• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Where premium quality meets exceptional value. ZEISS Conquest HDX.

Search results

thxpress_search_the_forum Search Opus
  1. TheBlackGrouse

    Binoculars mounted on tripods. What is the use?

    Forgot to mention the Ultravid 12x50. These are also amazing binoculars, I've tested them as the one-binos option, it's a close race with the SLC 15x56 because handholding the 12 is possible for a short time ( for me). When Leica decides to produce a 15x50 Ultravid HD (or 56) I'm in trouble...
  2. TheBlackGrouse

    Binoculars mounted on tripods. What is the use?

    Can't agree more. Since I'm counting raptors too, I've tried out the SLC 15x56 and it was fantastic. With two eyes the perceived magnification is about 1.5, dependent on the viewer, it's the binocular summation factor. My Leica Ultravid 10x42 mounted on a monopod becomes a 15x scope, at least...
  3. TheBlackGrouse

    Waterfowl -- Olbersdorfer See, Zittau, Germany

    It's really surprising for me that Common Scoters are this far inland, on that small pond, close to a city. The sea is at least 350 km away and in between is a typical German landscape with lots of forests and farmland, with only a few lakes. Smews can appear on smaller waters but in the...
  4. TheBlackGrouse

    Ultralight tripod needed - under 800g

    My current setup isn't exactly lightweight, I agree. For more than 10 years, I didn't take my Swaro ATM 65 with me. In those days it was binos and a camera with a smaller tele (Canon 100-400 LII). There was simply no room for a tripod and scope. But I missed a lot of birds at larger distances...
  5. TheBlackGrouse

    Ultralight tripod needed - under 800g

    Of course, each to their own, all roads lead to rome, I'm just sharing my experience :) On birding days I take my 10x42 binos, heavy camera with tele, scope and monopod with me. Depending on the circumstances, equipment is in my backpack or in my hands. Backpacks are getting better, usability...
  6. TheBlackGrouse

    Ultralight tripod needed - under 800g

    Ultralight hiking setup? For this I have an ultralight Gitzo Traveler and a RRS monopod. They have more or less the same weight but a head is needed for the tripod. Even with a lightweight head the combination is 1.5x heavier than the monopod. Admittedly, 400 gram extra, it's doable...
  7. TheBlackGrouse

    Novice birder, excited to learn more and connect with others

    Welcome to Birdforum! Lots of birders in Leiden go to Starrevaart, a pool with a hide/blind 5 km south-west of the city. Typical Dutch birding, take your bike and cycle :) Further away to the east and more 'wild' (for the Randstad) is the Groene Jonker. It has some high benches (above the...
  8. TheBlackGrouse

    Film / Birdsong. Sweden > Nedre Daläven (Autumn)

    Know what you mean, a scene at night, an open heath field somewhere in Western Europe and then a Tawny Owl... just because of the sound. No trees around of course. There are interesting calls for your location but listening to Xeno-Canto gives no idea about the context. You really need an...
  9. TheBlackGrouse

    Marsh or willow tit, Regensburg, Germany

    Since I grew up with Willow Tits, for the rest of my life it only takes a split second to know it's the 'other one'. Many birders have species like that from their youth, I can get mad at sea when next to guys who were born close to mudflats. They identify every wader with the size of a pixel in...
  10. TheBlackGrouse

    Is this blackbird healthy?

    Blackbirds outside the city in nature reserves are quite shy, and when the wings are lowered because of a threat they are nervous and noisy in general. In this case the plumage is not alarming I think, it's the behavior.
  11. TheBlackGrouse

    For raptors in flight, straight or angled?

    Yes, that is a very effective way to find birds while looking through the scope. It took a while but now I can have two eyes open, scanning the sky with my left eye and following a raptor with my right eye. Try that with an angled scope :) However, I get tired quickly, you have to be...
  12. TheBlackGrouse

    Another Newbie

    Welcome! Well, there was no internet when I was young, so over the years I spent a fortune on bad bargains. The advantage of this site is that you can read about binoculars for a long... long... time and then you (probably, hopefully) know where to look for when buying them :)
  13. TheBlackGrouse

    Goldcrest sound everywhere but how best to spot them ? Cabinteely woods, South County Dublin

    Seems to be a park, quite busy on the ground, although they are not shy in general. Better, search for hills with pine trees. Go uphill, soon you are at the same height as the trees in the valley. They seem to know you can't jump that far.
  14. TheBlackGrouse

    For raptors in flight, straight or angled?

