Hi Fred, I have a Manfreeto-Bogan tripod which I beat the hell out of. I bot it 1/16/04. On 5/6/08 I bot a window mount which I like even better. I did break the upper casting (seperate) from the tripod twice (tripod fell over onto cement) and that was expensive. I am pleased with the workmanship and quality of Manfretto because I am hard on stuff. My buddy Bill is even harder and he still has his Manfretto tripod and he had it longer than I had mine.. Jerry LazarczykGrand Isnd NY Dear Birders,�While on the Ulster-Dutchess CBC yesterday, my birding partner and I observed a Merlin at Greig Farms in Red Hook, NY.� There was also a female Northern Harrier "quarter-hunting" over the fields there.�The Merlin was noticed by my partner as it landed on a utility pole on Rockefeller Lane as we were getting into her car.� At first, sidelong glance I thought it was a pigeon!� (Is that why they called it a Pigeon Hawk?!)� As I got out of the car to double-check, the bird, clearly a Merlin,�took off southwest across the fields in very swift, direct flight.� We lost sight of it, and took off in the direction of the bird to try to relocate it.� We pulled into the nearby ballfields and, luckily for us, the bird was perched high atop the lone tall tree in the middle of the field, tearing apart an unidentified songbird.� We were able to observe it for quite a while.�While trying to set up my scope to look at it more closely (this is the OT part), the last good leg of my tripod broke apart!� This was a "Manfrotto, manufactured in Italy for Bogen," purchased no more than 10 years ago and fairly lightly used.� The joints holding up two of the legs had earlier come apart and were just held in place by duck tape, and then yesterday as I was setting up the last leg the tubing itself just broke, as I mentioned.� This was a very lightweight tripod but clearly not up to the task, despite as I recall being well-reviewed by birders when I bought it.�Questions (best answered off-list): Anyone else experience shoddy workmanship with this brand?� And, more importantly, recommendations for tripods?�Thanks,�--Fred--�Fred BaumgartenSharon, CT/Westchester, NYAnd points [email protected]�--NYSbirds-L List Info:Welcome and BasicsRules and InformationSubscribe, Configuration and LeaveArchives:The Mail ArchiveSurfbirdsBirdingOnThe.NetPlease submit your observations to eBird!-- --
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