Comprehensive Wildlife Photography Guide to the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is filled with opportunities for avid wildlife photographers, offering a varied landscape filled with diverse habitats and a wide range of wildlife species.
From rugged moorlands to dramatic coastlines, and ancient woodlands to magnificent wetlands, photographers can hope to see and capture many exciting species on camera here.
The changing seasons bring a variety of seasonal photography opportunities, with colourful trees in autumn, snowfall in the northern parts of the UK, and beautiful wildflower blooms in the spring and summer.
With a wonderful selection of nature reserves, national parks, and protected areas, this diverse island has something for everyone, with no shortage of exciting wildlife photography destinations.
In this article, we’ll explore what to expect from UK wildlife photography, some of the best places in the UK to plan your next thrilling wildlife encounter, and group all of our UK-based wildlife photography articles together for you to explore!
Finding UK wildlife
Wildlife can be found across the UK, from urban environments to nature reserves, and back gardens to mountain ranges.
Take a look at our guide to finding and photographing British mammals for some helpful tips and information on locating your favourite mammal species here in the UK:
- How to Find and Photograph British Mammals – Nature TTL
- How to Attract Mammals to Your Garden for Photography
- How to Use Camera Traps for UK Wildlife Photography
If you’re a bird photographer at heart, take a look at our garden bird photography tutorials to get excited about the birds in your own backyard:
If it’s reptiles you’re after, check out this helpful guide to finding and photographing these fascniating creatures:
Getting around the UK
The United Kingdom is made up of mainland Great Britain, which includes England, Wales, and Scotland, as well as Northern Ireland and a variety of smaller islands.
There are great public transport links across most of the UK, though many of the nature reserves and wilder locations best suited to wildlife photography are best reached by car.
The hiking required to access wildlife photography locations here is varied, with options to suit different individuals.
Some wetland parks may have simple looping boardwalks for bird photography with easy access, while the Highlands of Scotland can provide more rugged adventures and wild camping experiences for avid wildlife photographers.
Scattered across the UK are wildlife photography hides that can be rented or used in conjunction with guided photography tours for more regulated wildlife sightings.
UK weather
The weather in the United Kingdom has a bit of a reputation, with grey, rainy days commonplace in the day-to-day climate.
Indeed, the whole country experiences above-average rainfall, with some locations in particular receiving much more. Cumbria and the Lake District, for example, can expect rain on an average of 200 days out of the year.
However, there are plenty of ways to use rain – or what we sometimes refer to as ‘bad weather’ – to create outstanding wildlife photographs, so don’t let this put you off; local photographers have become very skilled at using this weather to their advantage.
Check out these helpful tutorials to prepare to make the most of wet weather before you set out on a wildlife photography venture in the UK:
- How to Photograph Wildlife in Extreme Weather – Nature TTL
- How to Get Rain & Snow Streaks – Nature TTL
Seasonal wildlife photography in the UK
Despire lots of rain, the UK does have a seasonal climate, with spring, summer, autumn, and winter offering a variety of wildlife photography opportunities.
In the winter, photographers can expect colder temperatures, frost-laden foliage in the mornings, soft golden light, and snowfall in some of the northern areas of the UK.
Daylight hours can be very short, with just five to six hours of light in some parts of Scotland. With cold weather, birds can often be found on garden feeders, displaying their most colourful plumage, while mammals sport thick winter coats.
- How to Photograph Winter Wildlife – Nature TTL
- Winter Wildlife Photography Ideas – Nature TTL
- Nature Photography Subjects to Shoot in Winter – Nature TTL
- Back Garden Wildlife Photography in the Snow – Nature TTL
Springtime photography in the UK can be overwhelming, with insects, flowers, and migratory birds appearing, and the countryside coming to life again.
Wildflowers such as bluebells and cowslips add great colour and intrigue to your wildlife photography images if you can incorporate them into your compositions.
Summertime photography in the UK is varied, with warm weather in full bloom and the longest hours of daylight. To be out at dawn and dusk when wildlife is most active, prepare for unsociable hours!
