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

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  1. Joe H

    Tundra Bean Goose in Anchorage

    I just thought I'd post a link here regarding a fairly rare bird that's been in town yesterday and today. There has been a pretty constant and continuing observation stream posted here: https://ebird.org/alert/rba/US-AK-020 I can't add much to the thread except to say that it was a good bird...
  2. Joe H

    Common Ringed or Semipalmated Plover, Barrow, Alaska

    I took the three pictures below during July many years ago. I came across them on an old computer that’s soon to be recycled so I took pictures off the screen of the old computer rather than properly transfer the digital files. The quality of the images is not great but I’m hoping they are good...
  3. Joe H

    Cracking Rain Guard

    This is not a complaint thread – the plastic rain guards on my EL 8x32s have seen 19 years of service, from war zones to South Pacific jungles to above the Arctic Circle. In that time the plastic rain guard has aged and been exposed to high heat, baking sun, sweltering humidity and brutal cold...
  4. Joe H

    Repair Process for my old Dialyt 8x30B

    I enjoy reading the posts in the binoculars section here on Birdforum, but I’m not really an optics aficionado. Nor do I have a lot of optical gear for birding (my working “collection” contains two bins and one spotting scope). I tend to keep my stuff until it breaks or gets stolen so I don’t...
    • Joe H
    • Thread
    • Replies: 18
    • Forum: Zeiss
  5. Joe H

    Zeiss Spotting Scope Repair

    For those of us who use a tool, piece of sporting equipment, musical instrument, or whatever for a long period of time – the item itself can take on a value greater than its ability to perform the task for which it was designed. Be it nostalgia or the confidence of knowing in advance how...
    • Joe H
    • Thread
    • Replies: 4
    • Forum: Zeiss
  6. Joe H

    Unknown Bird from PNG

    I photographed this bird in the hills above Rabaul, New Britain Island, PNG on 4 March 2010. We were at about 350 meters elevation in a primary forest near a sports field. For size comparison, the Moustached Treeswift is 28 – 30 centimeters long. I’ve never been able to ID the bird but thought...
  7. Joe H

    Random Ramblings on the CL 7x21 Curio

    A quick introductory explanation on the ridiculously long-winded screed that follows: As I used my new Swarovski CL 7x21 Curios over the past five days, I typed up my impressions each evening in a sort of stream-of-consciousness log. At some point my ramblings got far too long but I don’t really...
  8. Joe H

    Ultramarine Kingfisher, Male or Female?

    The photo below was posted to the Opus section, but I was unsure of the sex of this bird. I am hoping someone more familiar with the species, region, or maybe has a better Kingfisher field guide (or better internet skills) can add their insight. The reason for my confusion is that my field...
  9. Joe H

    Obituary for my Ultravid 8x20 BR, 2006-2022

    Back in the early 2000s I was in the market for a truly pocketable alternative for when my primary birding binocular, a Swarovski 8x32 EL, was too big. At the time, I looked at the 8x20 Swarovski and Nikon models but both had rear focus knobs that I couldn’t quickly adapt to. Leica only had the...
    • Joe H
    • Thread
    • Replies: 19
    • Forum: Leica
  10. Joe H

    Decided to Buy a CL 7x21, But Can't Find One Locally

    Many thanks for all the great information posted here! I’m in the market for a replacement for my old Leica 8x20 Ultravids which were (through my own carelessness) recently stolen. I’ve decided to replace them with the CL 7x21. None of the local Swarovski authorized dealers in town have one and...
  11. Joe H

    Bird ID Request, Tarawa Atoll Pigeon

    I’ve attached some pictures of two pigeons I photographed on Tarawa Atoll, part of the Republic of Kiribati (the area was formerly the Gilbert Islands) back in August of 2009. For the longest time I assumed they were Pacific Imperial Pigeons (Ducula pacifica), but recently I’ve been cleaning up...
  12. Joe H

    Kiribati Birds

    I’ve recently found the time to get back into bird watching and one of the (pleasant) tasks I’ve given myself is to sort through old computer image files and checklists to clean up my life list. I also want to share some pictures of birds that might not be all that commonly seen or easily...
  13. Joe H

    Hello, again!

