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

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  1. Pete Mella

    Redpoll sp., UK.

    Just wondering what people's thoughts are about this Redpoll, taken this morning in Sheffield, UK?
  2. Pete Mella

    UK Fungi IDs

    Hi, can anyone give me pointers on whether I'm on the right lines with these fungi ID, and give suggestions where I've not got past genus? 1. Pestle Puffball? 2. Redleg Toughshank? 3. Tawny Funnel? 4. Russula sp. (smelt faintly of seafood) 5. Terracotta Hedgehog?
  3. Pete Mella

    Sheffield Peregrine webcam

    Not sure if anyone here's seen it yet, but here's a link to the Peregrine webcam on St George's Church in Sheffield. Three chicks hatched last weekend, so there's lots of activity to see at the moment! http://efm.dept.shef.ac.uk/peregrine/ There's also a blog updating their progress here...
  4. Pete Mella

    Yorks birding sites affected by HS2 rail line

    Just having a look at the route of the HS2 and it's not looking good for some sites in/near Yorks :( Some of the affected sites, based on the map, that will be under or next to the high speed rail line include: Staveley Opencast Catcliffe Flash Orgreave Lakes Woodhouse Washlands NR Treeton...
  5. Pete Mella

    BWPi Mac OS Lion problems

    Hi all, Just purchased BWPi and having some problems - contacted BirdGuides and awaiting a reply, but wondered if anyone's had the same problem while I'm waiting. I'm using MacOS Lion, and I'm having the following problems: Even hovering over the 'Services' menu causes the application to...
  6. Pete Mella

    Gull ID, UK

    Hi all, I was scanning through gulls yesterday and came across this bird (the one at the back where there's two birds in shot). What made it stand out when scanning was its tiny, black beady eye, and other pro-Caspo features noted were: Sloping forehead. Long bill with no obvious gonys angle...
  7. Pete Mella

    Redpoll sp. (S. Yorks, UK).

    I had a pale-flanked, large-looking redpoll at Hatfield Moors this morning. I'm wondering what everyone thinks between Lesser and Mealy... I'm erring on the side of Lesser after studying the pics, but would welcome opinions.
  8. Pete Mella

    BirdGuides apps and tape luring

    I just saw on Twitter someone post a picture of their iPhone surrounded by Long-tailed Tits, as they were playing a BirdGuides Apps on their phone. Daft and pointless behaviour, but the photographer seemed like a rookie birder and didn't realise tape-luring's frowned on and felt bad after...
  9. Pete Mella

    More yellow-legged gulls (Sheffield, UK).

    Some more possible yellow-legged gulls to ponder over, at a site in Sheffield, S.Yorks. They're terrible photos as usual, but just throwing it out if anyone has any ideas. Bird 1 is a text-book YLG to me, and I have little doubt it is one. Steep forehead, paler mantle and yellow legs. Bird 2...
  10. Pete Mella

    Yellow-legged Gull (from rubbish photo!)? (S. Yorks, UK)

    Hi all, I've admitted here before on many occasions that I'm a bit of a gull numpty so I'm going to post this unashamedly. I had a look at a site today where a 3rd summer YLG had been reported among a gang of LBBGs for the last couple of days. On arriving there I soon found a bird of a similar...
  11. Pete Mella

    Tips for Rutland this weekend

    Hi all, I'm off to Rutland Water this Saturday, and I was wondering if anyone could give me any tips in finding the following species there, as I've got a bit of year-listing to be catching up with... Red Kite Yellow Wagtail Turtle Dove Marsh Tit Lesser Whitethroat I'd add nightingale to the...
  12. Pete Mella

    Trumpeter Finch, Italy?!

    I've just come back from two weeks in Italy, and have a little poser for everyone. While visiting the summit of Monte Solaro at Anacapri, on the island of Capri (not as intrepid as it sounds as there's a chair lift!) I came across this little fella. He was close and seemed fairly tame, but did...
  13. Pete Mella

    Snowy/Kentish Plover split

    Just spotted this which may be of interest on the Sheffield University homepage, regarding evidence that Kentish and Snowy plovers are a separate species... http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/mediacentre/2009/1394.html
  14. Pete Mella

    Redpoll sp? (Derbys, UK)

    I photographed this redpoll today in a location where Mealies have been sighted recently. Its white wing bars, impression of being a larger and more robust bird, and paler flanks have got me thinking it may be one of them, but I'm willing to be told otherwise (the brownish wash to the face is...
  15. Pete Mella

    Gull, Sheffield UK

    OK, I'm going to make a bit of a fool of myself again with gulls, but here goes... I saw this gull at a site where an adult YLG was supposed to be hanging out last week. I immediately picked it out among a small group of herrings because of its very clean white head. However I discounted it as...
  16. Pete Mella

    Yellow-legged Gull (Sheffield, UK)

    I'm rubbish at juvenile gulls, but I have suspicions the bird on the right here may be a 1st winter YLG. An adult was reported at the same spot earlier in the week.
  17. Pete Mella

    Hybrid duck, West Yorkshire, UK

    This duck was among the tamer waterfowl at Pugney's Country Park in W Yorks, and looks a little more interesting than your usual yuck ducks. Any guesses on the parentage?
  18. Pete Mella

    Overwintering Lesser Whitethroat in Bedfordshire

    Found this photo on one of the Flickr bird ID forums - it's an overwintering lesser whitethroat photographed in Milton Keynes a few days ago. I don't fancy its chances in the current weather... http://www.flickr.com/photos/23240104@N02/4199883908/
  19. Pete Mella

    Alternatives to Opticron BGA SE

    I'm off binocular shopping just after Christmas, and looking around the web it certainly seems the Opticron BGA SE's are a great pair of bins for my price range (£300-400), and will be top of my list to have a look at. Has anyone got any tips as to what other bins I should try in that price...
  20. Pete Mella

    Least-seen birds you've seen in 2009 (according to BUBO)

    I've just had a look at the most-seen birds on 2009 yearlists on BUBO (http://www.bubo.org/View-All-Lists.html), and compared it with my own. The list below are my top 20 least-seen (the number is number of BUBO members that have seen that species). Some surpises in there, which make me fully...
  21. Pete Mella

    The ones that got away...

    I know there's two weeks left in the year, but what birds are missing off your 2009 list that you were convinced were going to end up there? I don't really mean dips of rarities, more commoner birds you presumed were going to end up there that didn't end up being found. For me - grasshopper...
  22. Pete Mella

    Middle-spotted Woodpecker on UK400 Club List

    I notice the UK 400 Club count a record of MSW in Kent... does anyone know any more about this?
  23. Pete Mella

    Stringing v Supression

    I'm enjoying the "ticking rules" thread and I thought I'd pose another hypothetical birding quandry. Say you're a newish birder and you're fairly confident you see a very rare bird while on your travels. However, despite your confidence, your inexperience makes you start to have nagging doubts...
  24. Pete Mella

    Recommendations for scopes c£600?

    Hi all, I'm looking to upgrade my MM2 soon, and I reckon I'll have a budget of about £600 (inc eyepiece). Has anyone got any recommendations in that price range (or indeed slightly cheaper)? My only real issues are that it must be good for specs-wearers.
  25. Pete Mella

    Tips for bins £300-400

    I hit the big 3-0 next year and I think as part of the celebrations I'm going to finally pension off my trusty Bushnell H2Os and buy some new bins. I'm thinking my budget's going to be somewhere between £300 and £400. I've got quite a while to research the options, but I was wondering if anyone...
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