- Nature Photography Inspiration for Summer in the UK – Nature TTL
- Inspiration for Summertime Wildlife Photography – Nature TTL
Autumn brings cooler temperatures, warm colours, and changing trees, which offer exciting backdrops to your wildlife compositions. Moody, misty mornings can also provide great atmosphere for your images.
Where to photograph wildlife in the UK
With so much land to cover, here are our top locations for wildlife photography across the UK.
Scotland
The Scottish Highlands are a stronghold for wildlife species such as red squirrels, mountain hares, ptarmigan, pine martens, golden eagles, white-tailed sea eagles, and the infamous crested tit.
Top Tip: Crested tits are often seen in the trees surrounding the car park at RSPB Loch Garten, as well as along the path to the visitor center and on the feeders there.
Here are some tutorials based on Scottish wildlife to help you prepare for your next trip to this majestic part of the UK:
- How to Photograph Wildlife in the Scottish Highlands – Nature TTL
- How to Photograph Native Scottish Wildlife – Nature TTL
- Wildlife Photography Guide to Summer in the Scottish Highlands – Nature TTL
During the summer months, many of the islands and shorelines of Scotland are home to breeding seabirds such as puffins, guillemots, razorbills, and gannets, while rivers and lochs are ideal locations for fishing ospreys.
Bottlenose dolphins are also a common sight along the Moray Firth. Chanonry Point on the Black Isle is one of the best places to photograph truly wild dolphins.
The best time to visit is between May and September, which aligns with the annual run of Atlantic salmon, and this is when most of the close-to-shore action takes place.
Cairngorms National Park
Cairngorms National Park is the UK’s largest national park, and it offers fantastic photo opportunities for bird species such as crested tits, capercaillies, and ospreys, as well as mammals such as mountain hares, red squirrels, and red deer.
Alvie Estate is an excellent spot to photograph red deer over the winter months.
Aviemore is an ideal central base for visiting photographers, with the ancient Caledonian forests and nearby lochs like Loch an Eilein and Loch Morlich just a short distance away.
The golden eagle is a highly sought-after photography subject, and Scotland is a great place to photograph this top predator of the Scottish countryside.
While they can be found in Cairngorms National Park, they’re most prevalent on the west coast and islands. Check out the boat trips available on Mull, Skye, and the west coast.
Scottish islands
Scotland’s islands also offer incredible wildlife photography opportunities.
- Isle of Mull Wildlife Photography Guide – Nature TTL
- Wildlife Photography Guide to the Shetland Islands – Nature TTL
Ireland
Ireland has a diverse array of ecosystems, filled with wildlife photography opportunities. Birdwatchers may hope to find native red grouse and peregrine falcons in the mountains, as well as wintering waterfowl on the lakes.
Rivers like Deenagh, Flesk, or Laune attract many dippers, kingfishers, and grey wagtails.
Great Saltee is the most famous bird sanctuary in Ireland, while Bull Island, a low-lying island in northern Dublin Bay, is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve due to its rare and threatened habitats and species, along with its use by important numbers of overwintering birds.
The red deer rut at Killarney National Park
Many photographers visit Killarney National Park in autumn for epic red deer photography, backed by autumn colours. October is the best time to visit, with great spots including Knockreer Estate, Muckross House, and Torc Mountain.
Wicklow Mountains National Park, south of Dublin, offers fantastic wildlife opportunities, including red-sika hybrids, merlins, goosanders, and peregrine falcons.
Wales
Wales is known for its epic birdlife interactions, from the red kite feeding frenzy to the charismatic puffins of Skomer Island and the largest colony of Manx shearwaters in the world.
If you’re after red kites, Gigrin Farm in mid-Wales offers daily feedings, providing a rare opportunity to see and photograph hundreds of kites in the sky.
Skomer Island is a wildlife haven, known for its seabirds and absence of ground predators, making it a key site for charismatic burrowing seabirds.
England
England is home to a plethora of counties, each with its own unique habitats and an array of wildlife species. We have compiled our county-based guides here:
Devon
Featuring the rugged upland moors of Dartmoor and Exmoor, along with an expanse of beautiful coastlines, Devon offers dramatic scenery and a wealth of wildlife, including hares, beavers, and dippers.
