A Trial Visit – BWC, Surrey

I decided that I should check out the British Wildlife Centre in Surrey.  In mind was the objective of expanding my portfolio.  When the opportunity arose to meet up with a friend in that part of the country, I seized the moment.

The Centre does a lot of educational work and is not open to the public every day.  Photographic Days are organised for keen amateurs.  My visit was on a public open day.

This blog contains a sample of some of the photographs I took on my visit.

European Polecat:

One suggestion is that the name came from the French poule and chat because of their liking for chickens (to eat).  That's certainly what they feed them here.

Where?

Ah!

Do you mind?

Finger-lickin' tasty

I know you can add sound-files to these blogs (well, many can;  I don't know how), but you can't add odours.  Perhaps as well!

European Otter:

These are land otters, not sea otters.  They are the ones we see in our rivers in the UK.

A quiet spot for a snack

Red Deer:

Losing velvet

The stags that were shedding velvet were surrounded with flies.  I've cloned them all out.

Dragonfly:

Common Darter (I think)

European Badger:

Time to come out?

Peanuts!

Grass Snake:

Zzzzzzzzzzzz

Finally, I photographed a non-native species whose original introduction into Great Britain for fur-farming has resulted in escapees creating mayhem amongst our native species.

American Mink

Cute, maybe, but a vicious, eco-vandal.

I was sufficiently impressed on my visit to arrange attendance at a special Photographic Day.  These are arranged on 'closed' days and give access to many of the enclosures with a keeper.  Numbers are limited and you are all keen amateur photographers.  Some animals cannot be photographed satisfactorily from outside the enclosures because of wire-netting, for example.  Such access also improves the possibilities for more creative points-of-view.

The Centre's website is at http://www.britishwildlifecentre.co.uk.

Watch this space!