Using hides and blinds

I make quite a lot of use of hides and blinds in my photography, enabling me to get closer to my subjects – closer than I would normally get in the open.  These include the following:

Purpose built hides:

Mostly of the type found on nature reserves, built out of a number of materials including wood, brick etc. Some can be described like nothing more than a garden shed, complete with cobwebs and draughts. Then some are very comfortable, like one on my local wildlife trust reserve – good sized windows, office type chairs as well as wooden benches and carpet !!. Some of the more unusual purpose built hides are like the ‘double deckers’ at RSPB Minsmere and the futuristic types found at RSPB Titchwell. I find (from a photography point of view) that unfortunately many of them have flaws – such as facing into the sun, long views even a 600mm wont reach or tiny hatches not big enough for a long lens. But these are not for photographers exclusive use so no complaints are valid. Then again there are some perfect ones, eg: one I visited at RSPB Strumpshaw fen – nice and close, almost intimate and good lighting position.

Pop up hide.

I have a camouflaged pop up hide I use quite regularly, resembling a small dome shape tent just big enough for me, tripod, camera and lens (up to 600mm) a chair and some bits and bobs (mostly my backpack with the days food and drink), positioning it is crucial as your view is restricted by the opening you use, usually about a 45deg field of view. But this does allow you to get extremely close to your subject. Its small and light to carry (although I use a fishing trolley to carry all my gear) and ‘pops’ up in a flash, takes seconds to pack away.

Blind.

I use two blinds which are simply large squares of leaf cut camouflage  fabric hung on poles. My first blinds used some leaf cut lightweight fabric hung on fishing bank poles, held on by plastic grips. Because of its light weight can be a bit ‘flyaway’ in even the slightest breeze.

My newer version is of a heavier leaf cut material, green one side – brown the other, these are hung on more substantial poles that resemble washing line props with a spike on the end. They have a flange on them which helps stability and grips better in the wind, they can also be as high as myself standing up – so I can get of my seat and have a stretch without being seen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bag hide:

Small enough to pack in a large pocket, quick to throw over and cover myself, camera and tripod. Useful when stalking in woods or I need to walk about with lightweight equipment.

If you have any pictures of a purpose built hide, whether good or indifferent post a comment and include a picture. Hopefully I will include a ‘Good hide guide’ (UK only) at a later date.

Autumn trip – East Anglia

Over the days of September 20th-23rd 2011 I had a 4 day trip over to East Anglia, staying in a B and B in Great Yarmouth. The intention was to see and photograph some autumn migration at 3 of the top RSPB nature reserves (Strumpshaw fen, Minsmere and Titchwell marsh). However, owing to some unseasonal good weather lasting well into October, the trip was somewhat disappointing.

Traveling over on the 20th, I called into Strumpshaw Fen, about an hours drive from Yarmouth. This is a quite small reserve with some very interesting varied habitat, There are 3 hides on the reserve of which I visited 2. The first hide is virtually at the entrance providing some views over some marshes. The second hide is the ‘Fen’ hide – this hide overlooks a small pool and is quite intimate in respect of close views, on both I visited (on the way home as well), the hide was full with about 8 other people. There was a bittern about that would fly between the marshes, but never afforded us with any close views. The usual suspects were frequenting the pool (Mallards and Gadwalls ect), plus the odd visiting heron and little egret. The most exciting moment was the appearance of a lone Chinese water deer on the far edges.

My trips to both Minsmere and Titchwell are not worth mentioning, at the time of my visits there was a lot of groundwork going off which kept any interesting birds away – disapointing. I had booked the trip some 3 months beforehand and on reflection would delaay another trip by a month next time.

Next trip will be in late April, visiting the Cairngorm valley in Scotland for 5 days.

Really looking forward to that.

