Protocol in public hide.

[SheffieldPete]

These would be my tips, but many may disagree.

*Always help out people struggling with an id if you know the answer and they don't.
*Always point interesting things out to people rather than keep it to yourself.
*If people are queuing for a seat DO NOT just sit there eating your sandwiches making them wait!
*Don't just sit there with your massive scopes/photography equipment taking up five seats.
*Don't walk up to hides shouting your head off, as if birds can't hear you until you're actually inside.
*By all mean discuss birds in a quiet voice, but don't sit there gabbling loudly about any old rubbish.
*Never stick your arms out of the hide.
*Don't sit quietly up one end of a hide while your children run riot at the other...
*...but also give children in the hide a bit of slack. Unless their interest is grabbed, there'll be no future generations with an interest in wildlife.
*Leave your arrogance behind. Just because people may not know as much as you do (or you think you do...) doesn't mean they don't have a right to be there.
*If you get sick of people being in hides, remember there's a whole world of birdwatching out there that doesn't include popular nature reserves! You can't really have the arrogance that you're a much better birder than the rest of the world if you never do any birdwatching outisde RSPB reserves...

[Bucknallbear]

Could I even encourage more knowledgeable bird watchers to actively help others. I am never shy to ask and have never met anyone who wasn't happy to help if they could. My young children in particular like being shown a bird they have never seen before and would not of recognised without help. Only two weeks ago we were shown a Lesser Scaup at Draycote - we would not of known what it was if a friendly twitcher hadn't pointed it out without being asked and explained what it looked like. There are nasty people in all walks of life but I have never seen many in bird hides!

[Chas]

Quote "You can't really have the arrogance that you're a much better birder than the rest of the world if you never do any birdwatching outisde RSPB reserves..." Unquote

Thak you for such a positive response to this thread that I started a couple of weeks ago. I agree with everything said by all of you and I value your support. I was quite interested in your statement Sheffield Pete. I can honestly say in spite of being interested in birds and nature for more than 50 years I have only once been in an RSPB reserve The one time in my whole life that I did was the one time I was abused, so.......I will probably carry on doing my own thing by myself. It is more enjoyable for me, I enjoy the peace and quiet and try to avoid crowds unless of course I am at a concert or a sporting event. I think birdwatching has become like a sport for lots of people. People are gregarious I suppose , and like to gather in groups. Confrontation can be avoided if you dont seek out those crowds.