© 2021 Birds in Latin
I’m what you might call a lazy bird photographer. Therefore I’m a frequent user of bird hides. Recently I visited HJ bird hides in Emmen. Emmen is a town up north in the Netherlands. HJ is known for his beautiful bird hides and especially for the Bee-eaters you’ll find there.
They’re not your average bird hides though. No, at HJ’s you’ll find several huge shipping containers converted into bird hides, placed in a huge aviary. I mean a huge aviary, (hundreds and hundreds of square meters huge). Within the Aviary HJ created several biotopes for different kinds of bird groups. HJ’s grown significantly over the years. Nowadays one can photograph so many bird species that just one day, is hardly enough to shoot them all.
This was my second visit and it was worth the 3-hour drive from Belgium. I got to see so many different birds. Normally, I would have to visit Canada, the Far East and southern and eastern parts of Europe to see them. So in my humble opinion, at HJ’s you’ll have a great opportunity to get acquainted with these birds and get some nice photos on the side.
However, shortly after my visit and posting some of the photographs I took there, I got practically spit on by a considerable portion of the bird-friendly community. In summary, it came down to the same old discussion. Other bird friends stated that photographing birds from a bird hide is not done and is considered cheating. By mentioning the bird hide very clearly in the caption of my post, I could maybe save myself from the whip
Let’s talk about it…
I would love to hear more opinions and views on this matter. Why is it cheating to shoot from a bird hide? Is the photo only considered good after you’ve suffered a bit, so to speak? Do you have to walk 10 miles, or hide for hours in a bush in the rain? is it for instance better after you put yourself flat on the ground in the dirt for hours and hours to create a beautiful capture? I rather look at a well-taken photograph of any bird from a bird hide than some blurry fuzzy shot of a bird sitting in a tree half a mile up ahead. Even worse, a shot of a rare bird flying off somewhere because the photographer scared it.
My opinion… Bullshit. All birds that come to a bird hide are free and wild. It’s just because most birds are opportunists… they’ll go for the easy meal and water they will find near a bird hide. Most often, you still have to walk quite a distance to get to the hide. It’s just, that once you’re inside the hide it’s at least dry and there’s most likely a chair. Probably even some more comfort, but….. you’re still capturing birds in the wild. You will just have more opportunities to photograph birds. Present birds will attract other birds, and they will spend more time within your sight. So the chances of taking decent photos will increase.
If you like to hike and wander through nature, please be my guest, I love to do that myself. The occasions to make great captures however are very rare. Unless you’re on a hideout behind a bush, rock or tree. But then again I ask you, what’s the difference with a bird hide where you pay 60-100 Euros for some extra comfort?
No bird should ever be harmed or disturbed for a photograph. I wouldn’t visit a birds of prey show to name an example. But what’s the harm in shooting from a bird hide? Or why is it cheating? Or is it the simple fact that you can buy it with money that’s stinging people?
Visit HJ’s at https://vogelkijkhut.com/
