Back to the Drawing Board

Friday evening I was sorting my gear out looking forward to Saturday mornings birding with Pete. I was looking for a specific eyepiece to use on my small scope, and remembered it was still attached to my bigger scope. I fetched the HR66 out of storage and before taking the eyepiece off, couldn't resist a quick look through it. I had forgotten what a great image this scope produces. The little GS52 ED produces a nice image, but this the HR range is seriously in another league.

I decided on a change of plan for Saturday. I decided I would take the HR66 out for a spin, and attempt a bit of iscoping through it. Pete and I went for a wander across the moors with Taz, I didn't take the scope on this walk. The Moors were quiet this morning, only a few Redwing and Fieldfare compared to last weekends noisy flocks of winter thrushes.

We reached the feeders and could immediately see activity on and around them. The niger feeder Pete made is a big success. Goldfinch almost constantly on it. The nut feeder is constantly also receiving a lot of tit activity. We have been placing a block of lard in a cavity in the trunk of the tree our freezers are on. At first, this was not producing much, now, it doesn't last long. A couple of Woodpeckers and a flock of Starlings are making short work of it. We replaced the Lard this morning, it had been completely removed for the second time this week! As we walked away, a flock of Starling started making a bee-line for it, they were busy devouring it within 10 mins of it being put out.

Goldfinch near Pete's Niger Feeder

Later in the afternoon I decided to try the HR66 out. I was pushed for time but couldn't resist getting an hour in and seeing what I could manage with the iPhone. I intentially went for shots at distance to see how the set up performed. All these shots were taken at distances off approx 100 yards+.

iPhone through Scope

The limited time I had flew by. This has left me wanting to carry out some tests. I hope to get out with the scope and camera tomorrow. I hope to get some decent pictures, or a least enjoy trying.

Sunday 1st Dec

Light values were very poor this morning, so iscoping not really worth spending much time on. Took these of some distant Widgeon just to see what I could do in poor light. Again, acceptable record shots at well,over 100 yards.

So plenty of distance photography with the iPhone and Scope this weekend. Obviously, I took some pictures with the Canon SX40 of some closer birds too. This Great-Tit being one of them.

Weekend over, back to work!

 

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