About TheHide Guide

About The Hide Guide We Bring Together Everything You Need To Know Before You Go!

The Man Behind The Map Nate

I have spent the last two decades of my professional career working in the tech space - I cut my teeth as a software developer back in 2006, moving later into the data engineering space and since into freelance consulting (specialising in ERP & Finance Systems). I have delivered Software, BI and Digital Transformation Projects for all manner of clients - from SME's to global, multi-billion-dollar corporations - not forgetting our wonderful NHS, working with Trusts and Independent Care Boards all across the UK.

I am a 3rd generation bird-botherer (my wife's words!). My grandfather was a champion pigeon racer who loved birds and would always take me and my cousins on long walks through the fields behind my grandparents house - he could name all the bird species - either by call, shape of the nest, or the eggs (if they were visible)! I always remember rushing home from school to have dinner and sit on the patio with him waiting for his latest bird to return home, so we could grab the ring and put it in the wooden timing clock. Then there was the mucking out and feeding - my cousin and I would always fight over who was doing which job (especially with some of the feistier birds!). Everyone who knew Tommy knew it was an honour to have a pigeon named after you - one he reserved for his nearest and dearest.

Then there's my dad - who has spent my entire life hanging out of car windows trying to identify distant birds-in-flight and loves nothing more than pouring over his ancient copies of bird-spotting manuals when he gets back from a walk with a mystery bird he didn't recognise!

The Nevernding Story! Every twitcher & togger knows the routine… I got tired of doing this dance every week, so I built The Hide Guide — and now I want to share it with anyone else who's felt this pain too!

See an amazing photo / video on social media.

Read the caption / tagged location (where the hell is THAT?!).

Open Google to try and find out more.

Eventually stumble on the relevant RSPB / WWT / Wildlife Trust page for the reserve details — are there hides? A café? A visitor centre? How much to get in? When does it open? All questions that need answers...

Fire up your birding app-of-choice, try and find the right place on the tiny map on your phone and see what other species might be about to make it worth the trip.

Load up Google Maps to plan a route — what else is nearby? What's on the way? Google doesn't know - that's for sure!

So what CAN you do here? Everything in one place.

Reserves — Complete with Facilities, Hides, Opening Times, Site Map and data-driven Species Highlights and Recent Sightings — all the major Wildlife Trusts & Nature Charities have a home here - from the RSPB, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), NatureScot, National Trust and all of the UK Wildlife Trusts.

UK Species — Fully taxonomised, with BoCC and IUCN status, ID notes, Schedule 1 protection, and where they've been turning up lately.

Aggregated Sightings Data — Regular sighting feeds from eBird / NBN / GBIF (among others), plotted across the UK so you can drive your next trip on facts!

Trip Planning — Build itineraries by target species, save reserves you want to visit, get alerts when a target turns up nearby.

Tide Times — Live high/low for every UK coastal reserve — because waders dance with the tide and you may as well plan around it.

Go Off-Piste — Whilst we love Nature Reserves and Conservation Sites - sometimes you have to explore the great outdoors to spot the best wildlife. Our database of car parks, lay-bys and rest-stops, combined with over places to spend the night - you'll be sure to find everything you need to bag that next tick off your life list!

Life Lists & Alerts — Track lifetime species tallies, year lists, and set geographic or species-specific alerts that fire when a sighting matches.

Video Reviews — From Reserve Overviews, Species Highlights to Gear Reviews and Fieldcraft Tips & Tricks - stay tuned for our upcomming video content!

UK reserves

Species catalogued

Sightings

Wildlife Hides

Plan your next day out. The map, the reserves, the species, the tides — it's all here. Free to use, no account required to look around.