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

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  1. Arbu

    Drakensberg 19-24 March 2024

    I spent six days walking through the Drakensberg Mountains (South Africa) doing this hike and looking for wildlife. March is of course the start of autumn there and I imagine the birds would have been a lot more in evidence in October/November when presumably they would be breeding. But I...
  2. Arbu

    Birding Strategy Victoria Falls

    I'm visiting Victoria Falls from 11-16th March, and trying to decide what the best strategy for birding would be. It seems that the Falls National Park has a very extensive list, so it would be worth birding there, if it's not likely to be too crowded. Going out into some savannah would probably...
  3. Arbu

    Nairobi 10th March

    I have a whole day layover in Nairobi on 10th March (Sunday). I believe I can get a transit visa to go out of the airport. I'd be pleased to have someone join me for some birding, or suggestions of what to do. Thanks
  4. Arbu

    Eastern South Africa and Victoria Falls in March

    I'm planning a trip to southern Africa from 10th-30th March to include a trek in the Drakensberg to look for specialities there (Drakensberg Northern Traverse Hike (19-24 Mar 2024) - DrakensbergHiker). I'm also thinking of heading to Wakkerstrom and Victoria Falls before and after the hike. If...
  5. Arbu

    EOS RP with EF 100-400mm lens

    I struggled a bit with my camera (specifications as above) on a recent trip to Vietnam. The camera seems so slow to focus that I'm missing a lot of shots because the birds have moved on by the time I can take the photo. The smallest autofocussing setting seems a bit big too, compared to on...
    • Arbu
    • Thread
    • Replies: 3
    • Forum: Canon
  6. Arbu

    Most plant species per square metre

    Where to Watch Birds in Africa states (page 316) that the fynbos of the mountains of the South African Cape support more plant species per square metre than any other habitat on earth. Is this true? Clearly a typical square metre of fertile meadow will hold more species than a typical square...
  7. Arbu

    Red-breasted Geese

    I'm thinking of making a trip to Bulgaria to see Red-breasted Geese, flying to Varna and then driving up to Durankulak Lake. I believe that they only show up there in Jan and Feb and when it gets too cold in Romania. So is there any way that I can monitor/get alerts as to when they have arrived...
  8. Arbu

    Shanghai Visa Free Transit Dec 23

    I had mentioned on this forum that I was thinking about taking the option to visit Shanghai and the surrounding area on the visa-free transit option. The opportunity came up in connection with a visit to Vietnam, so I took it. I flew from Brussels with China Eastern. At the airport in Brussels...
  9. Arbu

    Algeria binoculars

    Does anyone know if the restrictions on taking binoculars into Algeria still applies? My belief is that it does. I've posted a comment to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on facebook (under the post mentioning the visit of the Nicaraguan envoy). See if I can shame them into doing something about...
    • Arbu
    • Thread
    • Replies: 6
    • Forum: Africa
  10. Arbu

    Shanghai transit visa trip.

    I'm considering a trip to Shanghai to make use of the transit visa programme, which I see now allows a stay of up to six days with visits to two neighbouring provinces, Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Shanghai would be interesting to see in itself, and there seem to be good coastal birding sites in the...
  11. Arbu

    Mozambique October 2023

    I went to Mozambique with a diving group for two weeks. The dive locations we stayed at were Vilankulos, Tofo Beach and Ponta do Ouro. You can fly to the first two, and the latter is not far from Maputo. Birding was reasonably easy to fit in around the diving with some quite good locations close...
  12. Arbu

    Johannesburg Cisticolas

    Three cisticolas in dry grassland close to Johannesburg last week. Maybe I should try to record the calls in future for a better chance of identifying them. Anyway, grateful for opinions as to ID.
  13. Arbu

    Where best to post photos for ID? Raptor from Johannesburg

    If you have a photo and are unsure of the bird's id, where's the best place to post it - ebird, inaturalist or here? ebird is obviously the most bird related, but I have a feeling that I might get more feedback on inaturalist. People on birdforum are helpful, but I won't have my sightings stored...
  14. Arbu

    Southern Mozambique October 23 with diving.

