Hide etiquette (1 Viewer)

[Keith Dickinson]

A few years ago I was in one of the hides at Cley and there were two or three of us discussing the finer points of stint id, just birders who'd met for the first time in that hide. In came a family with a babe in arms and a youngster of about 5 or 6. One of the fellas that I'd been talking to changed into the birder from hell, making snide remarks about 'bloody kids', thankfully he decided to go soon after the family arrived.
That twisted individual will never know how much the little girl liked seeing her first avocet, ringed plover and black-tailed godwit. I do as she used my scope to see them, Mum and Dad also enjoyed their first avocet using my scope.
A little bit of civility goes a long way.

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

 

[gyrfalcon]

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

You take them wherever you like Richard... You might not think so now, and they might not thank you for it, but they will benefit from experiences like that..
Compare to my neighbours' children, who when I shown them a frog, asked me if they could "Stamp on it"

The people who moan should realise that a varied education for youngsters might stop the children from torching the hide in 15 years time!

 

[Keith Dickinson]

The people who moan should realise that a varied education for youngsters might stop the children from torching the hide in 15 years time!

Absolutely right! Totally agree with you.

 

[carsonbm]

What does Fag mean in Europe?

 

[delia todd]

What does Fag mean in Europe?

I got into trouble for using that term once:eek!: it's a cigarette:-O

D

 

[ColonelBlimp]

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.

A few weeks ago (in the bliss before A2 levels) I was in Norfolk and I had to rush between the hides and reserves because I wanted to take it all in, in the short period of time I had.

Much as I would have liked to sit there waiting for something great to turn up I simply couldn't afford the time without missing Snettisham, Titchwell etc.

 

[Chewbaxter]

Just a brief tale from my trip to Pennington Flash (Lancashire) last month that I thought I'd share.

I'd got my 'scope all set up in the hide - not much going on, but I was happy enough.

This chap and his son came in... I reckon they'd simply come for a walk around (it's also a 'recreation area' you see) yet came into the hide for a look.

Saw them squinting and trying to make stuff out... and I thought how pleased I was when someone let me look through a 'scope for the first time (the first time also that I saw a Little Ringed Plover)... and me being a 'decent chap' thought I'd do the same.

"Here" I says, "do you and your lad want to have a look through this - I'll focus in on a Heron for you and then you can say you've seen something"

Grey Heron and 'scope focussed - both seemed pretty chuffed.

"I want to see a Swan" says the lad.

No probs - set it, and there we are.

Dad thanked me before leaving, and I have to say I was pretty chuffed myself - I LOVE being shown stuff that's new to me or interesting re: birds... and even if just for a brief moment, I was able to share that with someone.

A 'Birding Convert'? Who knows, but just to say, if ever you see me with my 'scope I ain't territorial or possessive with it - you're welcome to 'a go' with it anytime!

:t:

Neil.

 

[Peewit]

I got into trouble for using that term once:eek!: it's a cigarette:-O

D

hi Delia

Likewise here too, that is what a Fag is!!!!! o:king:

Kathy
x

 

[Pete Mella]

hi Delia

Likewise here too, that is what a Fag is!!!!! o:king:

Kathy
x

"Can I bum a fag?". Very different connotations across the pond.

 

[Peewit]

"Can I bum a fag?". Very different connotations across the pond.

Hi Pete

Yes, there are indeed. There are at least 6 meanings attached to the same word - the things that we find out LOL

Kathy
x

 

[Brian B]

hide etiquette

I have only one word...or maybe four actually....shut the bloody flaps! A hide is meant to be exactly that, ie hide the viewer from the birds.

 

[ColonelBlimp]

I have only one word...or maybe four actually....shut the bloody flaps! A hide is meant to be exactly that, ie hide the viewer from the birds.

But surely then people would have to view the bird through glass/plastic windows, sort of negating buying £££s of expensive bins/scope!

 

[gyrfalcon]

But surely then people would have to view the bird through glass/plastic windows, sort of negating buying £££s of expensive bins/scope!

Or wood in the case of my local hide!

 

[ColonelBlimp]

Wood windows, nice! I hope they come in an ED version...

 

[John P]

But surely then people would have to view the bird through glass/plastic windows, sort of negating buying £££s of expensive bins/scope!

Hopefully Mr B meant close the flaps when you leave.

 

[gyrfalcon]

Wood windows, nice! I hope they come in an ED version...

Sorry.. meant to reply to the comment above.. I was of course referring to "flaps".. no more mis-interpretation here please! Move along! Nothing funny or amusing anywhere here!

 

[Emma]

I had my first experience of non-hide etiquette today during a visit to Slimbridge where the majority of visitors are probably non-birdwatchers. We were in the Holden Tower and scanning the area using binoculars and our scope, for a split second I left my seat to ID a bird through our scope and this woman ducked underneath the front of the scope and pinched my seat!! I hadn't been stood up for 15 seconds and she was there like a whippet!!

Surely people should realise that unless someone actually leaves the hide then they will still be requiring their seat!

Grumble over!!o

 

[Peewit]

I had my first experience of non-hide etiquette today during a visit to Slimbridge where the majority of visitors are probably non-birdwatchers. We were in the Holden Tower and scanning the area using binoculars and our scope, for a split second I left my seat to ID a bird through our scope and this woman ducked underneath the front of the scope and pinched my seat!! I hadn't been stood up for 15 seconds and she was there like a whippet!!

Surely people should realise that unless someone actually leaves the hide then they will still be requiring their seat!

Grumble over!!o

Hi Emma

Grumble away.... I do not blame you!

Well that is people at their worst. No manners, and shame on them for being like that :-C
Simply asking you if you still need your seat is too much effort for some people. :-C

I would be inclined to place my jacket over the seat I am sitting on as a symbol to say the seat is taken. It is like a territory thing! :t:

I bet that you enjoyed your day at Slimbridge despite of the drawbacks. Lots to see and observe. :-O

 

[Fozzybear]

Since I visited Skomer and Cley earlier in the year all my wildlife watching has been either in my garden or at a little local reserve where there are no hides/screens or any such paraphernalia, so none of these problems - my hide is standing still at my kitchen sink, or if I'm not there I'm out doing wildlife watching 'al fresco'. More dog walkers than you'd get at Minsmere probably though!

I probably was a 'bad hider' when at Cley as I took up a fair bit of space and kept moving about to photograph different things, but since the hides were not that busy I don't feel 'too' bad about it. When I go back next spring I'll try to be considerate though.