Allotment Life and Wildlife Photography: Lee Aaron’s Story
This weekend I had the fantastic opportunity to visit Lee Aaron’s allotment and wildlife photography setup. Lee is an amazing wildlife photographer and I admire his work greatly. I feel extremely privileged to have seen and experienced his little corner of the world.
Decades of work have gone into his allotment and he’s created a space that is a fantastic haven for wildlife. I’ve not only come away with some great images, I’ve come away with a wealth of knowledge and ideas to work on at my own spot.
Lee took the time to show me around and everything on the allotment had a history and purpose. The Goldfinches and other birds love to take shelter in the trees and bushes that Lee planted many years ago. His shed/hide is positioned perfectly and tells a story just by itself. A comfy chair, the odd bird book, and a selection of wildlife finds, all add to the charm of a place you can happily spend 6 hours in (and I did).
At the end of this article I’ll show you some photographs of Lee’s setup, but for now, here are some wildlife shots that I took that day.
This little Robin was overseeing the whole photoshoot throughout the day.I was hoping for a Nuthatch to come and they didn’t leave me disappointed.For a brief moment, a Jay came in and was looking for places to bury acorns.To photograph a Greenfinch was a first for me and it certainly kept me waiting all day. So happy it finally came in though. The Goldfinches certainly stole the show today.It’s not often I get to spend much time with Goldfinches at my local spots. These ones are very comfortable with Lee’s wonderful allotment.Lee’s awesome reflection pool gave me the opportunity to watch many of the birds near the water.Even the local Dunnock felt safe enough to come in and feed.Nearly every garden bird you can think of came for a visitEven my favourite bird, the Coal Tit, regularly popped by for some seed.Right at the last moment after packing up, a Woodpecker landed. It really put the cherry on top of an amazing day.
And now to Lee’s setup
Lee’s hide is nicely tooked away amongst bushes and trailing IvyLee very kindly got me set up and within a matter of moments, I was snapping away.The view from the hide, and what a view it is. The birds enjoy it immensely as did I.A comfy and cosy Shed/Hide, where you can watch a whole host of wildlife. Lee’s Peregrine photos are a very nice touch. I even had a Wren come to the opening to say hello. I couldn’t believe my eyes, being just 2ft away from a Wren.All handmade, the reflection pool is a fantastic and different way to watch and photograph birds.
The takeaway
I need to get a shed! But in all seriousness, spending the amount of time Lee has to create a haven for wildlife and himself is highly recommended. It takes time and a fair bit of graft but the rewards are plenty.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Lee for his time, and expertise and for letting me have one of the best days of my wildlife adventure.
