We have come to the final list in our Ultimate Birders Christmas Wish-list. We hope that the list has helped with ideas for some Christmas presents for the birders in your life. This week has some expected types of gifts on the list, but also a few items that we think will be great accessories for birders in the field. Please let us know which of the gifts over the last five weeks that you have enjoyed the most.
So here is the last 5 items for our 2020 list:
1) A Pair of Polarized Sunglasses from ThisGuy Eyewear - Tyron Dall
When you are in the outdoors all day, give your eyes a break and wear a stylish pair of wooden polarized sunglasses. You will not only be the coolest member of your crew, but you will be reducing the glare on your eyes, and protecting them from harmful UV rays.
ThisGuy Eyewear are dedicated to leaving a net positive effect on the environment, and have partnered with one of the world’s largest reforestation non-profit organisations to plant 10 trees in Africa for every pair of sunglasses sold. It is estimated that deforestation on the African continent is accelerating at twice the world rate. ThisGuy Eyewear also help to provide work for hundreds of local farmers, and their partners have planted almost 150 million trees in Africa thus far, and have created close to 1.5 million work days for the Malagasy people.
2) Vortex Diamondback HD 10 x 42 Binoculars - Calvin Harris
One of if not the key piece of equipment for birding or observing nature in general is a set of binoculars. The market is highly competitive and there are a great many options to suit every budget. Our pick for the #TBLChristmas2020 wishlist is a pair of Vortex Diamondback 10 x 42 HD binoculars. The 8 x 42 version is equally as capable, but our preference is the slightly great magnification and therefore reach of the 10 x iteration. If you're looking to purchase your first pair of binoculars or wanting to give that nature lover in your family the perfect gift, then look no further than these. They well priced and offer great build quality let alone having excellent optics. In the box one get extras such as a padded neck strap and Vortex's unique GlassPak pouch and harness system. This feature alone is worth close to R1000.00. We are confident that you will be satisfied with this purchase
3) B-String Binocular harness - Chris Flannery
If you are a birder that prefers birding with binoculars, I’m sure you have tried many different
harnesses with your pair of binoculars. There are a lot of great harnesses out there and ‘B’ – Strings is another great brand!
These harnesses are light and easily adjustable. It has the added benefit of not making you look like you’re strapping on a life vest every time you go birding with your binoculars. They are also durable and elegant! When you use a ‘B’ – String you won’t have any more neck strain from carrying your Binoculars.
The best part is that you will be supporting a local South African small business that handmakes their products! Be sure to order your harness today by emailing: bstring.orders@gmail.com
4) Giddiup Moonbags - Chris Flannery
I don’t know about you, but when I go out birding, I often don’t have enough pockets to put my wallet, keys and phone. That’s where GiddiUp moonbags are handy! They have a few different designs that allow you to carry all your essential items in one place.
They are not only good for carrying your wallet and phone, but they are also stylish. They come in a range of colours from neon colours to khaki for when you go out into the bush.
When you buy a moonbag, you are not only getting a product that you’ll use often, you’re also supporting a proudly South African small business. So be sure to order a GiddiUp moonbag today! If you would like to order a GiddiUp moonbag, be sure to phone Elsa Hughes on 0712063187
5) A BirdPro App - Adam Cruickshank
The BirdPro app is one of the most sophisticated bird apps available on the South African market. What sets this app apart from others is that it was developed as an app, as apposed to being an app that is based on a book. It is not only the most visually appealing app on the market, but it also offers the user great performance. There are details of the bird species found in South Africa (the rest of Southern Africa will be added soon), with stunning photos capturing all the necessary details needed to identify the birds you see. There is more than 1600 calls - with a good selection of the various calls that certain species make (the Southern Boubou has more than 20 calls available just for this species).The text has all the relevant information for the species, with an extended text that provides lots of interesting details about the birds you look up. What I enjoy about the text is how easy it is to read, anyone from a beginner to an experienced birder will enjoy the write ups of the species. The distribution maps are linked to SABAP2, and with migrational species you are able to see their distribution at different times of the year. The SmartSearch helps the user to work out what birds they see by using various filters such as type, size, colours and location. It then sorts the results by which bird is most likely. I have tested this feature myself in the field and I was very impressed with the results.
BirdPro has won various awards and I have been able to speak to the developer and there are lots of exciting developments ahead. If there is one Bird identification app you need for your phone, its definitely BirdPro.
This app is available on both IOS and Andriod. For more information visit http://birdproapp.com/
So that's all our lists done for 2020! We will already start thinking about 2021...
Be sure to follow The Birding Life on Facebook and Instagram to stand in line to win daily prizes between the 16th November-15th December 2020 in our #TBLChristmas2020 giveaway. Everyone who enters any of the daily competitions also goes into the draw for the grand prize, which is a pair of Vortex Diamondback 10x42 Binoculars.