Optical Accessories for the Avid Outdoor Fan

As a supplier of first rate astronomical telescopes and optics, there’s nothing we love more than all the invaluable odds, ends and gadgets on offer to enhance your celestial viewing, camping or bird watching experiences.

Night Vision
You’ll understand the logic that each of us here in the Sherwoods studio has our own optical viewing hobbies. We’re made up of astronomers, outdoor pursuits fanatics, twitchers and nature lovers; but the one thing we all agree is a must is night vision capability. We stock lots of different night vision optics and accessories to suit a huge range of interests and budgets, e.g. lightweight, long-distance etc. A red light torch is also a must for localised light-sensitive viewing such as referencing space charts or field guides.

Literature
A really great field guide is invaluable in all areas of interest. Most folks (us included) prefer to keep things compact and concise, so our range of star maps, bird watching guides etc. are all noted for their ease of use, portability and long-term relevance.

Comfort
Once you’ve spent a long evening with your eye plastered to an astronomical telescope, you’ll understand why soft eyecups are invaluable! Most of our eyecups are designed for both day and night viewing, with some featuring great light pollution reduction design elements.

Magnification
The best of astronomical telescopes won’t help you read a space chart on a blustery UK night! A simple compact magnifying glass is considered basic kit by bird watchers and astronomers alike.

Remember the Countryside Code

Tuning our astronomical telescopes and bird watching binoculars for migrations and celestial events like Norfolk’s Keeling Heath Star Camp, there’s no time like the present to brush up on a few countryside etiquette basics.

Take All Rubbish Home
We all share the responsibility to take good care of the countryside around us. Rubbish is a big, BIG problem in many of the UK’s much-loved nature reserves simply because of the massive number of seasonal visitors. Think of it this way – you drop a chewing gum wrapper… but so do the other five hundred people visiting the park that day. Within a week there are thousands tiny bits of debris littering the park. Most nature reserves provide bins, but it makes their job a little easier when visitors take their waste home. This also applies to biodegradable waste like partially eaten burgers and orange peel; ecosystems are fragile, and the introduction of any foreign substances can cause damage, as well as interrupting any scientific work being carried out on the area, as is often the case in most of the UK’s nature reserves.

Good Manners
Keeping dogs under control (including picking up their waste as you would on an urban street), leaving gates as you find them (this could mean leaving them open too), not kicking a few dry stone wall stones down to give your astronomical telescopes or bird watching binoculars a better rest etc. – it’s essential that we all do our best to maintain the lush greenery of the UK.

Get Ready for Autumn Astronomy in Norfolk

Always on the lookout for great opportunities to try out the latest in astronomical telescopes, we’re all looking forward to the 2011 calendar of celestial events across the UK!

Organised annually by Loughton Astronomical Society and Kelling Heath site management, the 2011 Autumn Equinox Sky Camp – held on Kelling Heath, Norfolk – looks set to be one of the brightest and biggest group astronomical viewing events in the 2011 UK calendar. The main event runs over the weekend of 24th-25th Septemer 2011, with extending camp options covering the 19th-30th September 2011.

Astronomical telescopes aside, the party is a great place for hundreds of like-minded astronomers of all abilities to get together and trade celestial tips and astronomically useful star gazing guidance. Children are welcome, as are groups.

The evening/night of 24th September is considered the main event, but there are plenty of lectures and discussion groups to get everyone through daylight hours too! Non-camping entry is free, but those wishing to drive home should be aware that car movement is stringently restricted once darkness falls.

Special Sky Party camping areas are set aside at a reduced rate for groups or individuals wishing to stay the night (or a few!) Lighting regulations are strict, so, as past Sky Camp attendees, we’d have to say that night vision optics can be invaluable for everything from finding dropped keys to adjusting the sight of your telescope!

If the Sky Party sounds like your cup of celestial tea, we’ll see you there with our night vision gadgets and top of the range telescopes!

Top Summer Bird Watching Kit Essentials

The UK is superb for bird watching. So, as well as your new Sherwoods Photographic bird watching binoculars or telescopes, what makes the base of a great summer bird watching kit?

Equipment
•    Whether you’re a beginner or an avid devotee to twitching, a good pair of bird watching binoculars or specialist telescopes is essential. Shoddy equipment will simply detract from the pleasure of bird watching. Consider investing in a tripod to allow hands-free viewing.
•    A notebook is an absolute must for all twitchers. It can also be a good idea to establish a set format as you record your observations (saves on confusion when referencing back over long periods of time) Try to note the time, date, location, weather, species, number and any other extra remarks, e.g. “fled into the hawthorn when the Blue Jay arrived” or “seem to prefer running water to still” etc.
•    It’s important that your observations be accurate, so a good bird species or field guide that’s easy to reference quickly and clearly will be a great investment.

Comfort
Whether you’re out in freezing gales or burning sunbeams, a little comfort is invaluable! Investing in a waterproof picnic blanket or small portable camping chair is a good idea for those indenting to be out in the elements for a good while (as is the nature of bird watching!)
Bird watching can actually be pretty physically demanding, so don’t’ forget to take warm layers, water and something nutritious to snack on (try to avoid noisy wrapping, opt for something like cling-film instead)

Enticing Birdlife into Your Garden

Whilst some folks invest in our bird watching binoculars and telescopes for adventures over hill and moor, we meet lots of lovely folks who are interested in twitching a little closer to home, namely in their own back gardens!

First off, if there are lots of cats in the neighbourhood you’re at a disadvantage. To get around this it’s best to create high-up bird-friendly areas where local birdlife can safely nest and feed. The eves of old sheds etc. are ideal; anywhere local moggies can’t reach! Try to choose a spot you can view easily and comfortably using your nice new bird watching binoculars or telescopes.

Nesting and Cover
•    Native trees and foliage attracts native birds. Do a little research to find out what nature intended to be your garden.
•    Protective hedgerows and climbers like ivy, hawthorn, privet and blackthorn are great hiding/feeding spots and nesting locations for small birds.

Water and Food
•    Remember to encourage tasty insects which will in turn attract birds.
•    A little lawn space will attract larger birds to hunt for juicy worms.
•    A safely sited bird bath is great for all birds; close to hiding areas like bushes etc is ideal. Pop a few rocks in for smaller birds to perch on. Birds also love moving water, so a chemical-free water feature could work wonderfully.
•    Keep all feeding spots off the ground and free from things like mould and accumulated dirt.
•    Birds usually prefer their feeding spots to be a little way away from nesting locations.