|
|
|
|
All the Gear
Birding Gear? Of course! All those chirpy bird calls, fancy tripods, waterproof notebooks, tape recorders, dynamic microphones...What would birding be without all that stuff you can spend money on? This page is devoted to looking at the trappings of the birding crowd - the good, the bad, and the just plain weird. From the bare essentials all the way to those infernal clocks that sing the hours, we'll talk about it here without shame. Don't forget to check out the "Optics" page and the "Books" page, too!
Tripods You can use a telescope without a tripod. You can use skis without ski poles, too. Neither one makes much sense. The fact is, no one completely likes their tripod. The trick is to find one that you hate the least. What features should I look for? Sturdiness is thing one with tripods. A flimsy tripod is a terrible nuisance. Look for a tripod with effective, simple leg extension systems. If the locking mechanism can be easily repaired or adjusted, that is a good thing, because this is the place where most tripods give out first. There are two basic types of locks - levers of some sort, and compression couplings that work by twisting one extension inside another. The latter type is difficult to adjust or repair, but it is also a bit lighter than the lever locks. Finally, if you have a big scope, you won't be able to support it with a light tripod. The 80mm scopes really do require a substantial tripod. Weight is another big issue with tripods. You don't want to be carrying more weight than you need. When you are choosing a tripod, put your scope on it, because that's how you will usually be carrying it. If you haven't got a scope yet, borrow one. This matters. You will want to feel the weight on your shoulder, feel the balance, and consider whether or not to buy a carrying strap or case for your tripod and scope. Height is critical. There is little point getting a tripod that isn't as tall as you are. Ideally, you should not have to fully extend the tripods joints to make it useable. Just as its height is important, so is the adjustability of the legs. Some tripods have a central bracing system that causes all the legs to open and close together, like an umbrella. This is okay in a portrait studio, but it's a nuisance on uneven terrain. You should probably avoid that type of tripod - it's also a bit heavier. Some tripods have a series of settings or "detentes" where the legs join the hub. These settings allow the legs to be angled in various ways, making the tripod very versatile. The Tripod Head is the part where the telescope is attached. It allows the telescope to be moved up, down, and side to side while the tripod remains stationary. The more expensive tripods are sold WITHOUT a head - you have to buy one separately. Tripod manufacturers make heads for many applications, and there will be at least one if not more that will suit your needs. Consider the weight of the head carefully. Look for a head that has a "quick release" plate on top - it will make disassembling your scope/tripod setup much easier. Are there alternatives to a tripod? Mini-tripods are available. Some of these are small enough to stick in your pocket. While they provide a stable base, they are not good platforms for a scope that must be constantly moved around. They're pretty cheap, so it doesn't hurt to have one around for those rare times when they will suit your needs. Gunstock Mounts are exactly what they sound like - a gunstock-shaped "handle" that you fasten to the bottom of the scope. The idea is that you can brace the scope against your shoulder. These mounts seem very popular in Europe, but we don't see a lot of them in North America. You can even make one for yourself, if you know your way around a workshop. Monopods are like the single leg of a tripod. They are extremely light and compact compared to a tripod, and they provide some degree of support. However, they work best when braced against a sturdy object (like a park bench or a fallen log, for example), and these "braces" don't always occur where you need them. Bean bags are just pillows filled with beans or shot, or something else that will provide a stable place to lay a scope. While these are okay for sea-watching, when you are basically staring at a circle of ocean to see what flies through, they are difficult to use in more dynamic settings.
Bird Calls There are four basic ways to attract birds using sound. The first is to make "pish-pish-pish" noises with your mouth, combined with a variety of whistles, squeaks and pops. This is quite acceptable among birders, although you might be taken for a person who has reached the end of her tether by the general public. It is a skill to be mastered, nevertheless. It works well and is extremely portable. The second way to attract birds using sound is to employ one of the various "squeakers" available on the market. The most commonly seen is a little red gizmo called the Audubon Bird-call. This amazing little thing-y is made of a pewter core and a hickory cup. The pewter core is rotated in the hickory cup be twiddling it in your fingers. A pinch of rosin slipped into the cup makes the bird-call chirp and squeak and stutter most impressively. Songbirds are attracted to these little noises (as are curious humans). The device is only an inch or so long. A similar device made with a brass core is also available. These "squeakers" are not expensive - if you pay more than $12.00 Canadian, you paid too much. Great stocking stuffers - get more than one. The third way to attract birds is to actually play pre-recorded tapes of their songs. Tapes and CD's (alas, no 8-tracks) of bird songs are widely available. Using them requires a bit of jiggery-pokery, because you have to keep re-setting the play-back unit to re-play the relatively brief clip of song for your bird-du-jour, but this method does work. Of course, you will need a tape or CD player that can broadcast the song. (I have done this using a car stereo with the doors of the car wide open. I don't recommend this approach.) The fourth and most diabolical way to attract birds with sound is to actually record the song and play it back to the singing bird. This requires a directional microphone and a tape recorder that can both record and play back. You have to be prepared to look like someone out of Ghostbusters to use this method, but it can be startlingly successful. Male songbirds in high dudgeon get most irate when a competing male "steals" their courtship song, and they will come crashing out of the underbrush to challenge the interloper. Should you be attacked by a love-blinded bush-tit, use the parabolic dish of your microphone for protection.
