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

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  1. Alastair Rae

    HBW Alive dead?

    Anyone subscribe to HBW Alive? I can't reach the site anymore.
  2. Alastair Rae

    Swarovski customer service

    I managed to snap off the mounting bracket on my HD 65 mm so I took the scope along to my local Swaro dealer. They sent it off to Austria for a repair estimate and it came back completely fixed for no charge! I'm flabbergasted that they'd fix a 15 year old scope for nothing. Amazing customer...
  3. Alastair Rae

    RSPB reserves' "latest sightings"

    Am I the only person annoyed that many RSPB reserve web sites have "latest sightings" pages that haven't been updated for over a year? If they're not going to keep them up to date they might as well not have them. Maybe this is related to the complete absence of "what's about" info at some of...
  4. Alastair Rae

    Eudonia murana?

    From an MV trap in Snowdonia.
  5. Alastair Rae

    Pug, Herefordshire

    Found this in a hedgerow. I'm worried that my SX50 has got the colour balance wrong as I don't recall it being as colourful as this. Or maybe close-ups bring out more colour than the naked eye.
  6. Alastair Rae

    Are Lithium Polymer batteries too dangerous?

    I've just bought a 12V actinic trap and lithium polymer battery pack. Li-Po batteries are marketed as a lightweight alternative to lead acid but the safety warnings are pretty dire. I've seen warnings like batteries should NEVER be left unattended while charging; do not charge overnight...
  7. Alastair Rae

    Urban UV

    I want to run a moth trap in the shared courtyard outside my ground floor flat. There's a nice dry overhang I can use but I don't want to dazzle the neighbours nor attract too much attention from passers-by. My main concern is how black is "black light". And how does the visible light vary with...
  8. Alastair Rae

    NZ Seabirds and El Niño

    We're off to NZ in Feb 2016. Apparently there's a very big El Niño building. Is it likely that seabird numbers will be down or am I just being over anxious?
  9. Alastair Rae

    Azure Hawker + Chequered Skipper?

    I believe the flight times of these two species overlap a bit. Could anyone suggest the best time and itinerary to see both in Scotland? Or is that mission impossible?
  10. Alastair Rae

    Red-billed Gull in China

    The Guardian newspaper often gets bird ids wrong. It carried a photo short yesterday with text "A tourist feeds red-billed gulls by the Dianchi Lake in Kunming in China. Tens of thousands of red-billed gulls have chosen to spend winter in Kunming in recent years." But isn't Red-billed Gull...
  11. Alastair Rae

    When/how to bird SE Arizona?

    We haven't birded in north America since the last century so I reckon a visit to SE Arizona is overdue. There are lots of site guides and bird lists available but I have two (hopefully) simple questions: Which is the best month? What sort of transport/accommodation? Car & motels or small RV...
  12. Alastair Rae

    Red dot finder

    I raised the subject of astronomy back in February and since then I've read a lot of stuff and bought rather too much kit. But one thing I wish I'd known about when I first started was this clever gadget. It's a bracket that fits between your scope and the tripod to add a red dot finder. If...
  13. Alastair Rae

    Optics in hand baggage hassle

    I've flown from UK to many countries with scope and bins in my small rucksack as hand baggage and never had any problems with security. Then last week, I was flying back from Jordan and got stopped at the first search. They insisted that the opticals had to go in hold baggage. I insisted it they...
  14. Alastair Rae

    Thetford Goshawks?

    Over the years I've not had much luck finding Goshawks at Mayday Farm. I have some old gen for a place called Ollie's Farm. Is that still a good spot?
  15. Alastair Rae

    Astronomy scope on a birding tripod?

    I have a Gitzo GT2531 "Mountaineer" tripod and GH1720QR bird watching head which I use with a 65mm spotting scope. I've recently been bitten by the stargazing bug and wondered about getting another scope for astronomy. Because I don't have much storage space (either in my flat or car) I want to...
  16. Alastair Rae

    Gitzo over-priced rubbish

    After years of irritation with various tripod problems, I was finally persuaded to splash out on a Gitzo tripod and head (GT2531 and GH1720QR). This rig is rock solid when it works but the head is a real pain in the field. It constantly works loose and several times has fallen off the tripod...
  17. Alastair Rae

    Raptors of Britain & Europe VCT freecycle

    I've just packed off my old VCR to a good home and found The Raptors of Britain & Europe, narrated by Bill Oddie, filmed by Paul Doherty, 85mins. If you're still in the video tape age and would like it and have a UK postal address, first person to PM me with their snail mail address can have...
  18. Alastair Rae

    Harrier, Mongolia (photo)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/merula/5001464523/in/photostream/ I originally identified this as an Eastern Marsh Harrier because of the cream head, broad wings and buff rump line and the assumption that Western is uncommon in Mongolia. Somebody has queried the id so I thought I'd better check...
  19. Alastair Rae

    Black phase Cuckoo, Mongolia (photo)

    I photographed this strange black Cuckoo in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia. The structure and spotting on the tail would indicate a Cuculus either Common or Oriental but I can't find any literature mentioning a black phase. Help needed! http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/326849...
  20. Alastair Rae

    Irish Damselfly/Crescent Bluet

    I will be visiting Co Armagh in early July and was wondering about looking for Irish Damselfly Coenagrion lunulatum. Can anyone recommend sites within an hour or so's drive of Lurgan? I've been googling for ages but can't find a site for them with public access.
  21. Alastair Rae

    Brookland raptor roost

    There's a mound that overlooks a reed bed near the Woolpack pub which we visited last January and had an excellent raptor roost. This weekend, we froze our socks off waiting until dark and not a sausage! Has the roost not formed this year? Is it too cold or something?
  22. Alastair Rae

    Albino Changable Hawk Eagle

    A colleague in India sent me this link to a remarkable photo of an Albino Changable Hawk Eagle
  23. Alastair Rae

    Northern India, Phylloscopus photo

    Can anyone give a positive (or even a confident opinion) on the id of this bird? http://www.flickr.com/photos/shivanayak/423694402/
  24. Alastair Rae

    Pointy-headed Aythya hybrid, Welney UK

    Happened upon this chap at Welney WWT. Any thoughts on his parentage?
  25. Alastair Rae

    Bob Gibbons email address?

    Does anyone have a current email address for Bob Gibbons (the botanist, photographer and tour leader)? I have an old one (which.net) but that bounces. Please do not put his address in a reply (to prevent automatic spam). Please send me a PM with it instead.
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