Re: [Leica] Leica 8x32 Trinovid binoculars

[Doug Herr <Telyt@compuserve.com>]

On Sat, 10 Apr 1999, Roy Zartarian wrote:

>I can no longer contain my enthusiasm for these binoculars.
>
>Over the past week a pair of red phase screech owls has been 
>stopping in my back yard just after dusk as part of the daily 
>itinerary.  While the birds prefer the branches and shadows of the 
>tall pines, they will on occasion fly to one of the still-leafless 
>trees.  At these times, that Leica glass, despite its small diameter, 
>shows its stuff, giving me color and detail in what the unaided eye 
>sees only as a black shape against the sky.
>
>Now my mind - such as it is - is feverishly planning ways to attract 
>one of these birds into camera range.
>

Roy,

Robert's suggestion of building a tower for a blind is probably the most
workable idea, if you can build it slowly enough that they won't be alarmed
and quickly enough to complete the job before the tree leafs out ... sounds
like a neat trick if you can manage it.  I tried the same thing a number of
years ago with a Western Screech Owl but the owl spooked when the tower
collapsed under me.  It was a wild ride down ... no permanent damage to
either myself or the photo equipment.

On the subject of the Trinovids - mine are 22-yr-old 10x40B, Wetzlar, black
dot.  Enthusiasm's not a strong enough word.  They're what got me to look
into swapping N**** for Leica R.  The only limitation is the rather long
minimum focus distance, but if the bird's too close for the Trinovids I'd
rather be using a Telyt.

Doug Herr
Sacramento