Request for binocular advice
Wed, 09 May 2001 00:00:13 -0700
From: verni
i'm relatively new a birding and i'm hoping to invest in a pair of decent binoculars. i don't have heaps of money to spend, but i want a pair that is lightweight, of good quality, built to last, and affordable. i'd appreciate any suggestions you might have.
-v
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Re: Request for binocular advice
Wed, 9 May 2001 09:07:17 PDT
From: George McRae
Hello,
My name is George McRae one of the birders on the list. I have a pair of Bushnell Binocs which I purchased years and years ago for around $35. This was like 1981(?). I bang em around a lot and besides the neck strap which has long ago become ferklempt they are wonderful. The specs are: Bushnell "ensign," 7 X 35 394' at 1000 yards. The real basic thing to remember is that the second number in the multiplier designation should be at least 5X (5 times) the first number. It is a relationship of the field of view to magnification. Thus 7 X 35, 8 X 40 ... the bigger the second number the wider the field of view. These binocs for the price are terrific. One thing to remember is comfort when viewing. You want to position them so that the top edge of the viewing lenses are resting lightly just below your eye brows (the bone just at the top of the eye socket). This gives stability. But even though they are designed to adjust to fit the space between your eyes, not all are made the same. So try a few out for comfort. Sporting goods stores are a good place to start. Try some out and then maybe look on E-bay to find used pairs. I got mine at Alfred Gasser cameras in San Francisco. One thing to remember is once you start getting higher magnification you start to lose image stability. They are not forgiving to any hand shaking you might get on a chilly morning. So you would want to consider a monopod or walking stick to rest them on while viewing. So start with 7 X 35. Plus you probably won't have spent that much money, and won't kick yourself if you change hobbies. Mine are powerful enough to read airplane markings at 5,000 to 10,000 feet when they pass over head after leaving SF or Oakland up here in El Cerrito.
Good luck
George McRae
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American Avocet chicks in Oakland
Wed, 09 May 2001 17:16:33 -0700
From: Courtenay Peddle
Hello folks,
Today I saw American Avocet chicks on all three ponds in Mitigation Marsh at Martin Luther King Jr Regional Shoreline in Oakland. There was also a chick, with very distressed parents, in the little tidal pond between the path and the Airport Channel, adjacent to Mitigation Marsh.
Good birding!
Courtenay Peddle
Binocular advice and East Bay bird notes
Wed, 09 May 2001 21:46:30 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
This list is not really the appropriate place to get into extensive discussions of optics. There is a great website with lots of information put together by many birders:
Also, go on guided birdwalks, ask people what they think of their binoculars, ask to take a look through them. It's a wonderful way to test lots of different bins to find what works best for you. The same procedure applies to scopes.
And in regard to East Bay birds, the Cliff Swallows are beginning to build their nests under the balcony at the end of the drivable part of Rifle Range Rd in El Cerrito (where the road becomes a trail into Wildcat Canyon Regional Park). This morning there were lots of Western Tanagers in the Alvarado Area of Wildcat Canyon, and the Costa's Hummingbird was again on the wires in front of 1611 Berkeley Way in Berkeley around noon.
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
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