images?

 

[mrgubby]

Gloucester Barn Owl centre is definitely worth the money, Vince loves his birds & will make sure you come home with shots you're happy with

 

[chris.]

Hi Byker28i.......... My girlfriend has brought a voucher for the Gloucester Barn owl centre, what lens's did you use for the day ??? I can also recommend the ICBP Newent fantastic centre

 

[Peteaud]

Not a million miles away is the stunningly good (I am a member so visit it often) http://www.hawk-conservancy.org/

 

[Byker28i]

Hi Byker28i.......... My girlfriend has brought a voucher for the Gloucester Barn owl centre, what lens's did you use for the day ??? I can also recommend the ICBP Newent fantastic centre

Looks like the flying ones were mostly 70-200 f2.8 IS, although that was with my 50D at the time. I'd probably take that and my 100-400 as well is I went again with my 5D.
Havign said that, I also used my 24-105 and the eagle owl landing was with a 10-22mm as it landed about 2 feet away from me lying on the floor. 5 foot wingspan!

You'll have a great day. Lookign forward to seeing the images

 

[chris.]

Looks like the flying ones were mostly 70-200 f2.8 IS, although that was with my 50D at the time. I'd probably take that and my 100-400 as well is I went again with my 5D.
Havign said that, I also used my 24-105 and the eagle owl landing was with a 10-22mm as it landed about 2 feet away from me lying on the floor. 5 foot wingspan!

You'll have a great day. Lookign forward to seeing the images

Thanks for that Byker28i, i was thinking of going March/April Its been know that we have some nice weather those months the Eagle Owl landing is a great Shot also the Barn Owl..

 

[EdwardL]

Birds of Prey Centre, Newent, Glos ... around £12 entry: http://www.icbp.org/index/

Great place and if Jemima's on duty you'll learn loads as well. She's a hoot - oops, pardon the pun - good sense of humour but she just lives for her birds and talking about them.

 

[Byker28i]

Added to my places to go this year

 

[thirsty_camel]

Anyone know of any where like these places nearer to London ?