Lectures
As a professional Wildlife Photographer, Ashley has an extensive portfolio of stunning wildlife photographs, gathered from around the UK and abroad.
These images have been used to construct various informative, colourful, and often amusing talks, which are available for evening and daytime lectures for your group or club, wherever you are in the UK.
With over 15 years of experience as a speaker, Ashley comes recommended by the RSPB, BTO and Royal Horticultural Society and has visited and revisited over 55 RSPB groups alone.
Each talk is delivered to suit the interest of the audience, so more technical detail for Camera clubs and more general and informative for mixed interest groups like U3A.
If you would like Ashley to visit your group, the fee is just £90 plus 35p per mile travel from the B47 postcode. The travel fee may be negotiable if you are able to recommend Ashley to speak to another local group on an adjacent day/evening.
Go to the Events page to see current bookings, we’d love to see you there...
Lecture: Around the world in 3650 days
To mark the 10th anniversary of launching Experience Nature, Ashley has put together this talk celebrating some of the stunning wildlife that he has shared with his groups over this time.
You'll be visiting the diverse Islands of Galapagos, Canada, Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and several European countries, including all corners of the British Isles.
Not only does this talk contain many top quality images of this planets diverse wildlife, but as ever will be delivered in Ashleys light hearted but informative way. Hear stories about close encounters with Grizzly Bears in Canada, searching for Ant Pittas in Ecuador and looking Palm Civets in the eye in Sri Lanka.
Certainly a diverse and entertaining talk to suit any audience.
Examples of images from this lecture:
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Lecture: Vibrant Sri Lanka. Blue Magpies, Blue Whales & Blue skies
Vibrant, diverse, beautiful... whichever way you choose to describe this amazing little country, it's very hard to do it justice with just pictures. However, this talk will give you an insight into the prolific wildlife of Sri Lanka.
With such varied habitats and landscape, from lush forest, to arid salt lakes, it's no wonder this country holds such wonders. Blue Whales, Leopards, Elephants, hundreds of bird and butterfly species, many of which occur only here.
We will take a journey with Ashley to many of the top locations and discover the wildlife to be found at each, so bring your sunglasses, it's going to be a colourful one.
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Lecture: Crane spotting...
The Lake Hornborga area of Sweden plays host to one of the most incredible bird spectacles to be seen in Europe, with over 25,000 Common Cranes stoping here to feed on their journey to more northerly breeding grounds.
This talk centres around these birds, but includes other wildlife that make this area so special to visit in the early Spring. All five European Grebe species can be seen at this time and top birds like White-tailed Eagle, Hawfinch and Capercaillie are other highlights.
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Lecture: Wonderfull Winter Wildlife
Whatever the British winter throws at us, we always have some incredible wildlife around us to help us through to the warmer months.
The British Isles plays host to many birds during this season, with huge numbers of wildfowl arriving and wading birds putting on spectacular shows with flocks of thousands filling the skies around the coast.
The winter Thrushes, Waxwings and other visitors add colour to chilly days and we can attract these and other visitors to the garden as the temperatures drop outside.
This talk will hopefully give a solution the the winter blues and encourage you out and about to explore what special wildlife we have close by.
Examples of images from this lecture:
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Lecture: Trinidad & Tobago, Home of the Hummingbird
Hummingbirds have always fascinated me and my dream to one day photograph them finally came true in November 2013.
This lecture gives you not only some lovely images of these little jewels, but some fascinating facts about some of the smallest birds in the world.
For camera clubs, I'll go into more detail on how to get photographs of such a tricky subject.
Besides the Hummingbirds, Trinidad & Tobago has some wonderfully colourful bird life and also plays host to some of the birds we watch in disbelief on the TV documentaries, like the Bell Bird, Oilbirds and Manikins.
This lecture has plenty of great images from Honeycreepers at the famous Asa Wright Centre in Trinidad, to the majestic Tropic Birds of Little Tobago island. If you have been thinking of visiting, this talk may just make up your mind to book your trip.
The lecture also includes film with sound of some species, so a very entertaining show.
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Lecture: Jewels of the Gambia, Kingfishers, Bee-eaters & Rollers
The Gambia is one of the best known and most loved of worldwide Birdwatching destinations. With close to 600 species of birds, most of which are colourful and approachable. I've led Photography tours here since 2011 and consequently have a great collection of images that grows with each new visit. The lecture, like the tour starts at the coast, leading you up the river and back again, discovering in the wonders of The Gambia all the way. With the tour concentrating on the Kingfishers, Bee-eaters & Rollers, these are well covered, but the magnificent supporting cast of multicoloured extras, make this a worthwhile evenings entertainment.
