A Poiana from the hide

Italian bird hides seem to be so much better than ones in the UK. Why should that be? Has no-one in the UK visited other countries to see how great their designs are? Do we not care about design? Do we just go for economy and build the simplest of sheds instead? Maybe I’ve just not visited great hides in the UK yet.

Here’s a classic example of an Italian bird hide at the Lago di Alviano, a WWF reserve, in Italy:

It has ‘tanked’ foot-wells so that you can sit low to the water level and get great photographs of the birds which swim by. It also works well for fly-bys. I took this photograph of a Great White Heron from here:

And this photograph of a Kingfisher on a nearby branch:

Which was followed shortly by this photograph of a Kingfisher:

All of these photographs were taken when I was comfortable and in a better position because of the design of the hide.

There’s a small-birds hide here, too.

This one is ‘L’ shaped, around a central collection of a reflection table, an old tree and some beautiful small flowering trees. This Siskin has come to the reflection table:

So did this Hawfinch:

And this Marsh Tit:

There’s one hide we’re not allowed in during the week. It’s reserved for views of the local Buzzard, which is fed by the WWF volunteers. It’s €6 entrance fee to the reserve, but €30 per person for access to the Buzzard hide, which includes entrance to the reserve. We ponder whether to do it tomorrow or not, and then agonise whether to do it tomorrow, then finally ring up to find it’s fully booked tomorrow. Oh well. It’s open now, apparently, but they don’t feed the Buzzzard today.

We wander along anyway, only to find someone’s brought a feast for the Buzzard and it’s tucking in with gusto.

That’s €48 saved :) I love a bargain, but I love a well-designed bird hide more.

More from Lago di Alviano