Following the incident with my back three weeks ago I decided to invest in a Scopac or similar. Now although one of my birding mates has one of these (and sorry NC) but this is a bit of kit that has always seemed a bit dude-ish to me. However, given the circumstances and the choices there seemed no option - permanently damage my back or not be able to take my scope with me. A quick trawl including BirdForum seemed to indicate that the MulePack might be the more robust bit of kit (the Viking offering being indicated as duff from kick-off). Some reviewers reported a vulnerability with the ScoPac design. Only trouble was MulePack is only available from two sources, Focalpoint and CleySpy. I will never buy another thing from Focalpoint as they let me down really badly a few years back and unfortunately CleySpy appeared to have an islands delivery excess payment of £10.95; I usually won't have anything to do with this as it's often a complete scam, you pay it and the gear is delivered by Royal Mail. However, the good folk at CleySpy waived the charge, and what is more got the gear to me for today, it was ordered Thursday p.m. that's an ace service. What's more, first impressions are really good. I've a good range of rucksacks from a treking and hill walking past so know a thing or two about the design of these things. The Mule Pack doesn't have any obvious design issues and looks well made. After a bit of a struggle putting the tripod on it, might have helped if I'd read the instructions, it appears to work really well, comfy to wear and the tripod functions fine with it on. The Velbon carbon fibre tripod does help, in that it is very light and my "walking" scope is the Zeiss 65 which isn't too weighty, probably the whole setup is a pricey but pretty good combination.
Wearing the MulePack, with hound enjoying bone
Birding, oh yea, Swallow yesterday and today, the first two. First was at the bottom of the track as I returned from work and the second was a fly by from the car by the Harray Potter. Goldfinch in the garden yesterday too, also seen today. New for The Shunan was a Red-breasted Merganser, a drake today. In recent days Black-tailed Godwits have reached seven, there has been a pair of Pintail and the Snipe have finally got going and are "singing" and displaying daily. Bonxies are now becoming rather common place.
A walk up on the moor today found a pair of Red Grouse and Merlin as well as further increases in Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and waders. A trip to Stenness found Buzzard, male Hen Harrier and SEO.
4 comments:
Good decision Alastair, I don't think you will regret it!
Hi there Nick, no, used the thing all day today and wonder why I didn't do it before. I'm finding I'm better focused and have improved concentration because I'm not having to keep shifting the thing on my shoulder all the time, let alone the lopsided stance. Only down side is the chest strap tends to get tangled a tad during the "unpack".
Did you get your Fall tickets?
No, didn't try tbh, expected them to sell out pretty much straight away. Went to listen to Andy Kershaw at the Trades last Thursday, top night, top bloke.
I always used to enjoy Andy's programmes, read a piece in the Guardian by him the other week (or so), has been somewhat down on his luck of late I believe.
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