Joe is certainly right to caution against blinding the creatures we seek
with bright lights in the night. While the spotlight sold at Wal Mart won't
spot a plane in the sky it will pick up the reflective eye shine of a Barred
Owl a couple of hundred yards across a field as you scan the tree line. If you
have called the owl into a nearby tree you wouldn't want to direct the focused
beam at its eyes but there is a large circle of diffuse light around the
central spot that illuminates the tree well. When looking for a dark silhouette
in a tangle of branches it is helpful to have more light. You might even be
able to get some photographs with fast film using one of these spotlights. I
also use one of those flashlights with a handle that take a 6 volt square
lantern battery that works very well for owling up close. I have a five-cell
mag lite but don't like it as well because the light is uneven.
If I may digress a bit... In Africa where night safaris are a well
practiced art these spotlights are used extensively to locate diminutive Scops
Owls as well as magnificent Giant Eagle Owls. Of course you might get lucky and
find a bushbaby or a genet cat as well. Of all the mammals to be seen there it
seems that only the elephant is particularly sensitive to these bright lights
and a well trained guide is very careful not to shine them at an elephant's
eyes. You might think that a nocturnal cat with excellent night vision would be
particularly sensitive, but in fact lions instantly constrict their pupils and
completely ignore the lights, continuing to hunt, or feed, or mate.
Ken
Coleman wrote:
Geez - I hope this is a joke. Can't imagine using a light like that unless
someone wanted to shoot down aircraft or blind everything around.
Joe Coleman
Near Bluemont, VA
-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Klotz <KenKlotz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: va-bird list server <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sunday, April 07, 2002 9:42 PM
Subject: [va-bird] Re: RFI Owling Lights
email to va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx. To unsubscribe, send email to
I bought a 1,000,000 candle power Brinkman Q Beam Max Million spotlight
from the sporting goods section of Wal-Mart for about $15. It has a
rechargeable lead-acid battery and really throws a bright beam for a
good distance.
Ken
--
Ken Klotz
EcoVentures, LLC
P.O. Box 3881
Charlottesville Virginia 22903
U.S.A.
Phone: 434-296-1582
Fax: 434-296-0487
Email: KenKlotz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
URL: www.ecoventures-travel.com
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