Hide for wildlife photography of raptors in flight

Project Info

Project Description

This photography hide was built especially for photography of birds of prey in flight. The price is 200 BGN + 50 BGN per day per person. The hide can be used simultaneously by up to 4 people. There is a possibility of shooting in all directions; it is up to your choice to select the most appropriate one, depending on the season, sunlight position and the wind direction.

The hide should be entered before sunrise and you can leave it after sunset. In summer, it is possible to leave the hide earlier. It takes about an hour to get from the town of Madzharovo to the hide by an off-road vehicle (included in the price). A gas heater can be used in winter to keep the hide warm and there are three cots for people to sleep in.

There is a mirror-glass window looking west through which four people can take photos at the same time and is on eye-level with the birds. The distance is around 18 meters and a focal length of 200 mm is suitable in this case. The viewing holes facing south, east and north, are higher than the bait. High bird perches are used in these positions as well. Changing lenses and holes can be done during the day without leaving the hide. The most suitable focal length is 200 to 800 mm and multiple lenses can be set up at the shooting holes. The distance to the background is between 500 m and 7 km.

This hide can also be used for wildlife viewing in addition to photography. There is a unique visibility through the mirrored windows. Up to eight people can observe not only the vultures and eagles but also wolves, jackals, wild boars and much other wildlife. These are some of the species that visit the area near the hide: Egyptian Vulture; Griffon Vulture; Black Vulture; Black Kite; White-tailed Eagle; Golden Eagle; Raven; Fox; Wolf; Jackal.

Chance of success, according to the season (with two shooting days):

Cold months (November to March)

Species Probability of success
Golden Eagle 80%
White-tailed Eagle 70%
Griffon Vulture 70%
Fox 60%
Wolf 30%
Jackal 30%
Black Vulture 20%

 

Warm months (April-October)

Species Probability of success
Egyptian Vulture >90%
Griffon Vulture 90%
Black Kite 90%
Raven 90%
Fox 50%
Black Vulture 40%
Jackal 40%
Wolf 10%
Golden Eagle 10%
White-tailed Eagle 10%