[texbirds] Re: So what do you carry with you birding
- From: Shirley LaVergne <lavergneshirley@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "custom_heirlooms@xxxxxxxxx" <custom_heirlooms@xxxxxxxxx>, Texbirds <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 12:29:57 -0700 (PDT)
I'm a Virgo and we like to have everything planned out, but I'm also a failed
Girl Scout, so I don't always get it right. Here's my list.
Big hat is mandatory. I pay a lot for this red hair!
I wear long sleeves, long pants, and shoes I hope will be comfortable;
My bins are on comfy strap;
Mid-size pouch draped diagonally across body, containing:
water, a field guide, note pad, 2 pens, bug spray, bandanna, tissues, dog poop
bags, antibacterial spray, snacks, a few first-aid supplies, pocketknife, small
ruler, mirror, lipstick (duh), expired id card and emergency phone numbers;
In pants pockets, my car keys, iPhone with a few bird apps and photo ability,
more tissues, and maybe more snacks. No need for pepper spray, because if I
come across any dangerous beasts, I usually just feed them. Found this works
for snarly birders as well.
And as you can see, I always have my sense of humor.
Shirley LaVergne
________________________________
From: Jan Piecznski <custom_heirlooms@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Texbirds <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2014 10:43 AM
Subject: [texbirds] So what do you carry with you birding
Getting around with birding and all this equipment, what do you do?
This is what I have/borrow:
Nikon camera 500mm lens, which is difficult to take the place of other viewing
equipment because everyone has gasped at the idea of me putting a teleconverter
on this set up.
Back up battery for the camera
How to books, because my pictures are still not in the decent category.
Binoculars medium sized
Monopod
Window pod
Tripod
Spotting Scope
Cases for everything
Bird book (s) stays in the car, too heavy, no way I'm going to carry it I'll
just have to review my notes or use my app
Local birding checklist, pencil
Phablet (Note 2 phone/camera) with bird apps
External battery pack due to dead phone
Mobile hotspot (so I can connect wirelessly to review something, since many
areas are not available with my phone service)
Water
Bug Spray
How about the change of shoes, rain poncho, lunch and walking stick? I'm sure
there's a lot I'm missing.
It all seems so cumbersome. I've tried the Nikon/binoculars before and they get
all tangled up and I end up dropping the Nikon of course which is borrowed.
I've tried to hang the Nikon attached to the monopod on me so I could carry my
binoculars or something else. Which is about the time I trip myself trying to
walk.
I like my scope, but I get so frustrated trying to take a picture through it
with my phablet. There's no way I can handle carrying the scope/tripod and
much anything else. Look how hard it would be to find a Warbler with my scope,
much less get a picture through it. But there are a lot of times it is needed.
You shouldn't go without taking some water and bug spray is a must along the
coast. The thought of carrying a backpack has crossed my mind, but then by the
time I untangle myself or lay the Nikon on the ground to get into it the bird
is gone and someone's tripped on the Nikon.
Quick connects help, but the tripod has it's own and I can't put the same quick
connect with the other 2 pods. So now I have 2 tripods, 1 with the individual
quick connect for my scope and another one that uses the same quick connect I
have on the window pod and monopod. The quick connects were a new addition
because that's all I need is to unscrew the Nikon from one to the other and
drop it again.
But this is suppose to be enjoyable not a logistical nightmare of reasonable
expectations for a hobby. Of course when I jump out at Lafitte's Cove, the
time I only have my binoculars with me and my phablet is dead is when I see
something unique. So now I've invested in external batteries to recharge my
phone. Since I'm there frequently and I've been birding since the late 70s,
I'm not a newbie. I've been trained by the best in our area. I am not self
taught. I have no problems telling someone if I feel confident on the sighting
or if I don't. I feel like that should account for something, so I can enjoy my
time out. Not kill myself in the process or go broke replacing lens caps I've
lost along the way managing everything else.
After all this to still be told, your pictures are too grainy. For myself, I've
learned that you either bird or you take pictures. Trying to do both at the
same time is impossible. I probably could have handled it 20 years ago, but
not now. As far as putting numbers of birds in Ebird, I rarely do it because
I've had it tell me that insanely common birds the number I input was unusual.
This was awhile back and I thought it was ridiculous and I'm not about to
explain or take a picture of 12 Mourning Doves feeding in my yard, for example.
So what's your tips on what you decide to take with you when birding, since you
can't pull a wagon with you to take all the stuff?
Jeannette Piecznski
Liverpool, Tx
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