Hide etiquette (4 Viewers)

[thenorthernmonkey]

I think in America, fags are homosexuals!!

So what?

The same is true of this country (fag being short for faggot meaning homosexual meaning person of same sex preferences )- rather derogatory..

 

[Barred Wobbler]

So you did understand after all.

 

[mcmerlin]

i've seen a water rail at fowlmere. you want to go at dusk, in late summer when the rail is raising young. well, thats when i saw mine anyway. from the drewer hide, it was.

 

[dixonge]

This 'hide' phenomenon you speak of......it appears to be rather common on that side of the pond I take it? Is it more common there than birding whilst walking around?

 

[Alcina]

This 'hide' phenomenon you speak of......it appears to be rather common on that side of the pond I take it? Is it more common there than birding whilst walking around?

It depends what sort of site. At most reserves featuring lakes, and some others too, there are viewing hides, with fences preventing anyone viewing from other places, so as not to disturb the birds. Obviously sites like beaches, open heathland, woodland don't have hides, and you just wander along the paths.

My own pet hate in hides is birders who refuse to help with ID or locating a bird when asked politely. Or, even worse, reply rudely. Taking the mickey publically out of the confused soul who wondered what that brown thing shaped like a blackbird is. Inexcusable.

 

[dafi]

I aggree with Alcina about the ignorant pepole out there.

If you have been a victim of this sort of behaviour try not to worry about it.
You meet all sorts in hides. On the whole we are all in to the same thing and do it for the love of doing it,sharing knoledge and the enjoyment of the hobby and learning from the expierience is a big part of what its about.

My pet dislike is whispering in hides as i think the high frequency hisses of half a dozen pepole talking travel worst than a muted low frequency mutter.

 

[ColinD]

Wherever groups of people gather you will always get a mixture of good and bad behaviour. Some are kind and considerate, others are rude and ignorant.

The trouble is, we like to put everybody into little groups. I'm always a good decent person and this is my group of friends, whilst those people over there are always bad, ignorant people. But reality just isn't like that.

Very often the people you think are being rude and ignorant, are just having a bad day. Sometimes I don't want to talk, sometimes I've just had a row with the wife, sometimes I'm edgy, sometimes I've got a headache, sometimes I feel ill, sometimes if you ask me a question you'll get a blunt answer, sometimes I just want to be left alone, sometimes I feel like rebelling. It doesn't make me a bad person, it just makes me Human. Most of the time though I like to think I am considerate and helpful. When somebody you don't know walks into a hide, or turns up at a twitch, all you are seeing is a snapshot of their lives at that moment - you can't judge them on that.

Add to that melting pot the fact that we all go out on a different mission. I generally go birding in the hope that I might see something unusual, but you might go because you've never been birding before, and somebody else might go to educate the kids. I don't want those kids disturbing the little brown job I'm trying to identify, but you're not interested in the boring LBJ and you might say that because I'm being grumpy and telling you to keep quiet I'm spoiling it for the kids. Which one of us is right?

The best bet is to avoid crowds like the plague. Never go into hides and never go on large twitches. Also avoid shopping centres, football games, holiday resorts, in fact anywhere where Humanity gathers in groups of more than about five. That's my advice.

 

[vkalia]

Well put, Bobby.

However, there is a special kind of hell reserved for people who see you in a car with a long lens sticking out and coming vrooming over, asking "what's there, what's there" at the top of your voice and, on finding out it is only a little dickie bird, go vrooming off even more loudly. In the meantime, the bird, which was just about to step out into a ray of light, has tooled off.

It should be legal to beat such people with a large aluminum tripod.

Vandit

 

[deborah4]

The best bet is to avoid crowds like the plague. Never go into hides and never go on large twitches. Also avoid shopping centres, football games, holiday resorts, in fact anywhere where Humanity gathers in groups of more than about five. That's my advice.

LOL and I follow it to the T - unless I'm one of the group and it's pouring with rain and it's cold, wet and windy, in which case hides are OK! Sensible post Bobby - if you can't stand the heat and all that.

 

[gyrfalcon]

My own pet hate in hides is birders who refuse to help with ID or locating a bird when asked politely. Or, even worse, reply rudely. Taking the mickey publically out of the confused soul who wondered what that brown thing shaped like a blackbird is. Inexcusable.

Presumably this whole dialogue must be conducted in semaphore or written word in order to avoid the wrath of other posters on this thread!

 

[Mannix]

I was in a hide at Blacktoft Sands and around dusk a Barn Owl was spotted coming from left to right and was due to pass right in front of the hide. Everyone waited quietly with their bin's and camera's ready. The Owl was nearing the hide when a stupid woman down stairs, who thought she was the only person to have noticed it literally shouted to let the whole hide know her wonderful spotting capabilities.. "THERE'S A BARN OWL FLYING PAST"
We just saw the tail feathers disappearing back from whence they came after that. The whole hide let her know in a series of mumblings and murmerings that she was out of order.

 

[Marmot]

Twice when we were at the Eric Morecambe Hide at Leighton Moss in September our visit was spoiled by a pair of old know it alls.

