Big Boy's Latest Toy

I had been toying with the idea of getting a spotting scope for sometime. I guess ever since I birded in Goa's Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary earlier in 2013. I was staying in the resort Backwoods with two more guests from Germany. Their approach to birding, I found, was totally different. The moment they saw a bird they would stop and pull out their binoculars. They would observe the bird thoroughly from the distance without disturbing it. If it was really far and sitting quiet on a well lit perch they would take the spotting scope out and set it up on a tripod and would observe the bird for a long time. If opportunities arose and the conditions were right, they would bring out their camera and take a few photographs. That was the last priority really.

I was adequately impressed. 

Birding to us is something quite different. The moment we see a bird we try to get as close as possible, taking photographs along the way. We try to get closer and closer, taking what we call the insurance shots, till the bird flies away. The photographs are good or bad depending upon the photographer's field craft. We hardly observe the birds or even try to identify them from their physical attributes. We would do that later by analysing our photographs on the computer at home. Getting a good photograph is of utmost importance to us.

This is certainly another approach but much loathed by most serious birders worldwide. To me identifying a bird from its photograph is the easy, and as of now the only, way out. But I don't want to remain that way. 

I recently saw on Amazon that Vanguard, the Chinese brand of sporting optics, tripods and camera bags, has introduced the Endeavour HD 82A for a price of Rs 38k plus. The reviews on B&H were decent. I found out the distributor was Nikita and their Calcutta guy Jasraj Bishnoi told me to get it from Irfan-bhai's Foto Lite in Metro gulli. Irfan-bhai quote a big discount on the Amazon price.

I put my Tokina 11-16 up for sale and found a ready buyer in Sujan. And finally with that money and a bit more I got the scope today. I have already fixed my spare Manfrotto plate on it. I checked the scope out from the rooftop this evening. Have to try it out in day light one of these days. The scope's field test will happen perhaps at Henry's Island in a couple of weeks. Have to book the hotel quickly :-)