“When you have seen one ant, one bird, one tree, you have not seen them all.”
— Edward O. Wilson
ABOUT ME
Bio
Nick Gates is a naturalist, producer, vlogger and writer based in Bristol, England.
I have a passion for conservation and rewilding (it isn't just about wolves!), and love to travel to find new stories that inspire people to care for the natural world.
When I'm not taking photos, you'll find me with my chickens.
Expertise
My background is Natural Sciences at Cambridge and I am obsessed with animal behaviour. From macro to megafauna - I enjoy watching, learning and documenting why animals do what they do!
At a local level, I have been turning my garden into an urban wildlife reserve to prove that small spaces can be great places to inspire people about nature.
Work with Me
Have an upcoming project that I might fit for? I'd love to collaborate with you!
Whether it's a film project, a conservation photo portfolio or just to share ideas, get in touch with me using my contact form.
I love finding interesting characters to photograph. See more in my photos.
Every time I'm in the field I look for new ways to showcase wildlife. See more in my wildlife gallery.
SMALLHOLDER
Since getting my first pair of white silkies at age six I have been obsessed with chickens, particularly bantams. I now have a mixed flock of six with new chicks hatching each year.
They are an essential part of my urban smallholding and provide a great slug removal service. They're also highly skilled at eating all my veg just before it's ready to pick..!
A WILD GARDEN
For the past five years I've been working on a project turning my ex-council house garden into a mini nature reserve. Using a combination of rewilding (particularly lost flowers and fruiting trees), refugia generation (ponds, compost heaps, grass piles, slates, nest boxes) and a hefty dose of untidiness, I've managed to massively improve the biodiversity.
Highlights include a population of over 50 slow worms, a very successful breeding newt population, and yearly increases in bee diversity. 2018 was a bumper summer with at least four new species of butterfly including purple hairstreak and marbled white.
ROCK CLIMBER
I'm a keen climber and boulderer - fortunately we're spoilt in Bristol with some great routes in the gorge and indoors.
BEEKEEPER
A few years ago I got into beekeeping. I run a couple of top bar hives - a style of beekeeping that is designed for low interference rather than productivity. Essentially, the bees are allowed to live as they would in a wild colony for most of the time. I built my hives using recycled wood and sealed them with linseed oil, fire and mud!
PRESENTER AND COMMUNICATOR
I love sharing my passion for the natural world with others. Whether through conversation, writing, vlogging or presenting, I want people to be in awe of just how many incredible things happen every day on our planet!
