Hide idea (2 Viewers)

[ryan1mcq]

Good morning everyone, i hope you're all having a great day. I wanted to ask for opinions please since im still a newbie and im trying to find ideas and accessories to take with me when im out and about on the mobility scooter (nerve damage in legs) so if i want to go off road/off trail it has to be on the scooter, i cannot walk over uneven, wet or steep terrain.

I want to get myself a little portable hide to take with me on the scooter.

One of my favorite bird Youtubers is Mike Lane and i know he has a shopfront on his website and an ebay presence selling accessories and some hides. I emailed Mike asking his opinion on which would be better suited for me with my scooter and he did say one of the regular pop up hides (which i originally wanted to get) as he said i would have more room to move and stretch, be unseen and be comfortable but i am now starting to think about a bag hide since i could just throw it over me on the scooter.

I want to do minimal setting up if it can be helped and i already have a comfy seat on my scooter, a solid platform and a storage box for carrying stuff on the scooter. The other thing is i dont onwn one of those massive long lenses, my largest lens is the Olympus 75-300mm II so im not sure a pop up hide is warranted for that small a lens?


I have also been looking at Tragopan hides and Buteo hides but im just trying to make the best of it without having to do loads of setting up, you know? Just dont want to waste money on a bag hide and regret it lol. If you use a portable hide what make and model is it please?


Help, advice and opinions will be greatly recieved, thanks for your time

 

[delia todd]

Hi Ryan, if you don't mind me popping in here... I think this thread would be better suited to the General Outdoor Equipment section: Miscellaneous Nature Study Equipment

It will probably receive a wider audience there.

Let me know and I can easily move it there to save you typing it out again.

 

[ryan1mcq]

Hiya Delia, yes would you please. I wasnt sure where to post sorry.

Thanks so much 🙏

 

[delia todd]

Hiya Delia, yes would you please. I wasnt sure where to post sorry.

Thanks so much 🙏

No probs at all Ryan.

Should be there now!

 

[ryan1mcq]

Thanks for that

 

[ChrisMc1957]

Good morning everyone, i hope you're all having a great day. I wanted to ask for opinions please since im still a newbie and im trying to find ideas and accessories to take with me when im out and about on the mobility scooter (nerve damage in legs) so if i want to go off road/off trail it has to be on the scooter, i cannot walk over uneven, wet or steep terrain.

I want to get myself a little portable hide to take with me on the scooter.

One of my favorite bird Youtubers is Mike Lane and i know he has a shopfront on his website and an ebay presence selling accessories and some hides. I emailed Mike asking his opinion on which would be better suited for me with my scooter and he did say one of the regular pop up hides (which i originally wanted to get) as he said i would have more room to move and stretch, be unseen and be comfortable but i am now starting to think about a bag hide since i could just throw it over me on the scooter.

I want to do minimal setting up if it can be helped and i already have a comfy seat on my scooter, a solid platform and a storage box for carrying stuff on the scooter. The other thing is i dont onwn one of those massive long lenses, my largest lens is the Olympus 75-300mm II so im not sure a pop up hide is warranted for that small a lens?


I have also been looking at Tragopan hides and Buteo hides but im just trying to make the best of it without having to do loads of setting up, you know? Just dont want to waste money on a bag hide and regret it lol. If you use a portable hide what make and model is it please?


Help, advice and opinions will be greatly recieved, thanks for your time

Hi Ryan

I know about the hides that Mike sells and he is right in one respect, however, if you could get a large bag hide and just throw it right over you and the scooter in one go then I am sure that would be far easier and more comfortable for you, also less to carry, no additional chairs etc. on the other hand, I have a portable hide its a Nighthawk hide, if you have mobility problems setting that type of mobile hide up would be quite difficult IMHO. Also, are you sure you actually need a hide? I go out into the country a lot, I do sometimes have to wear a bit of camo but not full body camo, I have still not taken my hide out with me as its simply not necessary really. So I guess it depends on where you go, type of locations and type of birding/photography you do, but even if you do need a hide, a bag type I think would be best to suit you. HTH and good luck.

Chris

PS that lense will be fine for wildlife photography, I use all Olympus gear, some of my photos linked below, hardly any of these were using a hide.

