Birding and Bird Photography

Bah! What's the matter with you?





Well, we came up blank...found this checklist, though.

 

Anyone with spotting scope recommendations? Will be used mainly for wildlife/birding.
Thanks.

 

Thanks I watched it today, thought I've seen most all of the Nature shows on PBS but missed this one. Most of the PBS Nature shows you can watch online. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/sagebrush-sea-full-episode/12341/

On the uplandjournal BBS one of the members is a PhD and Biologist who has studied the sage grouse for several years in the field, I've read a lot of his work. He now has a sit down gig in Maine as a professor and does research on ruff grouse. I hunt ruff in heavy timber and the sharptail grouse in the transitional area between ruff and sage, usually in the Dakotas while hunting pheasant. Hunters have very little impact on the populations of grouse. I felt the Nature show glossed over a lot of the issues that have caused the decline of the sage grouse over the last 20 years. Cringed when I saw the sheep grazing, BLM and USFS have really messed up the habit with over extending grazing rights. Development has caused a lot fractured land habitat and that has had an impact same as it has on the ruff in SE Mn. and other areas. The energy industrial has caused a steep decline recently, and it isn't just oil- wind turbines have killed thousands of golden eagles and they are finally starting to get fined. it is still in debate if the power lines and poles allow more raptures to harvest sage grouse or not but the disruption is not small that is for sure. All in all a very good show worth watching, thanks again.

 

Depends on your budget

Lot of people like Nikon but I have become fond of Vortex over the last couple of years. They have several lines and quality\cost depends on what you can actually see, personal preference has a lot to do with it. I highly recommend trying them in person if at all possible. Zeiss and Swarovski have some of the best glass but you pay for it. Zeiss used to have the conquest line which used the European glass but is assembled in the US so cost less than the Victory line. Still do for riflescopes but IIRC don't in spotting scopes anymore but I could be wrong.

If you go for the higher power scopes I recommend getting a tripod or mount if your going to use a spotting scope especially for any length of time.

 

Was hoping to get something good for about $100-150. Not sure if that is possible. Will be using it mostly to keep in the truck for when we camp or go out adventuring. For instance, we were out driving and saw a bobcat, that would have been the perfect time for one.
I will research the ones that you suggested. Thanks.

 

I'd recommend a pair of binoculars for your situation over a spotting scope personally. I do use a scope in the West when elk or mulie hunting but prefer to use a camera instead of a gun on big game now. Small birds like warblers a scope is nice but it isn't like they are going to sit still long for you anyhow LOL. I have a fair amount of glass but wanted something to keep in my truck all the time and wouldn't cry if something happened to them. I ended up with the Vortex Diamondback 10x42 and couldn't be happier, very seldom do I wish I had any of my other glass along. They are

$149 Vortex Optics Diamondback 10x42 Roof Prism Binocular

$175 on Amazon now with 4.6 out of 5 stars and 126 reviews so looks like I'm not the only one that is pleased with them.

Don't know where you are in the NE but around 8 years ago I took my youngest son back to North Central Pa. for youth pheasant hunting season. Day before it opened with 3 generations of us in the truck we were scouting and ran across a pheasant stocking truck and stayed back a couple hundred yards to follow it. About a mile before the State Game Lands a bobcat ran out of the woods and followed right behind it all the way to the SGL. So just find a phez stocking truck to get close to bobcats, they smell like a dinner wagon to them with all the birds in those open cages

Most people think of bear when Dr. Gary Alt is mentioned however he is also responsible for the increase in bobcat population in the NE. However when he implemented antler restrictions in Pa. it was too much for the "if it is brown it is down" crowd and they pushed for his resignation. On his way to Ca. the blufflands whitetail association hired him as a consultant which is the area where Mn. Wi. and Iowa join. Pope and Young headquarters and museum moved from Seattle Wa. to Chatfield Mn. in the 60's for good reason, most of the whitetail mounts on the wall there are local but in recent years has steadily declined. After his visit Mn. now also has antler restrictions in the SE and few know it is due to his influence. Most people seem to have forgotten his impact on the bobcat population in Pa. which has spread to surrounding areas. He may not have been popular but he has been correct in his wildlife management policies and sticks by his guns, I have a lot of respect for him.

 

Found this thread to put pictures in Kevin

Was happy I brought my camera with to work this week. Was in northern CO near Savery WY this week. Beautiful country, lots of wildlife, and lots sharptail and sage grouse.

1-6 by Marc Mayer, on Flickr

1-7 by Marc Mayer, on Flickr

 

Saw lotssss of them. Cute lil buggers.

 

Great pics Marc! You have the perfect job for locating spots like that. I bet the pup would love to go back there with you this fall Another month here yet before can run the dog because of the young broods.

Yesterday a coworker from EC called me all excited to say she was working from home and the Blue Angles were practicing and flying right over her house. I saw them in LaCrosse last year and got quite a few decent pictures. Just got back from LaCrosse I took the River Queen paddlewheel dinner cruise this evening hoping to catch some birds from the river side instead of from shore but no joy. Way too many boaters, fireworks and campers on the sandbars for any birds to hang out except swallows snagging mayflies. Sharpies and Sage grouse would be nice LOL.

 

Sadly it's all very private land where I was... We even had a short work window to be there lol. Not the kind of landowner I'd put in my contact to hunt book which is a bummer, plenty of sharptail to feed an army in there! Jax would have love it no doubt!

I miss the river back home. Sounds like fun on the paddle

 

Got a couple meadowlark pictures (Thinking western because of the range), a Says phoebe, and a red tailed hawk







Flew right over and the lighting killed it! Cool silhouette though

 

That's terrible! At least it seems like the plant is relatively easy to remove. Just gotta be careful to not drop any seeds when cutting the seed heads off!

 

Cedar Waxwing

 

Just got back from a crazy trip with my family to the galapagos, as well as a number of places in mainland ecuador. Soooo many photos to go through!