Wildlife Equipment

[looby loo]

Could anybody advise us where to start...
My husband and I have just moved to the country and with us being very interested in wildlife would like some one to recommend what starting (novice)equipment we need to veiw them both day and night

[Brocker]

Hi Looby loo,
Welcome to WAB. Everyone will make you very welcome, they are a great bunch.
If it is wildlife watching you will be doing then there will be loads of advice on this site. Probably the two initial things to purchase would be a good strong, light pair of binoculars. The other thing you may wish to think about is a good camera. That way you can record what you see and this will help to identify them. You can bet your life they will not sit around long enough for you to grab the bird encyclopeadia.
They are the basics but there is a great deal more equipment out there when you become more proficient at what you are doing....

[The Black Rabbit]

G'day looby loo!
A good list of things would be:

Good walking boots.
Hat.
Dark cotton layers and dark woolly jumpers!
Small binoculars (8X40 good start)

Then... at home...
A decent broadband connection to WAB. Its addictive!

Cheers
Doug.

[mh68]

For watching nocturnal species one of those rechargeable handheld spotlights may come in handy, either with the lens painted red or with a red filter.The red light doesnt spook a lot of animals as a plain white light would.Be careful where and how you use it though, to avoid drawing attention to spots like Badger setts.

Mark H

[Dan Salter]

As mentioned by someone else with regard clothing...think warm and dry but just as important...think..BLENDING IN...so...lots of greens, browns, khaki and natural colours...and NO greens that match this ....no no no..

Yes yes...we KNOW Alan Titmarsh wears a bright red coat on "nature of britain "but that is because he takes after his name.....


oh...also...depending what wildlife your into...a good pocket sized not too heavy guide book on that area of interest ...or an overal british wildlife field guide of which a few exist

[wildlifesnapper]

Hi LL,

a pair of binoculars would be my first buy.
A couple of general field guides to ID what I find, I think someone said a camera to post what you can't ID on WAB.
A good torch for nocturnal critters (you'll only need a red filter for mammals) , or even an outside light will bring in plenty of flying insects.If you look at some Ivy, which is in flower now, you should find quite a few moths etc. feeding on it.
Have you got a local natural history society or RSPB members group.These are a mine of information and the people there can tell you about places to go and look. Or even google[ "your area" nature] and it should come up with places to go.

good luck

neil

[ron1863]

Also get an ordnance survey map

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Brocker

Hi Looby loo,
Probably the two initial things to purchase would be a good strong, light pair of binoculars.

i'd agree with that - but dont buy them off a website without trying some first - binocs are a very personal thing and you need to handle them to make sure they suit you.

If you go along to a local wildlife trust or rspb centre they will probably have an optics display and be happy for you to try out different models and talk you through what is available - many also have optics days in which you can try the kit in the field

after this it is up to you whether you buy from the centre (Which i'd feel is only fair if they'd spent time giving me help and advice) ,or buy the same model a little cheaper from an online dealer ( if you do buy on line without trying them first make sure you can exchange them if they dont suit)

I'd also advise you to give the very cheap models a swerve as these tend to have the optical quality of two milk bottles , and/or nasty plastic build quality - you dont need to spend a fortune but realistically i'd budget 150-200 minimum.

[geordie1970]

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

Yes yes...we KNOW Alan Titmarsh wears a bright red coat on "nature of britain "but that is because he takes after his name.....

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

Yes yes...we KNOW Alan Titmarsh wears a bright red coat on "nature of britain "but that is because he takes after his name.....

lol - i agree about that - but it is worth noting that a lot of birds are colour blind and thus will see red and green the same - thus a red coat ala titmarsh may be better for birding than a very light coloured one.

also a lot of birds and mamals key on movement so you are better off standing or lying still / practicing good field craft in a red coat than you are moving arround a lot in full camo

[Dan Salter]

Trust you to be a "colour activist" boddster...

I will only allow red if your mountaineering...but not on nature reserves

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

Trust you to be a "colour activist" boddster...

I will only allow red if your mountaineering...but not on nature reserves

Dan - I'm not boddie ( Begining to think you are doing that deliberately ) - he has a dancing wookie , i have the stylish dancing smiley - and i'm raffishly debonair and hansome - it shouldnt be that difficult to tell us apart

[Dan Salter]

God i do dont i ?....

not sure why.....i kind of tend to group you two as a duo/team....sorry

Ok

Trust you to be a "Colour Activist" eeyore!