    Straight, I sold my angled scope for that... because watching raptors is my hobby as a birder. Aiming is much easier and when used with a monopod I have the flexibility that's needed for raptors. Often you need to get record shots and switching between camera/binos and scope is fast. You hold...
  15. TheBlackGrouse

    Rügen, Germany: what is this bird?

    Juvenile Hen Harrier, the other look-a-likes are in the south, but the broad arm and hand are already enough for Hen Harrier. On the second photo the breast and belly are orange/yellow. Although everything is a bit yellow, as it's before sunset, the (whitish) hand is less colored so the body...
  16. TheBlackGrouse

    Red throated diver? Norfolk UK today.

    In mixed flocks birds may adjust their flight. Well at least I saw a difference in flight and I took pictures because of that, as I don't do with Red-throated divers at large distances. The photos were approved by the moderators (national site) and they are not easy with claims of rare birds.
  17. TheBlackGrouse

    Red throated diver? Norfolk UK today.

    Have to admit, the white flank panel is confusing, as well as the wings in the centre (large feet). Bill looks thin though. Red throated divers are quite common at our coast. Black throated loons are rare, with the few I saw shape and flight were decisive for identification. There is a...
  18. TheBlackGrouse

    Marsh Tit or Willow Tit?

    Not the first time I was confused since our Matkoppen (Willow Tits) often are found in wet forests and marshes with young forest, while our Marsh Tits are common in the dry forests of the Veluwe. Reading the text of Dwatsonbirder I thought ??? and of course I picked the wrong name... again :)
  19. TheBlackGrouse

    Wolf-watching nr. Utrecht?!

    Well I expected this kind of remark after your question. No reason for people to be sceptical, the situation on that site is so complex that you can't make up a story like this. Read the details. Of course I can't describe everything here, it takes a full page and we have to be careful with...
  20. TheBlackGrouse

    Wolf-watching nr. Utrecht?!

    The DNA of most of the wolves in the Netherlands is tested. These tests are also done to find hybrids. A small percentage (<5%) of dog-DNA is allowed because that's normal for wolves in Europe. According to our protocol hybrids are captured or killed*. For two reasons, in general hybrids don't...
  21. TheBlackGrouse

    Wolf introduction into UK - Guardian interview with Derek Gow

    Yes, I'm always careful when I see the big bull. He's never aggressive though. Just stay on the path, don't approach the herd for a selfie :)
  22. TheBlackGrouse

    Wolf-watching nr. Utrecht?!

    At the Veluwe I see wolves regularly so I know how they look. This one was different, the shape was of a wolf but he was bigger and the colors did not match, lots of silver-grey. No pictures, it was too dangerous to grab my camera that was lying on my backpack on the ground, I had to look as big...
  23. TheBlackGrouse

    Wolf introduction into UK - Guardian interview with Derek Gow

    The caretaker of the herd is born on a farm and every year he's testing the young bulls. He simply goes into the corral and plays around with them to find out which ones are too agressive. These bulls are not allowed in the nature reserve. Rather he than me, this guy has some nerve :) A few...
  24. TheBlackGrouse

    Trying binoculars, what to look for to compare models.

    Yes, it's for 10x42 binoculars so it covers a part of your chest and you already have the shoulder straps of the backpack. The zipper of the jacket is hardly usable. Besides, it blocks your view a bit, especially the ground right in front of you. That's fine when hiking on more or less flat...
  25. TheBlackGrouse

    Trying binoculars, what to look for to compare models.

    When hiking with a backpack a chest harness makes it difficult to adjust your temperature. Besides, it is very annoying when you carry it day after day. My best solution: attach a Think Tank pouch to the ski carrier strap of a mountaineering backpack. This way you have fast access and the binos...
Back
Top