We're sorry but the hides are currently closed for essential tree maintenance.
Due to re-open 10th April 2026
We have two bespoke single person hides located in a clearing within our woodland. A purpose built natural stage surrounds the hides, where numerous native birds drop in, along with a family of grey squirrels!
The woodland is mainly deciduous trees, primarily Horse Chestnut, Sweet Chestnut, Hazel, Poplar,
Willow, Pine and Oak.
What ever time of year you visit there's always plenty going on down there.
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We also have around an acre of grassland, that we leave to nature. Over the last few years, this has been allowed to go back to its natural state and is now full of many different types of grasses and wildflowers. During the summer months this is full of many variety of butterflies and moths and vast numbers of grasshoppers and crickets - all great for some macro photography.
Finally there is the natural pond and reed bed, where if you are lucky, you may spot a little egret, heron or even a kingfisher - no promises though! There is absolutely no baiting, so you may just see the ducks and moorhen.
WHAT AM I LIKELY TO SEE DURING MY VISIT?
It is really important to us that we set expectations before you arrive. The majority of the birds you will encounter are woodland birds. Whilst we have regular visits from birds of prey, including Tawny Owls, Buzzards and Sparrow Hawks, we would not want visitors to book on the expectation of seeing these magnificent birds.
There is a full list of what we have seen in our garden and around the hide area here.
What have we seen at Hillgrove?
Birds
Black cap
Blackbird
Blue tit
Bullfinch
Buzzard
Carrion crow
Chaffinch
Chiffchaff
Coal tit
Collared dove
Coot
Cuckoo
Dunnock
Gold crest
Goldfinch
Great tit
Greater spotted woodpecker
Green finch
Green woodpecker
Grey heron
Grey wagtail
Jackdaw
Jay
Kestrel
Kingfisher
Little Egret
Long tailed tit
Magpie
Marsh tit
Mallard ducks
Moorhen
Nuthatch
Pheasant
Pied wagtail
Redwing
Robin
Song thrush
Sparrow hawk
Stock dove
Swift
Tawny owl
Tree creeper
Tree sparrow
Wood pigeon
Wren
Willow warbler
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Colours indicate current RSPB status as per the link below
https://www.rspb.org.uk/globalassets/downloads/bocc5/bocc5-report.pdf
Insects
7 spotted ladybird
Ashy mining bee
Bee fly
Buff tailed bumble bee
Cabbage white butterfly
Cinnabar moth
Cockchafer
Comma butterfly
Damsel fly
Dragon fly
Elephant hawk moth caterpillar
False oil beetle
Holly blue butterfly
Marbled white butterfly
May fly
Orange tip butterfly
Peacock butterfly
Red admiral butterfly
Soldier Beetle
Speckled wood butterfly
Spotted Long Horn
Yellow crab spider (I know not an insect!)
Mammals
Badger
Bank vole
Fox
Grey Squirrels
Moles (evidence)
Muntjac Deer
Pygmy shrew
Wood mouse
Pond Life & Other
Broad bodied dragonfly nymph
Caddis larvae
Common newt
Common toad
Damselfly nymph
Ear snail
Freshwater shrimp
Grass snake
Lesser water boatman
Mayfly nymph
Pond louse
Stickleback
Water boatman
Water mite
Water scorpion
