Meeting the White-bellied Thrush: Decathlon’s Bio-inspired Series in Qinling Mountain
Qinling Mountain is China's treasure trove of wild animals. In recent years, the environment of Qinling Mountain and Wei River has been effectively governed and improved, allowing the historic and cultural city of Han Zhong to also become a nationally famous ecological photography city. We came to Han Zhong's western suburbs near Xi Xiang and Yang County, wearing camouflage suits and long-range lenses, to explore a legendary bird—the critically endangered national level protected animal, the White-bellied Thrush.
The White-bellied Thrush, formerly known as the Red Thrush, was once called the Red Crane, belongs to a national level protected animal. Its call is a coarse and murmuring sound. It is of medium size, with white plumage and a long, feathery crest on the nape, with pink skin on the forehead to the face, and has formed colonies on large oak trees, feeding in nearby farmland and wetland areas. Yang County is now the last home of the White-bellied Thrush. Now, the wild population of White-bellied Thrush has increased from 7 in 1981 to about 500 (IUCN data), with another thousand or so individuals bred artificially. The wild photographs we take now are behind the hard work of 40 years of wild animal protection workers and local people.
To shoot the White-bellied Thrush, a long-range lens is essential. Because these birds are very alert, you cannot get too close and at this time 400mm-800mm lenses are commonly used.
White-bellied Thrush and other bird species are very alert, and human actions can easily frighten them. What bird watchers least want to see is the bird being startled. Therefore, in addition to trying to shoot from a distance, the clothing you wear is also very important.
Camouflage is the most direct clothing color choice for shooting these birds. The camouflage jacket and pants I wore this time were from Decathlon Wild Exploration. It's based on this consideration. First, it's convenient to move, second, it's convenient for camouflage. And these two points constitute a good fit.
Another key point is time, approaching late autumn, the climate is gradually turning cold, even with a feeling of cold. Keeping warm is a must. From my personal experience, the Decathlon Wild Exploration camouflage jacket has excellent warmth, which can well resist the feeling of cold in this time period. The camouflage also has certain windproof properties, which can be used to block the wind and cold in woodland.
In detail, the adjustable hat can play a significant role in keeping warm and windproof. And when moving through the woodland, it is inevitable to encounter gusts of wind, the 210g/m² polyester fiber fabric not only can ward off the wind and cold, but also its tear resistance is also worth noting.
In the chest part, the seams and the hat have 200g/m² lining, which is very humanized, can resist the direct blow of the wind, thus further improving its warmth.
While moving through the forests between Han Zhong and Yang County, in addition to the wind and cold, the humidity and rain are also worth considering. Han Zhong is located in the south, and the rainfall in late autumn is still not small. So, the basic waterproofness of outdoor jackets is a must, and the Decathlon Wild Exploration camouflage jacket performs well in this respect.
Next, let's talk about the Decathlon Wild Exploration camouflage pants. It's no exaggeration to say that camouflage is a must-have for bird watchers, firstly, the texture is soft and thick, the cut is fit and comfortable. And the pants have 7 pockets, 2 zippered pockets and 1 buckle-closure pocket, which is not very useful for walking, but it is important for photographers, such as filters, storage cards and mobile phone lens covers can be stored. The advantage of the pocket is that you can abandon the backpack and quickly move with the camera equipment.
In terms of mobility, when shooting, you often need to shoot at a low angle, the camouflage of the pants is quite flexible, the knees can bend appropriately, which can protect the knees but not too tight.
Notably, there is a buckle-closure pocket on the left leg of the pants, which can be used to store lens caps and external tactical waist bags.
The 3D effect HD camouflage pattern is very realistic. The pants themselves also have certain warmth and sweat-wicking properties.
In my opinion, this set of camouflage equipment is a necessary item for wild bird shooting. As the opening says, firstly, it's warmth, the best season for shooting White-bellied Thrush is the winter transition period, at this time keeping warm and windproof is very important.
Secondly, it's camouflage, which is the most important thing for bird watchers besides warmth. A suitable camouflage suit is an important tool for photographing wildlife in natural environments. Finally, it's mobility and convenience, quick movement is particularly important for bird shooting, as a field exploration equipment, this series has no problem, and convenience is also important for photographers, the 7 pockets on the pants are satisfactory.
Sample appreciation
As mentioned earlier, the White-bellied Thrush is a very alert bird and easily frightened. Once it is frightened away from a place, it may not return for several days. Therefore, camouflage clothing, approaching quietly, and maintaining a safe distance are all very important. In this shooting, the Decathlon Wild Exploration series performs well in all aspects and is a trustworthy bird shooting equipment.
