Bird poo expected.....any advice please?? (4 Viewers)

[Victorthesecond]

Hi, we're having a short stay in Northumberland and are planning a short visit to the Inner Farne Islands. We're expecting to see many birds! The problem is that they will undoubtedly poo a lit and I'm keen to protect my Canon 6d Mkii which will be fitted with a Canon 100-400 Mkii lens.

I just wondered what other people might do to protect the camera and lens from bird poo. I've wondered about a simple rain cover, but they look awkward. I've also seen umbrellas that can attach to the hot shoe, but I can't find one that is wide enough to cover the long lens - plus I think they're more suited to when using a tripod.

Any ideas? All suggestions are welcome and thank you very much in advance.

Mike

 

[Gronk08]

Could look at Camera armour for the body, a protective silicon covering for the lens a neoprene cover set would protect the lens. Or like you say a rain cover the are not too bad a would cover both lens and body.
Enjoy your trip it's a great experience, but I never got any such problems but wear a hat to protect your head from being pecked

Tim.

 

[Victorthesecond]

Could look at Camera armour for the body, a protective silicon covering for the lens a neoprene cover set would protect the lens. Or like you say a rain cover the are not too bad a would cover both lens and body.
Enjoy your trip it's a great experience, but I never got any such problems but wear a hat to protect your head from being pecked

Tim.

Thank Tim, sounds good advice. I've ordered an inexpensive rain cover thing from the evil empire......Now hoping we'll see lots of puffins and looking for "that" classic shot!

 

[Barred Wobbler]

I wouldn't worry about it. I've been to the Farnes a number of times, and it's never been a problem, indeed there's only once I got some droppings down my goretex coat back and that was pure hard luck. One of the only pair of roseate terns on the island that year decided to unload as it went over me. Other that, I've never had dropping on my person, never mind my camera.

I'd reinforce the advice to wear a hat though. NOT a hard hat, as I've seen the occasional clowns wearing, because the terns can injure themselves on them. I wear a cloth bush hat and that's sufficient. The terns still peck, and you still feel it, but it's no worse than being hit with a pencil. I once got off the boat with a bald bloke in front of me, and he was hatless as well as hairless. By the time he's walked as far as the chapel compound, only 50 yards from the landing, he was bleeding freely. The cloth hat is sufficient, but I'm not so sure about a wool hat, because of the open weave.

Depending on how sloppy the sea is and the wind direction, you'll probably get splashed either on the way out, or on the way back, so I'd wear a waterproof coat and be ready to protect the camera from spray.

It's a great day out.

 

[Victorthesecond]

I wouldn't worry about it. I've been to the Farnes a number of times, and it's never been a problem, indeed there's only once I got some droppings down my goretex coat back and that was pure hard luck. One of the only pair of roseate terns on the island that year decided to unload as it went over me. Other that, I've never had dropping on my person, never mind my camera.

I'd reinforce the advice to wear a hat though. NOT a hard hat, as I've seen the occasional clowns wearing, because the terns can injure themselves on them. I wear a cloth bush hat and that's sufficient. The terns still peck, and you still feel it, but it's no worse than being hit with a pencil. I once got off the boat with a bald bloke in front of me, and he was hatless as well as hairless. By the time he's walked as far as the chapel compound, only 50 yards from the landing, he was bleeding freely. The cloth hat is sufficient, but I'm not so sure about a wool hat, because of the open weave.

Depending on how sloppy the sea is and the wind direction, you'll probably get splashed either on the way out, or on the way back, so I'd wear a waterproof coat and be ready to protect the camera from spray.

It's a great day out.

Sounds good advice, thank you. We've both got linen bucket hats, so I think we'll be sound now. Hopefully, the good weather will hang around as well ...

 

[Barred Wobbler]

We've had a stiff northerly blowing for the past few days in these parts, although it's been sunny. Daytime temps only about 13-15°C, and that's set to continue right through the coming week. Saturday looks a bit better though, with the wind swinging SSE and dropping. That wind has been taking the fun out of everything.