Three topics to start the year.
1. For anyone who uses a Kowa scope, the new 1.6x converter works very well.
It isn't a nasty lightsucker. I have used it with the 30x, where it produces a
very wide, clear 48x, and will try it with the zoom tomorrow. Much better than
traditional camera-style doublers or Barlow lenses. The only issue is that it
isn’t a direct switchout, you have to unscrew the cover ring where the eyepiece
goes in. So don’t lose it or break it, or your eyepieces won’t fit any more.
Contact me directly with questions.
2. Malheur NWR has benefitted greatly from the summer interns that Oregon
birders have generously funded for three years. This year there will be a
spring intern (already paid for by two generous donors) and two summer interns.
We need to raise $1,500 each for those. I decided not to pile into the
year-end fundraising suck-a-thon, which reminds me of a cloud of large
warm-hearted mosquitoes. So if you’d like to start 2016 with a good deed,
donations (marked “summer interns") may be sent to:
Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
36391 Sod House Lane
Princeton, OR 97721
We have relied on three large donors to carry the bulk of this program in
recent years. We need more mid-size donations so our major supporters don’t
get tired of hearing from us. NOTE that we have moved the fundraising for
interns out of the Field Station and into the Friends group in order to avoid
confusion with other MFS fundraising, such as the effort just completed.
3. What’s the status of Mountain Chickadees that had “settled” at various
feeders this fall? Mine unsettled itself ten days ago and disappeared
(probably heard aboutthe CBC). Are other people still seeing them?
Alan Contreras
acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx
