Hogganfield Loch and Butterfly Conservation AGM

On Saturday 31st January I visited Hogganfield Loch for the first time this year.  Owing to the recent low temperatures, large parts of the loch were frozen, along with smaller ponds.

Despite the cold and extremely icy footpaths, good numbers of walkers and birdwatchers were enjoying the large numbers of wildfowl present.  This included large numbers of whooper swans.  Other highlights included male and female goosander, herring gulls, blackheaded gulls, lesser black back gulls, tufted ducks, mallards, coots, moorhens, wigeon, gadwall, pied wagtail, magpies, robin, dunnock and large numbers of feral pigeons.  A few photos are provided below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After enduring the cold for around 90 minutes, a friend and I drove from Hogganfield to Chatelherault Country Park in Hamilton, Lanarkshire for the AGM of the Glasgow and South West Scotland branch of the Butterfly Conservation Society. We were treated to a review of the year, including attempts to reintroduce the Small Blue butterfly to Ayrshire and a stimulating talk by Davie Black from Plantlife.  Everyone left the AGM with a renewed optimism for butterfly watching.  Roll on spring!

 

Welcome Back !

After our winter shutdown, Tartan Birder is back.  The weather in the west of Scotland hasn't been conducive to birding over the last few weeks, but I have had a few recent highlights including, a flock of 24 redwings in Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow, and several Buzzards spotted in Renfrewshire. 

Hopefully 2015 will be a great birding year for me and you can read regular updates, including photographs, here on the blog.  I've included below a brief list of what to expect over the coming months.

A trip to Chatelherault Park, Lanarkshire, including the AGM of the Butterfly Conservation Society.
The Tartan Birder heads south...again.  A visit to RSPB Leighton Moss.
Loch of Lowes  - Osprey Watch!
Scottish Bird Fair 2015.
Sea Watching in Cumbria - the Tartan Birder visits RSPB St. Bees.

Of course, I will include updates on my visits to local nature reserves, including RSPB Lochwinnoch, RSPB Baron's Haugh, Possil Marsh, Millichen Farm, Loch Ardinning, Hogganfield Loch and Glen Moss. 

I hope to continue reviewing binoculars, scopes and monoculars.  The following reviews will be published over the coming weeks:

Hawke Frontier ED 8x43
Viking MD 6.5x32
Viking AW 65mm Spotting Scope

Keep checking in to the most comprehensive birding and wildlife blog in Scotland for further updates.

Opticron HR WP 8x42 Review

I'll be honest - this is a binocular that has intrigued me for sometime. There are very few like it on the market today.  Japanese made, the binocular is Opticron's top of the range porro prism.  The Opticron HR WP is a porro prism binocular with a difference.  The focussing is internal, meaning  you don't see the usual up and down movement in the bridge.  As a result, it is less likely to be knocked out of collimation. It offers the added protection of being both waterproof and fogproof.

The binocular weighs in at 715g.  The ergonomics of this model are, shall we say, unique. They have a rather bulbous shape. However, they feel good in the hand and the rubber armouring is both grippy and comfortable.  The focussing wheel is rather small and placed quite high up on the binocular.  I was really impressed with the focusing - it was very light and smooth.  The dioptre adjustment is located on the end of the focussing wheel and locks in place.  It feels very good in the hand and the build quality is very impressive. 

Field of view is a rather narrow 112m at 1000m.  However, for some reason the view did not feel claustrophobic.  Other aspects of the view are so good, see my comments below, this is one compromise that is well worth making.  Eye relief is excellent with 20mm being more than enough for eye glass wearers.

Image quality is very impressive.   A very sharp and detailed image is produced.  Looking at the image when close up, the sharpness extends almost right to the edge.  However, at distance, there is a very strong field curvature which accentuates the "stereo" 3D effect a porro prism provides.   By no means is this a criticism of the binocular, quite the opposite in fact.  The depth of field is very impressive with very little focusing required.  The image was very bright and colour rendition appeared neutral.  All of these effects contribute towards producing a wonderfully sharp image that is full of life and character.    Contrast is very impressive.  Viewing a pair of magpies nesting in the trees, the black, white and green plumage really sparkled in the sunlight.  It really is one of the best images I have seen on a binocular under £500.

The Opticron HR WP really is an excellent binocular, currently retailing at £249.  It is a very interesting and unusual binocular which punches well above its weight in terms of resolution.  In fact, I would go so far as to say it is one of the best porro prism binoculars on the market.  It's ergonomics won't suit everyone and neither will its relatively narrow field of view.  However, in terms of image quality, build quality and the excellent customer service provided by Opticron (not to mention the comprehensive 30 year guarantee), it really is hard to be critical.  Well worth a look!

