Best Wildlife Photography Hides

[Ukwildlifeo]

Where is the best hide for photography? Many hides are postioned either to far from the animals/birds or facing into the sun for example, but some have wildlife right up close. What are the best hides you know of? And what can you see there?

To start the ball rolling the 3 best I can think of are

The hide at RSPB Minsemere with nesting black headed gulls and avocets just in front (East hide I believe).

Tern Hide at RSPB Rye meads - which ironically had lots of gadwall a few feet away with the sun in the right postion, unlike the gadwall hide next door!

Turf field hide (I think it has another name too) at Grove ferry - Ive got my best ever snip photo hereand just missed out on a kingfisher and Ive seen loads of good photos from a chap called steve ashton there too.

[dunlin]

The sand grounders hide at marshside southport isnt bad. There is a small island just outside the window that gets avocets nesting on it in the breeding season and snipe lie up on it from time to time.
I suppose it depends on what you want to photograph. I think a lot of the really good photos are taken from hides that the photographer has put up themselves.
regards mark..........

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by dunlin

The sand grounders hide at marshside southport isnt bad. There is a small island just outside the window that gets avocets nesting on it in the breeding season and snipe lie up on it from time to time.
I suppose it depends on what you want to photograph.

One for list

Originally Posted by dunlin

I think a lot of the really good photos are taken from hides that the photographer has put up themselves.
regards mark..........

Indeed, but for this thread I thought it would be nice to have a reference of the best hide to sit in if, say you only have an hour at a reserve for example but want some photos to take back with you or want a good chance of photographing a certain animal.

On to add to the list:the bittern hide at Fisher Green, Lee Valley. Ive heard bitterns and water rail are there often and the reed bed is pretty close with channels through it radiating from the hide. But when I was there they were hammering away at the hide doing repairs so no wildlife to see!

[Willo]

I live not far from the Lea Valley, could you give me some more info on the Fisher's Green hide such as location and how to get to it? I wouldn't mind visiting it one day.

[pressld2]

I've had good results from pretty much all the hides at Minsmere except the canopy hide - never seen a thing from that one.

Definitely depends what you're aiming for but for small garden/woodland birds the Grebe hide at Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve takes some beating. It's right next to the visitor centre and there are nut and seed feeders hung just a few feet from the windows. When the birds are on the feeders they are too close to focus on but when queueing up in the trees and bushes just behind the feeders they are perfectly positioned for frame-filling shots. My best blue, great and long-tailed tit shots were all taken from there, as well as my only shots of coal tit, siskin and redpoll. It's also good for chaffinch, greenfinch and goldfinch, dunnock, nuthatch and great-spotted woodpecker. I've also had jay and magpie fairly close as well as grey squirrels and rabbits.

In spring you can watch the great crested grebes' mating rituals from this hide although they are usually just a tad too far out for my 400mm, plus the hide is quite high up so you're looking down on them. Still great to watch them though.

Dave P.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by Willo

I live not far from the Lea Valley, could you give me some more info on the Fisher's Green hide such as location and how to get to it? I wouldn't mind visiting it one day.

There is a map here: http://www.leevalleypark.org.uk/en/f...evalleymap.pdf

If you look North of the M25 and cornhill meadow you will see Hooks marsh entrance (you may need to zoom in) which is Fishers green lane. If you park in the car park there, there are signs to the bittern hide/infomation point. Its not hard to find.

[Willo]

Thanks UK, I look forward to paying it a visit in the near future.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by Willo

Thanks UK, I look forward to paying it a visit in the near future.

You may bump into me, I still havent made it back since the day they were hammering

[pressld2]

It's on my list of places to visit too.

Dave P.

[Ian Gray]

in my region the Carlton Hide at Brandon Marsh (Coventry) is a well travelled to destination. The place to visit to get that Kingfisher shot with very little effort. Only downside is at certain times of the year when the Kingfishers are showing well, to many people want that Kingfisher shot.

Ian