The Joy of Bird Hides
Simple structures that bring so much pleasure
For as long as I can remember I have enjoyed visiting bird hides.
When I was a small child my Dad often used to take me to a local nature reserve. I remember him getting me up, probably protesting loudly, at some ridiculously early hour on freezing cold winter mornings (unlike my Dad, I never was a morning person!) He would bundle me into his rickety old car, which I remember skidding alarmingly on icy mornings, and off we would go to the reserve.
There we would head straight for one of the hides, which was nearly always empty at that unearthly hour. He would get out a hot flask of coffee and a slice of cake, and a big cushion he used to bring in his rucksack so that I could see out of the hide window. Then we would sit in companionable silence, watching the sun rise over the water and listening to the sounds of nature.
The wind rustling in the reeds. Mallards quacking. Flocks of honking geese heading off to their feeding grounds. The long whinnying trill of little grebes. The sudden clucking of moorhens. The sharp ‘peeps’ of oystercatchers. And, always my favourite, the hauntingly beautiful call of curlews. I found these sounds so soothing and somehow familiar (and still do today).
Inevitably my Dad would be forgiven for dragging me from a warm bed and out into the cold.
When I got older my Dad moved away (I was actually brought up by my Grandparents). Life events happened, some of which I still find difficult to think about, and visits to nature reserves became rare.
But throughout life, in times of turmoil there was nothing I would find more soothing than sitting in a bird hide with a hot coffee on a cold morning and listening to the sounds of nature. And whenever and wherever I travel, I always research local nature reserves to visit before I go.
I suppose because I have always visited bird hides, I assumed they were available everywhere. I was somewhat surprised when a keen nature watcher once commented on one of my posts that he had never been in a bird hide, because they didn’t have any in his part of the world.
It made me realise how lucky I was to have lived conveniently close to nature reserves with hides. The structures vary from very basic shelters to elaborate multi-floor structures with luxurious seating, but all offer shelter from the weather and the opportunity to get close to wildlife without causing disturbance.
One of (many) favourites was the magnificent structure below at Alkborough Flats in Lincolnshire, which looks out over a massive reedbed to the confluence of the River Trent and the River Ouse. Matt and I once spent the morning of Christmas Day here after wading through flood water that threatened to come over the tops of our wellies. (Sad, I know, but we loved it.)
After spending the morning in the hide above we moved on to nearby Far Ings. Here we had the hide below to ourselves (perhaps not surprisingly), and ate our sandwiches for Christmas lunch watching an otter frolicking in the pond right in front of us. Marvellous!
Despite spending so much time visiting nature reserves, I am by no means an expert when it comes to nature watching. And I am definitely not, and never will be, a twitcher. I have never seen the point in traveling across the country because a rare bird has turned up, when there are interesting birds to watch in my own garden and local nature reserves.
Of course it is always a thrill to see a bird you haven’t seen before. I still remember the excitement of seeing my first bittern (at Leighton Moss, Lancashire), my first avocet (at Titchwell, Norfolk), my first cattle egret (at Fairburn Ings, West Yorkshire), my first Spoonbill (also at Fairburn Ings), my first glossy ibis (at St. Aidan’s Nature Park, West Yorkshire), and a rare white-tailed lapwing (at Blacktoft Sands, East Yorkshire).
But I am just as happy watching the antics of the mallards, moorhens, black-headed gulls and oystercatchers close to my home. I find the behaviour of all birds interesting, especially the interactions between them as they go about their everyday lives.
Like watching coots fight over territory, or the sudden panic as a marsh harrier flies overhead, or the struggles of a cormorant trying to swallow a fish that is just too big (poor fish). And of course, even on a seemingly quiet day sitting in a hide, you just never what might appear…..
Another thing I love about bird hides is how easy it is to chat to people. Which is something that is not usually easy for me, as I have always been socially awkward. I find face-to-face conversations difficult and often end up getting flustered and babbling and being misinterpreted. Communication online is so much easier because I have time to think about how to word things and review each sentence.
But in bird hides I find it easy to join in conversations. The very fact that people are there means we have shared interests, and most likely similar values. When other people are present it is always interesting to hear what they have spotted and where, and to learn about other local sites to visit.
Often someone will point out something we hadn’t noticed, drawing our attention to a bird we might otherwise have missed. And there is a special sense of pride if it is Matt or I that spots an interesting species, and alerts other people to its presence.
I have read that some people are put off visiting nature reserves because they are embarrassed by their lack of knowledge, and fear what might be called ‘bird snobbery’. I have to say that I have never experienced this.
Even with my chronic lack of self-confidence I have never been made to feel embarrassed because I have had to ask what a bird is, or made a wrong identification. I have always found people to be kind and eager to help and share their knowledge (and often their spotting scopes).
But still the best visits are the ones when we have a hide to ourselves. Sitting in comfortable silence, sipping our coffee, and just enjoying the solitude. Wondering what caused a reed to quiver (could it be a bittern?), or lapwings to suddenly take to the air (a marsh harrier?), or catching a streak of blue as a kingfisher flies past.
When I move to Aberdeenshire early next year one of the things I will miss most is having easy access to so many wonderful bird hides (though I am sure I will find a few to visit). These unassuming little structures have so often provided shelter and a safe calm place when I have needed to escape the pressures of stressful modern day life.
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Those are some fabulous bird blinds. I would happily park myself in any one of them.
Great read Angie, and interesting as always. I am sure you will find some close to your new home.