Tony Sharley's Bird Hide Requirements

Tony Sharley is the manager of the Banrock Station Wine and Wetland Centre.

Excerpt from an interview:

… we’re developing a 7km walking trail around the wetland with four bird-viewing hides, there’s 800m of boardwalk that will take you through a range of wetland habitats, and when you’re out on that boardwalk you’re hearing everything from warblers to dragon flies buzzing by to frogs to parrots flitting through to, pelicans, black swans, mountain ducks that are calling, there are a lot of sounds out there, clamorous reed warblers and so on.

Its going to be sound that is going to sound quite interesting and I think that when people understand that those are sounds that are occurring out in the wetland right now, I think people are really going to enjoy that.

Excerpt from an e-mail:

For bird hide design purposes.....

I aimed to build the bird hides at the edge of the water in the reeds and not out over open water so as to blend in with the wetland and also minimise disturbance.

The hide itself has large windows so that people can see the wildlife easily and also connect with the views of the wetland.

In the hide, seating is at the back of the hide so as not to interfere with people's movement at the front of the hides near the windows, also the large windows are low enough so that people in wheelchairs can see out easily.

Along the boardwalk that will take visitors to the hides there are several wide sections where we will erect a seat so that people can sit and listen.

Regards

Tony Sharley