The hide was full and there was plenty of birds to be seen. One of the old guys had obviously taken root since early doors and was not going to move for anyone coming in, yet he had became bored and started up a loud conversation with another elderly man and his wife. First of all where do you come from, where have you been,what have you seen and also what ailments have you got etc etc.

I wish I was one of those people that had the oomph to just say in a loud voice "Look you may have seen what you want to, but not everyone has" I left there in disgust. Yet there was a small team of teenage females doing a bird count, who were so quiet and if they had any ID problems they whispered to someone near them regarding the bird!

The thing that got me about the hide is they had signs up about switching mobiles off, but nothing about keeping quiet. I did email Leighton Moss and got a reply to say they were looking into this so I don't know if any signs have been put up about staying quiet.

 

[Geoff Brown]

Fortunately water rails are fairly regular in front of the hide at Fowlmere. Every time I've been one usually shows at some time in the day.

 

[Vectis Birder]

Very often the people you think are being rude and ignorant, are just having a bad day. Sometimes I don't want to talk, sometimes I've just had a row with the wife, sometimes I'm edgy, sometimes I've got a headache, sometimes I feel ill, sometimes if you ask me a question you'll get a blunt answer, sometimes I just want to be left alone, sometimes I feel like rebelling. It doesn't make me a bad person, it just makes me Human. Most of the time though I like to think I am considerate and helpful. When somebody you don't know walks into a hide, or turns up at a twitch, all you are seeing is a snapshot of their lives at that moment - you can't judge them on that.

I agree entirely with what you are saying. I don't always want to talk to other people that much but I do try and be polite and helpful if I am spoken to and asked something. It doesn't take much. That said, I have not come across that many downright rude birders myself, although, like any group of human beings there is a spectrum of attitudes and outlooks.
A curt nod is acceptable I think, in a hide, to anyone entering - any form of greeting is better than nothing.

I had severe depression in 1999 and since then, on and off, I have had recurrences of varying severity. Birding helps a lot with these but if I suddenly find myself surrounded by people when I don't want human company then I am not fun to be around and am unsociable to say the least. I try not to be rude but when you're feeling ill, social graces are not top of any list of priorities. Yeah, I *could* stay at home but that does not help.

I have to admit that if I am having a nice quiet birding session, whether within or outside a hide, and there is a large gang of people approaching, especially if they have small children (ok, shoot me but toddlers and babies are a nightmare in hides - 'look at the nice birdie' 'WAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!') in tow, my inner voice goes 'Oh bloody HELL!'. Outwardly though I will always try and remain polite, will always try and help those who want to know something and I never do a runner immediately because I do not want to appear rude. Unless the people are a bunch of loudmouths with indisciplined kids running riot, that is.

As for photographers in hides, yes I am one of those dreaded beings, as well as an artist but if my photo or sketching stuff is spread out and my lens taking up room, I move it when folks come in.

 

[Fozzybear]

Well put, Bobby.

However, there is a special kind of hell reserved for people who see you in a car with a long lens sticking out and coming vrooming over, asking "what's there, what's there" at the top of your voice and, on finding out it is only a little dickie bird, go vrooming off even more loudly. In the meantime, the bird, which was just about to step out into a ray of light, has tooled off.

It should be legal to beat such people with a large aluminum tripod.

Vandit

Experienced this when trying to photograph some fallow deer at Holkham Hall. Was in the shade of the trees with the deer moving closely when a load of cars drive past, slam on the anchors and everyone piles out slamming doors and talking loudly "LOOK DEER! AW, AREN'T THEY NICE! I'LL GET A PHOTO... WHERE'S MY CAMERA?" (slams boot), "OH, THEY'RE GOING...!".

:clap:|^|

Hides are certainly interesting places. Have only been to hides a few times but you do seem to get a rather interesting mix of people. At Cley Marshes saw some families, lots of old dears and 'sandals and shorts' old blokes, quite a lot of spotter scopers and a few photographers... mostly with BIG lenses, but some of the old dears were taking photos with little compacts. Had a good conversation with one photographer (when no-one else was in the hide) and spent a bit of time talking to a guy out on the boardwalk, but that area seems good for conversation anyway - struck up conversations with a few people when out for walks, which rarely happens in Essex. Very nice!

I was amazed by how short a time most people spend in a particular hide. I spent probably an hour and a half in one hide and watched a procession of people arrive, set up their scopes, look around, pack up and move on, often staying only for a minute or two. I can only assume they're twitchers looking for new birds to tick. I really liked settling down and spending time just looking out and seeing what turns up, very relaxing. The people who came and quickly left missed all the good stuff - the common terns fishing near the hide, the family of marsh harriers quartering over the reeds, the grey heron that arrived and was mobbed by avocets and black-headed gulls, and the bittern that we saw fly back and forth.

 

[Peewit]

I agree entirely with what you are saying. I don't always want to talk to other people that much but I do try and be polite and helpful if I am spoken to and asked something. It doesn't take much. That said, I have not come across that many downright rude birders myself, although, like any group of human beings there is a spectrum of attitudes and outlooks.
A curt nod is acceptable I think, in a hide, to anyone entering - any form of greeting is better than nothing.

