Osprey Masterclass
29th July - 1st August 2024 - 3 Spaces Available
Special Offer - £500 off this week only - Contact me for details
5th - 8th Aug 2024 - FULL
13th -16th August 2024 - FULL
Please contact me to be added to the 2025 Waiting List.
In my quest to continually improve what I offer to my guests there are a few exciting changes to how I've previously organised my Osprey Masterclasses, details can be found below.
Your accommodation during the duration of this masterclass is the delightful Rowan Tree Country Hotel, a quaint owner-run hotel conveniently located just a short five minute drive from the osprey hides. Dinner will be taken in their restaurant (currently number one on TripAdvisor for best restaurant in the area) each evening with a choice of delicious, home cooked food, to choose from their à la carte menu
Osprey returned to Strathspey in the late 1950s and from then on have progressively increased in numbers and are found all over the UK. The Cairngorms still remains their main stronghold, and it’s not unusual to see up to five or six Ospreys in the skies over Aviemore.
As with all my workshops and tours the primary focus of this tour will be how we can help you achieve the very best images possible. And I will help you with the best ways to optimise your camera settings, plus how to be ready and prepared for the action when it happens, it is therefore imperative the group size is kept to a maximum of three guests, any larger than this and we would be split between hides, not a good thing to give on-the-spot feedback/advice.
Photographing diving Ospreys in the Highlands can only be described as one of the most addictive and thrilling forms of wildlife photography available today. The explosive speed the Ospreys hit the water is just mind-blowing. Once the initial explosion of the bird hitting the water has occurred what happens next is totally dependent on the success of the dive; if the bird misses it takes off again circles above, and lines up for another attempt. If the dive is successful and the fish is of a decent size you can actually see the Osprey being tugged and pulled down by the it! I’ve seen the Osprey sitting in the water with wings spread whilst the panic stricken fish pulls the bird around the pond. This really is nature in its rawest, and this is happening less than ten metres away from where you sit!
It’s when the Osprey has a firm grip, in a cascade of thousands of droplets of water, it lifts out of the water, and now is the optimum time to capture those iconic images. In a perfect world the bird will take off in our direction and fly right over the hide (this doesn’t always happens but when it does, it certainly gets the adrenaline going). The hide echoes and reverberates to the sound of the clatter of rattling camera shutters, and it's only then that the silence returns as everyone start ‘chimping’*.
*Chimping is a term denoting the noise made by photographers as they review images on the LCD screen on the back of their camera. It is said it resembles the ‘ooow ooow ooow’ noises made by excited chimpanzees!
For the diving ospreys will use a purpose-built hide and Osprey pond created to allow for low-perspective images. The hides are spacious and comfortable. All sessions will be guided by a spotter who, via a walkie-talkie, gives us a few seconds of a warning of an impending osprey about to dive......"Bird Circling"......"Stand-By"......"Diving, Diving, DIVING!"
If we’re lucky we will get numerous dives in each session but like in many situations with photographing wildlife there are no guarantees. I’ve found this makes it all the more special when ‘it happens’. If I said there was an ‘average’ morning I’d be lying, no two sessions are the same and it can be a bit of a lottery at times. I encourage and implore my clients to make use of all the opportunities that may occur at all times when ‘in the field’. From the hide there are ample opportunities to photograph species other than the ospreys. Mallard ducks, Herons and the ultimate challenge of all, a leaping trout! In 2015 I witnessed and photographed a rather brutal Heron capturing and devouring a Water Vole. Not content with this it then set upon a duckling and ate that too! Those pictures made it in to the national press and were printed by a number of newspapers. In 2018 I had another run in the national press with images of a mallard attacking an osprey, You never know what what's going to happen!
Each session starts post-dawn and lasts until 9am, at which point we will then return to the hotel for a late breakfast, time for a quick freshen up, before we head out to make use of the rest of the day. One of the late morning/afternoons will be spent with red squirrels at my purpose-built hide. Shots of leaping squirrels will be the order of the day although more classic portrait style images will also be an option.
NEW FOR 2022
On the second afternoon we shall be taking a two hour trip with Ecoventures based in Cromarty. This trip although primarily for dolphins we will be hoping to see (and of course photograph) Minke Whales. This trip is a private charter exclusively for my three guests plus me thus ensuring ample space to move around the boat and no hustling for the best seats on the boat.
Waterproof camera covers are an absolute must for this trip as we will be photographing from a RIB.
Primary Species:
These are the species we will be concentrating on as our main photographic subjects.
Osprey, Red Squirrel, Dolphins.
What’s Included:
THREE guided morning sessions photographing diving Ospreys.
One session photographing Red Squirrels at our exclusive hide
A privately chartered dolphin/whale watching/photography trip.
Three nights of accommodation at the delightful Rowan Tree Country Hotel. Additional nights accommodation are available at an additional charge.
Food & Drink: Breakfast, lunch, Dinner, drinks and snacks out with the hotel. Two course evening meal at the Rowan tree restaurant from the a la carte menu.
Travel: All Travel from your arrival in Inverness/Aviemore.
Guiding/Tuition: The full attention of the guide, help and assistance with camera settings as and when required.
Group Size: I believe passionately in small groups sizes, the MAXIMUM number of clients for this workshop is just THREE. This ensures you will receive copious amounts of help and encouragement, this in turn will aid you to capture the best possible images whilst learning along the way.
Fun & Humour: Photographing wildlife should be an enjoyable experience. Although I'm serious about helping to obtain the best possible images, this will be done in a fun and relaxed way.
Fitness: This is a low to medium intensity tour, you will need to have a basic level of fitness, if you're not sure about this please feel free to contact me to discuss it.
Please note that Ecoventures do not allow persons that are either pregnant or suffer with a bad back onto their boats.
What’s Not Included:
Insurance, Drinks in the Hotel, any other items not mentioned on this page.
Itinerary:
Day 1:
Arrival Day - for those flying or traveling by train you will be picked up at your point of arrival in Aviemore or Inverness and driven to the hotel. If you are traveling under your own steam we will rendezvous at 18:00 at the hotel for a pre-masterclass chat about the days ahead, dinner then an early night as there's an early start tomorrow.
Day 2:
04:30 - Pick up from the hotel to be in the hide for 04:40. First of the first Osprey photography sessions.
09:00 - End of first hide session.
09:30 - Breakfast.
13:00 - Privately chartered Dolphin/whale watching/photography trip.
19:00 Dinner at the hotel.
Day 3:
04:30 - Pick up from the hotel to be in the hide for 04:40. The second diving Osprey photography sessions.
09:00 - End of first hide session.
09:30 - Breakfast
The remainder of the day will be spent photographing Red Squirrels.
16:00 - Back to base
19:00 - Dinner at the hotel.
Day 4:
04:30 - Pick up from the hotel to be in the hide for 04:40. The third and final diving Osprey photography sessions.
09:00 - End of first hide session.
09:30 - Breakfast
End of Masterclass
Cost - £1895
A non -refundable deposit of £495 will be required at the time of booking.
The balance will be due twelve weeks before the trip.
Please note: The schedule can change at short notice due to climatic conditions. If this situation arises an appropriate alternative schedule will be introduced, to maximise both your enjoyment and photographic opportunities. There’s always something worth photographing!
