About the photographers doc.

These county bird photo galleries are only possible thanks to the efforts of county bird photographers and their generosity in supplying me with their images so they can be posted here. All images are Copyright © All Rights reserved, of the individual photographers who should be contacted for any further information or copies of images. Their personal information is listed below and any photographers wishing to join them and display their images in the photo galleries should consult the guidelines for submissions link here.

Excellent digiscoper regularly producing a high volume of great images of pretty much anything he comes across! Solely documents many of the counties scarce and rare birds when other fail (or cannot be bothered!), must have tons of luck or perhaps it's all skill and patience afterall?

Equipment used: Canon EOS 20D, main lens Sigma f4.5 500mm, also uses Sigma f2.8 300mm, Canon 100-400L series zoom, Canon 18-55mm zoom, Sigma 1.4 and 2X converters (and a bloody big bag to carry it all about in I expect!) and according to Adrian "bags of patience!".

A 'real' photographer using a 'proper' digital SLR camera and lenses, his results are regularly of very impressive 'magazine' quality and rarely matchable by digiscoping standards.

Equipment used: Nikon Coolpix 4500 attached with Eagle Eye adaptor to a Leica APO 'scope with 32x WA lens.

Using a tried and tested camera/scope combination, Paul's results are of a very good quality, his close upshots being particularly impressive.

Equipment used: Asda Premier DS6068 digital camera attached to an Aldi telescope via an all purpose adaptor from Skies and Scopes modified with a hacksaw!

With his proud total set up of £120 worth, Geoff's photographs look certainly much more than their budget equipment might expect, proving just what can be achieved and that some of the time it's the photographer that's important and not the equipment!

Not having the time or patience to 'master' digiscoping, Simon (Hollingworth Lake 'patch-worker') generally reaches for his camera for 'record shots', although his efforts certainly appear far more than that! He maintains that his end results are invariably more miss than hit, especially as wet windy days at Hollingworth are hardly conducive to good digiscoping.

Equipment used: Canon 350D with Canon (100-400mm USF IS) lens and Canon 2x Extender.

Although a relative novice, Gill's early attempts at bird photography are very promising and the future could well be bright!

Equipment used: up to June 2006, Contax SL300r with Nikon Fieldscope III ED, 30X W/A, after June 2006 switched 'scopes to a Swarovski ATS 80 HD, zoom lens with a Swarovski DCA adaptor. Since September 2008 has been using the excellent Sony w300 camera.

'Part time' digiscoper, rarely bothering to capture sightings on camera unless they are of particular interest or it is unlikely any other photographers may have obtained any images (but does try harder when birding abroad). Occasionally gets lucky and obtains some reasonable results, especially given my lack of patience when digiscoping, more often still defiantly preferring to sketch in my notebook!

Equipment used: a really battered camcorder sp. and a really battered Kowa 'scope.

Despite Phil's apparently ageing equipment, not only does he find many great county birds he also manages to document them in digital format to great effect. All he has to do now is realise that not everything north of the Mersey is in Bolton (personal joke)!

Equipment used: Nikon coolpix 4500 handheld to a Swarovski ATS 80 HD with zoom lens, also occasionally uses a camcorder (the old video recorder now making way for a new digital model) handheld to the 'scope or alternatively on its own.

Judith regularly takes very good images of county birds, generally documenting occurrences of rare or scarce birds, especially when others have yet to do so. The recent (September 2006) purchase of a new digital camcorder may further her ability to document the difficult and awkward species that evade the digital 'stills' camera devotees!

Ex-Pennington Flash 'moocher' and member of the old, original 'flash A-team', now living 'out of county' but still makes it too the old haunts regularly enough to capture some great shots.

Equipment used: Nikon D300, Sigma 500mm f4.5, Tamron 28-300mm Di f6.3, Kenko Pro 300 1.4x converter.

Often to be found wandering around Elton Reservoir (amongst others) with his big lens mounted on a monopod, although his best photo opportunity of a pair of Firecrests in his garden for nearly three months didn't require much leg work!