Bird Worthy Binoculars

There is not a lot of equipment required to engage or stay engaged in birding. Yet, to think that one can get started using your favorite uncle’s old binoculars leads far more often than not to frustration and failure. It’s too heavy, too hard to hold steady, too slow to focus, too hard to locate the bird in time. So, while everyone else enjoys a grand view of the bird, you come away empty, confused, and maybe a little peeved. So, leave those relics to memories. You need a good pair of binoculars.

What should you know to find the right binocular for you? First, please consider that birding is something that can be enjoyed for many years. That’s the goal. We want to find something that lasts, gives us enjoyment for a long period of time, and is something in which we can engage under many different conditions and circumstances. Invest in a good binocular. There are many attributes that need to be considered before examining price.

Okay, first, do you wear eyeglasses? This is a huge consideration. If you do and you wish or need to wear your glasses at all times, then pay attention to eye relief. What is eye relief? It is how far the image is projected out of the ocular lens. A large eye relief is best for those wearing glasses. Look for binoculars with eye relief of 19-22 mm. Those who do not wear glasses can be satisfied with eye relief in the 15-18 mm range.

The next most important attribute of a binocular is its field of view. Beginning birders sometimes struggle finding the bird in the binocular. This effort is greatly assisted when the field of view is large. Field of view is measured in two ways, by degree or by feet. Field of view in feet is most easily understood. It is often stated in feet at 1000 yards, for example 345 feet at 1000 yards. This means that the area being viewed is 345 feet across the binocular objective lens if the area is 1000 yards away. As a beginner, one should consider finding a binocular with a field of view around 400 feet. More experienced birders will do fine with a field of view ranging from 315 to 350 feet. Below 300 feet presents many people with difficulty.

A subsequent attribute to consider is quickness of focus. Look for a center focus in which the wheel can easily focus near to far in approximately one and a half turns. This is critical when viewing such active little birds as kinglets, warblers, and wrens.

Now, let’s look at the numbers. What does 8 x42 mean? Is it better than 10 x 32?

The first number in both the above has to do with magnification. Magnification is somewhat misleading. Bluntly, it does not mean what it says. If it did, then a five inch bird in an 8x binocular would have an image of 40 inches—not possible. 8x means that is what the bird looks like in your naked eye at one eighth of the distance. 10 x means that is what the bird looks like in your naked eye at one tenth of the distance. Most of us do quite well with 8x. There are some good binoculars out with 7x and even 6.5 x. Higher magnifications may lend themselves to greater resolution and fine detail, but this decreases the field of view and the light gathering ability of the binocular.

The second number is the size of the objective lens. 42 mm is larger than 32 mm. The size of the objective lens affects the field of view, the light gathering ability, and the weight. There is no hard and fast rule here, though. Manufacturers have been able to affect these three characteristics several ways, such as coatings and the type of glass employed.

Finally, some recommendations—a beginner might start with a Vortex 8 x42 Diamondback for its wide field of view is tremendous. If cost is a consideration, look at the Vortex 8 x 42 Crossfire. If you are a birder that enjoys hiking and weight is something to think about, try the Vortex 6.5 x 32 Fury or the Vortex 8 x 28 Fury. A great, all-around binocular, whether a novice or veteran, would be the Vortex 8 x 42 Viper. High end quality and style at an affordable price can be found in the Vortex 8 x 42 Razor.

Christmas Cheer

We had a dusting of snow, cold penetrating wind and a cloudy day on Christmas Eve. We also were graced with the return of Goldfinches at the feeders. It is always grand to see them and brightens every winter. The Goldfinches were late returning to our area this year. Thus, the appearance on that day was a gift that everyone could enjoy.

Other hungry birds visiting the yard and feeders were an Orange Crowned Warbler, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Northern Cardinals, Downy and Red Bellied Woodpeckers, House Finches, and White Wing Doves. The Red Bellied perched on the peanut feeder in such a pose that everyone could see its red belly.

Thanksgiving at Daingerfield State Park

November 25-27, 2009
We decided to spend this Thanksgiving in the woods, camping at Daingerfield State Park (Texas). We took the canoe since there is a very nice lake there. We fished a little with worms, but mostly fought the wind. No fish, but the birding was better. Days were sunny and mild (mid 60’s); the nights were cold (mid 30’s).

