Birding Braunie

Getting up at 5am and catching an early train out of Paddington, with a hangover and the promise of a busy (and long) day with a client, should have had me crying into my overpriced Americano. However, my journey was to the awe-inspiring spired city of Oxford, not that I would get to see much of it and the train would travel through the outstanding Chiltern Hills, and give me an opportunity to spy the wonderful Red Kite. Just like Nick Hornby’s character in High Fidelity, Rob Fleming, I too love to list. It’s just a way to pass the time albeit, only for an hour on this journey. I decided to just list every species of bird or mammal I saw on that train ride as reading a paper or even thinking about what work I had to do, was too much for my addled brain. A few tips for birding from a train; find a seat facing the right way (not always that easy on a busy commuter train). make sure it has a graffiti-free window (virtually impossible as most seem to have been etched with some indeciph...

Wryneck, Rainham Marshes 2009

Thought I would take this opportunity to explain and illustrate the way I digiscope. I have never bothered to invest in a purpose-made adaptor because I’m never sure which one would be best and I suppose I’m a bit stingy. Instead, I have experimented with different joining mechanisms which have include fruit juice bottle tops, paint roller tubes and plumbing joints. Over the five or so years I have digiscoped, the results have been unpredictable. This has been caused by the light conditions, the mobility of the subject and invariably, the distances between my camera and the bird. probably worth noting here that I also tend to focus through the scope before attaching the camera. The most successful adaptor for me has been the paint roller tube. I discovered if I strip off the furry bit, I’m left with a perfect basis for an adaptor. Depending on the camera lens width and the telescope eyepiece diameter, I wrap insulation tape inside the tube. Measure the depth and width of the ca...