Review of SWAROVSKI OPTIK’s new FieldPro package
Swarovski Optik’s continuous support for our raptor counts have been there from the earliest editions, and they have been providing us their most recent products. Of course, we were delighted to hear they wanted us to send in our current optics, to be replaced by the new, updated models, in order to test them in the field. Read the views of Jasper Wehrmann, Folkert de Boer and Johannes Jansen on the new line of Swarvoski EL binoculars. Folkert and Johannes got a new EL 8x32 and Jasper the new EL 8,5x42 in the new FieldPro package. In this review, you will find out what changed, and how this affects our opinion.
Optically, this line of EL binoculars is top ranked. In fact, they are unchanged. Click through, if you are interested in our review of the ATX scope or the optical performance of the EL 12x50. They come in a new design however, which we evaluate here. If you want to learn about the technical data we recommend to visit the product website of Swarovski where you can compare different products and look into technical details.
First, the overall feel of the bins is different. Thanks to the new ergonomics, it’s easier to hold the bins steady, and it’s merely due to the strap connector. We hope the rubber itself sticks better to the bin’s body, as in the old model the coating sometimes turned into bubbles when used a lot (in all sorts of weather), but that’s something to review in a few years time.
The strap and it’s attachment is different as well. The strap itself is now a chord, which reduces problems with twisted straps, as a movable chord tends to be more forgiving and untwist itself. The chord system also works very well on the eyecover. Where the strap adjustments previously were a bit of an annoying clip that often interfered with the strap of a backpack or strap of a camera, there is now a practical quick wheel with which you can rapidly adjust the carrying strap to the preferred length. This makes much sense, as one likes to carry the binoculars in normal chest use (intensive birding, on bicycles, etc.) and switch rapidly to a longer strap to use diagonally when walking long distances or for just wearing it more comfortably on the neck. Folkert uses the Swarovski harness, which is also great with the free moving attachment of the cord to the body. On the downside, it happened twice that the attachment opened and came off spontaneously, luckily still hanging on the other side of the harness. It is critical that the bayonet quick release is clicked in to place as if it is just turned partly and not clicked in, it might well work loose over time.
Adding the objective caps fixed is a good idea, however considered to be a downside by some. If you don’t like them, you can easily remove them and replace them with plastic caps to fill the space where they are attached.
Although these caps sometimes bother you when there is wind, we prefer to have them in place to protect the objective lenses whenever the binocular is not in use. Its great to have them on when you put your bins somewhere in the car, on a rock when, or when you are hiking and there is a chance you push them in dust, mud or against rocks.
However, in birding a split second matters. When the cups are on and you see a raptor shooting by, you need every nanosecond to get your bins on it and finish the ID. Unfortunately, in these situations the current cups fail, as they’re too firmly attached to the objectives, and the ordinary man's’ pink is too weak to easily flip them off. Additionally the attachment is poor and some of us already lost both of them, because the glue or plastic didn’t hold. It is best leaving them open when you are carrying the binoculars and closing them tight when transporting and wanting to protect them.
The focusing wheel is also improved. In the older line of EL’s the focusing wheel wore off quite quickly, losing its ribs, especially if you use it a lot, as we do focusing back and forth between migrating raptors. Now, the focusing wheel has a more rigid and more slip-resistant design. Another great improvement is the adding of a lock for the dioptry adjustment., preventing the accidental turning of the dioptry instead of the focus wheel, blurring one eye out.
All in all, the new EL’s are simply great and provide fantastic views.
Autumn report 2016 is ready
The 9th consecutive Batumi Raptor Count has come to an end, and we are proud to present you some of the results.
Half-season report for 2016 is out
The 9th season of Batumi Raptor Count has reached halfway! Once again we are witnessing the rush of raptor migration, eagerness to learn more on raptor identification, several surprises and some historical moments.
First half of the season was yet again a feast for Honey Buzzard migration. Even though it was the first species to pass our count stations this year we began to feel anxious by the end of August when numbers were still very low compared to previous years (“Where are the birds?”), but eventually things started to happen... big time! After a relatively slow build-up, we had our first good day of Honeys at 27th Aug with 28.000 migrants, most birds flying over Station 2. After that, the numbers started to increase even higher. Until 30th Aug when we counted more than 94.000 Honey Buzzards! Once the migration kicked off, what we were witnessing was no longer a stream: it was a wall of raptors, 5 km wide and hundreds of meters high, and our count station was right in the middle of it. Raptors all around, clicking frenzy and visiting birders in awe. Additionally we had more then 50.000 Honey Buzzards per day on 28th and 29th Aug and 2nd and 3rd Sept.
The harriers kept us waiting even longer. For some time, we speculated the reasons behind the timing of autumn migration. Eventually 30th Aug left us no reasons for speculation when the harrier migration exploded; we counted more than 1.000 Montagu’s Harrier and MonPalHen Harriers (unidentified Montagu's/Pallid/Hen Harrier) combined, coming in single, small streams or even groups of +30 individuals. The 2nd Sept and 11th Sept were also excellent days for harrier migration, with 780 and 1.060 counted harrier totals! Naturally we have observed nice migration during other mornings as well, so it all seemed to be worth the wait and the count as rewarding as ever!
As every season, we got our surprises this year as well. When the volunteers climbed up to Station 1 during first morning lights, probably they had no idea on the outcome of the day. After a slow start with famous Roller migration, these charismatic birds started to roll over Batumi in record-breaking numbers and our team counted a daily total of 447 Rollers! Biggest flocks covered more than 50 individuals. This was the best single day for Roller migration in Batumi and we were happy to write another page of BRC (Batumi Roller Count) history. Might be a matter of coincidence, but during the same day we counted more than 760 Turtle Doves, which happens to be the second highest daily total of the species in the site. These two species remain on the focus of our count as highly enjoyable species.
On 11th Sept we witnessed a complete turnover in species composition, we started to count more and more kites and other buzzards towards mid-September and that day we counted 17.000 Black Kites! With another 10.000 kites on September 13, we also started to see increasing amounts of Booted Eagles, culminating to over 500 that day! And there’s lots more to come! Other goodies of the first half include a total of 2 Dalmatian Pelicans, 7 Crested Honey Buzzards, 23 Egyptian Vultures, 37 Steppe Eagles and 83 Ospreys! We are now heading towards the most diverse phase in migration and looking forward to observe 20 raptor species in one day! Towards the end of September we start to wait for the peak migration of Steppe Buzzards and large eagles, so stay tuned and remember to check our daily totals on our raptor migration count site.
More photos and recent news on our public facebook page.
The BRC count-coordinators!
Count totals till 18th Sept 2016
Honey Buzzard: 545,769
Black Kite: 97,364
MediumRaptor: 30,869
Steppe Buzzard: 28,821
Booted Eagle: 6,371
Hen/Montagu's/Pallid Harrier: 3,747
Levant Sparrowhawk: 3,627
Marsh Harrier: 3,612
Montagu's Harrier: 2,999
European Roller: 1,251
Lesser Spotted Eagle: 697
large eagle sp: 424
Short-toed Eagle: 395
White Stork: 383
Black Stork: 302
Osprey: 125
Pallid Harrier: 80
Steppe Eagle: 42
Egyptian Vulture: 26
Peregrine: 9
Crested Honey Buzzard: 8
Red-footed Falcon: 7
White-tailed Eagle: 5
Greater Spotted Eagle: 5
Hen Harrier: 4
Saker Falcon: 1
[...]
Total raptors: 727,094