Wiltshire - Buzzards and Kites Hide
Wildlife Hides
Dates have now been released for the 2024/25 season!
We have two hides available for photographing Buzzards and Red Kites on the Marlborough Downs and are positioned side-by-side, offering up to four people the most wonderful theatre experience of photographing several species.
The site is private with no public access, ensuring no disturbance and the opportunity to take great images, particularly with action and flying shots. This is almost certainly the best place in the UK to photograph Buzzards, with plenty of Red Kites and corvids too, so if you have yet to experience these magnificent birds at close quarters, then now is the time to book.
For those of you who used the original portal hide prior to 2022, they have been relocated on the farm, fitted with glass windows and alongside it is an additional brand new fully glass-fronted hide. The two hides will offer a different experience with exceptional Spanish sought glass to offer those wishing for more action shots to be able to move freely inside the hide and capture some unique imagery.
A wonderful opportunity to photograph and study two of Britain's iconic bird of prey species in a natural setting. Wild Buzzards and Red Kites come to a farmland site on the Marlborough Downs alongside Ravens, Jackdaws, Carrion Crows & Magpies. You have the chance to take images of them interacting and feeding as well as creative shots of them against the surroundings. A drinking pool/pond has been created where you can capture bathing shots too (and a new reflection pool hide has also been built for this specifically).
Hide information:
• Heated, insulated and fully waterproofed hide with flushable toilet in adjacent room
• Full glass panels for smooth flexible shooting and panning to capture birds in flight and action shots without disturbing the birds
• WiFi available in the hide
• Lens suggestions for action pictures use 300/400mm & portrait 500/600mm
• No need to bring tripods as plates and Gimbal heads are provided on site, however you may bring a bean bag or your own tripod head if required
• Currently a maximum of two people can book for each hide with a maximum of four people in the two hides
• A hide can be booked exclusively if required
• Toilet and hand sanitiser available at the hide
• Hot drinks are available in the hide as well as some homemade Sloe Gin!
• Call Oliver on 07802 417810 or email Oliver if you have a particular date you'd like to reserve
• Located just 15 minutes south of the M4, junctions 15 or 16
• Meeting time roughly 75 minutes before sunrise
• Hide arrangements will be emailed to you on booking
• No payment or deposit required to reserve your booking
Cost: £180 for a single space (potentially sharing with other photographers) or £360 for booking the hide exclusively.
Booking your hide session:
To book, please view the availability calendar below and decide on a suitable date. Note that dates that show as available in green may have other clients booked too. There are now four spaces in total available across the two hides so if the date in the calendar is in orange then this date is fully booked. You may be able to request exclusive access on request.
Once selected email Oliver to book your session. Once confirmed with Oliver, your date will be booked and you pay the farmer once you've visited the hide.
Last year's hide season ran from 23rd October 2023 but closed early due to an unprecedented period of very wet weather. We anticipate opening the hides right through until March 2025.
Note the wildlife images shown here were taken from the original hide, however the experience is even better for static and action shots and I will post some updated images in due course.
Wiltshire - Wildlife Reflection Pool Hide
Wildlife Reflection Hide
Dates have now been released for the 2024/25 season!
For the new season, we have opened a brand new hide for photographing birds at a reflection/drinking/bathing pool. The hide supports similar features to the glass hides for the main Red Kite and Buzzard theatre and along with regular appearances of Buzzard coming to bathe, there are a number of other exciting species visiting the pool.
Species including Stock Dove, Sparrowhawk, Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant, Magpie, Tree Sparrow and Grey Wagtail have so far been recorded and we also have Roe Deer and Brown Hare visiting too. These are early days for the hide so we expect the number of species to go up throughout the course of the season. The previous hide we set up to test through the winter also encouraged Brambling, Corn Bunting and Chaffinch so we hope to see many more visitors this year.
With water being such an important resource for wildlife, the hide is placed to give eye-level views of the pool and the species visiting. Hopefully it will be possible to capture a number of species bathing and drinking along with reflections too.
Hide information:
• Heated, insulated and fully waterproofed hide with flushable toilet in adjacent room
• Full glass panels for smooth flexible shooting and panning to capture birds in flight and action shots without disturbing the birds
• WiFi available in the hide
• Lens suggestions for action pictures use 300/400mm & portrait 500/600mm, although if a deer arrives you will need a wide-angle lens!
• No need to bring tripods as plates and Gimbal heads are provided on site, however you may bring a bean bag or your own tripod head if required
• A maximum of four people can fit very comfortably in the hide
• A hide can be booked exclusively if required
• Toilet and hand sanitiser available at the hide
• Small kitchen so drinks can be made here too
• Call Oliver on 07802 417810 or email Oliver if you have a particular date you'd like to reserve
• Located just 15 minutes south of the M4, junctions 15 or 16
• Meeting time roughly 75 minutes before sunrise
• Hide arrangements will be emailed to you on booking
• No payment or deposit required to reserve your booking
Cost: £180 for a single space (potentially sharing with other photographers) or £360 for booking the hide exclusively.
Booking your hide session:
To book, please view the availability calendar below and decide on a suitable date. Note that dates that show as available in green may have other clients booked too. There are now four spaces in total available across the two hides so if the date in the calendar is in orange then this date is fully booked. You may be able to request exclusive access on request.
Once selected email Oliver to book your session. Once confirmed with Oliver, your date will be booked and you pay the farmer once you've visited the hide.
Note the wildlife images shown here were taken by David White, the framer except those with Oliver's copyright watermark. Oliver's images were taken on his first visit to the hide for testing in October 2024.