Summer Bird and Macro Photography Week

From April, migratory birds should start re-appearing on our shores, heralding the start of a new breeding year. This makes summer in the highlands the perfect time to visit our wonderful northern location and make the most of our natural summer visitors.

Not only will the birds be returning but with the weather warming up and long summer days, insects and small mammals should be making themselves seen in the beautiful ‘flow country’ in the remote wilds of central northern Scotland.

Our summer trips aim to make the most of this explosion of returning wildlife with a boat trip out to remote parts of the northern coast for seabirds, the use of bird hide on spectacular Arctic Tern breeding pools and long sedate walks along the flow country board walks to find small insects, amphibians and elusive reptiles too.

The very small group size of only 3 guests will enable the guides and tutors to really assist everyone individually, not only with technical, camera support but also with location advice and creative ideas. This photography tour will have a focus on wildlife, and we’ll be helping out with the best camera setting and techniques to make the most of the opportunities we encounter. However, it would be impossible to make a visit to this wild county without taking inspiration from the breath-taking landscapes and coast lines.

Key subjects for the week should include:

Landscapes: There are a huge range of landscapes accessible in the area with natural features like dramatic beaches, waterfalls and hills, as possible targets. The region is also rich in characterful man-made structures, including Iron Age Brochs and more recent croft houses and cottages with weathered exteriors, rich in colour and texture.

Wildlife: Many seabird species should have returned to the northern coast, such as the iconic Puffins and these can be seen along with Gannets, Terns, Cormorants, Eider Ducks, Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Shearwaters, Razorbill, Guillemot and Kittiwake. On our boat tour we may of course see Dolphins and Whales. Macro subjects might include Common Lizard, Common Toad, various dragonfly species and other invertebrates.

Above all else, we want our welcoming, small group trips to be relaxing and creatively stimulating, providing the perfect combination of rest and enjoyment of the wonderful pastime of photography!

Our base for this trip is the beautifully situated location of Forsinard Lodge in northern Scotland. The building was originally built in 1870 by the Duke of Sutherland as a hunting & fishing lodge at the head of Strath Halladale. The river here was highly regarding for Salmon fishing and the surrounding area boasted Red Deer Stags of unusual size. The lodge has spent most of its life as part of a much wider estate, but now provides Wild Arena a perfect base for photography in this beautiful and relatively undiscovered part of the highlands.

We also boast some amazing neighbours including our good friends at the RSPB reserve at Forsinard, who manage a vast area of diverse upland surrounding the lodge.

Our guests are accommodated in recently refurbished bedrooms within the Forsinard Lodge building. Each room has its own new, en-suite bathroom and are comfortably furnished for our visitors stay. Guests will also have use of a conservatory lounge where meals can be served, and the group can come together in the evenings.