My birding day----New scope (1 Viewer)

Thanks to everyone who gave advice on fieldscopes, I took the plunge and made a purchase last week! After taking into account the friendly advice from many Forum members I opted for a ES80 with an 20-60 eyepiece and went for the best tripod I could afford ( again heralding your advice ) Well I received my purchase in the post on Wednesday and my first chance to try it was Good Friday, making use of the fine weather I was at my local spot Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park by 8.30. Sitting in the sunshine by the lake was nice in itself and then I spotted a newly arrived Commerant wrestling with a large eel. This was the first time I have seen a Commerant and to see it up close through my new scope was unbelievable! After about five minutes the eel was well and truly swallowed and the Commerant took the time to dry off on a nearby island, this might sound mundane to you experienced birders, but seeing it the first time through my new scope was amazing! I went back to the park around 7.00 to look for owls and had the pleasure of veiwing a Kestral in a tree for about five minutes moving closer each time. I have only seen Kestrals before with the naked eye and to see them through a fieldscope is unreal. I am so pleased I asked the Forum for advice before purchasing as this gave my great assurance to make my decision, and even for that first day it has been well worth the cost!
Thanks everyone

Very glad to hear that you're enjoying a new level of bird viewing with your new scope. Every birder should have a scope, it gives you a totally new experience in viewing birds and other wildlife... and is far more relaxing than using binos.
Regards,
Andy

What an excellent posting that is, and one helluva ad for the site. The cormorant is by no means mundane - it's that sort of unique insight into the finer workings of nature and wildlife that keeps me, for one, constantly engrossed.
Here's to many more fabulous sightings, cheers mate.

Congratulations on the new scope Paul :t:

I'm glad that you like it. I wouldn't want to be without one myself now. It adds a new dimension to birdwatching.

I see the odd on or two Cormorants over at Cowpen Pond pretty regularly, but I've never seen them eating an eel. I've seen Herons do it though. There are plenty of ducks to practise on though. I'll be over there myself next weekend with JohnJ for a little digiscoping practise - weather permitting.

A scope brings a new dimension to birding and I too had the magical first day. It does not end there, your birding confidence will increase tenfold.

Paul

Glad you are enjoying your new scope!.
Now I'll tell you about the things we didn't mention before you bought it!.
If its an angled scope, about trying to point the scope where you think the birds is!. About trying to keep the little buggers in the field of view. It goes on. But
its great fun. When everything works out its fantastic!. Before long you'll be wanting to stick a camera to the eyepiece!.
Personally, I think you bought the best scope for the price, and I want that zoom eyepiece!. The only drawback of the scope I have found is the bloody awful screw-on objective lens cover!.

I apologise for all the words beginning with B's.
I Lied!, I don't.

May it bring you much enjoyment!.

I agree with the sentiments of others. Quite 'ordinary' birds can look magical through a scope. Look at the subtle patterns of a fieldfare or a male scaup, to take just a couple of examples that wowed me.
Alan is right, of course, trying to pick up some birds is a nightmare--but practice makes perfect!

Once you can follow Swifts in flight, you'll be doing OK

Tony

Paul

As you've discovered, once you have a scope you wonder how on earth you've done without one for all this time! It really does take you to a different level. The colours, the detail……...it's quite phenomenal. Glad you've having such success.

Andrew, you are absolultely right about your confidence in birding getting a boost via using a scope. I am enthralled with what I see through my scope these days. Sometimes I even forget to take a photo.
Had I not had my scope with me today, I would have passed over the vivid reds that I saw on top of a scrub pile believing them to be the northern cardinals. A closer look through my scope however, showed me my very first male painted buntings. Two of them! I about fainted. I have seen the females before but never the males and they are absolutely the prettiest bird I have laid eyes on.

Thanks to everyone who read my post, and particullary your replies, I really enjoy reading them. Yes Alan I do agree about the screw-on lens cover it is a pain, but apart from that I am very happy with the ease of use, thanks for your comments, I look forward to more exciting sightings
Paul