I run village wildflower transects with nothing more than a smartphone, a pair of sensible shoes and a curiosity for plants. Over the years I’ve turned these short, repeatable routes into a practical way to monitor local biodiversity, contribute useful records to my local Wildlife Trust, and...
Oct 14, 2026
• by Aurélien Duval
Latest News from Outdoorangus Co
Dawn has a particular hush that seems made for roe deer. I’ve spent countless mornings standing on wet footpaths as the sky goes from navy to soft pink, watching these elegant, skittish animals slip out of cover to feed. Photographing them from public footpaths brings its own set of challenges: you can’t set up a hide on private land, you must keep to the right of way, and you have to balance...
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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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