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

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    HDF or SDLv2 for MM3

    Sless, I've used that exact body with HDF for 12 years and has served me well, been out in heavy rain many times and never had any issues despite HDF not being waterproof. Better than SDL v1. Had a look with SDL V2 on my scope the other day. Would say it was slightly brighter, slightly "colder"...
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    Honey Buzzard or lack of.

    At least one Honey Buzzard being seen with great regularity from Wykeham Forest Viewpoint so far this year, but not seen/reported everyday, which is not unusual for this species.
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    Gib Point, Lincs, 6th Nov 2015, Pallid Harrier

    Today was one of those days, richly rewarded for just getting out there, whatever the weather. As a raptor fanatic, the prospect of a potentially twichable Pallid Harrier was the main reason for my long trek from Sheffield to the Lincolnshire coast. The journey was slow and arduous and I wasn't...
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    Grebe - Frampton Marsh 24th September

    Yes it is, and I am greatly surprised by the amount of debate about this bird. Hybrid???!!!!! Come on. I can only presume that its likely most don't have much experience of Slav Grebe and its the transitional nature of the plumage on these photos that are causing confusion and doubt. As I...
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    Sparrowhawk or Goshawk

    The red eyes you speak of occurs in both male and female birds in both sparrowhawks and goshawks. In most birds the eyes go from a yellow, through darkening shades of orange and eventually become red with old age. Not as many old birds about so less often seen in the field. Its not clear why but...
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    Grebe - Frampton Marsh 24th September

    Rather than me simply say what this bird is, i'd like you all to try something, to both help me make my point and also some posters might learn a little about ID in the process. My bit first - It puzzles me why many go into great detail on classic "diagnostic" plumage features they see in...
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    Lens dilemma

    If you almost exclusively shoot birds - get the 400 f5.6 L With the 7D its the best combo for birds you'll get without spending a lot on a 'big L lens' Its such a sharp, fast focusing lens, you'll never use your Sigma again.
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    Camera Advice

    Simply - You won't get a quality DSLR set up for birds for anywhere near the price of the SX50 you mention. I think you need about 600 pounds really. Something like a Canon 20D, 70-200 f4L and a 1.4x converter all secondhand. However, if you can afford it, you won't regret the switch to a DSLR...
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    Whats happened to my camera/combo

    The 400 f5.6 lens has full time manual focus ring operation. If your using it and part of this ring is rested on a bean bag/hide/part of your hand etc and you take your finger off the back button autofocus before you press the shutter, like you say, any tiny tiny movement to the manual focus...
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    I.s 1 or 2

    I use IS mode 1 for shooting birds that present a fixed target (where you can target autofocus and the lens should be as still as possible) eg: bird on a post/wire, a feeding goose, bird table situation I use IS mode 2 for shooting birds that present a moving target (where you need A1 servo to...
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    Yorkshire Birding

    Anyone know anything about a report on Birdguides yesterday of Velvet Scoter at Anglers Country Park about mid morning? I know there's been a fem/imm Common Scoter on there for a bit now, but presume if it were an error, would have been corrected. A Velvet on a smallish inland water would be...
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    Freiston Shore and Frampton Marsh RSPB

    A quick summary of just the highlights from an excellent days birding today (18/09/12) in which I recorded 79 different species. Large numbers of a species present if number not specified. Freiston Shore 08:00-10:30 (High Tide Roost - Scrape and Reservoir Only) 1 Sparrowhawk 1 Peregrine 1...
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    Worksop

    Welbeck Raptor Watchpoint (summer, scope needed), Rufford Country Park (winter), Budby Common/Budby Pump Station (summer), Lound GP's (Idle Valley Nature Reserve) all year round, with good website and recent sightings.
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    300mm f2.8 mkI with 2x mkIII for BIF

    Thanks for all your contributions so far. Ian and Andy's shots show that with both the mkII and mkIII converters and both the mkI and mkII 300mm you can get great results handheld with practise and enough light. Gulls, parakeets and hobby aren't the largest birds or the slowest flyers so so far...
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    lens advice please

    To answer your question, it really depends on what you intend to photograph and how much your willing to spend. Both lenses you mention are third party budget price zoom telephoto lenses - so won't be as good as prime (fixed focal length) canon lense, in terms of focusing speed and image...
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    300mm f2.8 mkI with 2x mkIII for BIF

    Hi, Simply - Anyone with experience of taking BIF with this (300mm f2.8 mkI with 2x mkIII combination), both tripod and gimbal set up and hand held? Currently using 500mm f4 with and without 1.4x which is great combo for birding in situations with less movement of subjects and close access to...
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    Information on Welbeck Watchpoint

    one HB back
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    New to birdwatching - need a better lens!

    There is a reason why the 75-300mm costs about 150 and the 300mm f4 L IS USM costs about 1000 to buy new. You won't need to change your camera, its the lens. Canon 'L' series lenses are 'so' much better and primes are the best. You ideally want 400mm + for birds. I own the 300mm f4 L (older non...
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    Are Honey Buzzards only in Yorkshire?

    Many thanks to Andrew, Biancone and Wayne for your excellent and very informative comments explaining why the bird in the photo is a male. I have learned a lot from reading your posts and now know what I'm looking for when trying to sex these birds in the future. Love Raptors.
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    Are Honey Buzzards only in Yorkshire?

    Hi again, Yes I did look at all the photos on the site, males and females. I agree that plumage looks like some of the male birds on the website, but the structure looks more like the female birds to me. If others say its a male then I except the opinion of those with probably more experience...
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    Are Honey Buzzards only in Yorkshire?

    Andrew, Thanks for the link to that site, interesting. I agree completely about no such thing as Typical plumage, I merely used the word Typical to try and the describe the not very dark, not very pale and generally barred characteric plumage features of the individual bird in the photo. With...
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    Are Honey Buzzards only in Yorkshire?

    Regarding the photo and sexing HB's. Can anyone explain to me why this isn't a female HB? To me it seems to show exactly the characteristics I would be looking for in a Typical plumage type female. The thick set lookng body size, heavily barred body and wings, darker around the neck and head...
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    Information on Welbeck Watchpoint

    Several sightings in recent days of HB from the Watchpoint
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    Information on Welbeck Watchpoint

    HB reported today 25/6 from watch point (per BirdGuides)
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    Derbyshire County Birding

    Dave, please accept my apology if my comment has caused offense, it was not my intention to 'have a dig' merely to make people aware. I see you post and bird regularly around Derbyshire and I know that you'd not be disturbing the birds. Sounds like the bird you saw may not be on...
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