User manual LEICA FOCUS ON WILDLIFE PRODUCT BROCHURE

[. . . ] Edition 02 Focus on Wildlife Marek Borkowski Andrea Corso Wolfgang Dreyer Dick Forsman Jean-Yves Frémont Ricard Gutiérrez Killian Mullarney Bill Oddie Ian Sinclair Lars Svensson Charlotte Uhlenbroek Arnoud van den Berg POLAND ITALY GERMANY FINLAND FRANCE SPAIN IRELAND ENGLAND SOUTH AFRICA SWEDEN ENGLAND HOLLAND Editorial Well, here it is, the second issue of Focus on Wildlife, the magazine that brings you closer to some of the bestknown birdwatchers and wildlife experts from many different countries. These are people who dedicate a large part of their time in some way or other to the benefit of wildlife around us, in the process helping us to learn how to appreciate the wonders of nature!Surely, our thanks must go to the likes of Bill Oddie, Lars Svensson, Wolfgang Dreyer and all the others represented in this issue (as well as those not yet included) for making us aware of the immense pleasures to be derived from observing wildlife. In the first issue of Focus on Wildlife our aim was to introduce you to a team of international `Leica Leaders', looking especially at their approach to wildlife observation, favourite birdwatching locations, etc. [. . . ] Lars later continued his studies in several large collections, notably in Tring (UK), Paris, New York, Copenhagen and St. The result was his guide for ringers, Identification Guide to European Passerines, first published in 1970 and today regarded as a standard work for ringers in most European countries. It has even been translated into Chinese, and a Japanese translation is under way. The English version has been produced in four editions, and for every revised edition the book has grown in size and content. Now it has sold out again, and ringers eagerly await the fifth edition. "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" is a saying that has particular relevance for ringers, who trap live birds and put a numbered ring on their legs to help discover more about where the birds winter, how long they live, and if they return to the same patch every year. That you can learn more, and faster, when you study birds in the hand ­ live or study specimens ­ was something that Lars Svensson understood early. As a young ringer at Ottenby and Capri in the late fifties and early sixties he felt that existing guides for identifying species, Ricard Gutiérrez SPAIN "The Ultravids are killers for contrast, sharpness and colour balance. " Our search for well-known birders who use Leica Optics took us to Catalonia, where professional birder Ricard Gutiérrez is not only famous in Spain, but also across the world for his many ornithological publications and particularly his website www. rarebirdspain. net. 41-year-old Ricard is also joint secretary of the Rarity Committee of SEO ­ Sociedad Espanola de Ornitologia ­ and works in seabird conservation as the Director of the Llobregat Delta Nature Reserve just outside Barcelona which boasts up to 370 Bird Species (you may pass over it as you fly into Barcelona). Ricard has been Birdwatching since he was 16 years old, following a few years as a passionate astronomer. Before his stargazing years he recalls that his grandfather used to take him out when searching for mushrooms and taught him a great deal about the rich and varied wildlife around him. "It will come, " Lars reassures, "only a little later than planned. I have already decided the colour of the cover ­ claret red, to honour another interest in my life!" Lars has always maintained that the fastest way to gain a thorough knowledge of birds ­ especially the rarer species ­ is to combine field observations with the trapping of live birds and the study of skins in museums. "It can take a lifetime of travels to see a decent number of Spotted Eagles, but if you visit Tring and New York you can get close to dozens all at once. The problem is to understand what, of everything you see on a skin, will be useful to you, but sifting through the information is part of the fun. " Bird skins may be useful, but they are no substitute for the real thing. "I always keep my Leica binoculars handy by the museum window in case an unusual bird appears, " says Lars. "They are small, convenient and powerful ­ just the tool to put in my briefcase. They justify me taking a break now and then from the arsenious skins !" His grandfather encouraged him further by handing down his rather heavy Russian 7 x 50 binoculars ­ basic but enough to fire a lifelong interest. Ricard's favourite bird is the Balearic Shearwater, which, he says, is likely to become extinct in less than 40 years unless something drastic is done to preserve it. He will never forget the flock of thousands of these birds he saw in 1992 in his reserve which have now dwindled to only 1, 500 or 1, 800 pairs in the whole world. Bearing in mind that Spain hosts a large European Community of overwintering birds, Ricard is pleased with the efforts now being made by the Spanish Government in conjunction with the European Union to preserve birds and wildlife, but feels that a lot more still needs to be done to make everyone aware of the problems. Spain has two hot-spots for Birdwatching ­ the Doñana National Park in the south for endemics in spring and winter, and Catalonia in the north-east of the country where a record sighting of 202 species in one day was recorded. With its huge diversity of coastal wetlands, mountain ranges and steppes, this area has witnessed a large influx of international birders. "Definitely the LEICA ULTRAVID 10 x 42 BR, " enthuses Ricard. [. . . ] The two magazines in France which are the most popular are L'oiseau, mainly directed to new birdwatchers and dealing with general birdwatching topics, and Ornithos, the Specialist's magazine to which more than 19, 000 FRANCE people subscribe. When we asked Jean-Yves where he would recommend foreigners to go in France to see the most interesting bird life, he hesitated and pointed out that France is a very big country with many different habitats. "But, " he added, "people coming from England won't have to go far !Try Northern France, in autumn to watch the migration of seabirds at Cap Gris-Nez, or go to Finisterre in Brittany during October to observe the thousands of Waders and Gulls. " Again he hesitated and suggested with a wry smile that visitors from England may want to combine birdwatching with `experiencing' some `nice' food ! [. . . ]