Lizzie Mack

A hide is a safe place to sit and watch the birds and animals that come and go in your garden without them being able to see you and being frightened away. 

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 You will need:

• A large sheet, old curtains or a large piece of fabric. You will be cutting it, so make sure your adults know that!

• 6 sturdy sticks or bamboo canes about 1.8 meters tall

• String or garden twine

• Stones, logs or tent pegs to stop the bottom of your hide from flapping around

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Method

1. Choose the best spot for your hide. Ask yourself some questions - is there plenty of wildlife activity in the area, like birds visiting a feeder or squirrels playing in a tree? Can you get to your hide easily without attracting too much attention from the creatures you want to watch? Is the spot going to be comfortable enough for you to sit in for long periods? 

2. When you have found just the right place, push the sticks into the ground to make a circle about 1.5 meters across

3. Carefully pull the top of the sticks together to make a tepee.  Tie the top of the sticks together securely with the string. 

4. Now decide which direction you want to be facing and place the doorway on the opposite side so you can sneak in without disturbing your wildlife.  Drape the sheet around the poles and, using your string, tie it at the top where the sticks meet. Put stones, logs or tent pegs along the bottom edge of the sheet so the wind doesn’t blow it around and startle your subjects.

5. Settle yourself inside your hide in a comfortable position to check out the correct height for your viewing slits then carefully make several slits in the fabric with some scissors. Make sure the slits are only big enough for you to peer out and poke your binoculars and camera through.

6. Finally add all sorts of camouflage to make your hide blend in to the garden. Lean some branches against the hide and push leaves around the base to stop it looking too man-made. The longer your hide is there, the more your garden visitors will ignore it.