Humber river south bank

During the first week in June (Whitsun week) I visited perhaps the 2 most interesting nature reserves on the south bank of the Humber river. These were RSPB Blacktoft sands and Lincolnshire wildlife trust Far Ings. Weather for both visits was superb. The RSPB Blacktoft sands reserve is placed in between the confluence of the rivers Humber and Trent. Facilities at the site were good, including a well spaced car park, toilets and a visitor center at approximately halfway along the reserve (though just a few yards from the car park). All the hides were along the same track making it quite easy to get around the reserve. I started at the eastern end and worked my way west. The hides were well sized and offered great views, photography wise the facings are just perfect with the sun being behind you for most of the views.  Some of the hides were ‘double decker’ type and I found them all to be well sized and clean. As it was spring the reserve was awash with the sounds of warblers and other birds  singing. This is a great place to see Marsh harriers and there were quite a few round that day. Bitterns and Bearded tits have been reported but I failed to see either.

Far Ings nature reserve is situated just off the A15 to the west of Barton on Humber (the last exit before the Humber bridge), there a 3 car parks, one at the main visitor centre, one at the old trust offices and one at the western most point on the bank of the Humber. Far Ings is a large reserve so an all day visit is recommended. All the hides vary somewhat from being small and narrow windows to large and larger window openings. There is a varied amount of habitats to explore – River banks and mudflats, open grassland and heath, large lagoons and reed-beds. This makes for a varied selection of bird-life. Species spotted on the day were mute swan, greylag geese, canada geese, shelduck, mallard, wigeon, shoveller, pochard, great crested grebe, cormorant, grey heron, marsh harrier, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher, avocet, black headed gull, common tern, pied wagtail, swallows, reed warbler, goldfinch, reed bunting,

RSPB Frampton marsh

During late April I visited the RSPB reserve at Frampton Marsh, near Boston, Lincolnshire, England. Frampton Marsh is one of the newest reserves the RSPB has aquired. The day’s weather would have been a very nice day even in mid July – it was t-shirt weather indeed. I first stopped at the visitor centre to check out what was about and what had been seen recently. I then parked further from the centre on a 2nd car park in the east of the reserve, this formed my ‘base camp’ for the day. As I slowly drove up I could hear many Sedge Warblers singing in the reed lined ditch on my right. From here I walked back down the road and turned into the main central path that split the reserve in 2.  I could still hear the Sedge Warblers in the reeds at the side of the path. I stopped here hoping a male would show itself and after a few minutes I thought I would check out the first hide facing west overlooking a large lake and a sand bank that is used by Sand Martins. Turning round I saw immediately in front of me (about 10 yards) a Northern Wheatear cooling itself on a post.

He was very obliging, staying around long enough for me to change lenses for more close in shots – in fact I got bored before he did. Next it was off to the ’360′ hide to the east. This hide is quite an unusual hide as hides go as it offers nearly 360 degree views over the marshy area and grasslands in between. Here I found Redshank.

a couple of Skylarks foraging in the grass.

and a few Little Egrets fishing.

After  a quick walk back to the car for lunch, I carried on up towards the wash. Spotted quite a few Meadow Pipits and Yellow Wagtails but could not get close enough for a few shots (unless I was to wade across some muddy ditches, of which I was not prepared for).

So, once again, back to the car, a quick cup of tea and back to the central part. Shortly before I got to the path, I saw a small herd of cows grazing, there seemed to be some moving yellow patches which I though at first were patches of Buttercups blowing in the slight breeze – but they were moving quite a bit. I got closer and had my chance for a few shots as they were Yellow Wagtails feeding on insects disturbed by the cows around their feet and muzzles.

Back to the path, there were certainly quite a few singing Sedge Warblers in the reeds but my eye first caught sight of a Black Swan (probably a local private collection escapee).

Close by , slightly out of view, on the lake edge was a lone Dunlin.

After another hour or so sat in the 360 hide, it was getting near time to leave – as I walked past the reed beds I at last spied a male Sedge Warbler creeping up a reed stem singing his head off.

Then it was definately time to go – but had enough time to capture a shot of a Corn Bunting keeping sentry on top of a bush.

So ended a perfect day, certainly deserves another visit before the breeding season has finished.

