bird hide design (1 Viewer)

[makemecomfyplease]

Hello, I'm working on a design for a comfortable bird hide and I wonder if any of you bird watchers can give me any tips as I'm not a bird watcher myself.

I've noticed that most hides are pretty sparse, some don't have seats, the heights of viewing points seem to vary a lot, presumably for people of different heights and for people sitting or standing.

What I would ask is this; imagine you're in a British climate on a lake, if you were to be in the ultimate bird hide, what would it be like?

Any help appreciated!

 

[Tri-Counties Birder]

Hi,

I think its important to have windows of differing heights within a hide, and also have quite tall windows so that people of different heights can sit down, and stand up to use a tripod.

Also, please make the benches free, i.e. not attached to the floor, so we can move them around to get comfortable with bins, or with a scope.

Sean

 

[dantheman]

There's a useful/wishful thread on the subject here;

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=91355

(Needn't stop additional input onto this thread )

 

[alan_rymer]

Lots of things to think about when starting a hide from scratch.
Friends of Lavells lake are in the process of building a members hide on Lea Farm.
Sorry these are all questions for you to consider.

Do you need planning permission?
Flood risk assessment?
Permission fro EA.
Wheelchair access? ( We needed all of these ). plus the owners permission.
Does the lake flood?
Is the lake accessable by the public?
For photographers or birders. ( Photographers use more space and very solid floors ).
How many people at one time.
Do the birds move away when they see a man shape?


OK.

Ideally for me.
Fixed seats ( moving them is noisy and they can be vandalised, thrown out burned, block access etc ).
Windows of varying heights and not too large. to suit a 6' 6" and a 3' person.
An overhanging roof to minimise rain ingress.
Shutters that don't slam down accidentally.
A "light lock" on the entrance.
A quiet entry door latch.
High enouch to see waders on the near edge of the lake.
Birds to see

Bird ID charts on walls, as well as mammals. butterflies, dragonfies etc .
A report log.
Access to hide shielded from birds.
Bird feeders to one side.

Now tongue in cheek bits:
A guillotine on the outside of windows that chops off protruding, arms, lens, and heads.
A device that block mobile calls.
Picnics not allowed.
No litter.
No shouting. Talking's O.K. ( so long as its not about soaps, babies or cats )
No dogs ( if on a lead and well behaved its O.K. )
User must use a deoderant or be washed recently.

HTH

 

[makemecomfyplease]

Thanks very much dantheman - a very useful thread!

 

[makemecomfyplease]

Alan - thanks so much for this. What a superstar!

 

[doghouse756]

Alan
I'd just like to add to your comments and have to say I particularly agree with the witty ones and would add also that to remove excited people that shout out' Look there's a Kingfisher' only to scare it off, when everybody has already seen it arrive.
With regards to mobiles, I notice you always have your ear piece on, thats a great idea as the ring doesn't annoy people and you leave to speak.
With a serious matter now you mention Photographers use more room. That is total rubbish, they use the same amount of room as a person with a digiscope on a tripod...fact. Also by allowing people with portable hides who respect the wildlife and do not disturb it, that way you would not have photographers taking up all the twitchers space. They do not scare the birds . I will show you Grebes passing fish to young and Teal all close up and you have already seen Kingfisher shots close. Proof all the way. What scares the birds and I have witnessed is when just about to photograph Teal and the hatch slams open and talking as they approach the hide, when they look out 'no birds' why because they scared them off first.
Richard Bond
Richard

 

[Hooray Henry]

Alan
I'd just like to add to your comments and have to say I particularly agree with the witty ones and would add also that to remove excited people that shout out' Look there's a Kingfisher' only to scare it off, when everybody has already seen it arrive.
With regards to mobiles, I notice you always have your ear piece on, thats a great idea as the ring doesn't annoy people and you leave to speak.
With a serious matter now you mention Photographers use more room. That is total rubbish, they use the same amount of room as a person with a digiscope on a tripod...fact. Also by allowing people with portable hides who respect the wildlife and do not disturb it, that way you would not have photographers taking up all the twitchers space. They do not scare the birds . I will show you Grebes passing fish to young and Teal all close up and you have already seen Kingfisher shots close. Proof all the way. What scares the birds and I have witnessed is when just about to photograph Teal and the hatch slams open and talking as they approach the hide, when they look out 'no birds' why because they scared them off first.
Richard Bond
Richard

Richard ,

I have to agree with you on some of your comments. You have hit the nail on the head regarding using portable hides,we make less noise and cause less disturbance than people banging around and talking out LOUD in the purpose built hides,door slamming, portholes being banged open.

I also agree about photographers with tripods,not taking up any more room than twitchers, Alan is also a photographer,who uses a tripod sometimes.

Aaron

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Hides with fixed seats, such as the ones we have in our area are a perfect nuisance when it comes to using a tripod for those who don't have a hide clamp (most of us) for their telescope.

A simple, neat and cheap modification to the shelf under the window slots is the answer.

I came across them in the viewing screens in the Guadalhorce reserve next to Malaga airport when I was there in 2008.

They've simply cut a semi-circle of wood out of the shelf, allowing a tripod to be erected between the seat and the screen, so allowing for more comfotable use and taking up a lot less space than a tripod erected on the floor behind the seat with its legs fully extended.

Photos below, taken this year.

Other than that, I'd suggest having a look at the hides at East Chevington in Northumberland and copying absolutely nothing of what you find there.

 

[alan_rymer]

I will say again. Photographers, by and large use more room.
Reason. Many carry rucksacks that tend to lie on the bench seat by their sides, and often their camera is not on a strap around their neck but on the shelf by the side of them.
Tripods? who mentioned tripods. O.K. I will. most fixed bench seats allow a tripod to staddle it. But the birder has to stand when viewing that way.

As to me being a Photographer who uses a tripod sometimes. I am a birder who uses a scope on a tripod sometimes, but also carry a camera at almost all times.

Regarding portable hides. I make no comment. This thread is about hide design.




Another addition to hide design. The shelf under the viewing port should be a single piece of timber and not have a lip as this can cause problems for users with hide clamps.

 

[upstarts1979]

Hello, I'm working on a design for a comfortable bird hide and I wonder if any of you bird watchers can give me any tips as I'm not a bird watcher myself.

I've noticed that most hides are pretty sparse, some don't have seats, the heights of viewing points seem to vary a lot, presumably for people of different heights and for people sitting or standing.

What I would ask is this; imagine you're in a British climate on a lake, if you were to be in the ultimate bird hide, what would it be like?

Any help appreciated!

Heated with a bar

 

[Stoggler]

Heated with a bar

:t:

And serving girls!

 

[Hooray Henry]

:t:


"Heated with a bar and serving girls" Bring it on,sounds good to me to !! B 8-P