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Seawatching Hides
On
this page I will present a collection of seawatching lookouts to
illustrate the kinds of places people seawatch from. Any contributions
are more than welcome!
Depending on the type of seawatching being done a shelter or hide of some sort kan make the difference between success and disaster. For many seawatching is about hard to see pelagic seabirds being forced inshore by strong winds - and in such sitiuations being able to sit out of the wind and rain is essential. There is nothing worse than a tripod shaking in the wind or rain beating onto your objective lenses.
The study of migrating waterbirds to and from breeding grounds in the north, so popular in Scandinavia, often occurs during periods of good weather and here a shelter can actually make things worse - ones visibility can be restricted and it is more difficult to hear birds coming.
Many localities offer a mixture of these aspects of seawatching and very many sites, at least in the UK have some kind of shelter. A few may be purpose built but the majority are in buildings built for something else - often ex-coastgaurd lookouts or gun emplacements from the second world war.
Depending on the type of seawatching being done a shelter or hide of some sort kan make the difference between success and disaster. For many seawatching is about hard to see pelagic seabirds being forced inshore by strong winds - and in such sitiuations being able to sit out of the wind and rain is essential. There is nothing worse than a tripod shaking in the wind or rain beating onto your objective lenses.
The study of migrating waterbirds to and from breeding grounds in the north, so popular in Scandinavia, often occurs during periods of good weather and here a shelter can actually make things worse - ones visibility can be restricted and it is more difficult to hear birds coming.
Many localities offer a mixture of these aspects of seawatching and very many sites, at least in the UK have some kind of shelter. A few may be purpose built but the majority are in buildings built for something else - often ex-coastgaurd lookouts or gun emplacements from the second world war.
Skogsøy,
Øygarden, Norway
There is at present no proper shelter at Skogsøy, although the terrain helps to protect observers whatever the wind direction. During the spring of 2006 a makeshift lean-to was used to keep off the worst of any precipitation.
Annstead Point, Seahouses, Northumberland, UK
I am unsure of the origins of the seawatching hide at Annstead Point, Seahouses. It was possibly an old coastgaurd lookout, after the North Northumberland Bird Club took it over a full renovation was undertaken. There is no room to set up and use telescopes on tripods here - mostly we just rest telescopes on the window sills - something that works very well.
Here there is seating for at least four people but one should be a member of the NNBC in order to obtain a key.
Church Point, Newbiggin-by-the-sea, Northumberland, UK
Only a very rudimentry shelter exists here, but the small brick structure can house one or two seawatchers crouched inside it.
Whitburn, County Durham, UK
The purpose built hide here was built in 1990 and has withstood the tests of time and local vandals.
More information on birding in the area and latest news can be found here
Photos: Mark Newsome
The following book is highly recommended for anyone seaweatching in Europe:
View to the north at Skogsøy early on a calm May morning
3198 visits to this side since 28 July 2006.
All content on this site, including Natural Born Birder logo, is copyright © 2005, 2006
There is at present no proper shelter at Skogsøy, although the terrain helps to protect observers whatever the wind direction. During the spring of 2006 a makeshift lean-to was used to keep off the worst of any precipitation.
Annstead Point, Seahouses, Northumberland, UK
I am unsure of the origins of the seawatching hide at Annstead Point, Seahouses. It was possibly an old coastgaurd lookout, after the North Northumberland Bird Club took it over a full renovation was undertaken. There is no room to set up and use telescopes on tripods here - mostly we just rest telescopes on the window sills - something that works very well.
Here there is seating for at least four people but one should be a member of the NNBC in order to obtain a key.
Church Point, Newbiggin-by-the-sea, Northumberland, UK
Only a very rudimentry shelter exists here, but the small brick structure can house one or two seawatchers crouched inside it.
Whitburn, County Durham, UK
The purpose built hide here was built in 1990 and has withstood the tests of time and local vandals.
More information on birding in the area and latest news can be found here
Photos: Mark Newsome
The following book is highly recommended for anyone seaweatching in Europe:
View to the north at Skogsøy early on a calm May morning
3198 visits to this side since 28 July 2006.
All content on this site, including Natural Born Birder logo, is copyright © 2005, 2006