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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

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  1. TheBlackGrouse

    Bird of prey ID - South Wales

    Weird one, the proportions on the first picture are close to a Marsh Harrier. Over the last weeks I've seen hundreds of Buzzards, sometimes they can have the appearance of a Honey Buzzard, Goshawk, Kite, Harrier or even a Short-toed eagle. The tail may look very long or very short, the same...
  2. TheBlackGrouse

    ATC 17-40x56 underwhelming

    Ok, I have the STC 17-40x56, but we may assume that the eye relief, focus wheels and connectors are the same. 1. About the eye relief, it might help if you adjust the eyecup. In my case, it has to be fully extended above 22 magnification, for 17 - 22 the eyecup needs to be shorter. It is very...
  3. TheBlackGrouse

    Sedge Warbler in south of Swedish

    Thanks! That's a fast answer :) Very informative. During breeding season survey visits I use other criteria like date, habitat, sound, behavior, shape. It is not often that you have to look at specific features but I should know them, so it's good to go back to the guides and study threads...
  4. TheBlackGrouse

    Sedge Warbler in south of Swedish

    Just out of interest, even specialists need to have them in their hands to be sure. When you observe them, at least 10 (visible) features are important for the identification. None of them is decisive. The pale tips to the primaries of the first bird may look impressive but is this enough? My...
  5. TheBlackGrouse

    Bird id?

    Great place for an internship!
  6. TheBlackGrouse

    Bird id?

    The Black Grouse is my favorite :) In my youth there were a few remaining birds in the south of the Netherlands. As you probably know, these days the Sallandse Heuvelrug is their last resort. Sustainable expansion and enhancement of their habitat are in sight, but it's a race against time.
  7. TheBlackGrouse

    Bird id?

    That's good enough for a Marsh Tit. Most of the times a Marsh Tit is high in a tree when singing. The song is very loud. Sometimes it may be very similar to a Coal Tit. These days some of them start singing again, possibly because their first nest was not successful. Last week I heard a few...
  8. TheBlackGrouse

    Bird id?

    The first recording sounds like a Marsh Tit to me. There are only four sightings in that area this year but three of them are from today (Waarneming.nl). Can you describe the habitat?
  9. TheBlackGrouse

    Sedge Warbler in south of Swedish

    Can anyone explain to the OP why it isn't the very very similar Reed Warbler? Often, pictures of these species on birding sites are not enough for the identification.
  10. TheBlackGrouse

    Falcon, Dundee, Scotland 1/6/24.

    What about the flight? Kestrel, Merlin and Saker have their own way of flying. Did you notice anything different?
  11. TheBlackGrouse

    Garden Warbler? South of Sweden yesterday

    Garden Warbler, but the song is a bit short compared to the Dutch ones. Blackheads can start their song this way but have a totally different ending. The sound at 22 - 24 is typical for a Garden Warbler, it's a Blackbird at fast forward.
  12. TheBlackGrouse

    Falcon, Dundee, Scotland 1/6/24.

    With a Kestrel the contrast between the reddish brown upperwing coverts and the darker flight feathers should be visible in these pictures. At large distances the two colored upperwing is the only thing you see. But I'm not sure that it's a Merlin.
  13. TheBlackGrouse

    Brabant Netherlands - Garden Warbler ?

    In the Netherlands, in general Garden Warblers don't show themselves. They sing while hidden in a bush and when silent you don't see them. Willow Warblers are much more visible when singing. When they are searching for food, you can see them sometimes. Their habitats may look the same but Garden...
  14. TheBlackGrouse

    Kite ID - Ukraine

    Since I saw a red Black Kite in the Netherlands, all kites are suspicious and the shape says it all. What about the primaries?
  15. TheBlackGrouse

    Needed - easy way to check collimation

    The light source has to be far away? We don't see any stars here in the city. Do I have to wait until I'm in a nature reserve far from the city? Or can I do the same with a light from a high tower or so?
  16. TheBlackGrouse

    Undisclosed, Forest of Dean, UK

    Ok, on topic because it's about their behavior in their breeding grounds :) In the canopy they have fast straight parts of 10 - 20 meters with fast changes of direction. Following them with your binos is difficult and often impossible. In forests they may cross an open field (a few hundred...
  17. TheBlackGrouse

    Undisclosed, Forest of Dean, UK

    Migrants are a totally different category. Ever seen a Marsh Harrier when migrating? Totally different flight. ''Wide open area'' is also a different category. In Western Europe the far majority of sightings are of Orioles flying less than 50 meters in the forests. They prefer to stay in the...
  18. TheBlackGrouse

    Undisclosed, Forest of Dean, UK

    In Western Europa they are forest dwellers, they fly straight, look like Starlings but are much faster. The ones I saw in open fields flew in a straight line too. It's possible their behavior is different in other parts of Europe with other habitats.
  19. TheBlackGrouse

    Undisclosed, Forest of Dean, UK

    It is very close to an Oriole and, when in a forest, if I heard one other (different) call I would be certain. Since I grew up with these birds, you develop some 'sixth sense' for them. The calls follow each other rapidly, that's a bit strange. Normally you should hear other calls too. Honey...
  20. TheBlackGrouse

    Various Raptors - South Essex UK - 12th May

    Black Kite, I can work with that! Then we need the six primaries :) Here is one I saw a few weeks ago in the Netherlands. The distance was at least 1 km and it was heavily clouded, but I was able to take some pictures. When closed the tail had a small fork, when spread you got this.
  21. TheBlackGrouse

    Various Raptors - South Essex UK - 12th May

    For me it's all about the process of identifying. When many believe it's an artefact that doesn't make it the truth, it's still an assumption. Don't you think it's strange that the only artefact in that photo covers that whole tail? We cannot ID while ignoring a white tail (with no terminal...
  22. TheBlackGrouse

    Various Raptors - South Essex UK - 12th May

    Agree, could be an artefact on the first one. For me it's not enough to claim a White-tailed Eagle but the image gives that impression. I didn't say that the second one was a White-tailed too. The tail does not fit, wrong shape and too long. Two eagle species in that region in one photo seems...
  23. TheBlackGrouse

    Various Raptors - South Essex UK - 12th May

    The lower one has a white tail. White-tailed Eagles are easy to see in my favorite birding places so I'm familiar with them. Don't know any other raptor with this (wing) shape and a white tail. Or is it a photo artefact? The second one has very long wings (pushed forward) and a long tail with...
  24. TheBlackGrouse

    Various Raptors - South Essex UK - 12th May

    Is this really one photo? No distortion? My first impression is a White-tailed eagle with closed tail and another eagle. The tail looks too long though.
  25. TheBlackGrouse

    Various Raptors - South Essex UK - 12th May

    Don't know, it might be something else. Think we need a new thread for this discussion, I don't like to hijack this one.
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