Digiscopy is digital photography using a spotting scope to magnify the object. I began with a Nikon CoolPix 990 digital camera and still use a Swarovski AT80, 20 ~ 60x spotting scope. I work with PhotoShop CS digital imaging software. I hope you enjoy the images here.
Our first attempt is a Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiaca) at Windmill Point, Lancaster County, Virginia. It was 4:30 pm and we hand held the CoolPix 990 to the spotting scope on a breezy Chesapeake Bay rocky shore.
Here is the same shot using just the CoolPix 990 at 3x without the spotting scope to show how far away we were from the Snowy Owl.
Copyright Jack Powers 2001
Copyright Jack Powers 2001
Here is my second attempt at digiscoping. This Mourning Dove was perched on the roof of our shed in the backyard. The second picture shows the shed from inside the house where the picture was taken. The scope is in the extreme foreground of the picture. The window is double-paned, too! The picture was enhanced in PhotoShop.
This House Finch was in a tree by the back fence. It was shot through the family room double-pane window, like the Mourning Dove above, with the CP990 + Swarovski combo, enhanced by PhotoShop.
This female Canada Goose was taken 4/13/01 on her nest while being quite vigilant of the digiscoping intruder, even at 60 feet distant. Location was Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax County, Virginia, USA. CP990 + Swarovski Scope, enhanced by PhotoShop.
Copyright Jack Powers 2001
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Copyright Jack Powers 2001
House Finch (Carpodacus Mexicanus)
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiaca)
Copyright Jack Powers 2001
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
Copyright Jack Powers 2001
Copyright Jack Powers 2001
A Common Grackle taken at Great Falls National Park, MD, USA
