|
Scribbly Gum FAQ |
| From: tonysmoljko ® | 27/06/2003 8:36:26 AM |
| Subject: Spotlighting Wildlife | post id: 62114 |
| Does anyone out there have any information on spotlighting by any chance including the best time to do it, as I'm eager in trying it myself. | |
| From: Ebañy ® | 27/06/2003 8:41:27 AM |
| Subject: re: Spotlighting Wildlife | post id: 62118 |
| Well, some basic points for you at least tony: - Do it just after dusk or just before dawn, as most animals are active around this time, including the ones that are partially diurnal (wallabies etc). - Put red celophane over your torches, as this is less startling to the animals and won't hurt their eyes as much. - Go on foot, not on wheels. - and shhhhhhh, be vewy vewy quiet, we're hunting (for) marsupials... | |
| From: Davidavid ('scool) ® | 27/06/2003 10:35:48 AM |
| Subject: re: Spotlighting Wildlife | post id: 62152 |
| Hi tonysmoljko, I'm often out and about at night, looking for frogs or just anything of interest. What I use is a headtorch that I've made myself, which is great for spotting eyeshine of almost anything. It is basically a 12V halogen ceiling downlight wired up on to a what used to be a cheap headtorch, using a big 12V battery. Here are some specs: - bulb is a 12V 20W halogen ceiling downlight with an angle of around 40º (often 38º or 36º for some reason) - battery is a big gel-cel 12V 7 Amp-Hour battery - it's about the size of a motorbike battery. It's about $50 and the charger is about that too. - The battery can be recharged pretty much indefinitely, which is great for someone like me that might use it for an hour or two per week. I haven't worked out the total time that one battery will last for... oh wait, I just did... not sure if this is right. P=IV 20=Ix12 I= 5/3=1.66666 It = 7 1.6666t=7 t= 7/1.66666 = 4.2hours Time enough for a night - start the charge when you get home - it takes something like 17hours to charge fully. You shouldn't leave it uncharged for long. Okay, some more info. I have the battery in a bumbag - also can be slung over a shoulder. A bit of flex with a light switch connects it to the bulb. Bulb plugs into the standard porcelin fitting which I've attached to an old headtorch strap. This is not a spot torch - it gives you a wide area of illumination, allowing very easy spotting of eyeshine or anything moving within your vision. Possums, gliders, nocturnal birds, frogs, moths, some reptiles, rodents, microbats - I'm always the first to spot them (-: If you're looking at something high in a tree you're not going to see much other than some pinpoints of eyeshine, so I'd recomend using a spot torch such as a dolphin as well, and maybe some binocs. You'd be surprised at how early some creatures come out - I'll reinforce Ebañy's point about starting early. ddd | |
| From: Tapperboy (fasto) ® | 28/06/2003 8:04:01 AM |
| Subject: re: Spotlighting Wildlife | post id: 62300 |
| trivia.... recently found a business in the Byron Bay arts and industrial estate (wasn't really looking for it) that puts together spotlights that the NPWS use, the handheld type, they had all different sizes. It was cool to see the reflector bits and all the other pieces that go together to produce these lights. Signed Tapperboy, who didn't put any greasy fingerprints on the reflector bits! | |
| From: G-wiz ® | 28/06/2003 8:24:15 AM |
| Subject: re: Spotlighting Wildlife | post id: 62306 |
| "Put red celophane over your torches" Some of the more expensive models of spotlight have coloured filters available off the shelf. I've had a Lightforce handheld for years. | |
| From: nut ® | 29/06/2003 3:09:36 PM |
| Subject: re: Spotlighting Wildlife | post id: 62436 |
| If you discover any birds while spotlighting it is best to not shine the light directly at the little blighters. Just point the light slightly askew of them and try not to annoy them for to long. Some birds find the light a tad on the annoying side and will take to the air. Not all birds can see well at night - particularly after they've had a spotlight in the eye - and tend toward have some problems. Spotlighting can be great fun and don't be disheartened if you don't always find something, it happens. Last time I went out we saw numerous Brush-tailed Possums, Swamp Wallabies, Sugar- glider and a Powerful Owl. Taking a snack and a warm drink is good too. Enjoy. :) | |
| From: nut ® | 29/06/2003 3:10:52 PM |
| Subject: re: Spotlighting Wildlife | post id: 62437 |
| Oh yes... come back and tell us what you find. :) | |
The views and opinions expressed on this forum are those of the individual poster and not the ABC. The ABC reserves the right to remove offensive or inappropriate messages. ABC conditions of use statement.
| Scribbly Gum Forum |
| Scribbly Gum FAQ |