Having led tours for The Travelling Naturalist for many years now, my passion for wildlife and nature remains as strong as ever. Here are just a few of the many destinations, in Europe and beyond, which offer enthusiasts some of the best wildlife photography opportunities in the world.
Hides in Hungary
In Hungary we stay at a guesthouse and our local guide takes us to various hides set up at key locations. Marshland hides are of the ‘wait-and-see’ type, but with the possibility of close views of nesting whiskered terns, as well as passing waders, ducks and various egrets and herons. A mobile hide can be used at a bee-eater colony, and a tower hide offers nesting red-footed falcons and European rollers at close range. There are also infinity pool hides where species range from hawfinch, nightingale and middle spotted woodpecker through to kingfishers, turtle dove and red-backed shrikes. Other wildlife can be photographed on the drives to and from the hides.
Flora in France
In France, both the Vercors and the Pyrenees have superb ‘Alpine’ meadows so full of flowers that it is difficult to know what to photograph first. While the Vercors boasts up to 35 species of wild orchids, including the showy lady’s slipper, the Pyrenees hosts a number of endemic plants, amidst a backdrop of rugged mountain peaks. In both locations the stunning scenery of dramatic mountain cliffs and cirques, combined with open valley landscapes, is really worth photographing also.