How to Set Up a Throw Over Hide for Garden Birds
By Wildlife Watching Supplies - Kevin Keatley - Wildlife Watching Supplies | Published: 2026-10-15
Category: How-to Guides
Learn how to position a throw over hide for garden bird photography. Step-by-step setup, common mistakes, and tips for a lightweight photography hide.
Quick answer
Set up your throw over hide before birds arrive, not while they are feeding. Drape it over yourself, your camera and tripod so your outline disappears, then wait quietly. The C33 Lightweight Throw Over Hide is designed for exactly this: no poles or pegs, just throw it on and shoot.
Why a throw over hide works in small gardens
Garden birds are quick to notice a human shape, especially a face and hands. A throw over hide breaks up that outline without the bulk of a traditional tent hide. Because it has no frame, you can use it on a patio, lawn, or even a balcony where a full hide would not fit.
The C33 Lightweight Throw Over Hide is made from a lightweight breathable but not proofed material. That means it keeps you concealed but will not keep you dry in rain. In a garden, you can retreat indoors or use a covered spot if the weather turns. The trade-off is worth it for the speed and packability.
Choose your position before you set up
Pick a spot where birds already land: near a feeder, a bird bath, or a favourite shrub. You want to be close enough for a good frame but far enough that your lens can focus. A distance of 3–5 metres often works well with a 300mm lens on a crop sensor.
Avoid sitting directly in line with a busy path or window where movement will spook birds. If you are on grass, check for wet ground. The hide material is not proofed, so a damp lawn will soak through. A small groundsheet or a patio chair solves this.
Set up the hide on your camera and tripod
Loosen your tripod head and drape the hide over the whole setup: camera, lens, and tripod. The C33 is large enough to cover you, your camera, tripod and seat. Pull the front edge back just enough to expose the lens. If you are handholding, throw it over your head and shoulders like a poncho.
Check that the fabric does not touch the front element or block the viewfinder. A common mistake is leaving a gap at the bottom where your legs show. Tuck the rear edge under your knees or let it hang to the ground if you are sitting.
Use ground spikes for remote setups
If you want to leave a camera or flash near a feeder and trigger it remotely, ground spikes give you a stable mount without a tripod. The E2 Small ground spike adjusts from 31cm to 57cm and includes an E11 brass camera adaptor. The inner 29cm section can be used as a separate spike on its own, which is handy for low-level shots.
For heavier setups, the E5 Range of Ground Spikes has a right-hand Cam lock top and a solid screw end. You can use the stainless steel end in the collar for leverage when screwing it into hard ground. Both spikes are olive green and powder coated, so they blend in. Pair a spike with a ball head to level or direct the camera without a full tripod.
Step-by-step setup
- Scout the spot and check the background: Watch where birds land for a few minutes. Pick a position with a clean background and no direct sun on your lens. Common mistake: setting up too close to a feeder so birds stay away. Checkpoint: you can see the feeder and a perch without moving your head. If birds are already nervous, move back a metre and try again.
- Drape the hide over yourself and your gear: Throw the C33 over your head, camera, and tripod. Pull the front edge back to expose the lens. Tuck the rear edge under you or let it hang. Common mistake: leaving a gap at the bottom where your legs show. Checkpoint: your outline is broken and the lens has a clear view. Adjust until you can operate the camera without lifting the fabric.
- Settle in and wait quietly: Once the hide is on, avoid sudden movements. Let birds return on their own schedule. Common mistake: checking your phone or moving your hands inside the hide. Checkpoint: birds resume normal feeding within a few minutes. If they do not return, you may be too close or the hide has a shiny surface. Try a different angle.
Product facts
- C33 Lightweight Throw Over Hide (bag hide): C33 Lightweight Throw Over Hide: quick use camouflage hide to break up your shape and outline; covers you, camera, tripod and seat; no poles or pegs; rolls up to fit in camera bag or rucksack; lightweight breathable but not proofed material; available in Realtree Hardwoods green (approx 550g). You can carry it in your bag and set up in seconds, but you will need shelter in rain because it is not waterproof.
- E2 Small ground spike: E2 Small ground spike: excellent for slave flashes, camera traps, trail cameras, infra red beams, remote triggers etc.; adjusts from 31cm (12") to 57cm (22"); inner 29cm (11") section can be used as a separate spike on its own; price includes an E11 brass camera adaptor; olive green powder coated. Lets you position a remote camera or flash low and close to the subject without a tripod, and the two-part design gives you a short spike for ground-level angles.
- E5 Range of Ground Spikes: E5 Range of Ground Spikes: right hand Cam lock top and solid screw end; olive green powder coated; top section can be taken out and the stainless steel end put in the hole in the collar for leverage; price includes 1 x Ground Spike. The Cam lock top and leverage trick make it easier to screw into firm ground, and the olive finish keeps it discreet in a garden setting.