 

[ryan1mcq]

Hi Ryan

I know about the hides that Mike sells and he is right in one respect, however, if you could get a large bag hide and just throw it right over you and the scooter in one go then I am sure that would be far easier and more comfortable for you, also less to carry, no additional chairs etc. on the other hand, I have a portable hide its a Nighthawk hide, if you have mobility problems setting that type of mobile hide up would be quite difficult IMHO. Also, are you sure you actually need a hide? I go out into the country a lot, I do sometimes have to wear a bit of camo but not full body camo, I have still not taken my hide out with me as its simply not necessary really. So I guess it depends on where you go, type of locations and type of birding/photography you do, but even if you do need a hide, a bag type I think would be best to suit you. HTH and good luck.

Chris

PS that lense will be fine for wildlife photography, I use all Olympus gear, some of my photos linked below, hardly any of these were using a hide.

Hi Chris thanks for the reply.

To be honest no im not sure i need one, its just that Mike had said in his email not to worry about my scooter scaring wildlife, its the human shape that makes the birds wary so i just thought it would be a worthy accessory and investment for going to new places. The thing with my scooter is im limited to a 16 mile round trip (8 miles out and 8 miles back in, would be more but ive put on a fair amount of weight since i was ill) so im fairly restricted and cant get that far.

See, i was looking at the Nitehawk one with the seat and it looks great but i felt the front opening was just too large and i dont have a clue about how to add scrim netting or something else but if its easy enough it might still be a viable option to be fair as its not that i cant walk and set stuff up, i just need a stick and fairly even terrain. Iwas just thinking for easiness and quickness you know?

I live near the Fife coastal path and the section between Inverkeithing and Aberdour is where ive had the most joy with birds: Blue, Coal and Great Tits, Robins and Dunnocks who are only too happy to come have some sunflower hearts and mixed seeds but im dying for some variety because i feel im photgraphing the same species all the time im going to get bored and burn out so would like to find new species and places within my limited range. Close to me is a large salt marsh ( St Margarets marsh: 56°01'01.9"N 3°24'36.4"W ) which is an SSSI but i never see anything in the reeds or flatlands, ive only seen birds actually in the Forth foreshore a Grey Heron once and a few Red breasted Mergansers.

I've heard Buzzards and potentially other Raptors nest in the local disused Cruiks quarry cliffs but i dare not try enter there with my dodgy legs and zero agility. Ive been scouring Google maps for months trying to find new aeas that are accessible to me but usually they are being off of busy trunk roads with nowhere to cross.

 

[ChrisMc1957]

Hi Chris thanks for the reply.

To be honest no im not sure i need one, its just that Mike had said in his email not to worry about my scooter scaring wildlife, its the human shape that makes the birds wary so i just thought it would be a worthy accessory and investment for going to new places. The thing with my scooter is im limited to a 16 mile round trip (8 miles out and 8 miles back in, would be more but ive put on a fair amount of weight since i was ill) so im fairly restricted and cant get that far.

See, i was looking at the Nitehawk one with the seat and it looks great but i felt the front opening was just too large and i dont have a clue about how to add scrim netting or something else but if its easy enough it might still be a viable option to be fair as its not that i cant walk and set stuff up, i just need a stick and fairly even terrain. Iwas just thinking for easiness and quickness you know?

I live near the Fife coastal path and the section between Inverkeithing and Aberdour is where ive had the most joy with birds: Blue, Coal and Great Tits, Robins and Dunnocks who are only too happy to come have some sunflower hearts and mixed seeds but im dying for some variety because i feel im photgraphing the same species all the time im going to get bored and burn out so would like to find new species and places within my limited range. Close to me is a large salt marsh ( St Margarets marsh: 56°01'01.9"N 3°24'36.4"W ) which is an SSSI but i never see anything in the reeds or flatlands, ive only seen birds actually in the Forth foreshore a Grey Heron once and a few Red breasted Mergansers.

I've heard Buzzards and potentially other Raptors nest in the local disused Cruiks quarry cliffs but i dare not try enter there with my dodgy legs and zero agility. Ive been scouring Google maps for months trying to find new aeas that are accessible to me but usually they are being off of busy trunk roads with nowhere to cross.

