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

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  1. PaulAshton

    New Quay - Wales - 'Not Just Bottlenose Dolphins'

    I’ve just returned from a Family holiday at New Quay in Ceredigion – Wales. To a large extent my wildlife and bird watching has to fit around my youngsters and the missus. I’ve taken to holidaying in New Quay in recent years because it does allow for quality bins time while not abandoning the...
  2. PaulAshton

    Holywell Bay - Cornwall in August

    I took the family to Holywell Bay caravan park nr Newquay - Cornwall for a weeks hols. While there we did the usual sand castles, swimming and ice cream overdoses, but also got in a good bit of wildlife watching. When not on the beach I manaaged to get the fam to come on walks along the the...
  3. PaulAshton

    Some of my artwork, take a peek.

    Good work and it looks like something you enjoy which is what matters. Now it's time for your own analysis, pick out ther flaws in your pictures. Are they physically as accurate as they could be? Have you studied the subject close enough to make an accurate drawing. I find that observation is...
  4. PaulAshton

    Please tell me about the Oostvaarderplassen nature reserve - Netherlands

    I heard about a wild and wonderful place in the Netherlands where Sea Eagles hunt and wild horses roam. Anyone been there? I'm particularily interested in seeing eagles, and wading birds. Not forgetting the big mammals I heard about. :brains:
  5. PaulAshton

    Is this a common seal,I think so

    Thanks for the info..and quite an impressive photo.
  6. PaulAshton

    Is this a common seal,I think so

    Grey seal as far as I can tell... but on the other side of your posting, is west cork a good place to view dolphins and whales, or were you just very lucky?
  7. PaulAshton

    Short Eared Owl at St Agnes Head

    I was in Cornwall holidaying with the family just over a week ago and had come to the last day of my hols spending the day with the fam on Holywell Beach just south of Newquay. The sun was getting low and the tied was coming in, so we set off back to cornwall. Now I wasn't driving and was...
  8. PaulAshton

    Bird of Prey call identity please?

    I'd like a second opinion on a bird of prey I saw today with the naked eye outsided my office. I'm located in the centre of Birmingham. The bird of prey roughly sparrowhawk sized was attempting to land on the brick facade of the vertical side wall of an office block 20 floors up. It failed to...
  9. PaulAshton

    Barn Owls Hunting before twilight?

    Can anyone recomend a part of the UK, either a nature reserve or a tract of contryside where a quiet patient observer would have a good chance of watching a Barn Owl hunting at the end of a summer evening but before sunset. I've seen the likes of titchmarsh and other tv wildlife boffins...
  10. PaulAshton

    What mid Wales Bird of Prey was this?

    Last friday afternoon I was driving along a typical mid wales valley within modest sized mountains north west of Welshpool on the A458. A bird of prey flew across (10 metres above ground) the road at speed, wings beating rapidly. It's physical shape and wing to body proportions were very...
  11. PaulAshton

    North Devon - Birds, Dolphins and Tuna sandwiches!!!

    I spent last week holidaying with my missus and the nipper in North Devon. We based ourselves firstly just outside Mortehoe (Woolacombe) at Twitchen Parc (Caravans) and then at Lynmouth in the Rock House Hotel. The scenery around Woolacombe is amazing with hidden beaches rocky cliffs and coves...
  12. PaulAshton

    Buzzard and Pheasants

    Last week I was enjoying a stroll on the hills around Mortehoe North Devon when I walked over a ridge and surprised a cock pheasant and what I thought were two hen pheasants which were standing together. To my surprise as the birds took off a cock and a hen pheasant flew off (in the usual...
  13. PaulAshton

    Taking the shakes out

    I often use an old Russian 8 to 20x zoom hand held scope, so I'm always having to take 'anti-shake' action. I find sitting down, leaning my elbows on my knees gives stability. Or standing while leaning my arms/body against a tree (or similar solid object) And there's always the obvious like...
  14. PaulAshton

    Buzzard Fighting with Wind

    I've seen them hoveing (wind free) on a number of occasions. They seem to have no problem. Though for much shorter time span than Kestrels.
  15. PaulAshton

    Most embarrassing exerience??

    I was once bird watching with friends not to far from the West Midlands Safari Park. After about an hour I mistook a muntjac for a lion and shouted the appropriate words.. "LION, LION, I SAW A F***N LIONNNNNNNNN!!!!! Not surprisingly, well for a few seconds most of my part were close to...
  16. PaulAshton

    Buzzard Fighting with Wind

    I too fought with wind in the brecons. But that would be the beans and sausages we had for breakfast.
  17. PaulAshton

    I'm trying to tempt the missus with Bill Oddie!!!

    I'm thinking of buying a video or DVD that I can use to tempt the missus into holidaying in remote wild places. She has a growing love of wildlife after trips to view Opsreys Seals etc. and I'm looking for a way to tempt my 'urban princess' further afield with pictures of wild birds. Seeing...
  18. PaulAshton

    Red Squirrel in Walsall!

    Finally found the snippet from the paper. The Walsall Red Squirrels were spotted at bird table s in the gardens of houses in Lane Close (off Bentley lane), Walsall which is across the road from Reedswood Park. Grid ref: SO997992. Perhaps the park is worth an investigation.
  19. PaulAshton

    November - Walsall to Bath and back. Where would you stop off and setup the scope?

    I'm down Bath for a weekend break with the missus in November and I reckon I can get about 3 hours birding in before we head back home, or on the route home. Walsall to Bath and back again. Where would you stop off and pull the scope out of the boot? :bounce:
  20. PaulAshton

    Faroe Islands

    I watched a program last week about the Faroe Islands. A sailor chap was journying along the coast of the british isles and extenbded his journey up to the Faroes. It look an impressive place. They appear to be very affluent, not at all what I'd expect from people living in the middle of...
  21. PaulAshton

    Shoulderpods, a lightweight alternative?

    I recently bought a manfrotto digi compact tripod that when fully extended reaches high enough for me 5ft 11" to easily use when leaning forward viewing through a angled view finder. When folded down it easily fits into a standard rucksack, allwing room for a small scope, sandwiches, extra...
  22. PaulAshton

    Sparrowhawk or Kestrel

    Our kids recently described a strange bird they had seen. Apparently it looked like a very streamlined fit and agile pigeon , with longer wings. We later saw the same bird, it was a sparrowhawk. I think, luckily for sparrowhawks, most people (especially in cities) think they are pigeons and...
  23. PaulAshton

    Do you have a good old reliable spot where sightings are regular as clockwork????

    Do you have a good old reliable spot???? Where a favorite bird or animal species nearly always give a good show!!!! I'd be interested in anything like those below. I'm always wizzing round the country and could do with an easy bit of wildlife spotting, especually as I've gotr the kids along who...
  24. PaulAshton

    The Last Stand of the English Red Squirrel, and my Red Squirrel Quest....

    <<Paul - thanks for all the tips. I still have fond memories of all the valuable help you gave me as I planned my Mount Snowdon trip in May [by the way, you never did reply to my PM telling you how I got on - you had wanted to know how I did].>> Hi Alan, thought I had replied.. mmmm must be my...
  25. PaulAshton

    The Last Stand of the English Red Squirrel, and my Red Squirrel Quest....

    Extra bit of info about the Cumbria Red Squirrels: The villages around Buttermere & Crummock Water and also directly north east of Keswick around Latrigg (a hill) have home made signs 'Warning Red Squirrels Crossing' etc, so plenty of scope there for sightings. I also had sightings in the...
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