Broadwing Hawks
Turkey Vultures
American Robin
Yellow Rumped Warbler
Ruby Crowned Kinglet
Northern Junco
Carolina Wren (h)
Carolina Chickadee
Nuthatch sp.
Tufted Titmouse
American Coots
Great Blue Heron
Great Egrets
Double Crested Cormorants
Red Bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Yellow Bellied Sapsucker
Northern “Yellow Shafted” Flicker
Golden Crowned Kinglet
Yellow Warbler
Eastern Bluebird
Black and White Warbler
Blue Headed Vireo
Blue Jay
Pine Warbler
Eastern Phoebe (h)
White Throated Sparrow
American Crow

Photo by Bill Ravenscroft

Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival 2009

Again this year Kingbirdfeeders.com ventured to the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival (RGV) in Harlingen, Texas. RGV is a grand event (no pun intended). This year marks its sixteenth year. Having attended last year as a vendor, I was convinced that it would be a good deal to repeat. Birders and experts come from all over the United States and Canada--some even from other parts of the globe. There are several species of birds particular to the Valley--Green and Red Crowned Parrots, Green Jays, Buff Bellied Hummingbirds, Great Kiskadees to name a few. If you want to see these, a host of opportunity is afforded you.


The trip down can be great for birding, too. The highway between Kingsville and Harlingen often is populated with hawks. It is not uncommon to see Crested Caracaras, Harris’ Hawks, Red Tails, Ferruginous Hawks, and American Kestrels.

When in need of a break from the wonderful birding, RGV offers a great trade show where all kinds of vendors offer equipment, feeders, plants, art, reading material, and information about the area and its refuges, parks, and birding centers. Organizations which support and promote conservation of birding habitats have booths at RGV, too.

When the day is done, there is always good food. One evening we closed up for the night and took the drive to South Padre Island. There we dined on the deck of Amberjack’s. The view of the bay and the cool of the evening made for a grand experience. The Oysters Rockefeller were delicious.

For five days, we talked and shared our stories, provided some good products, enjoyed hearing from where people came, marveled at some who migrate to the Valley every year for the winter. And then it was homeward bound. We had a great time; we’re looking forward to next year.

Kinglets

Finally, they've arrived in our neck of the woods. Kinglets are birds with high activity: they just do not stand still. Their constnt movement makes it difficult to near impossible to get a decent photograph, and they tend to flick their wings often. You catch as catch can. Kinglets are active foragers. Arthropods, small insects, and the eggs of spiders are gleaned from the banches and leaves of trees and shrubs. Kinglets forage from tree top to the ground. They will sometimes catch prey acting a bit like flycatchers.

Ruby Crowned Kinglets are more prevalent than Golden Crowns in our area. The red erectile top-knot is often not visible. A male Ruby Crown will generally not display unless it is in dispute with another male. It is a sign of aggression.

In migration, kinglets will flock with other species such as chickadees and wood warblers.

One final bit of trivia, these birds which do no stand still are also quite small. Interestingly, it would take three ot five of them just to make one ounce. That is truly remarkable.

Regardless, kinglets are a sure sign of fall. I'll still grab my binoculars in an effort to find...and see if the bird is a Ruby or a Golden.

Photos by Bill Ravenscroft

Birding and Hiking or Biking Binoculars

The trails beckon and the birds await and you know you’re ready. The problem has been what to carry that is lightweight but capable of rendering a good sighting. Problem solved when you carry the Vortex 8 x 28 Fury. This binocular weighs in at a scant 11.8 ounces. It measures 4.7” x 4.5”—small enough to fold into a pocket. It’s compact, durable and the optics are great. It is argon purged for water and fog proofing. Silver coated, phase corrected prisms and advanced coatings deliver superb images even in low light conditions.

Consider this gem of a binocular for travel, too. Every airplane ride causes us to consider total weight of our luggage. Yet, the Fury won’t add enough with which to be concerned. And when you get there, you still will have a great time in the field chasing down those species not found in your neck of the woods.

Afternoon Raptors at Lake Waco Dam

Photo by Bryan Stone

A little after noon yesterday we headed to the Hike and Bike Trail at Lake Waco. We thought a little picnic and walk would be nice on such a sunny day. The lake is up quite a bit. From the dam we can see that half the pavilions at Airport Park are under water. All gates were open. The roar of the water released was evident from the parking area. The wind was up, too much for small songbirds to be out. However, the raptors were prevalent. Two Ospreys were hunting the area, one below the gates and one above the dam. Other birds spotted include three Turkey Vultures, half a dozen American Crows. Additionally, a Northern Harrier was sighted near the tree line in the field below the dam. One hawk gave us a little trouble identifying it. However, I can confidently say that it was a Fuertes’ Red Tail. It flew just over the dam where the gates are and headed toward the Airport end of the trail, proving us with a long and very good look.