Gigrin Farm, Red Kites

This place is probably the best place in the UK to see Red Kites.

Over the last couple of years I have visited this place at least twice a year. This year however already I have visited the place at least 4 times already and it is only spring. I find the place very addictive and if you want to really test your photography skills this is the place to do it.

Late last year I invested in a Canon 300 f2.8 Image Stabiliser lens. Thank god I did it before the price went up as it would have cost around £100o pounds more now. The lens is awesome, and until recently I have only really used it to photograph rugby, the results are excellent. I thought that if I really wanted to put this through its paces Gigrin was the place to do it. The things about this place is that last year they made the place more appealing to photographers as they built two new hides. The Gateway Hide and the Tower Hide.

These were specifically aimed at photographers, the thing about them is that you have some much more of a view of the birds and you can use a tripod as well. I have always found that using a tripod slows you down and it makes you think more about what you are photographing.

Having used both hides now I find both of them have there advantages. The gateway hide I find better for taking photographs of the Kites in the Air. Where as the Tower hide is better for getting the birds in the landscape.

I will post my images in the next blog.