Hide étiquette

[Gremlin]

I usually take food, for me not the birds

My local reserve doesn't allow food for yourself or the birds, soft drinks are ok but's that's all
and no dogs

 

[Graham Roberthall]

Ahhh 3 sections, obvious when you think about it...... and my stockist ( the wife and her sewing machine ) never runs out.

 

[jerry12953]

The public hides round me seem pretty much limited to elderly men with large tripods who all know each other, talk very loudly, and object to strangers, especially female ones, joining them.

That can happen, but to be fair it doesn't only apply to women.

 

[the black fox]

On a recent visit to a RSPB Reserve my wife and I had some interesting etiquette experiences in one of the hides. We arrived mid-morning and many of the seats were taken, but not occupied. Most of the bench seats can take 2 or 3 adults to look through a specific viewpoint. Interestingly, on this occasion, some individuals had spread themselves out over a single bench, leaving a coat and other equipment to ensure that no-one distubed their claimed place. To make matters worse they had then decamped to a bench on the other side of the hide - usually with their scope/binoculars and camera.

Maybe it is just me, but I would consider this to be very bad manners, as such people are denying access to others. To make matters worse, when I decided that it was rather unfair that one person should occupy the whole of a bench and stop others using it, I asked politely whether that person would mind if I sat down. My remark was completely ignored and the person involved physically tried to spread herself to stop me sitting down, though she was standing behind the bench stopping others accessing it. When I sat on the end of the bench (she still had more than two thirds of it from behind) I was treated to some unpleasant loud remarks by the person involved. Again this response was, in my opinion, not necessary for to act in this way, ie trying to occupy seats on both sides of the hide and becoming unpleasant at the idea of sharing, is the height of bad manners. It is saying, in fact, that that particular person is more important than anyone else in the hide as well as being a failure to recognise that we all have the same rights and responsibilities. It is worth pointing out that the person who was so rude to me and others in that particular hide gained no support, and, with their partner, soon left, to the relief of all present.

One would expect that, even in hides, good manners might prevail, but, as a warning, it is clear that, as in life, this will not always be the case.

In our experience this is a very isolated case, as we have found most people who use hides are the complete opposite, extremely helpful and willing to share seating and information with everyone around. The fact is that we are all enthusiasts and are there for the same thing, so it is better to do as much as we can to help each other. That way the level of continuing enjoyment from our shared pastime increases with each visit.

I find that in circumstances like that there are several paths to follow ,loud burping for starters ,followed if possible by squeezing out a smelly fart and looking at the said woman ,if neither of them works then I resort to offensive language nothing like" move you f*****g fat cow ,you don't own the hide " to really kick it off .your days shot anyway so at least go home with a smile on your face

 

[hobsey]

Make sure (if your camera has it) that focus confirmation beep is turned off! I was in a hide a couple of years ago & someone had it enabled ............ grrrrr

I was going to comment on this, drives me up the wall hearing a constant beep.

 

[hobsey]

Reading some of the comments on here has really made me chuckle as I'm glad I'm not the only that experiences the completely arrogant people.

I had a woman that literally jumped in my grave the other week, no sooner had I stood up she jumped in my spotting nearly knocking 4 grands worth of my gear out the window. I actually had to ask her if I could get my camera.

 

[Mr Badger]

I was going to comment on this, drives me up the wall hearing a constant beep.

Do you think it might be people who aren't using Canon EF lenses trying to obtain the right focus point?

 

[hobsey]

Do you think it might be people who aren't using Canon EF lenses trying to obtain the right focus point?

Oh, she is as it's the same person everytime. I just don't want to sound grumpy and ask her to turn it off and use the confirmation light in the view finder instead as I see her most weekends.

 

[the black fox]

Oh, she is as it's the same person everytime. I just don't want to sound grumpy and ask her to turn it off and use the confirmation light in the view finder instead as I see her most weekends.

Then be subtle compliment her camera ask to look at it and on the pretext of viewing her images swiftly go to menu and turn it off ,guesses are she will wonder why the noise has stopped working for a few years

 

[davholla]

A few years ago I was at a busy hide in Minismere and some had left a Canon 1 series with I think a 100-400 mm lens lying around, I hope no one stole it. With hindsight, I should have taken it to the reserve office.

 

[gramps]

A few years ago I was at a busy hide in Minismere and some had left a Canon 1 series with I think a 100-400 mm lens lying around, I hope no one stole it. With hindsight, I should have taken it to the reserve office.

I have noticed odds and ends left in hides byt tend to view it on levels of value ... I've seen lens caps, scope covers, gloves and the like and I tend to leave them where they are assuming that the owner will at some stage realise and return for the item. However with anything of more value I would hand it in, e.g a camera, lens, backpack etc ... the item of most value I have found was a mobile phone, which I did retrieve ready to take back to the reserve office when I left the hide, however the owner returned whilst I was still in the hide and apparently he had left it there the previous day.

 

[mikeyt]

[was going to start a new thread but found this one so thought I'd resurrect instead!]

How long is it reasonable to sit at a great seat in in a busy hide if there are people waiting at the back of it, wanting to do some shooting?

I think the sliding scale is something like:
a - as long as I damn well like, I got up earlier than you and will take as many pics as I can, I've got sandwiches and coffee. And I only want 2 people per bench so we have plenty of room, even though you could fit 3.
b - up to 90 minutes or a couple of hours after it fills up, so there is *some* rotation.
c - nobody should wait more than about 10 minutes, and it should be first in/ first out.

