Bird hide for garden

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wooster

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Hi all

I have a smallish garden ( about 20ft x 60 ft ) mainly laid to lawn with a lot of bushes and trees growing in the bottom part. I am trying to set up an area to photograph birds and will sort out from food, branches and background to help. I'm looking for a hide small enough to fit in and I want to be able to use a tripod with it. I thought I'd set it up around 15ft from the feeding area.

I saw this and thought it might be worthwhile

https://gardenature.co.uk/product/one-man-chair-hide

and although I'd have to open up the front for the tripod, I planned to cover it with mesh. Then I thought why bother with the hide and why not stick the mesh over some supports which would seem to achieve the same result. I know it won't be waterproof but I don't care about that. Any suggestions for assembling a simple frame to cover with camo mesh? Also, any recommendations as to types of mesh?

Thank you for your help

EDIT
As an afterthought, I could sit in the shed with the door open and using the much mentioned mesh but it means I'd be facing South and I'm not sure if that's great or not?
 
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@Dale. did this in his garden so maybe able to give you some tips ... there is a thread explaining it if you do a search. :)
 
Thanks gramps. I did have a look generally but couldn't find anything but I will try it with his name as well :)

Hah! Found it easily for some reason. His garden is a lot clearer and bigger than mine and having had a quick read through it's a bit more ambitious than my modest idea which is for a one-chair tent thing :D
 
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A couple of ideas. Have to admit I haven't tried either but I can't see any reason why they would not work.

If you are setting up a single feeding station so the birds will always come to the same place you could set the camera on a tripod and use a remote(either wired or wireless) to trigger the camera from the house. This does have limitations but other than the cost of a remote release (I'm guessing you have a tripod) its fairly easy. You'd need to cover the camera. The birds won't be bothered by it - they accept new things pretty quickly - but they will perch on it, and when they perch they p.....

Or six or eight tall garden canes pushed into the soil in a circle with pieces of 15mm plastic water pipe connecting the tops of opposite canes. If the plastic pipes are tied together at the top it will be reasonable rigid and the mesh can go over the whole structure.

Dave
 
My hide started life as a summerhouse back in 2014. It's not great quality and was starting to fall apart earlier this year. I was either going to tear it down and burn it or make something of it. So, it ended being moved to another part of the garden, halfway along and nearer the 'wild bit' as we call it. I repaired it, the roof was caving in and I cut a slot in the side, fashioned a hatch and also replaced one of the 'windows' with a removable piece of ply. I'm using some camo netting, the type used normally on the outside of hides but I have mine internally to break up any movement inside that could be seen by critters through the remaining windows.

My wild bit is still quite sterile, the garden has few trees as the house isn't 15 years old yet but it's coming. I've planted some trees and shrubs to give the birds cover. I have a feeding station to bring them in and a reflection pool too. It's early days though and will take time to evolve but that's the fun thing, it will be constantly changing through and over the years. I've had goldfinch, siskin, long tailed tit, coal tit, great tit, blue tit etc but far and away the most common are house sparrows and whilst they are nice in their own way, I only want so many photos of them. I get the odd starling and I'm scooting jackdaws away regularly as they can decimate the feeders in minutes. As I say though, it's early days, the trick is to keep feeding, filling the feeders at least once a day. I find sunflower hearts, peanuts and niger seeds don't need filling daily but the general mix I use could be filled 5 or 6 times a day if I chose to but usually just the once, or topped up if I'm actually in the hide.

I also have a pop up hide, which is great for far flung adventures, something I don't get much time to do these days but hopefully I will soon. They are quite restrictive though.

Having done both, I would go for a permanent hide for the garden everytime, even a 6x4 shed will be much, much better than a pop up and won't, in some cases cost any more than some pop ups. If you have room for a small shed, then go for that in my opinion. You can customise it to suit your needs. My hatches are facing north east ish, so the sun is behind/side on to them at all times during the day, never in front, as obviously you'd be shooting sillouhettes if your hatches faced to the south and west. Easily overlooked that one.

I love spending time in my hide, it's a great way to unwind, even just watching different species come and go. The odd beer can be nice too.

My thread has gone quiet just now, there's not much happening to report and I'm also very busy with other things but I will update it as time goes by.

For now, a pic of mine today, the cover has improved and I've let the grass grow immediately in front of and around it, makes a great background, rough and ready but the critters love it.


DSCF6498 tp.jpg
 
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Thanks folks. Tringa, I get the camera remote but really, I'd prefer to be with the camera all the time. I will have a ponder over the framework suggestion. If I was putting something semi-permanent up I'd need to negotiate with my wife. She likes birding but also likes her garden!

Dale, I take your point about the shed but my garden is a lot smaller than yours and unfortunately the only realistic place I could site it would mean it was facing to the South which as you say, is not helpful.

It does look like a pop up might be the only way I can really go at the moment.

I'm wondering if a large fishing brolly with mesh over it might be a good option.
 
Or build a 6ftx6ft screen from 3x1 with slots for lenses to be placed. There's one of this type at my local RSPB reserve and it works very well, they even get mice and voles at it. Some slots are ground level, as well as more conventional perch height ones. You'd need a stool or similar though, I wouldn't like to stand behind one for too long.
 
wooster said:
I'd prefer to be with the camera all the time. I will have a ponder over the framework suggestion. If I was putting something semi-permanent up I'd need to negotiate with my wife.
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I can understand wanting to be with the camera.

The cane frame work would, I think, be fairly easy to take down and store, but I also like Robert's suggestion of a folding chair and netting.

Dave
 
Yeah it's a good call. Seems easy and cheap. I saw some netting on Amazon and I assume I could manage to poke a hole big enough for the lens through it. I will investigate that idea.
 
Go to Wilkinson or whatever it’s called now and look at the 4tier greenhouse. They are like sentry boxes, free standing and have a plastic reinforced cover. It’s wide enough to sit in although you wouldn’t be covered but easily covered in cam netting. Can be moved around. Normal garden centres are 15-30quid dependant on seasonal promotions. There are extra wide and 6x4 greenhouse versions.
 
Thank you. I'm not sure the tent will be high enough for sitting comfortably with a tripod, Robert. Will have a look at the sentry boxes are.

I just had a thought that I could drape netting over the frame I used to use for studio backdrops and simply secure it with a couple of bricks at the bottom. I haven't used it for years so I need to seek it out. It could be anywhere. In fact, I'm wondering if I gave it away as it's been a long time since I used it.
 
I've used both the One Man Chair Hide and a Bag Hide. The bag hide for me was by far the better idea. https://www.outdoorphotographygear.co.uk/items3674.html Can't believe how much they've gone up since I got mine at the Bird Fair a couple of years ago.

For the back garden, I eventually built a sectional wooden hide complete with a door and a removeable front panel for the lenses. I sat in my front room with the tripod and camera in front of me as if I were taking a photo and had someone measure the area around myself and the camera. This to make it as small as possible but also reasonably comfortable at the same time.

IMG_0032 by Mike Swain, on Flickr

IMG_0031 by Mike Swain, on Flickr
 
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wooster said:
I have decided I just need to sort something out and I have ordered this one from Ebay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-Man-Hi...686874&hash=item4d473ac134:g:KFgAAOSw2GlXIlRh

It's £50, and pops up. I'll stick a chair in it and a bit of netting over the hole and hopefully that will be enough. I will let you know how it works out

Thanks everyone for helping and giving advice. I
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Don't forget to update the thread with your thoughts once you have used it ! Good shooting
 
Thanks. I will let you know how it goes. It might be a little while depending when it arrives as I'm due on holiday soon :)
 
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