The Importance of Location – David Plummer’s Kingfisher Hide
by Peter Hanscomb
David Plummer, a seasoned wildlife photographer and conservationist from south east England, provides various photography experiences both domestically and internationally, including exclusive access to multiple hides. His offerings include chances to capture stunning images of Tawny Owls, Woodpeckers, Buzzards, Badgers, and much more. (For full details, click here.) David also provides options for renting hides by the day or personalized coaching. Graham and I opted to rent David’s Kingfisher hide, nestled deep in the countryside just south of Horsham, West Sussex.
© Graham Stewart
Since the hide is over two hours away from our base in Wiltshire, we chose to stay at a local B & B the night before (details coming later). After enjoying a hearty breakfast, we traveled the short distance to meet David. Following a quick introduction and gear check, David took us to the hide, situated about a quarter of a mile away. A helpful tip: be mindful of the equipment you bring, or perhaps more importantly, what you don’t need. The hide we chose is unsupervised, allowing us to keep our own schedule, but remember there’s a quarter-mile walk back to the car! After settling in at the hide and receiving some tips about the Kingfisher, David left us to enjoy our day.
The Hide
The hide is positioned by a tranquil lake, enveloped by woodlands, making it a wonderfully serene setting. Surprisingly spacious for a pop-up tent style hide, there was ample room for both Graham and myself along with all our gear. Another tip: the restroom facilities are back at the car park! The hide comes equipped with two fold-out chairs, allowing you to get up close to the action just 2-3 meters away. As with any remote activity, wearing sturdy boots is advisable since the walk to and from the hide is along a woodland path.
Once we settled down, we faced a long wait for the Kingfisher to appear; patience is key, but it certainly pays off in the end. A few Kingfishers made an appearance, catching and eating fish, while we captured all our desired shots. The Kingfisher is a truly exquisite bird, and this hide setup is an excellent way to observe, learn about, and photograph it. A sturdy tripod is essential, alongside a 300-500mm lens; both of us used Sigma’s 150-500 variant during the session. We decided to wrap up around 4 pm after spending six hours in the hide. We packed our gear, zipped up the hide, and walked back to the car.
Conclusion
This hide is perfectly situated, and David is an exceptional host. It offers an intimate experience with the Kingfishers, giving you the chance to capture stunning images. The cost to hire the hide was £250 for the day—definitely worth it. We both had a fantastic time photographing such a captivating subject.
Accommodation
We chose to stay the previous night at the nearby Crown Inn in Dial Post, a charming pub run by Penny and James Middleton Burn. While our room was a bit basic, it had an en-suite bathroom along with tea, coffee, and bottled water. Priced at £45 for a twin room, it was an excellent deal, and the room was very clean. Although basic, the pub had a lovely ambiance, with friendly staff, a wide selection of beers, and an excellent dinner. The highlight was undoubtedly the exceptional breakfast, and they even packed us a lunch for the next day. I wholeheartedly recommend this delightful village pub/B & B.
Links
David Plummer www.davidplummerimages.co.uk
The Crown Inn www.crown-inn-dialpost.co.uk
