DiscussionHides and blinds, what's actually worked for you?

Winter is when I get most of my hide time in, mostly the public hides around the Ouse Washes and a scrim net in the garden by the feeders. I've been thinking of buying a proper pop-up hide for a field edge where I've seen a barn owl hunting at dusk, but I've no idea which designs hold up, how long it takes birds to accept something new, or whether a simple net over a chair does the same job.

What have people found? Particularly interested in how long you leave a hide in place before using it, and whether the birds care about shutter noise.

A good hide beats a fancy lens, I've said it before, I've got a cheap one man pop up, about £60, and the trick is leave it out for a week if the farmer lets you, first few days the birds give it a wide berth then they forget about it, peg it down propperly as well because the first windy night mine ended up two fields over, electronic shutter is the other thing, silent, makes a real difference with the smaller stuff, the mechanical clack on the R7 sends the tits off every time

I use a chair blind in the backyard and it's honestly the best thing I've bought. For the owl, I'd be really careful about getting too close to a hunting area, and never use anything to draw it in. A hide at a respectful distance with a long lens is the way.

fen_and_field said:

whether a simple net over a chair does the same job

It does. Sit still. Birds care about movement, not the hide.

Out here a hide is mostly about shade, ha. I've had a ground blind at a water hole on a buddy's property for three years and the javelina walk right past it like it's a rock. Took about two weeks before the quail stopped flushing when I unzipped it, and they still get twitchy if I'm late and walk in after sunrise.

Agree with Jim though, sitting still is 90% of it. The other 10% is getting in before the birds do and not leaving until they've gone. I take a thermos, a cushion and a paperback and plan on three hours minimum. Some mornings nothing comes. Those are still good mornings.

On shutter noise, the Z8 is silent and it does help with the small stuff, but honestly the bigger giveaway is the lens moving in the port. Move it slow, like you're stirring cold honey. A big white lens swinging around spooks more birds than any click ever did.

• Walt

Kathy_R said:

never use anything to draw it in

No, absolutely not, and I'd not want to change its hunting either. The plan is a fixed spot well back along the hedge she already quarters, set up in daylight when she's not about, and sit in it at dusk a few times a week. If she moves her route, so be it.

Not a bird person (insects all the way down, sorry) but I'll add that a hide is amazing for dragonflies too (they come back to the same perch over and over (if you're patient, which I am not)), so maybe it's dual use come summer?

Also, and I say this as someone who has sat in a pop-up for four hours waiting for a broad-bodied chaser, bring something to sit on that doesn't creak. Mine squeaked every time I breathed and I'm fairly sure the entire pond knew exactly where I was. Foam kneeling pad from the garden centre fixed it.

Bought a two-person pop-up after all and put it out twelve days ago. Second evening in it this week and the owl came along the hedge at about twenty yards. Barely enough light, ISO through the roof, and absolutely worth it.

That's wonderful! Twelve days of patience well spent.