With a selection of reserves and a variety of habitats such as riverbeds, wetlands, and countryside, a range of fascinating animals can be found here. Lundy Island is also a highlight, situated just off the coast.
- Devon Wildlife Photography: 8 Top Locations – Nature TTL
- Planning a Photography Trip to Lundy Island – Nature TTL
Suffolk
Suffolk boasts 50 miles of coastline on the East Coast, alongside a vast array of habitats, including woodlands, rivers, wildflower grasslands, arable farmland, and reedbeds. Adders, kingfishers, and butterflies are among some of the most desirable photographic subjects here.
New Forest
The New Forest National Park stretches through Hampshire and Wiltshire and is a fantastic wildlife photography destination.
The photogenic New Forest ponies are often the stars of the show, and atmospheric woodland shots of deer and other mammals are sure to inspire.
Surrey
This area is favoured as the most wooded county in all of England, despite being only a short distance from London.
With three national nature reserves and many sites managed by the Surrey Wildlife Trust, this wildlife haven has no shortage of opportunity. Highlights include Richmond and Bushy Park for deer, a variety of owl species, and a population of urban foxes.
Yorkshire
Known as the largest county in England, Yorkshire has much to offer the wildlife photographer, from marshes and dramatic sea cliffs to rolling dales and rugged moors, with a wide variety of fauna calling this land home.
Yorkshire is known for its exciting birdlife, and photographing the heather blooms in late July with the charismatic red grouse is a particular draw.
White Cliffs of Dover
The White Cliffs of Dover hold notable cultural and historical significance and are home to chalk (calcareous) grassland, an internationally rare habitat that is home to the chalkhill blue butterfly.
Peregrine falcons are a particular favourite in these parts, as are skylarks and kestrels.
Peak District
As the very first National Park created in the UK, the Peak District National Park is a real treasure, with a varied habitat of wild heather moorlands, gritstone crags, limestone dales, and woodlands.
The White Peak Rivers offer excellent dipper photo opportunities, while red grouse and hares roam the wild moors.
Cornwall
As the most southerly county in England, Cornwall has a unique coastal climate and an array of wildlife species to match.
The nationally scarce silver-studded blue butterfly can be found here, and coastal species such as dolphins and seals make for wonderful wildlife photography experiences by boat.
The characterful chough remains a highlight for bird photographers, and the stretches of rock pools along the coast offer a variety of exciting species for the adventurous – be sure to wear waterproofs!
Underwater wildlife photography in the UK
For underwater wildlife photographers, the UK also has great opportunities:
• Best Underwater Photography Locations in the UK
• Wildlife Wonders Found Under Scotland’s Lochs
• How to Photograph Freshwater Fish in the UK
• Underwater Species to Photograph in the UK
Species guides to wildlife in the UK
Finally, we have also compiled a list of our UK-based species guides, if you are looking for photography tips for a specific animal found in the United Kingdom!
- How to Photograph Beavers in the UK
- Photographing Bats in Flight (in the UK)
- How to Photograph Wild Boar in the Forest of Dean
- How to Photograph the Black Grouse Lek
- How to Photograph Dippers
- How to Photograph Long-Tailed Tits
- How to Photograph Hedgehogs
- How to Photograph Manx Shearwaters
- How to Photograph Barn Owls
- How to Photograph Mountain Hares
- How to Photograph Rabbits
- How to Find and Photograph Badgers
- How to Photograph Pine Martens
- Urban Wildlife: How to Find and Photograph City Foxes
- How to Photograph Brown Hares
In conclusion
There is no shortage of wildlife photography opportunities across this diverse and varied country. It’s worth exploring any area deemed a nature reserve in the UK, and these may fall under national nature reserves, such as national parks, or local nature reserves.
The Wildlife Trusts also manage many sites with notable habitats across the UK, allowing wildlife to thrive. But don’t forget to check out urban areas for interesting urban wildlife, or the wildlife that finds its way into your own garden!
