Hide etiquette

I know that you'll all have spent many happy hours in a bird-watching hide so this image will seem familiar. This is Dennis's Hide at Dungeness. You'll note that the windows hinge upward and clip into the catch fitted to the wall. You'll also note that the middle windows are lower; you can't see that the benches here are on wheels rather than fixed to the floor - this space is for wheelchair users. I've you've been here you'll know that on the wall to my left are bird ID cards so that folk like me can check our identification of a particular bird - really handy with gulls which can all look similar.

But the main reason for posting this was to remind everyone of hide etiquette. By all means say "Hello" when you come in. If you are with someone else then speak with them, in hushed tones, if you really must but please do not speak to me. The only real exception to this is if the hide is on fire and you wish to warn me or if you have something fascinating and insightful to say. And if we're meeting for the first time in a bird-watching hide it seems unlikely that either of us will have anything fascinating and insightful to say (unless a flock of flamingoes land in front of us).. 

No flamingoes today and also no islands. I don't know how the RSPB manage the water levels on Burrowes pit but the islands are all underwater which I don't remember seeing in the past. Plenty of birds about but I went to see if the Crested Grebes were displaying yet and there was no sign of them so I'll just have to keep going :-)