(am getting up at stupid o'clock tomorrow to go somewhere that was really busy last time and dont want to be 'that guy' that gets it wrong!)

 

[gramps]

There will be as many views as people ...
Are there limits to how long you can stay at a hide?
Have you arranged for the wildlife that you seek to photograph to be available during your self-imposed slot?
How long will the next person stay in the seat you vacated?
I could go on.

 

[welshwizard645]

I find that in circumstances like that there are several paths to follow ,loud burping for starters ,followed if possible by squeezing out a smelly fart and looking at the said woman ,if neither of them works then I resort to offensive language nothing like" move you f*****g fat cow ,you don't own the hide " to really kick it off .your days shot anyway so at least go home with a smile on your face

I skip the burping steps myself...

 

[Tysonator]

On a recent visit to a RSPB Reserve my wife and I had some interesting etiquette experiences in one of the hides. We arrived mid-morning and many of the seats were taken, but not occupied. Most of the bench seats can take 2 or 3 adults to look through a specific viewpoint. Interestingly, on this occasion, some individuals had spread themselves out over a single bench, leaving a coat and other equipment to ensure that no-one distubed their claimed place. To make matters worse they had then decamped to a bench on the other side of the hide - usually with their scope/binoculars and camera.

Maybe it is just me, but I would consider this to be very bad manners, as such people are denying access to others. To make matters worse, when I decided that it was rather unfair that one person should occupy the whole of a bench and stop others using it, I asked politely whether that person would mind if I sat down. My remark was completely ignored and the person involved physically tried to spread herself to stop me sitting down, though she was standing behind the bench stopping others accessing it. When I sat on the end of the bench (she still had more than two thirds of it from behind) I was treated to some unpleasant loud remarks by the person involved. Again this response was, in my opinion, not necessary for to act in this way, ie trying to occupy seats on both sides of the hide and becoming unpleasant at the idea of sharing, is the height of bad manners. It is saying, in fact, that that particular person is more important than anyone else in the hide as well as being a failure to recognise that we all have the same rights and responsibilities. It is worth pointing out that the person who was so rude to me and others in that particular hide gained no support, and, with their partner, soon left, to the relief of all present.

One would expect that, even in hides, good manners might prevail, but, as a warning, it is clear that, as in life, this will not always be the case.

In our experience this is a very isolated case, as we have found most people who use hides are the complete opposite, extremely helpful and willing to share seating and information with everyone around. The fact is that we are all enthusiasts and are there for the same thing, so it is better to do as much as we can to help each other. That way the level of continuing enjoyment from our shared pastime increases with each visit.

In a situation like this after I have asked politely I would then mention next that I am sitting here so you either accept it or we will be having a problem ! ! ! ! !
Is is different for me being a well built male and looking like Arnold the Terminator as most people tend to not want a confrontation.
There is a limit to my patience and tolerance of rude people !

To date I have not had any rude people at hides at all, in fact most have been very chatty and friendly offering advice.

I have been on quite a few TimeLine Events and my very first one was not pleasant with a free for all approach ( I believe the event was just after the first lock down period ended ) , 2 very arrogant rude men spoiled the day for me and possibly a few others and that was going to my first and last attendance with TLE.
However I did not let this stop me from booking any other events and I have had some very good times and meet some wonderful people.

As a whole I would say most people at hides and organised events I have attended are polite and welcoming, and as long as you are the same then you will be fine, and have a great time.

If you do have a difficult person/s just be firm and with a constructive argument when dealing with said difficult person/s ( with out loosing your temper and swearing as once that happens you have lost the argument ! ! )

 

[welshwizard645]

Hides I use are mainly at London or Arundel wetlands, sometimes Pulborough... I tend to find birders and other togs generally helpful, especially when Bitterns appear.

However, experiences are usually blighted by tog-hating birders, and children particularly loud ones who get bored quickly having seen nothing (wonder why!). I have no problem with children, it's the parents and grandparents who indulge them and forgetting to turn down the loudness dial, a lot of the time you do get pram-pushing fathers in full shibtull mode, at high volume - not in the hides but between them when I am trying to capture the warblers in the reeds.

Now, if I am in the hide and say there is a stick that has something like a Kingfisher landing on it and I have prime spot. Spot is mine until I have finished. If, on the other hand, it is a static subject then I take my images and move on. But, I have not been anywhere where it is so crowded that I have to hang on to my spot for dear life.

Shutter noise, focus confirmation beeps and flash don't bother birds. It's movement that spooks them, and shouty people. I also tend to find leaving the lens hood off, especially if the sun is behind you, a good idea.

Must investigate sand bags.

 

[jerry12953]

Some people just don't know what bird hides are for. There's a reserve not far from here with several very well placed hides which are great for photographing kingfishers and other species. They are on a public footpath, unfortunately, which means that from about mid-morning onwards they tend to be used by people who know very little about birds and aren't even interested in them. It seems to be a regular haunt of "so-and-so's dog walking service" and "tom, dick and harriet's child-minding service". I was in there when two young women arrived with two prams and four freelance children. I tried to explain the hide was for bird-watching but they just wouldn't listen. I ended up being quite blunt with them and ....god, I've never heard such a torrent of bad language from one of them. I left very soon afterwards.

Anyway, rant over. I think I've probably been on both sides of the over-staying argument. Just be a little sensitive about other people's needs, I would say.