Gigrin farm Red Kite feeding station

In April, 2011 I visited the Gigrin farm Red Kite feeding station to watch the feeding and take some photos. The farm is situated off the A470 just outside Rhayader, Powys – Wales. Rhayader itself would be a good base to start from as there are good birding sites around it. These include some  notable local nature reserves (Gilfach farm) and the Elan valley just a few miles around Rhayader. Feeding takes place every day from 2pm in the winter and 3pm in the summer (British summertime). The birds themselves don’t know the time (obviously) but start congregating with amazing accuracy about 1/2 hour before. You can park at the farm, a separate area is available with picnic tables nearby and the farm shop. The farm also has a ‘nature trail’ around the farm including a new ‘wetland’ habitat creation project with a ready built hide overlooking it. The feeding area itself is about 50 yards from the car park and there are a number of viewing hides there. There are also about 3 special ‘photography’ hides but these cost a premium (well worth it I thought), these hides give a much more panoramic view with the chance of some overhead shots. I used my Sigma 500mm f4.5 lens for most of the time, but a 300mm is adequate for filled frame shots as you are that close. I had a full day there, arriving about 1pm and I went around the trail after the feeding, leaving about 7pm. Even if you are not a birder it’s well worth a visit for the amazing spectacle.

Before the meat is spread, the birds start to arrive. First the crows arrive in the hope of a free meal, then the Kites come in. The Kites let the crows land first whilst circling lazily overhead – then they begin to swoop down and ‘mug’ them of their prize.

The kites don’t usually land to take the meat, they swoop and catch it up on the wing, then they circle up and eat on the wing. This part is the most spectacular part of the feeding, indeed every one in my hide stopped taking photos and just watched, there was such a lot going on it was impossible to keep track. There must have been about 100 kites, and around 50 crows vying for the meat -with the crows losing out big time.

Some birds are ‘wing ringed’, these are usually birds bred in captivity and released into the wild – or have been rehabilitated. The mark helps identify them and where they were bred or released.

Buzzards make a visit as well as the crows. They don’t seem bothered by the crows or Red Kites

I would certainly say this place should be on every birder’s ‘must visit’ list, In the winter, if the weather has been harsh, there can be upwards for 400 kites coming in to feed. It’s a place I will visit again in the future (once I have improved my BIF technique)

Beginings

0810_0027, a photo by Bird in camera on Flickr.

I took up photography around the beginning of 2010. I chose Birds as being my prefered subject as I have always had a love of birds. At first I was just pointing and shooting, not really understanding all the settings of my DSLR camera (Nikon)

I would suggest anyone starting out to do the same, at least it gives a chance to get a feel for it – stay on the ‘Auto’ shooting selection.

As in point of your learning, at first things may seem OK – however as you gain more experience you see your older work differently, take this Robin for example – quite nice, good composition (rule of thirds), background could do with more blur. But do yiou see the obvious fault ( its obvious to me now), its that ear of grass seed sticking up in front of the post. Maybe I should have just clone it out.

This is better, not too much stuff sticking up in front of the main subject, but how did i get so close. Very often a bird photographer needs to get close to the subject, there are 2 ways to do this. Hide yourself and let the birds come to you or use good field craft to get closer. This was taken whilst I was sitting in a pop up hide already set up some hours earlier – this is probably the best and easiest method but you first need to scout your location and consider whether you will be disturbed (general public walking about). Field craft works OK, but takes ages to recognise how near you can go, when to stop, what to wear, which way to go etc. After all anything that is wild is not going to simply let you walk up to them and start snapping away – if only it was that simple.

This ‘Ruddy Shelduck’ was taken at Attenborough Nature Reserve in Nottinghamshire, UK. Good attempt but left a grass stalk in the foreground which obscures the tail end. Must try harder

Here we have a fine Mandarin drake (probably an escapee from some private collection). Too quick to get the shot here, sits low in the frame and highlights are blown.

Here are a couple of Swan images – bit too easy really, whenever I see folk at my local nature reserve getting down on haunches taking close ups of these I think ‘New camera’. Nothing difficult with these shots so why not make them more interesting such as the close up of the dozing one above.

Taking shots of birds at feeders is also another way of guaranteeing a good shot. However to make it more interesting why not take shots of birds queueing to get on the feeders, keeping the actual feeder out of the shot. I now use this method quite a lot working in my pop up hide. I take a couple of feeders with me, place near the area I want shots from and wait for the queueing bird to get the pose.