Hi again Ryan

Mike is correct, cars etc don't scare wildlife, humans do, in fact a car is one of the best mobile hides you can have, I use one out in the country, just drive down country lanes its amazing how close you can actually get to birds, Hares etc when in your car. If you watch Mikes numerous videos on collapsible hides, you will see even with the self erecting ones, putting them back down and in the bag is sometimes not straightforward, knowing what mine is like and having seen and spoken to Simon Eardley (Tragopan) at the Global Bird Fair in 2024, I think those types would not be that easy for you to use, again, a bag hide, no seat just a camouflage blanket/net type thing would be much easier and lighter and less cumbersome to us IMO.

The Nighthawk with the built in seat is great, mine Is freestanding and I would take a separate seat with me, but its always more to carry and might be too much for the scooter, your equipment and you to handle?? I wouldn't want you spending money on something that is just not suitable, so I am just going from my experience of these things.

The St Margarets marsh place looks fine if there is a chance of seeing wildlife there, but also as I mentioned above, consider using your car as a mobile hide, drive out into the country and as long as its safe to drive slowly and stop from time to time without causing problems or obstructing other road users, you will be surprised what you may see. A number of the photos on my Gallery linked below were taken doing just that. Take a look on Google maps for ideal locations.

Let us know how you get on though, always good to hear others experiences.

Chris

Media added by ChrisMc1957

www.birdforum.net

 

[ryan1mcq]

Hi again Ryan

Mike is correct, cars etc don't scare wildlife, humans do, in fact a car is one of the best mobile hides you can have, I use one out in the country, just drive down country lanes its amazing how close you can actually get to birds, Hares etc when in your car. If you watch Mikes numerous videos on collapsible hides, you will see even with the self erecting ones, putting them back down and in the bag is sometimes not straightforward, knowing what mine is like and having seen and spoken to Simon Eardley (Tragopan) at the Global Bird Fair in 2024, I think those types would not be that easy for you to use, again, a bag hide, no seat just a camouflage blanket/net type thing would be much easier and lighter and less cumbersome to us IMO.

The Nighthawk with the built in seat is great, mine Is freestanding and I would take a separate seat with me, but its always more to carry and might be too much for the scooter, your equipment and you to handle?? I wouldn't want you spending money on something that is just not suitable, so I am just going from my experience of these things.

The St Margarets marsh place looks fine if there is a chance of seeing wildlife there, but also as I mentioned above, consider using your car as a mobile hide, drive out into the country and as long as its safe to drive slowly and stop from time to time without causing problems or obstructing other road users, you will be surprised what you may see. A number of the photos on my Gallery linked below were taken doing just that. Take a look on Google maps for ideal locations.

Let us know how you get on though, always good to hear others experiences.

Chris

Thanks so much Chris, i appreciate what you have been saying.

Unfortunately i never learned to drive so a car is out of the question. I can get on a bus and train to go somewhere a bit further but then once i get to the station i dont have my scooter as its too big for the train so i cant exactly walk around and explore. I think im going to get the a bag hide and see how i get on with it as it makes the most sense with my circumstances.

Can always upgrade later if i want. Will report back once i decide which to get lol

 

[ChrisMc1957]

Thanks so much Chris, i appreciate what you have been saying.

Unfortunately i never learned to drive so a car is out of the question. I can get on a bus and train to go somewhere a bit further but then once i get to the station i dont have my scooter as its too big for the train so i cant exactly walk around and explore. I think im going to get the a bag hide and see how i get on with it as it makes the most sense with my circumstances.

Can always upgrade later if i want. Will report back once i decide which to get lol

Ok Ryan, sorry I automatically assumed that you drove. Not to worry I think the bag hide idea is best for you and if you can get up on to that Fife coastal path, I'm sure there should be plenty of bird life there to watch and photograph.

Good luck anyway!
Chris

 

[delia todd]

Thinking about the weight Ryan, unless you're planning to do it in the rain; and you do have a little mobility, how about just a screen with a hole in it for photographing through.

How you fix it to the ground..;. spikes on earth or sort of tripod feet for a level surface. You wouldn't want much wind though.