I love photographing from a floating hide. The low perspective right at water level, combined with the beautiful light of early morning or evening, makes every session a highlight – for my guests and for me.
Why a floating hide?
From a floating hide you can approach many different species without disturbing them. A little patience, an understanding of bird behaviour and a good eye are what it takes to create great wildlife images. A fast autofocus, bright lenses and a fast camera help, of course. But the most important thing is knowing how to approach each species. Every bird has its own flight distance, and the art is to overcome it slowly.
The golden rule on the marsh: watch the birds closely. As long as they behave normally – feeding, preening – move forward slowly. As soon as they look in your direction, stop immediately.
Which birds you can photograph
Black-winged stilts are among my favourites. They sometimes come so close to the hide that you could almost use a wide-angle lens – whether they are feeding or mating. Their courtship is one of the special moments you can experience on the marsh.
Herons – grey heron, great egret, little egret and purple heron – are more cautious. If you approach slowly, or simply wait nearby, you can capture beautiful and interesting images. Purple herons regularly hunt crayfish, frogs and small fish on my marsh, and things get exciting when spoonbills try to chase them away.
Flamingos visit the marsh in good numbers. I love photographing them early in the morning when the warm sunlight gently lights up their plumage. Glossy ibis are best in evening light, when their feathers shimmer in shades of green and bronze. Purple swamphens live on the marsh too – with their violet-blue plumage and bright red bill, they are always a striking subject.
With a little luck you will also see night herons in the evening, or a bittern stepping out of the reeds. Passage migrants such as ruffs or the rare black-tailed godwit appear in spring, and terns such as the whiskered tern hunt over the water. Marsh harriers and short-toed eagles circle overhead, and a kingfisher regularly stops by, perching on a branch hanging over the water.
Ducks and swans are the real challenge. Ducks are hunted in the Camargue and are therefore very shy – only patience and an extremely slow approach will work. But there are some beautiful species, and the effort is worth it.
Is it difficult?
You move slowly through shallow water in waders – they are provided free of charge – and every session starts with a short briefing. You should be physically fit and able to operate your camera without looking; a lens of 400 mm or more is ideal. Patience is the most important skill.
Fixed hides as well
If you prefer to sit, my fixed hides offer one-way, non-reflective glass and room for up to three photographers. The birds do not see you – you see everything.
Spring on the marsh
Spring is my favourite season. After the silent winter nights, spring nights are loud: frogs calling, flamingos and ducks courting, and in the distance the song of the nightingale. In the morning the sky glows in warm colours, the birds are in their finest breeding plumage, and the bee-eaters return as the undisputed stars. The early-season spoonbill migration in March and the arrival of the first stilts are highlights of every year.
The floating hides are used from March until the end of June or the first week of July. May in particular fills up fast, so it is worth booking early.
Would you like to experience the marsh at eye level?