In the wild heart of The Trossachs, observing Ospreys gliding above and Beavers shaping their habitats invites us to witness the intricate dance of life, where each moment captured tells a story of resilience and harmony in nature.
Wildlife Days in The Trossachs
Learning how to use your camera and explore different aspects of Wildlife Photography.
Ospreys and Beavers
Fancy pending some time Photographing Osprey and Beavers?
What an event for your journey into Wildlife Photography.
This has lots going for it:
Central Scotland
Great Environment
Superb Wildlife
It’s got Options!
How does it work…
As with the Squirrels and Kites again there are no dates booked or reserved.
So, please contact me if you are interested, if you would like to be part of a group, up to 3 (Plus me) can be accommodated, but I’m happy doing this on a one-2-one basis if you prefer.
And it has options:
Again it can be an individual outing, say just Ospreys or Beavers, they are at different facilities. The Beavers are at Aberfoyle, so that adds on nicely to the Squirrel, Kites and Osprey outing.
For the Ospreys we will be in the Trossachs at the Trossachs Osprey Hide, they have the day split into 4 sessions from dawn to dusk.
The Beavers are swimming free on the river, you only get to see them in the evening. This can work as a stand alone or after time at either the Kites or with the Osprey.
The Beavers as with other wildlife are free to come and go as they please, I will need to make sure they are staying here next year before I take any reservations for them.
Now it gets complicated!… the Ospreys can fit into any of the sessions with the Squirrels, Kites & Beaver so now we have a real pick & mix going on… this is one of the reasons nothing is booked!
Beavers are a Spring/Summer activity, it’s to dark in Autumn and Winter to see them.
The Ospreys couldn’t be any more different to the Beavers. Unpredictable and random kind of describes them, last year there was several different birds feeding, Blue tags 326 is my fav… I have my reasons, which I will share when we are out.
Beavers are amazing creatures and this makes for a great evening, just make sure you have midge spray or a covering!.. it’s that time of year. Come armed with questions and be prepared to be hooked buy these guys… I know I am.
YOU WILL EXPERIENCE…
Animal/Bird Behaviour
Exposure & Exposure Compensation
Why we shoot in Raw
White Balance
Composition
Osprey sessions are determined by the hire period and time of day at booking.
Beaver sessions will be from 5.30pm to 8pm
With Ospreys the best times to visit depend on the season, weather, and breeding cycles, typically ranging from dawn to dusk. I’ve never visited without spotting at least one Osprey!
Keep in mind that these magnificent birds are not habituated to the area beyond knowing that it holds plenty of fish for them, so their behavior can be unpredictable. There may be busy moments, but there are also times when they might not be visible or may only call once.
While I can’t guarantee specific Osprey sightings, the hide offers a wonderful array of other wildlife to explore and enjoy. On one occasion, the only glimpse I had of an Osprey was as I was getting my camera out of the bag—but I thoroughly enjoyed the herons and other wildlife during my visit!
We will be at Aberfoyle for the Beavers and The Trossachs Osprey Hide for the Ospreys
How do we meet:
I will meet you in Aberfoyle, or at The Osprey Hide they both have plenty of parking. Should you need somewhere to stay I’d be happy to advise you.
Costs
Beavers
Individually - £50
Group of 2 - £40pp
Group of 3 - £30pp
Ospreys
Individually - £110*
Group of 2 - £85pp*
Group of 3 - £70pp*
* prices From
Beavers & Ospreys
Group of 3 - £90pp*
Group of 2 - £115pp*
Individually - £150*
* prices From
Costs include the price of the hide
* prices From - The Osprey Hide varies
so price will be set at the time of booking
Obviously, if you book as an individual the saving made if more people come will be returned to you.
Just to confirm… NO dates are reserved at this point.
Contact myself in the first instance, and if possible have alternative dates to choose from.
Equipment to Bring
For both Beavers and Ospreys
If you have something longer bring that too.
A 400mm lens (100-400 would be great)
Warm Clothing & Suitable Footwear
Tripod or Monopod (but not essential if you can hand hold the equipment)
Food & Drink
Disclosure: Some of the beaver pics are not from Aberfoyle, they are included for examples of animal behaviour. ©PhilCrowderA little more detail…
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Maximum of 3 participants BUT 1 person is great too.
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I will meet you at Aberfoyle for the Beavers or in Callander for the Ospreys.
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Because of our proximity to the major cities in Scotland participants may prefer to travel daily. I can advise on places to stay locally if required. Food Drinks and other expenses are also not included.
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Participants are encouraged to have their own insurance both for equipment and against cancellation. Please organise this once you have a confirmed reservation.
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The Osprey day is broken down into 4 sessions from Dawn till Dusk. Our duration will be for one of those sessions. Times vary, so I will confirm on booking, exactly from and to times.
Beavers are fundamentally nocturnal. Experience suggests they appear from 6pm ish until way after dark. So as mentioned above our session will be from 5.30pm to 8pm.
ps… Don’t forget the midgy spray!
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Phil Crowder will tutor this workshop.
Phil is a distinguished professional and published figure in photography, bringing to the workshop a wealth of experience and expertise cultivated through years of dedicated practice.
As an instructor, Phil is renowned for translating technical mastery into accessible learning experiences.
His approach combines technical precision with artistic insight, helping students understand camera settings and composition techniques and develop a deeper, more intuitive relationship with photography.
For workshop participants, learning from Phil isn't just about improving technical skills but about developing a photographic vision—learning to see nature as scenes and narratives waiting to be interpreted through the lens.
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We will be located at Argaty Red Kites for the Beavers or in Callander at The Trossachs Osprey Hide for these workshops
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Argaty Red Kites or The Trossachs Osprey Hide
Last Word…
I’ve already said what I think about Argaty, it’s great.
The people who run the Osprey hide are also amazing, ironically I’ve worked with them before in a previous life!
Both hides are fantastic, the Beaver Hide (it’s actually a shelter) it works great with good viewing access. On my last visit one of the kits came so close you could touch it (image is above) so yes there are opportunities for close up and intimate images. The time will literally fly bye.
The Osprey hide or rather the views from it, is having work done on it over the winter, so expectations are even higher for next year. The hide can take up to 4 people so it may be that we have company, the hide is a good size, so 4 is not a problem. There is also plenty to photograph other than Ospreys with Herons (plentiful and entertaining) Kingfishers, Woodpeckers, I’ve had a Swan and others have seen Otter and even Beaver!… we just need to get lucky!.
You will be amazed at the speed of the Osprey once it dives… you need to be ready.
The Osprey hide is about 25 mtrs from the parking area.
Transport is usually provided by Argaty to take us to the Beavers.
Last Summer I had access to Beavers in my village, some of the images are included above. I learned so much about them, mostly by making observations and asking my new girlfriend Claude.AI while I was stood on the river bank. I will share what I know happily.
ps.. at the start of this page I said “It has options”
What I meant, is that you can do Squirrels, Kites, Beavers and Osprey individually or as a Combo or Trio day out. It’s a proper “Pick & Mix” day if you want it to be. I don’t think all 4 is possible or practical in one day.
Want to know more, drop me an email (there’s a link below in the footer) remember an option on dates if it’s possible.
pps.. bring a big memory card and spare batteries, you will need them.
ppps.. you might notice that I have not shown an Osprey diving… it seems that is my Holy Grail… I have some, but none are good enough to show, they are either blurred or have some other distraction spoiling them like a branch or diving away from me etc etc… I can’t wait for next year, I’ll be back, I just hope you choose to join me.