Dawn on a seabird headland is the kind of light and sound that rewires the day: cliffs glow, guillemots and kittiwakes fill the air, and the cold is worth every shiver. Over the years I’ve learned that staying mobile yet ready is the trick — a full field suitcase is often overkill, but an empty...
Oct 12, 2026
• by Aurélien Duval
Latest News from Outdoorangus Co
A muddy winter ridge day in the UK is one of my favourite kinds of walk: raw light, wind‑scoured views, and a landscape that rewards a slow pace and a curious eye. But when I’m carrying a mirrorless camera and the Osprey Archeon 35, I want to be sure that my kit keeps me comfortable, my camera stays safe, and I can still stop for the compositions and wildlife moments that make the day...
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I’ve long been fascinated by the secret life of mammals that move after dark. On quiet village edges and in small woodlands you can encounter hedgehogs, bats (from a distance), badgers, foxes, mice and the occasional stoat — but spotting them with your naked eye is hit-and-miss. Over the years I’ve learned that you don’t need expensive camera traps to run a useful nocturnal mammal survey:...
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I spend most shoulder-season walks juggling temperature swings: chilly starts, sweat on climbs, sudden drizzle, then a cold wind on the ridge. If you only want one midlayer to carry in a 20L rucksack and trust to keep you warm and comfortable, it has to be versatile, packable, and reliable when wet. Below I share how I choose that single midlayer for UK spring and autumn hikes—what features...
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I’ve been experimenting with passive camera trapping for years, mostly to catch shy, nocturnal mammals that are hard to photograph by hand. Recently I started repurposing old action cameras — GoPros, SJCam models and similar — to build cheap, lightweight passive setups that work well for foxes, badgers, hedgehogs and small mustelids. In this post I’ll walk you through what I use, how I...
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I’ll be honest: getting a usable kingfisher shot from a public footpath is one of my favourite little challenges. These birds are small, lightning-fast and intensely wary, yet with the right preparation you can capture expressive, handheld images without a hide, without trespass and without disturbing the bird. Below I’ll share the hide alternatives I use when a formal hide isn’t possible,...
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I run short, repeatable surveys of hedgerow bees around my village using nothing more than a smartphone, a pocket notebook and a simple plan. Over several seasons I’ve learnt which photos actually help with identifications, how to design a route that gives reliable, repeatable samples, and where to send records so they count for conservation. Below I share exactly what I do when surveying...
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I’ve spent a lot of nights walking quiet tracks and watching hedgerows from the edge of a torch beam, and one of the most rewarding ways I’ve found to document shy, nocturnal mammals is with a simple, budget action-cam set up as a trail recorder. You don’t need an expensive dedicated camera trap to capture good footage — with a little thought about ethics, placement and settings you can...
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I love shooting cliff-top seascapes and coastal wildlife, but hauling a heavy, purpose-built hide isn’t always practical on a long walking day. Over the years I’ve developed a simple, lightweight way to rig a tarpaulin camera blind using eight cheap hardware items you can tuck into a daypack. It keeps me low-profile, protects kit from spray and wind, and gives me flexibility to compose...
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If you’re like me, a good pair of walking boots is the difference between a day spent enjoying boggy moors and one ruined by sore feet or wet socks. Buying secondhand boots is a great way to save money and reduce waste, but it takes a bit of know-how to avoid a dud. I’ve tested and worn plenty of boots across UK mud, peat and shingle, so here’s the field-tested checklist I use before buying...
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I remember the first time I saw a badger emerge at dusk near a wood I’d been watching for weeks. The light was failing, the air smelled of damp leaves, and I felt equal parts thrilled and nervous — badgers are notoriously wary, and I had no hide. Since then I’ve learned a few practical ways to photograph a badger sett at dusk while keeping disturbance to an absolute minimum. Below I share...
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