FOREST BIRDS

The feeding stations at my photography hides attract small birds year-round, but they are most abundant in the fall, winter, and early spring. Here, you can see many different species daily, including tits, woodpeckers, corvids, sparrows, finches, thrushes, treecreepers, and nuthatches. The diversity of forest birds visiting the feeders near the hide is impressive! In my hides, you’ll get very close to many of these forest birds, often within just one or two meters. Be sure to also check out the specific hide for Crested Tits.
Note that the hide for forest birds is the same as the hide for Goshawk & Common Buzzard, as well as Badgers.

Season for Photographing Forest Birds

The bird species you will see and photograph depend in part on the season you choose. That said, there is a wealth of different species during the fall, winter, and spring. However, activity among forest birds is low during the summer. Below is a list of the bird species you can photograph and when they typically visit the feeders at the hide.

And don’t worry about the cold! The hide has a gas-fired stove to keep you warm.

Forest birds:

This species list is compiled from my own observations in the hide and from other visitors to my photography hides. Please note that the frequency of visits to the hide is an estimate.

  • Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) – Ranges from rare to frequent during the migration period in spring.
  • Coal Tit (Periparus ater) – A very frequent visitor, especially during autumn, winter, and spring.
  • Common Raven (Corvus corax) – A frequent visitor during winter and very frequent in spring.
  • Crested Tit (Lophophanes cristatus) – Not a particularly frequent visitor to this hide. However, it is very frequent and one of the highlights at the forest hide. See Crested Tit.
  • Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) – A very frequent visitor year-round.
  • Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) – A very frequent visitor year-round.
  • Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) – Generally a frequent visitor, mainly at the hide during the winter period.
  • Eurasian Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis) – A rare visitor.
  • Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius) – A very frequent visitor, mainly during autumn, winter, and spring.
  • Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) – A frequent visitor, especially during autumn, winter, and spring.
  • Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) – A very frequent visitor year-round.
  • Eurasian Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris) – A very frequent visitor, especially during the winter period, early spring, and late autumn.
  • European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) – A frequent visitor, especially during autumn, winter, and spring.
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) – A very frequent visitor year-round.
  • Great Tit (Parus major) – A very frequent visitor year-round.
  • Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes) – Frequent during the migration period in spring.
  • Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris) – A very frequent visitor, especially during autumn, winter, and spring.
  • Willow Tit (Poecile montanus) – A very frequent visitor, especially during autumn, winter, and spring.
  • Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) – A very frequent visitor year-round.

Camera & Lenses

When you’re in my photography hides, you can get very close to all the forest birds. I recommend using a 300-400 mm lens for portraits and anything between 24 mm and 200 mm to capture more of the surroundings.

Times for Forest Birds

Since you use the same hide to photograph both forest birds and raptors, the times are the same for both. You should enter the hide about 1-2 hours before sunrise and leave it after sunset.

Things to Bring to the Forest Bird Hide

The forest bird hide has plates where you can attach your tripod head or use the available bean bags. This hide is primarily for one or two people, and overnight stays are possible for one person. You should bring something to eat and drink. A flashlight or headlamp is also good to have.

What Else Can You See & Photograph?

While observing forest birds, you might also have the chance to see both Goshawk and Common Buzzard, and with a bit of luck, even Badgers.

Raptors:

  • Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) – A very frequent visitor, especially during the winter period, early spring, and late autumn.
  • Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) – A very frequent visitor during late autumn, winter, and spring.

Mammals:

  • Badger (Meles meles) – Resident in the area but unlikely to be seen during the winter season for forest birds.
  • Pine Marten (Martes martes) – Appears occasionally; not a guaranteed species, ongoing project.
  • Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) – In some years, the badger’s sett is inhabited by red foxes.
  • Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) – Often seen at the feeding stations.

Are the Hides Only for Photographers?

You don’t need to be a photographer to enjoy sitting in a hide and observing all the forest birds. It’s a fantastic experience even without a camera. However, the hides are designed with photographers in mind, featuring numerous openings for lenses, mounting equipment, bean bags, and so on. All my hides are carefully planned to provide you with the best angles and the most beautiful backgrounds possible.

What can you photograph in the hides?

BADGER

Badgers are fascinating to study and photograph, partly because of their iconic black-and-white facial markings. They are active in the evening and at night, which makes capturing them in photos especially exciting.

COMMON BUZZARD

The Common Buzzard is an impressive raptor that visits my photo hides in pairs. It’s exciting to photograph them as they compete for food, and their beautiful plumage can create fantastic images.

CRESTED TIT

The Crested Tit is a small, lively, and unshy coniferous forest bird. With its distinctive crest and beautiful plumage, it is a fascinating and charming species to get close to and photograph in its natural habitat.

GOSHAWK

The Goshawk is known for its hunting skills and sharp vision. In my photo hides, you have a great chance to get close and photograph this majestic raptor, which is otherwise rarely seen in the forest.

FOREST BIRDS

In my photo hides, you can get close to and photograph species such as the Eurasian Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit, and Treecreeper. You’ll capture stunning images of these forest birds with their unique and beautiful details.