Every single hide has its life-cycle which includes site selection, construction, adaptation, running, failure, resting, rebuilding, and reactivating or abandoning. This hide was amongst the very first hides we have created in the Hortobagy area in 2008 with the help of our friend Bence Máté. It has certainly gave us many great memories and when it was first burnt down in March 2012 we decided to rebuild and upgrade the hide. It has been an amazing place to photograph Ferruginous Ducks, Pygmy Cormorants, Little Crakes and Bearded Tits plus a great variety of ducks. In 2017 we installed a smaller compartment next to the main hide and served as a reedbed hide and the two supplemented each other very well. In 2024 we rebuilt the board walk and in spring 2026 we had a major renovation of the hide. Sadly the pond and so as the entire reedbed has been dry since July due to the extreme drought on the Hungarian Great Plain. There came the 9th of September when a vast steppe fire in the Hortobagy National Park swept through the Ohat ponds as well and burnt down the hide completly. So after 18 years this hide is finished and we will not be rebuilding it. You can see the hide in our hide page!

But with changes we always try to improve, so we already have plans!!

The fire through the reedbed which destroyed our beloved Pygmy Cormorant Hide in September 2026.
Nothing left, boardwalk, hides gone, even solar panel, glass and aluminium has melted away.
Some of the metal frame remained. Its all gone…
Male Goldeneye in March 2026. In March and April it was still a busy hide and great memories! Image by Janos Olah
Spotted Crake was also photographed in April 2026 by Attila Szilagyi.