I had severe depression in 1999 and since then, on and off, I have had recurrences of varying severity. Birding helps a lot with these but if I suddenly find myself surrounded by people when I don't want human company then I am not fun to be around and am unsociable to say the least. I try not to be rude but when you're feeling ill, social graces are not top of any list of priorities. Yeah, I *could* stay at home but that does not help.

I have to admit that if I am having a nice quiet birding session, whether within or outside a hide, and there is a large gang of people approaching, especially if they have small children (ok, shoot me but toddlers and babies are a nightmare in hides - 'look at the nice birdie' 'WAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!') in tow, my inner voice goes 'Oh bloody HELL!'. Outwardly though I will always try and remain polite, will always try and help those who want to know something and I never do a runner immediately because I do not want to appear rude. Unless the people are a bunch of loudmouths with indisciplined kids running riot, that is.

As for photographers in hides, yes I am one of those dreaded beings, as well as an artist but if my photo or sketching stuff is spread out and my lens taking up room, I move it when folks come in.

hi VB

i can totally empathise with what you are saying here.

Like you, I suffer from depression and it is one of those things you have to live with. Other people do not understand what you are going through at all, mock you, call you mad, but they are the ones who have no feelings for what other people go through.
It is one way of working out who your true friends are. Another thing is it does not help that some people see 50 year olds as old dears grrr.... too :-C

My way of alleviating depression is to go for long walks and bird watching to see what new areas I can investigate whenever possible. i have walked 35 miles in one day so far!!

Like you I can be a bit iffy around some people, and alright with others while walking around a nature reserve. it all depends on the day and how it is going. Feelings aside, I am alway polite with bird Hide etiquette and say hello even if it is a nod or a hello. It is what i believe in and it is good to be polite in case we meet the same people once more.

I visited Titchwell recently and i found my partner became more aggrieved than I did when it came to dealing with overbearing loudmouthed chatter boxes in a Bird hides.

I wonder if it is me or my OH who has the inner grievance about bird Hides sometimes. :king:

Hey, no harm in a good photograph or two to add to your achievements in the birding world.

Kathy
x

 

[gyrfalcon]

I agree.. I think a lot of us find it difficult to slow down full stop! if the weather is bad, if we've had a long stressful week and we're still on edge, or we got family commitments to rush home for etc!, it's all too easy to rush your birding instead of stopping for a while and taking it all in.

 

[deborah4]

I think Peewit and VB have hit the nail on the head with regard to birding being very important to some people (myself included!) to regain an inner sense of peace and quiet that is so easily lost in the humdrum busy business of living, working, coping with family, coping with long term illnesses etc. Birding can take on a form of meditation and most birders will admit to birding with very focused bouts of intensity and concentration - it's the ability to do that which makes it possible to get back to that 'this is really who I am' feeling - when that's disrupted for whatever reason - sometimes it can feel your only means of 'escape' is blocked! The greater the need for escape (from whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, be it illness or people overload), the greater the sensitivity to disturbance. (For me coping with fibro myligia and arthritis in the lower back, knees, neck - the only time I don't feel pain is when I'm totally focused on birding - it's later I feel it and every day when I'm working!!![/I])

 

[Richard G]

We do like to visit reserves as a family (we have 2 children under 10), but I'm always concious about taking the kids into hides. My youngest is 5, and her attention span is somewhat limited, and she sometimes loses interest. I always seem to cringe when it gets to this stage, as I feel everyone else gets the hump with us!!

I took my son to Leighton Moss, just the two of us, and we had a great experience in one of the hides. We sat next to a lovely lady (a retired teacher as it turned out) & she chatted to Dominic and let him use her binoculars.

Richard

 

[ColinD]

We do like to visit reserves as a family (we have 2 children under 10), but I'm always concious about taking the kids into hides. My youngest is 5, and her attention span is somewhat limited, and she sometimes loses interest. I always seem to cringe when it gets to this stage, as I feel everyone else gets the hump with us!!

I took my son to Leighton Moss, just the two of us, and we had a great experience in one of the hides. We sat next to a lovely lady (a retired teacher as it turned out) & she chatted to Dominic and let him use her binoculars.

Richard

I think that all that is required is common sense by everybody. If you go into Lillian's Hide at Leighton Moss (the big hide with the large windows near the reception), then you will most likely be surrounded by what Bill Oddie used to describe as dudes (before he realised that dudes are the folk who pay his wages on T.V.). This type of birder will be very sympathetic to kids, and may be more interested in socialising than actually birding.

On the otherhand, if you go into a small hide at your local reserve, you will get a very different response if they are all quietly waiting for a Spotted Crake to emerge. Spotted Crakes are largely scared of their own shadows, and a couple of kids crashing around the hide is the last thing they want to hear.

When my kids were young, I used to take them birding regularly, but I always tried to avoid situations where I could see that a long quiet wait was required. Kids will be kids, but birders will also be Human.