Vanguard Endeavour ED II 10x42 Review

The Vanguard Endeavour ED Mark I has long been recommended as a good choice for those on a tight budget and gained quite a few positive reviews.  Therefore, news that Vanguard were launching a Mark II caused quite a bit of excitement.  I wrote to Vanguard asking if I could review the 10x42 model and a unit was sent to me from Vanguard's European base in Luxembourg.  

The biggest change in the new Vanguard Endeavour ED II is the use of "premium Japanese ED glass", widely believed to be sourced from Hoya.  This glass is a significant upgrade from the Chinese ED glass used in the previous model.  The field of view has been increased in the 8x42 model from 122m to 126m.  The Field of View on the 10x42 model remains the same at 114m.  The two models closely resemble each other, although the ED II has a stippled focusing wheel and two black hinges, rather than grey. 

 

Like its predecessor, the ED II is an open bridge binocular, made with a lightweight magnesium alloy body.  It weighs in at 770g. The binocular is covered in black rubber armouring which gives it a very slick and stylish look.   As you would expect with a binocular in this price range, it is waterproof and fogproof. Eye Relief on the 10x42 is a very adequate 18.5mm

The ergonomics on this model just didn't quite work for me.  I found the space between the two barrels to be quite tight and the binocular just didn't feel quite right in my large hands.  As a result, I found it quite difficult to hold the binocular steady. 

The focussing knob is well positioned and travels smoothly, but incredibly quickly. It focusses from right to left, from close focus to infinity in about three quarters of a turn.  I like a quick focuser, but found this to be a little too quick.  I found it rather difficult to obtain a sharp image due to the fast focuser and quite often had to travel back and forth before I was completely happy with the image.  There was also a little bit of play in the unit I reviewed.

Close focus is listed as 2m.  This is good, but it is not great.  I do a lot of butterfly and insect watching and whilst these binoculars would be perfectly adequate for this type of observation, I would probably choose another binocular if I wanted to go out for specifically this purpose. 

Image quality is impressive for the price point. The sharpness on the unit I used for this review was very good.  I have tried the 8x42 model and I found this slightly more impressive. The 8x42 was really quite exceptional.  The 10x42, whilst very good, didn't quite live up to the standard of its smaller brother.  The image was sharp right to the edge and had one of the flattest images on the mark today, although there was a slight hint of astigmatism right at the edge of the view.  The image was very bright and colour rendition appeared relatively neutral with only a slight hint of a yellow cast. 

The Vanguard Endeavour ED II 10x42 really is a very good binocular.  There have been several reviews written on the 8x42 model and this appears to be something quite special.  One reviewer suggests that the resolution is really quite exception and could give several alphas a run for their money.  Does the 10x42 ED II equal the performance of the 8x42?  In my opinion, probably not.  However, at the price point, £399, I don't think there would be much that could come close.  Ergonomics won't suit everyone, so make sure you try before you buy.

The Tartan Birder Heads South....

Yesterday I took a trip to the North West of England to visit RSPB Leighton Moss in Silverdale, Lancashire (the scene of the recently filmed BBC series "Autumn Watch").  This involved taking a Virgin Train from Glasgow Central to Lancaster and then changing trains to Silverdale. 

I had about an hour to wait between trains, so I walked the short distance to Lambert's of Lancaster optics shop (http://www.lambertslancaster.co.uk) where I was given a very warm welcome and the opportunity to try various binoculars. 

Next, I boarded a train for the short journey to Silverdale.  RSPB Leighton Moss is only 250 m from the train station. 

Soon I was watching common garden birds feeding at one of the various feeders situated just outside the visitor centre.

 

 

Leighton Moss is the largest reedbed in north-west England.  It's "star species" include Bearded Tit, Marsh Harrier and Bittern.  There is a selection of trails and hides, most of which are suitable for wheelchairs, and get right to the heart of the reedbed. Also, a nature trail alongside two coastal lagoons provides the opportunity to see lots of wading and water birds.

 

The pheasants are well used to visitors and were very obliging, posing for the camera.

 

All in all, I saw around 30 species of birds in just under three hours, highlights include marsh tit, nuthatch, teal, raven, cormorant, coot, moorhen. I then caught the train back to Lancaster.  Provided below are some pictures of the charming Silverdale Railway Station. 

 

 

East Coast Magic!