    Greetings! I was a member of Birdforum from September 2004 to July 2008. My wife got me into bird watching in 2003 and this site helped me research optics purchases and pre-vacation planning. Previously I posted about birding in Alaska and even Baghdad while I was there for a winter (I see the...
  14. Joe H

    Barrow, Alaska July 2008

    Greetings, I was in Barrow from 17 to 19 July on a work trip and slipped in a good 12 hours of dedicated birding during the three days. I'll include a species list at the end. Highlights were: King Eider added as #200 to my AK life list when I saw hundreds of them in flocks flying both...
  15. Joe H

    Horned or Eared Grebe?

    Greetings! I was hoping this forum could assist me in sorting out a grebe I saw recently near Fairbanks, Alaska. The pictures below are of what I assume to be a first fall Eared Grebe. The other option (and more common up here) would be a Horned Grebe. The pictures are pretty poor due to...
  16. Joe H

    Ultravids Fogged in the Rain

    Greetings, During a trip to the Wet Tropics in northeastern Australia last July, my 8x20 Ultravids fogged badly in the right barrel. It was raining quite a bit but this can only be considered a major failure of what are supposed to be water proof, fog proof binoculars. My Zeiss 15-45 Spotting...
    • Joe H
    • Thread
    • Replies: 3
    • Forum: Leica
  17. Joe H

    Five Days in Northern Queensland

    Greetings, I’m lucky to be traveling to Australia this Summer and will have five full days plus an arrival and departure day in the Cairns/Daintree area. My wife, father-in-law, two-month-old son and I will be driving up from Townsville. The five days will be primarily dedicated to bird...
  18. Joe H

    Birding around baghdad

    Birding around Baghdad Greetings, I‘ve posted here before but mostly about trips in and around Alaska. I find myself in Baghdad these days and thought I’d share my birding experiences with this group. There are a few other bird watchers who have been to this part of the world recently and...
  19. Joe H

    Winter Birding in Las Vegas

    This post was lost a few months ago. I found a copy so decided to re-post in the off chance that the information might be of value to others planning a trip to Las Vegas. New Year in Las Vegas My wife and I decided to escape the snow and cold temperatures of Alaska during the Christmas...
  20. Joe H

    Albert's Lyrebird

    Greetings, I'd be interested to have this picture added to the Bird Database if possible. If anyone has any suggestions on how to do that I'd be very appreciative. While the attachment is a poor scan of a poor picture, it was considered a lucky opportunity by those who have spent years trying...
  21. Joe H

    Birding Guides to Alaska

    Greetings! I haven’t seen a string pertaining to birding guides specifically for Alaska so I thought I’d post some information on the topic. The obvious first choice would have to be Robert H. Armstrong’s "Guide to the Birds of Alaska." It uses photographs for identification which I don’t...
  22. Joe H

    Picking the Right Binocular (mini-reviews)

    I started bird watching this year due to my wife’s life long interest in the sport. As I got more involved I started to suspect that maybe my trusty 30 year old Bushnell 7x35 wide-angle “quik-focus” porros were in need of an upgrade. I bought a pair of Swift HHS 8.5x44 based largely on the...
  23. Joe H

    Alaskan Interior Work Trip

    Greetings! I recently spent a week in the interior of Alaska (Delta Junction, Tok, and Fairbanks). There was little time for serious bird watching and the weather ranged from Fall in Anchorage to unquestionably Winter in Delta Junction and Tok. Even with the lack of time and cold weather, the...
  24. Joe H

    Greetings from Alaska

    Dear Birdforum viewers, I am not an expert on computers or bird watching but I will try to contribute to this excellent on-line resource. I don't spend a lot of time on my computer and I travel often so please do not take offense if I am not prompt in a reply (assuming I have anything...
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