    I'm thinking of joining this trip Scuba Diving/Safari Trip to Mozambique (Tofo/Bazaruto Archipelago/Ponta Do Ouro) – October 2023 – London Scuba Diving Holiday Club next month. It's a diving trip, but visits some good birding areas, notably the Bazaruto Archipelago, and it includes a stay at...
  15. Arbu

    Washington State 25th June to 4th July

    I'm planning to be in Washington State during the above dates. I'll hire a car and would quite like to climb Mt. St. Helens and/or Mt. Adams, so I will be in that area for a fair bit of the time. But can anyone offer me some good birding suggestions? I've birded before in California and Alaska...
  16. Arbu

    Another report from Ouarzazate, 23-27 May 2023

    People are very dismissive of Ryanair, but I kind of like their minimalism, and I was intrigued to see that they had started flying to Ouarzazate, so off I went. I loved the way the pilot announced "Welcome to your Ryanair flight to ... er ... I'm not even going to try to pronounce that." They...
  17. Arbu

    Ouarzazate, Morocco

    Ryanair are starting a route from Stansted to Ouarzazate in the next few days, and a lot of the tickets are just £10. If anyone would like to put a trip together, get in touch. I wouldn't have many targets, just Egyptian Nightjar, Seebohm's Wheatear and Crimson-winged Finch, so would probably...
  18. Arbu

    Plover, Sri Lanka

    I'm not getting any response on iNaturalist, so thought I'd ask here. Long-billed Plover (Charadrius placidus). The length of the bill and tail make me think long-billed plover, but I can only find one other record of a sighting of this in Sri Lanka, so I have to question it. Some other opinions...
  19. Arbu

    Jerusalem 12-19 March

    I'm staying in Jerusalem 12-19 March and would particularly like to see Syrian Serin and Nubian and Egyptian Nightjars while there. It seems the former might be possible at Ein Prat, and the nightjars down at the Dead Sea, although I would probably need a guide. Any advice? Thanks
  20. Arbu

    World Cup Avoidance - Southern Africa or maybe Chile

    The Football World Cup is coming up, and to me that is a good time to get away, as prices may be lower, and there will be undue excitement over it at home. So I'm thinking of going to South Africa and/or Namibia, and hiring a car for three weeks or so. Anyone interested in joining me? 80%...
  21. Arbu

    Revillagigedo Islands

    Am I right in thinking that there is no realistic way of seeing the endemic land birds of the Revillagigedo Islands? They are on Socorro and Clarion Islands. There are dive boats which go to the latter, but it doesn't seem as if they are allowed to put you onshore. Maybe if you take a telescope...
    • Arbu
    • Thread
    • Replies: 4
    • Forum: Mexico
  22. Arbu

    Buttonquail on Santa Maria, Azores

    Page 130 of the Bradt guide to the Azores 6th edition 2016: "By far the most intriguing resident is the newly discovered little buttonquail ... which inhabits scrub-covered grassland at the southern end of the airport [Santa Maria}" Is this true? I can find no reference to it elsewhere. Maybe...
  23. Arbu

    Waders at Cabo de Praia Quarry, Terceira, Azores

    13th August. First picture, not sure about bird top left - Ruff? Second picture left to right Kentish Plover, Curlew Sandpiper *2, Turnstone, Little Stint?
  24. Arbu

    Storm-Petrels in the Azores

    I took trips out to the Princess Alice Sea Mount and Condor Bank off the island of Faial in the Azores on 14th and 15th August respectively. There were quite a few storm-petrels flying around the locations - we saw none closer to land. I think they were all Wilson's because the legs projected...
  25. Arbu

    Olympus 10X42 PRO(UE)BLK

    I have a pair of the above which Olympus sent me about nine months ago to replace an older pair of a different model that had had problems. There now seems to be some crack in one of the lenses, and is annoying when I look through the binoculars. I managed to get a photo taken from the wrong end...
    • Arbu
    • Thread
    • Replies: 3
    • Forum: Others
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