British Wildlife Special

Venue: Surrey

Dates: Monday 9th July

Duration 2pm - 8pm

Places: 12 Cost £140.00

In November 2011 I was invited to visit the British Wildlife Centre in Surrey. I should say re-visit because when the centre was first set up I ran many workshops there, the last one I think back in 2003. At that time the walls were hung with about thirty large wildlife posters which all had George McCarthy printed on the bottom (those were the good old days). Well my posters have long gone and needless to say, the centre has undergone some massive changes as well.

I was given a guided tour by the owner David Mills and to say I was impressed would be an understatement because this centre has one of the finest collections of British native species in the UK today all displayed in totally natural settings. The really great bonus for me and my workshop clients is that I am able to book the entire centre and the services of their keepers for our exclusive use. Not only that but participants get access into animal enclosures that are normally kept locked. I was so impressed I decided to try and run a winter workshop there the following month that ended up being oversubscribed. Let me describe how it went.

Red Squirrel eating Hazelnut

We first entered a unique red squirrel woodland enclosure via a secure double door system. This leads onto a raised boardwalk where you are literally walking in amongst the trees about 3 metres off the ground. The squirrels look stunning and are so used to people that they often run up your legs, probably looking for nuts? Being so confiding they readily pose for the camera and you can happily work with a 100mm macro lens and get close enough to take head and shoulder portraits with ease. Apparently the BWC is the largest breeders of captive red squirrels in the UK. Additional bonus pictures in this enclosure are the native Roe along with Munjac deer that wander round below you feeding on the woodland floor.

Roe Deer eating leaves.

From there participants were divided into smaller groups and took turns goinginto the fox enclosure where our keeper informed us there were six foxes using the earths. This is a great enclosure that over the years has grown into a very natural wooded set. Right on cue the foxes appeared and virtually modelled for us, at one time we had three out together in front of the by now, smoking cameras. They were all in great condition with shining coats and nice thick brushes, a great testament to the centre and the staff that look after them.

Foxes showing agression at entrance to earth.

While one group are in with the foxes others go into three separate enclosures each containing a pair of Scottish wildcats. These cats are initially quite difficult to spot in the thick vegetation but they are only playing hard to get and the lure or smell of food soon brings them out in front of the cameras.  No such shyness from the inhabitants of the next enclosures that surround large natural ponds inhabited by breeding pairs of otters. As soon as we entered they emerged from their holts and came swimming towards us and again we were spoilt for choice as they posed at the waters’ edge or came up the banks right to our feet.

European Otter

 

In between going into the different enclosures clients are free at all times to wander round to take photos of a variety of mammals including water voles, rats, field voles, polecats, hedgehogs, four species of British deer including Roe. Two outside studio sets were arranged for harvest mice and the evening concluded at the last large enclosure with badgers emerging from their underground setts and feeding in front of us. All in all a really fantastic day.

Badger scratching

Capture the Evening Light

Therefore you will not be surprised when I tell you that I have arranged to run another workshop there on Monday 9th July 2012. As it will be the summer I have specifically requested that the workshop starts about 2pm and runs thru to about 8pm to take advantage of the afternoon light and the setting sun. 

All-in-all a really superb, value for money, day with a buffet lunch included and the centre booked for our exclusive use. This is a workshop that I guarantee will book up really quickly so you need to book early.