Donna Nook meet?

[Ukwildlifeo]

Are people still up for this meet?

[Richard G.]

I have a tentative plan for a visit this Sunday, if anyone's around?

[Richard G.]

By the way, if anyone wants to keep an eye on activity at Donna Nook, LWT have a nice page with regular seal pup updates.
Donna Nook Seal Pupping Updates.
Looks like there's already sufficient activity for a visit.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by Richard G.

By the way, if anyone wants to keep an eye on activity at Donna Nook, LWT have a nice page with regular seal pup updates.
Donna Nook Seal Pupping Updates.
Looks like there's already sufficient activity for a visit.

funnily enough that link is what made me post earlier

Probably should have posted the link myself really

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by Richard G.

I have a tentative plan for a visit this Sunday, if anyone's around?

I'm off to Pullborough Brooks tomorrow.

I'd love to visit Donna Nook at a weekend but it's a 3-4 hour drive for me so from what I hear I'd have to leave ridiculously early to stand any chance of getting parked.

Dave P.

[Richard G.]

Originally Posted by pressld2

I'd love to visit Donna Nook at a weekend but it's a 3-4 hour drive for me so from what I hear I'd have to leave ridiculously early to stand any chance of getting parked.

Know what you mean Dave, set off at 4.30am yesterday and pulled into the car park at 7am, already around 12-15 cars there. To be fair though, there are people coming and going all day, so parking can be had and there is an overflow car park set up by a local at £1, where there are many more spaces, so it really isn't as much of a problem as I'd expected.

Anyway, fantastic day, sunrise was a disappointment, some nice light later in the day though and it stayed fine with lighter than expected winds, all in all a fantastic day and 900 photos now to edit

Handful of early edits.




Was lucky enough to get a close visit from a Sanderling, whilst I was out by the sea too.

[pressld2]

Great stuff Richard - looking forward to more when you've had a chance to edit them. You had a much better day than me. Pulborough brooks is a lovely reserve but nothing came close enough for the camera.

I might be tempted to give the weekend a go for Donna Nook and use the overflow car park. It won't be next weekend though as that's already booked up, but maybe the one after. I don't mind setting off at 06:30 but 04:30 is a bit too much for me!

Dave P.

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by Richard G.

Anyway, fantastic day, sunrise was a disappointment, some nice light later in the day though and it stayed fine with lighter than expected winds, all in all a fantastic day and 900 photos now to edit

Great shots Richard. Hoping to get there one week day next week.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Great photos Richard. I take it you on to the area closed on weekdays? What focal length(s) were you using?

[Richard G.]

Thanks all, still working my way through the edits

It's the first time I've been to Donna Nook and most other opportunities I've had to shoot seals have been from boats, in places like the Farnes, or in Scotland, where they quickly slip into the water if you approach too closely (or clumsily most likely ). So it's amazing to be able to get so close and have all the time in the world to watch and try to capture their behaviour, I've got so many shots of comical waves and flipper wafting

Anyway, shots by the fence were all taken with a Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 + 1.4 TC. There weren't many times I needed more reach and I can comfortably crop a little using this superb lens. Out on the beach I was using the Sigma 150-500mm, mostly at 500mm and at a distance, so as not to upset the animals and ensure they look relaxed in the photo's. This lens doesn't take cropping so well either, IMHO, and my inclination towards handholding probably contributes to this.

I think the better opportunities are out on the beach. You are much closer by the fence, but it's a slightly elevated position, which makes it hard to get down to the seals eye level, or the fence gets in the way or casts it's lovely stripey shadow across the closest animals. It's a bit of a muddy trudge out to the beach and you probably need to get the tides right, but well worth it, if you're paying a visit and the red flags are not flying. If I go again this year, that's where I'll be heading for sure.

Some rough tide table guides for your info and enough rambling from me...