Looking ahead to 2011

2011 will be another year of mainly UK based photography. I'd like to venture further afield when the time comes (in particular with a safari trip in 2012 and also one or two other smaller excursions), but until finances permit, I'm going to stick with the UK.

Here's what I've lined up for the first few months of the year:

• Ardingly Reservoir (herons)
• Hickling Broad (cranes, owls, raptors)
• Isle of Mull (otters, raptors)
• Jersey (tbd, but there seems to be plenty of choice)
• Oare Marshes (wildfowl)
• RSPB Elmley Marshes (owls, harriers)
• RSPB Havergate Island (hares)
• RSPB Northward Hill (herons)
• Rutland Water (opsrey)
• Wembury (rock pools)

 As in 2010, I'm using these two books as the main resource for identifying new locations:

• http://www.amazon.co.uk/RSPB-Where-Wild-Britain-Protection/dp/1405335122/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293533260&sr=8-1
• http://www.amazon.co.uk/Natures-Calendar-Month---Month-Locations/dp/0007246463/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293533248&sr=8-1

Both of these books are marvelous, and I'd recommend them both to anyone looking for wildlife destinations in the UK.

Intended new species to photograph this year include:

• Otters
• Salmon (leaping)
• Osprey (that is, UK based Osprey)
• Owls other than Barn Owls (but Barn Owls also ;-))
• Marine Arthropods
• Hares
• Cranes

Not sure if I will be able to fit this all in. After all a couple of things on this list were on my list for last year. But I'll give it a go.

In terms of competitions, last year I did OK in the British Wildlife Photography awards, so I'll be entering again this year. I'll also enter Wildlife Photographer of the Year (for what it's worth), and maybe the Outdoor Photographer of the Year competition too.

In terms of kit, 2011 should bring the highly anticipated D4 and D400. I'll certainly be buying the D400, and if any kind of D700 refresh/replacement appears (rumored for early 2011), that will also be worth a close look. I'll also take a look at any 80-400mm AF-S replacement - although this would mainly be from the point of view of taking it on safari in 2012. Other than that, I don't expect to be buying large amounts of gear like in previous years - I'm pretty much all set.

As I write this, it's dull and gray outside, and if it is anything like last year it will stay like that pretty much for the next 3 months. I'll be honest, I'd rather be lining up some trips to sunnier climes. I begin 2011 looking forward more to 2012 instead of the coming year. Not long now.