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Birdwatching Binoculars

Bee-eater

When most people think of going on safari their focus is on the big stuff - Elephants, Lion, Giraffe. etc. What most people forget to look out for is the many great birds that there are in Africa. Now I know that each region will have their own specific birds, but in general pretty much anywhere you go in Africa there are some great species of birds to look out for and is something you can even often do in the towns or cities and is why I like birds so much.

Now I would ALWAYS recommend that you take a good pair of binoculars with you when going on safari - even if you are not interested in birds. But it is even more important to do so if you also want to do a little birding whilst you are there. 

For more information take a look at this guide to the best bird binoculars

Tips for Birdwatching on Safari

  • Don't be afraid to ask your guide whilst you are on safari to point out a few birds to you - I am sure that if they were anything like me they would be more than happy to do so. 
  • I know this sounds obvious but keep an eye out in the trees as well as the sky whilst out on safari
  • If you are very keen on birding, I would highly recommend that you get a good bird book of the area you are visiting before you go
  • If there are other people on safari with you, they may not be quite as keen on birds as you are and could get bored if you spend a lot of time observing birds. If this is the case don't be afraid to as the lodge that you are staying with if they can take you out on a birding specific safari.

Tripods for Travel & Safaris

I am planning a longer safari trip than my usual sometime next year and this time I am going to get more serious about wildlife photography, and so between now and them I am gathering all the equipment that I will need.

One item that is essential to getting the best of photos as well as your video is a tripod. In the past, to save weight and space, I have not taken one with me, rather relying on the image stabilizer on the camera. This is fine when the light is good, but there have been many photos of mine that could have been better, if I had taken them from a sturdy base. Now that I am also starting to take more video, to prevent camera shake, a tripod is almost essential. 

 

Vanguard Alta Pro 263AT Tripod

The tripod that I use at home is the Vanguard Alta Pro 263AT, it is incredible in that it has what Vanguard call their "Multi-Angle Central Column System" that enables you to move the central column of the tripod in pretty much a complete circle around the legs. Brilliant for photography as well as video, I have also used it with my scope for astronomy as the rotating central column allows you to position the scope in a position that makes for comfortable viewing of the heavens. 

I'd love to take this tripod with me, but to be honest it is just way to big and heavy.

 

Alternatives

Tripods for travel and in particular safaris need to have all of the features that make any good tripod (sturdy being the most important), but must also be lightweight as well as compact when folded up making them easy to carry in my luggage.

Gitzo GT1541T Traveller Tripod

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I have been researching the GT1541T tripod from Gitzo and for me it looks to have all the travel features that I am looking for and should be sturdy enough to carry my equipment. But as a professional piece of kit it also does not come cheap (approx £360 / $550.), but they do say you get what you pay for... I suppose!

ogh well, we will have to wait and see what Santa brings me this year!

For more information: Gitzo Tripod Review – GT1541T Traveller Tripod


Tamrac ZipShot Ultra-Compact Travel tripod

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A MUCH cheaper option ( $50 in the US and about £30 in the UK) is an ultra compact tripod from Tamrac, that looks amaizing, I just have a slight concern in that it may not be stable enough for me. 

For more information: Tamrac ZipShot Ultra-Compact Travel tripod

The Friends of Hwange Trust Screensaver

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Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe is very close to my heart as it is one of my favourite wildlife destinations on earth. It is where I first got interested in wildlife photography and where for the first time I knew that i would one day become a field guide (safari guide).

That is why I am posting about the Friends of Hwange Trust, who need your help:

Since 2005, FOH has been responsible for 10 key northern waterholes in Hwange National Park. These are Kennedy One, Kennedy Two, Makwa, Sinanga, Tshebe Tshebe, Mabuya Mabena, Shumba, Tshompani, Inyantue and Shapi.


Owing to the expense of diesel (a single borehole engine uses around 500 litres a month) alternative methods of pumping have been explored. Since 2007, five Poldaw windmills have been established at Kennedy One, Shumba, Mabuya Mabena, Shapi and Tshompani waterholes. Whilst the windmills are robust and affordable, their pumping capacities are limited. Their function is to provide a head start for the waterholes so that they are at least as full as possible by the start of the long dry season, thereby reducing diesel requirements for the drier months.


In the dry season (July – November) the pressure for available water increases, especially from elephant. The Lister engines are kept running continuously and the need for diesel is at its maximum.

How you can help

Link South Africa is selling a wildlife screensaver to raise money for The Friends of Hwange Trust, a group of dedicated Zimbabwean conservationists who have taken into their own hands the care of the wild animals and maintenance, particularly water supply, of Zimbabwe’s largest national park.

So please sacrifice a couple of coffees this week, spend 10 Kiwi Dollars downloading our screensaver, and help The Friends of Hwange Trust save many many animal lives in Zimbabwe, while you get to enjoy Zimbabwe’s beautiful wildlife on your computer screen every day!

Hawke Binoculars for Safaris

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I have just finished working on a section about Hawke Binoculars on the Best Binoculars & Binocular Reviews website and whilst it is true to say that they are probably not the best known optics brand out there, they do have some really interesting pairs.

I especially like the look of the Hawke Frontier ED Binoculars that have great features like fully multi-coated lenses and Phase corrected BaK-4 prisms that give a sharp and high-contrast image over the full field of view. In addition the ED (extra low-dispersion) glass increases performance further and enhances the light transmission. as well as this the binoculars are 100% waterproof and nitrogen purged meaning that the internal air has been replaced with dry nitrogen to ensure there is no internal fogging in areas of high humidity or rapid temerature changes.

The full size versions have slightly larger than normal 43mm objective lenses, which should let in that little more light, making them perform better in low light conditions. But it is the mid-sized versions with 36mm objectives that really interest me and in particular the Hawke Frontier ED 10x36 Binoculars, that look  just ideal as a safari binocular. All the features listed above in a package that is small enough to easily pack away in your luggage and take on safari. For more on safari binoculars take a look at: the guide to the Best Binoculars for Safari Holidays on the binocular reviews website, or Safari Binocular Reviews on the safari holiday guide.