Testimonial:
"Thankyou for your talk on Friday. It was very informative and entertaining. Your photography, and timing were excellent.
I am sure we will be requesting further talks in the future.
Thanks on behalf of the group."
Chris Lovering, Coventry RSPB local group.
Examples of images from this lecture:
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Lecture: Shetland to Scilly, Birds of the British Isles
This is my most popular lecture and as the title suggests takes the audience on a journey all the way from Shetland, right down to The Isles of Scilly. Basically a good excuse to show you some of Britain's wonderful bird life.
Over 130 species make an appearance during the lecture, which is rounded off by a montage of more images to music.
Testimonial:
"Dear Ashley, What an inspiring talk and set of photos you presented last night. It was lovely to see the detail on birds that sometimes you only seem to get a glimpse of. Even viewing in a telescope you don’t seem to get that much detail. This I found very evident in your wader shots. Usually they seem to be at the far side of a scrape and certainly one does not see the individual feathered details even in a scope. Also Wood Warbler for instance, is a bird we look for in the Forest of Dean, but so often just hear it, so the patience in getting such wonderful photos is phenomenal.
Very many thanks for coming to give us your talk.
Best wishes, Frances"
Francis Buckel, Banbury Ornithological Society.
Testimonial:
"Dear Ashley, I just had to write and say thank you so much for coming to Chepstow to give us such a super talk last night. I'm afraid I usually say that to our speakers but on this occasion I REALLY mean it.
You have made me realise "again" just how little I know about birds and how much I wish I knew. But I think I will remember some of your remarks eg the difference between the sexes of a goldfinch and the petal pupils of pochard and Slavonian grebe. I also loved the little heart shaped end to a Sanderling's beak.
As well as beautiful you also made your talk so interesting and humerous. You are very gifted and I hope we will meet again one day. You certainly promoted Gwent Wildlife Trust so well, and I think we should endeavour to find speakers as good as you to encourage our membership to grow.
Best wishes for the future Linda"
Linda Bellamy, Gwent Wildlife Trust.
Examples of images from this lecture:
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Lecture: Lammergeiers of the Spanish Pyrenees
Lammergeier's, otherwise known as the Bearded Vulture, have to be on most bird watchers list of must see in your lifetime birds and this lecture doesn't disappoint in showing just why that is.
This species fills a unique niche in the food chain, and is without doubt a truly fascinating bird, with it's 9ft wing span, stunning plumage and almost dragon like features, it's no wonder they are such an attraction to us all.
The talk explains about their life history, where they can be found and shows the other species that share it's world, including Golden Eagle, Griffon and Monk Vulture along with various smaller birds.
The lecture also has some movie footage of Lammergeier and Golden Eagle and includes some highlights of a second Spanish site ideal for watching Golden Eagle and Vultures.
Testimonial:
"Just a quick message to say a big thank you for your presence and presentation last night. It was excellent and all the members I spoke to said it was very enjoyable.
We are honored to have been the first people to see your new selection of photos about the lammergeiers. The photos were fabulous.
I could not have wished for a better evening, full house, great atmosphere and happy members."
Gordon Lee, Shirley Photographic Society.
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Lecture: A Beginners Guide to Birdwatching
One for those who want to brush up on their common bird song and identification skills, or just want to learn more about their garden and local birds. The talk starts with some tips on the right equipment needed to get started and how to encourage birds and other wildlife into your garden, what food attracts which birds etc.
Some of our commoner birds can look very similar when you are just getting started, so the differences are explained and you even get to listen to their different songs to help the identification process.
By the end of the lecture you'll know your Song Thrushes from your Mistle Thrushes, your Chiffchaffs from your Willow Warblers and be better equipped to identify your garden visitors.
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Lecture: Great British Birds
Arctic terns circumnavigate the globe to breed on our glorious land and did you know 68% of the worlds Gannet population choose to breed on our shores.
Stories about these, the winners and losers of climate change, record breakers and just those special birds we all love, are included in a talk packed with great images of many of our personal favourites.
This lecture contains less species than the Shetland to Scilly talk, concentrating on those birds that make Britain a Great place for bird watching, a place we should be proud of. God save the King...
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