[IanF]

The theme for October 2011 is 'Digiscoped Birds'.

Once again this category is under review and maybe dropped next year. Bird Forum has always had a strong connection with digiscoping and we still have quite a few members who practice digiscoping. However as to whether it's run next year will depend on how much support it receives. Last year I thought it was falling out of favour but over the last 12 months I've seen far more people locally taking to digiscoping achieving surprisingly good results even from just holding a mobile phone to the eyepiece so may be getting anotehr lease of life.

A reminder that digiscoping relates to taking photos through a birders telescope (spotting scope) and includes set-ups where camera and scope are built as all-in-one devices. Also this year we're including 'digibinning' - i.e. utilising a camera with binoculars.

Apologies are made to those members who don't digiscope but normally enter the monthly competitions.

The rules must be adhered to in order to avoid disqualification.

The Moderators decision is final.

Rules -

1. Entries to have been taken in the last twelve months i.e. since 1st October 2010.
2. Date taken to be included in the entry - must at least include month and year.
3. Entry to be uploaded between now and October 21st midnight (GMT).
4. Your entry must contain a digiscoped/digibinned wild bird or birds.
5. Location taken to be included and must include county/state and country.
6. One entry per member.
7. Only minor image adjustment is permitted, such as cropping, sharpening, contrast, and levels. The photo must not be otherwise greatly manipulated ie. objects should not be added / removed in order to enhance the shot - no composite images.
8. Once uploaded a photo is classed as an entry and cannot be replaced by another shot. However you have until the closing date / time of this competition to ensure that your photo meets the criteria.
9. The entry must be your own work and not previously submitted in a competition on this site.
10. The bird's common name must be given - though please add the scientific too!

Entries to be uploaded directly by entrants to the Monthly Photo Competitions Gallery

A voting booth will be posted after the 21st.

Please note 30 entries will be selected for addition to the voting booth for members to vote upon.

The entries not selected for inclusion in the voting booth will be moved to their respective Gallery forum.
Any queries about this months competition, please post below.

[5bellies]

Ian,
A quick question to clarify "set-ups where camera and scope are built as all-in-one devices" Does this mean compact cameras only and that cameras like DSLR, Nex, m4/3 are not allowed?
Thanks in advance
Gary

[IanF]

This month the theme is aimed at photos taken using a birders telescope or spotting scope or even an astro-scope with camera attached. The type of camera attached doesn't matter as long as the photo is taken through a scope rather than through a camera lens alone.

A scope plus DSLR or compact camera or a scope with a built in camera are just fine but not a DSLR with lens attached.

[IanF]

I should add that unless the number of entries greatly increases over the next week then this months competition will likely be cancelled as there's not much point in running a voting booth for just a handful of entries.

[Lisa W]

I really hope the number of entries increase, have seen some amazing photos over the last few years in this competition.