Optics Care You have to take care of your optics. They cost someone a lot of money, and if you are like me, there is at least one person in your household who will look at you askance if you report that you have to buy new bins. Most of the following suggestions are equally applicable to telescopes and binoculars. For binoculars, multiply by two. Lens Cleaning Lenses shouldn't be cleaned unless they need it. Abrasion does a lot more harm to a coated lens than anything else. Tiny grains of silica sand can carve the coating off your binoculars, and scratch the glass, too. So rule #1 is: Clean only when necessary. When it is necessary to clean your lenses, I suggest you do it this way: 1) Use a very light touch or, preferably, some wind power to remove any loose dust and grit. A camel-hair brush is good for this - be CAREFUL. This is the point at which real damage can occur. 2) Once the loose dirt is removed, have a look through the unit. If it doesn't require further cleaning, then stop right there. You don't eat off your lenses, you look through them. If you can see stuff clearly, what more do you need? 3) If you aren't satisfied, take the next step. A liquid will be needed to loosen the remaining dirt. There are lots of exotic solutions on the market. Saliva works pretty well. So does bottled water. The idea is to loosen and dissolve deposits on the lenses, so that they can be picked up by a soft, lint-free cloth. After the dirt has had a chance to soften up, use said lint-free cloth to very gently remove the grunge. You don't need to polish the lenses. Use only the smallest amount of liquid necessary to do the job. 4) If you want to use a more exotic cleaner, or if you have a nasty substance like pitch or part of your lunch stuck to your lenses, then consider a product called ROR. "ROR" stands for "Residual Oil Remover". It works - follow the instructions on the bottle. It is apparently safe for multi-coated lenses. I use it when I have to, and I like it. 5) Preventive maintenance is a good practice. Don't eat your lunch or drink coffee with your binoculars around your neck. This invariably results in two bad things happening. The first is that your eyepieces get filled up with coffee drips and crumbs. The second is that when you snatch your bins up off your chest to look at that peregrine, you get a really close look at parts of a tuna sandwich instead. And don't use your binoculars or 'scope in malevolent conditions. They might be advertised as waterproof, but why do you want to prove that? Keep 'em dry as much as possible. Cleaning Equipment Tools You don't need a lot of tools to keep your optics clean and operating smoothly. Cleaning equipment is the main concern. Camel-hair brush I don't know what it is about camel-hair - but optics are cleaned with it all over the world. You can get a little syringe-type brush that puffs air through the bristles. That's a good idea. Lens-pen This is a product name. Lens-pen is made by Optex. It has a synthetic micro-fiber brush at one end, and a "dry solvent" pad at the other. This is marketed as a "complete" lens-cleaning system that does not require liquid. I have one and I use it, and it works. Be careful with it - the way it works might result in damage to the lens or coating if the instructions aren't followed carefully. Lens paper Lens paper is essentially a lint-free, absorbent paper. Although you can buy it in little packets at photo shops, many authorities on the subject say that Kim-wipes (the little square pieces of paper sold in boxes by Kimberly-Clark for cleaning lab glassware) are just as good. Lens Cleaning Fluid There are fluids for cleaning lenses. If you get some of this stuff, make sure it can be used with multi-coated lenses. A product that I have used successfully is called Residual Oil Remover (ROR). This liquid really gets rid of a lot of the crap that accumulates on lenses. Lens Cloths There are a whole variety of micro-fiber lens cloths available. I would suggest you look for one that can be washed, and does not contain any cleaning agents. Lens cleaning cloths are essential for removing loose debris, but again be careful. Too much enthusiasm can ruin your coatings and lenses. Canned Air Canned air? Yep - compressed air in a can. It is very useful for dislodging grit without having to actually touch the lens with anything. You can get this product in most camera and computer stores. Mechanical Repairs Don't do it! When you are itching to take a jeweler's screwdriver to your precious optics, go take a cold shower instead, or disassemble the blender. Leave mechanical tinkering to the experts. At least then you have someone else to blame. If you absolutely MUST tinker, or if you just don't care any more, make sure you work methodically, keeping notes of what goes where and in what order. Keep the bits in a clean, dust-free box, and work in a clean environment. Be patient. If it doesn't come apart easily, then you either haven't loosened the right screw, or it isn't supposed to come apart. There are special tools required to work on optics. Sensitive machines costing thousands of dollars are used to repair alignment problems. Amateur repairmeisters are quite likely to make a mess of things. Don't say I didn't warn you.
|