Wildlife spots for Devon

Mangelwurzel

Mangelwurzel

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I've just bought the Sigma 150-500mm and am itching to go shoot some wildlife.
I'm planning on spending a couple of weeks shooting garden birds on my time off work to get used to the lens and then progress to new things.
I just wondered what the best locations were around Devon.
I'd love to progress to foxes/deer/badgers/otters at some point but i understand this will be a slow and patient journey :help:

This is a completely new area of photography for me so any advice welcome :)
 
Thanks. Zoo's are great as i have 2 small kids but i usually end up spending more time wiping up ice cream than taking photos.
I'm really looking for some spots that i can creep away before sunrise and catch some nice moments at dawn.
 
Stover Country Park, Dawlish Warren NNR, Clennon Valley Lakes, Berry Head,
Slapton Ley, Beesands Ley, Start Point, Prawle Point, Wembury, The Passage House Inn, Topsham, Exminster Marshes, Thurlestone Marsh, South Huish Marsh, West Charleton Marsh, Town Quay-Newton, Aller Brook Nature Reserve

http://www.dawlishwarren.co.uk

http://www.wildlifeindevon.org.uk

http://www.devonbirding.co.uk

This should get you started, mainly birds but other wildlife is always around.

Good luck
 
JPL said:
Stover Country Park, Dawlish Warren NNR, Clennon Valley Lakes, Berry Head,
Slapton Ley, Beesands Ley, Start Point, Prawle Point, Wembury, The Passage House Inn, Topsham, Exminster Marshes, Thurlestone Marsh, South Huish Marsh, West Charleton Marsh, Town Quay-Newton, Aller Brook Nature Reserve

http://www.dawlishwarren.co.uk

http://www.wildlifeindevon.org.uk

http://www.devonbirding.co.uk

This should get you started, mainly birds but other wildlife is always around.

Good luck
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Many thanks. What a great first post and welcome to the forums. Some of those places are well known to me and some are new so i thank you :)
 
To add a couple to JPL's excellent suggestions, there are often plenty of deer (? black fallow?) in the woods on Haldon, near what used to be the Magic Walk (close to the Haldon Belvedere), and there's also (or at least used to be) a bird of prey viewing area near the race course junction, heading towards Ide. Catch the tide right and the Teign estuary can get plenty of waders and Topsham Flats (just the Exmouth side of the Bridge Inn) can be good as well.
Be warned slightly though - the OS on the 150-500 is great for reducing camera shake but being f/6.3 at the long end means that shutter speeds tend to be so slow (especially at this time of year) that subject movement comes very much into the equation. Crank up the ISO as far as you're comfortable with to reduce the time the subject has to move and pick birds and other wildlife that stays as still as possible!
 
If you are at Topsham then there is a small road behind Powdeham Castle where you could get some shots of their deer at dawn.
 
Thanks everyone. Some excellent suggestions to try.
Just need some flippin light now :bonk:
 
imagine said:
If you are at Topsham then there is a small road behind Powdeham Castle where you could get some shots of their deer at dawn.
Click to expand...

Was there on Sunday late afternoon, got some nice(ish) pictures of an older (very lame) stag down in the hollow opposite the boat club. Also many younger males in the park itself. Will post some pics when I've worked out how:)

You also got the option of waders etc on the estuary behind you as well
 
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billybob99 said:
Up in north Devon you could try spreacombe woods (rspb) reserve or just up the road from me is halsdon nature reserve where thee is a bird hide with otter sightings and various birds kingfishers etc often recorded
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hi billy where is this place i have never heard of it, halsdon nature reserve?
 
I keep sticking branches deep into the muddy sand in front of the hide at Halsdon in the hope it'll become a regular kingfisher perch, but every time i go back it's either been washed away or removed :(
I see them fly past there but theres never anywhere for them to land remotely close enough to take good photos of them.
 
billybob99 said:
Up in north Devon you could try spreacombe woods (rspb) reserve or just up the road from me is halsdon nature reserve where thee is a bird hide with otter sightings and various birds kingfishers etc often recorded
Click to expand...
Plus you have Exmoor Wildlife Park / Zoo with it's good animals
 
I really appreciate the feedback. The Sigma 150-500 is not great in poor light so i've had little use of it yet but i've been taking notes which i thank you for :thumbs:
 
Hi,
I've just joined this forum, and this topic in particular, because I am based in south Devon as well. I've just sold my Nikon D80 for which I had 3 lenses. the longest being a Sigma 400mm APO AF, and bought a Canon EOS 1000D with 2 lenses. The longest being a 70/300, f4 AF/USM/IS. My speciality being birds in flight the Image Stabilisation is a big help. I am also a committee member and newsletter editor of the Stover Canal Society (www.microaviator.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk) and am currently photographing all the wildlife along the canal. So far this year I have seen (and photographed most) over 40 species of birds and 6 species of animal. There are two fox familes living near the canal. A few hundred yards from the start of the canal, on a bend of the river Teign, there is a large Sand Matin colony as well. I have access to a part of the canal which is currently closed, we hope to open it late next year. If anyone wants to bring their camera along I would be happy to be a guide and take you into the closed section.
Some of my wildlife photographs can be found at: http://tonyvee.magix.net under 'Wildlife'.
Best wishes
Tony
 
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