The perfect traveling companion
Swarovski’s new ATC scope boasts the highest quality optics in a compact, light package, making it the perfect addition to every traveller’s backpack
Leander Khil is an ornithologist, birdwatcher and wildlife photographer from Graz and now living in Vienna, Austria. Driven by his love for birds, adventure, and the outdoors, he has travelled the world since he was a child.
He has a soft spot for rugged and rough landscapes. Finding and watching wildlife, especially birds, in barren habitats, is his ideal kind of outdoor adventure. He told us about his trip to Norway.
Compact, yet rugged optical equipment is key
“Having compact, yet extremely robust and reliable gear is a key to success in every expedition. Excitement level was high when my wildlife filmmaking colleague Mario Kreuzer and I set off on our journey to Norway with the goal of observing and filming the display behaviours of two prized inhabitants of the Scandinavian tundra.
“My equipment bag carried a new, splendid addition on this trip – the ATC spotting scope from SWAROVSKI OPTIK.
“This tiny scope surprised me from the first day, combining outstanding optical quality with unseen handiness. It is small and light enough to fit in every backpack or to be carried hanging from a shoulder. For the first time, I used a hand-held spotting scope for extended observation times. The innovative half shell on its bottom allows you to rest the scope on a surface without blocking the focusing wheel, making it an extremely flexible companion with high magnification (17-40x), whether you bring a tripod or not.
"The atc spotting scope surprised me from the first day, combining outstanding optical quality with unseen handiness."
Observing Great Snipes in central Norway
“The first leg of the trip led us to central Norway, where Great Snipe gather at their display site (or lek). The males only showed up in the evening and displayed all night, and into the morning. We had 12 hours each night to immerse ourselves in the life of this bird. Even though the weather wasn’t always easy, around 20 birds performed over some stretches of time.
“To save weight, I only took one tripod up the mountain, which I used for my camera. The ATC spotting scope proved to be a perfect companion, since I could use it handheld or supported by my backpack to watch the snipe.
“From the centre of the country, we headed to the northernmost part. The Varanger peninsula on the northern coast of Norway is a well-known destination for birdwatchers and wildlife photographers seeking arctic species.
“We were focused on a bird that holds a special place in my heart – the Ruff. This is another shorebird exhibiting lekking behavior, but contrary to the Great Snipe, male Ruffs sport fancy ornamental breeding plumages.
“I started studying the migration of Ruffs with GPS loggers in my home country, Austria, this year, where their most important stopover habitat – the Seewinkel salt lakes – could vanish soon forever. Seeing them at the destination of their long migration, in the arctic midnight sun, among reindeers, Snow Hares and Bluethroats, had been a dream of mine.