Wildlife recommendations / ideas December

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All,

I love seeing all of your work, it's inspirational!

I have a little time over the Christmas period (I should be studying to complete my degree, but needs must...) and I'd like to do some more wildlife / nature work as it's an area that I haven't done a huge amount of work in and I believe has significant overlap with my sport photography - essentially, my gear is suited towards both genres.

Over the Christmas period I have a few lenses I need to test and I've always found it best to test them in real life situations, with that in mind and my insane ability to procrastinate, I thought I'd ask here for some local knowledge to make my time off as productive as possible.

I know that it's unreasonable to expect that in a matter of days I'll stumble across rare wildlife, nevertheless, I can but try.

I am based in Cambridgeshire and so far have got the following places on my list:

Raptor foundation
Linton zoo
Woburn safari park
Woburn deer park
Holkham hall deer park

Any other places that you could recommend?

I would very much like to photograph the seals out Norfolk way (my uncle lives relatively close by) however, not sure this is the best time of year.

Many thanks all,
Chris
 
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Raptor foundation
Linton zoo
Woburn safari park
Woburn deer park
Holkham hall deer park

Not a lot of Wildlife there- all captive animals :(
 
Check out any local nature reserves as they will be good for birds etc, which will be a good test for lenses/techniques etc in the field.....
 
Thank you gentlemen.

We live at the end of the Ouse Fen Reserve, however, every time I'm out there (we usually walk there everyday as a family) I never see anything of note. Plus the pathways are quiet a way from the ponds etc.

I did think of heading out to Holkham bay to try and catch the seals, but not sure what it's like this time of year. I went in the summer and didn't see / hear any wildlife save for a the usual seagulls.
 
chrism8 said:
This time of year is a good time for seals, Donna Nook probably, the pups wont be that small now and most of the Bulls would have stopped their fighting for the ladies.

The middle of Nov and beginning of Dec is the ideal sort of time
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Is that Doona Nook up in Lincolnshire?
 
I'd say a paid hide somewhere would give you a good start and the animals would/should be wild. It costs though but it will provide you with images and a good grounding of how such results are achieved. A quick Google of 'paid hides Cambridgeshire area' will give you some idea of what is about and what is involved too. (y)

I'm not sure of your wildlife experience but this is a good start for you I think and then when you're ready, you can venture out and do the work yourself, which is far more satisfying than paid when it comes together.

I have nothing against paid hides, I've used them 3 times myself in my early days. These days though, I'm fortunate enough to have an abundance of wildlife on my doorstep.

When you feel ready to move on, you could pick maybe a target species or an area, rivers and ponds are good, although other obvious places are woods, forests, fields etc. Just be prepared to put the time in, you may get nothing for 10 outings or more and 12 hour stints are average days during the summer.

Sit, wait, watch and be patient, it will come. :)
 
Ye gods ,just pull some maps up there are nature reserves galore around there, lakenHeath fen rspb , burwell fen for owls ,deer etc , there’s a super one just outside bury S.E ,can’t think of the name though ..
Just pull up Google earth and do a search for nature reserves I just spotted about 10 in a brief look .. but wildlife is a genre on its own and takes years to learn properly
 
Ahhh the one I couldn’t remember is lackford lakes near bury st edmunds , super free venue with hides that allow close ups of kingfishers ,seen foxes and deer there to
 
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