On Tuesday 14th October I travelled through to East Lothian with a friend.  My first ever birding trip with the RSPB Glasgow group was to East Lothian and it sticks in my mind as being memorable.  It was the first time I saw whooper swans, turnstones, curlews, bramblings etc.  Therefore I was excited to return to the scene of such an exciting trip. 

We started off at Torness Power Station, where a small group of birdwatchers had gathered looking for the very rare Booted Warbler.  It wasn't long before it made an appearance in the field next to the visitor car park, along with a Siberian Stonechat.  A record shot of the Stonechat is provided below.

From here we headed to Barns Ness, where we got great views of a kestrel hunting.

The weather had now turned very wet and windy which clearly had an impact on the birds.  However we did get good views of this stonechat.

Other sightings at Barns Ness included cormorant, shag, dozens of gannets feeding out at sea, curlew, oystercatcher, raven, buzzard, rock pipit, tree sparrow, and grey heron. 

We finished the day with a lovely fish tea in Dunbar.  East coast magic!

Minox BL 8x44 HD Review

The Minox BL 8x44 HD is the latest incarnation of the well established BL range, but has significant improvements over its predeccessors.   Not only is this model now made in Germany, but it boasts extra low dispersion glass and dielectric coatings to the prisms.  Each binocular is hand made in the Minox factory at Wetzlar and undergoes rigorous quality control tests.  The 8x44 model retails at £399 in the UK.  It is a model I have been keen to review for a while and the nice people at Minox were very obliging in providing a unit to review. 

The Minox BL 8x44 HD is an open bridge binocular, made with a lightweight polycarbonate body.  It weighs in at 740g, which is impressive for a binocular with an aperture of 44mm.  The binocular is covered in black rubber armouring which gives it a very slick and stylish look. The images on the Minox advertising photos give the impression that the focussing wheel and rings just below the eye cups are silver - they are not, they are black. Make no mistake about it, this looks and feels like a high quality piece of equipment.   As you would expect with a binocular in this price range, it is waterproof and fogproof. 

The focussing knob is large and well positioned.  It is wide enough to use with two fingers. I find the grooves to be too spaced out and found it difficult to grip. As a result, my fingers slip off quite often. It focusses from right to left, from close focus to infinity in just over one and a half rotations.  My personal preference is for focussing to be a little quicker.  The focussing is smooth, with just the right amount of resistance. I find it very easy to obtain a sharp image with these binoculars. 

Eye relief, at 19.5mm is excellent for those who wear glasses, although for my tight fitting glasses I found I had to twist the eye cups out ever so slightly. For those who don't wear glasses, the eye pieces extend out very smoothly and have two intermediate stops. The eye pieces stay in place very well at each stop and when fully extended. 

The field of view is a very impressive 136m at 1000m.  I find the apparent field of view to be very good indeed – the view has a “walk in” feel to it. Close focus is listed as 2.5m, although I find I can focus down to 2m.  This is good, but it is not great.  I do a lot of butterfly and insect watching and whilst these binoculars would be perfectly adequate for this type of observation, I would probably choose another binocular if I wanted to go out for specifically this purpose. 

Image quality is impressive for the price point. The sharpness on the unit I used for this review was very good and just about right for the price point.  It is more than a match for other binoculars around this price point and appears to be  a little better than some Japanese models costing slightly more.  There is a little pincushion and a bit of field curvature, but this, along with the wide field of view and very good level of sharpness, makes for a very relaxing and pleasant view. I estimate the sweet spot to be around 75-80%.

I found the contrast on the Minox impressive.  Colours appear vibrant.  The colour balance is slightly warm, which I like, although whites can sometimes appear to be quite creamy.   Chromatic Abberation appears to be very well controlled. It's almost non-existent in the centre and still quite negligible out to the edges. I looked at crows and gulls against a bright blue sky and soaring Buzzards against white clouds and could not notice any whatsoever.  Stray light management is a real strength. However, on occasions I did see a very faint outer circle on the image, but I have never found this to be distracting.

I found the low light performance of the Minox to be very good, no doubt a result of the larger aperture and exit pupils. When using them in early evening light they performed well. I could easily get a sharp image past sunset.
 

I have been impressed with the Minox BL 8x44 HD.  It is a good looking binocular and its optical performance is impressive, as is the fit, finish and build quality.  It comes with a well padded lanyard, case and micro fibre cloth.  Owners of this unit will benefit from Minox’s “Comfort Service” warranty.  From the date of registration, your product will be protected against manufacturing defects and functional failures for a duration of 30 years.  I have no hesitation recommending these binoculars.  If you are looking for a good looking pair of binoculars with excellent build quality and very good optics for just under £400, the Minox BL 8x44 HD may just be the binocular for you.