For the past couple of years I have run half day nature photography courses at the RSPB Reserve Fairburn Ings in West Yorkshire. This mixed habitat of woodland, wet grassland and open lakes is a haven for birds, mammals and insects.

Photography courses are half days, runing for 4 hours including lunch and refreshments. These courses are aimed at beginners, although all levels are welcome to take advantage of the fantastic wildlife. After an introduction, we set out onto the RSPB reserve concentrating on a range of subjects. Plants and flowers are great subjects and even during winter we can always find berries and natural patterns to photograph. Spring and summer brings buzzing bees, floating butterflies and darting dragonflies - all fantastic subjects for close up photography. The hides and feeding stations provide close views of tits, finches and tree sparrows, whilst a specially constructed screen gives us the chance to see the delightful kingfisher.

 

With such varied habitat, wildlife sightings of many species are possible including kestrel, sparrowhawk, grey heron - and even a stoat or weasel.

 

Dates for these workshops will be announced by the RSPB at Fairburn Ings and are booked directly with them.

 

Some images taken on these photography days can be viewed at my Flickr Group via the link below.

www.flickr.com More in Yorkshire Wildlife and Landscape Photography pool

Other images from Fairburn can be seen at the Fairburn Flickr Group