Kestrel Photography at Charlie’s Hide – Yorkshire Wildlife Hides

On 12th May 2025, I made a return trip to Charlie’s Hide, part of the excellent Yorkshire Wildlife Hides setup. I’d previously visited in November 2023 and had a great experience, so I was keen to see how things had changed—and to try my luck photographing the kestrels again in spring conditions.

Charlie’s Hide is now a fully self-service arrangement, and the booking process includes a helpful video that explains everything you need to know: how to find the hide, how to access it, and how to behave while you’re there. As someone who’s used a fair few hides now, I really appreciate this kind of thoughtful preparation—it helps to know what to expect, especially when you’re heading out early in the morning with a boot full of gear.

Having been before, I had no trouble finding the hide and getting set up quickly. Since my last visit, a few upgrades have been made, the most significant being the addition of one-way glass. This is a real game changer. Not only is it much easier on the eyes than staring through scrim netting all day, but it also offers a clearer view and lets you use binoculars properly. If you're planning a visit, I definitely recommend bringing a pair—throughout the day I spotted Red Kites and Buzzards flying overhead, and it was fascinating to watch how the kestrels responded, defending their territory with surprising boldness for such a small bird.

The weather on the day was near perfect for photography. The morning started cool and calm—thankfully I’d packed a jumper—and a thin layer of high cloud diffused the light beautifully, softening the shadows and helping bring out the detail in the kestrels' plumage. By afternoon, the clouds had cleared and the temperature lifted, giving way to bright, clear skies. Fortunately, the light never became too harsh, which meant I could keep shooting right through the day.

Almost immediately after setting up, a kestrel arrived —a promising start! The hide offers several perches arranged at different heights and distances, and throughout the day, the kestrels visited each of them at various times. This gave me a great opportunity to photograph them in a range of positions, under different lighting conditions, and with a variety of backgrounds.

Filling the bird feeders with seed near one of the main perches intended for the kestrel proved to be a mistake early in the session. The scattered seed quickly drew the attention of several Jackdaws, which began to frequent the area in numbers. Their presence led to a few tense stand-offs and squabbles, as the kestrel appeared reluctant to share its preferred perch. While the interactions added a touch of drama to the morning, it was a useful reminder of how even small decisions can shift the dynamics around the hide.

One of the big advantages of a busy hide like this is the chance to experiment. Because the kestrels came in regularly—often just as I was reviewing the last set of shots—I had the freedom to try different compositions, play around with shutter speeds, and shoot some short video clips too.

I even tried a few shots with the telephoto zoomed out to capture more of the scene and show the kestrel in its wider context.

Another highlight of the day was the general peace and quiet. Charlie’s Hide is nicely tucked away, and once you’re in and settled, it’s just you, the birds, and the sound of the wind in the trees. It’s a lovely spot to spend a full day immersed in nature, and I find that having time and space to observe the birds’ behaviour often leads to better photos—not just technically, but in terms of telling a story.

All in all, it was another excellent experience at Yorkshire Wildlife Hides. The improvements to the hide have made a real difference, and I came away with a memory card full of images and ideas for future shoots.

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