Wildlife watching gear
Lots of manufacturers create products to help the keen wildlife watcher get the most out of their hobby. Continuing on from last month, here are a few more of the newer ones.
1 Hand-held pistol light
£53.99 http://bit.ly/2zNPYck
For night-viewing the Cluson LED lamp covers a good distance, with a red filter to protect sensitive eyes, and recharges via mains or a vehicle charger.
2 Birdbox camera
£99 http://bit.ly/2ldncPl
Now’s the time to get a camera nestbox set up so that the birds get used to it. This one from Vine House Farm has infrared night vision for 24-hour viewing.
3 Lightweight binoculars
From £972 http://bit.ly/2yOL8NW
For travelling, a pair of ergonomic binoculars will enhance your animal sightings. The CL Companion is the latest from Swarovski Optik.
4 Observation guide
£14.99 http://bit.ly/2iOnQ52
The Naturalist’s Notebook gives lots of tips on the most effective ways to see and identify wildlife, with a journal section at the back for observations.
5 Nine-room insect hotel
£20.99 http://bit.ly/2z4tMxv
Providing a winter retreat in your garden increases biodiversity. This Buglife multi-compartmented house will cater for an array of insects, including ladybirds.
6 Pocket hand lens
£12.95 http://bit.ly/2yhnvPg
Essential equipment to enable the keen naturalist to see the finer details. This Opticron lens magnifies to 10x and swivels into its protective casing.
7 Waterproof notebook
£8.73 http://bit.ly/2gXX9KB
The latest all-weather notebook from Rite in the Rain is made from recycled materials. It will allow you to record wildlife details, even in a downpour.
8 Conservation app (version 2)
Free http://apple.co/2yLBJXa
ZSL Instant Wild is a clever app that allows you to take part in wildlife monitoring around the world. Users can tag and identify camera-trap images of animals.
9 Minibeast centre
£19.99
ast
http://bit.ly/2iRT4Z7
This RSPB box with a solar powered light can be hung up outside your window so you can see the variety of night-flying insects that live in your garden.
10 Wildlife game
£19.99 http://bit.ly/2zTVgCl
A fun game for children that teaches about well-known British wildlife by asking questions related to characteristics and behaviour.
11 Lightweight travelscope
£299 plus eyepiece http://bit.ly/2z7tQvS
If you want more magnification than you get with binoculars but you don’t want the weight of a spotting scope, Opticron MMS 160 is a neat alternative.
12 Recording platform
Free www.inaturalist.org
iNaturalist is a global community of observers who share information. On a computer or smartphone you can record what you see and ask for ID help.