I’ve taken to doing my morning beach sit at Quonnie Pond, a very birdy salt pond in Charlestown. It involves a short walk from a busy parking lot out to a point where, at low tide, you have a bird’s eye view (sorry) of a mudflat, a salt marsh and a bunch of low grass flats. Shore bird paradise!
Most mornings I have solitude a little away from most of the fishermen and clammers. The main mudflat is just a little too far away to see the birds on it clearly, that is probably the major reason I decided to get a scope. Experienced Birders typically respond with – it will change your life!
Eventually, I think it will. Once I can carry it easily. Once I remember to bring my iPhone attachment. Once I learn to control the tripod head. Right now I’m ridiculously inept at that last thing.
I did take my first photos with it this afternoon on my porch when a very cooperative Red-Tailed Hawk swooped down and perched on the roof next door. I got a few decent photos. But it is like having a new camera lens, it takes to time to figure out how to use effectively. It is not the same a taking a photo through an SLR, but the distance it can close is impressive.
Again, my Zen birding lesson for the day is patience!
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