Bird Blind Ideas

I am getting ready to set up several bird feeding stations on my family's farm. I will have multiple locations to work with and have several different feeding stations spread out over about 18 acres. So here is my question...?

If you had the ultimate set up where space and construction were no object, what would you build. I am looking for ideas on what has worked for people in the past as well as what do you dream of being able to do. The blinds will probably be made of wood with removable doors and windows ( and propane heaters too!) but a couple will be portable cloth blinds as well. The plan is to have 4 separate feeding stations as well as 10 - 15 nesting boxes / houses. There are several old cavity trees on the property as well.

So all of you bird experts put on your thinking caps and lets come up with ideas. Thanks!

I made a very portable blind from two tomatoe cages and some camo fabric. It worked superb because it was light and foldable, in fact it sits in the bottom of the trunk nearly all the time.

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I've modeled semi-permanent blinds of 2x4s and plywood on ones shown in How to Photograph Birds by Larry West and Julie Ridl (starting on p. 87). I especially like to have the seating and tripod-head attachment points (I use a Bogan clamp fastened to a horizontal 2x4) built in, eliminating the need for a tripod. West says his are heavy enough to need a couple of friends to move, but I've made some small enough to move myself in the back of a Jeep (but those were way too small for a propane heater--we don't want any self-immolation!). In snake country, having a tight, built-in floor is nice, as I know at least one Texas photog who has had to hold his breath while a fair-sized rattler traversed his boot. (They are definitely attracted to closed spaces like blinds, especially if there are bird seed, birds, and rodents about.) In areas without snakes, leaving the floor open makes it possible to move the blind while you are inside.

Requirements:

- comfortable to sit
- dark background behind the photographer (so his movements are not visible for our subjects)
- support for your lenses (with and without tripod)
Perch setting:
- distance OK for 300 and 500 mm
- front light is best for most birds (you blinds shadow needs to point in the birds direction)
- even collour background and not to bright

I was going to recommend the West/Ridl book, but Cliff beat me to it. For inexpensive portable blinds try this site: http://www.sportsmansguide.com

I have built at least one blind out of Celotex. That is the rigid foam building insulation which is black on one side and foil on the other. It comes in 4 x 8 sheets in at least 3 thicknesses. It is very easy to cut windows with a knife and tape in camo netting. I put the whole blind together with duct tape construction adhesive and a 1x2 frame. Handles inside and out made it very easy to carry. Spray painted camo I would leave it in the yard for months at a time. The biggest problem I had was not keeping it guyed down in windy weather and it made too many flights and bad landings over two years. I will have some improvements on the next generation.