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Archive for the ‘Binoculars’ Category
Back-yard Wonder!
Bobwhite Quail!
A couple weeks ago, I bought the wife her first pair of binoculars. I never realized that a person could get so much enjoyment out of the birds inhabiting their back-yard. We have a few robins, ducks, and even a covey of quail. She has gotten to the point where she can actually tell individual differences within the species.
This has encouraged her to research Quail through Google and not only identify the species in her back-yard but its preferred habitat, breeding and feeding habits. It was noted that they feed on seeds, small insects and similar prey. Their eggs are considered a delicacy in many countries including here in North America, Western Europe, and Japan.
Interesting was that some common quail have been known to eat poisonous seeds with no apparent ill effects. However, people who later consumed the bird’s meat were poisoned. This condition is known as “coturnism” . Oh, what a joy one pair of binoculars has brought!
Bird Watching Do’s and Don’ts!
Where did it go?
All outdoor activities have the do’s and don’ts. These guidelines keep us good folk honest and are normally based on common sense. In this case, the over-riding consideration is safety for all participants. This of course includes the birds themselves. The four cardinal rules for all bird-watchers are:
- First: Show respect to the birds you’re watching. Be ever mindful that you are being intrusive.
- Second: Don’t invade their personal living space. Birds return each year to the same living habitat.
- Third: Respect the applicable State/Federal laws. Legal restrictions are put in place for a reason/purpose.
- Fourth: Respect the sport of Bird Watching. Become aware of the different bird species and their living environments/habitat.
Bird Watching is becoming more and more popular. Follow these simple rules and you will be assured of continuous enjoyment. Purchase a guide book to assist with bird identification and maintain a journal for posterity. Do not get discouraged; if you don’t first succeed – Try & Try Again!
Method to the Madness!
WOW, Look at That!
How many times have you been out with the family or friends on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, not doing much of anything but enjoying the great outdoors? You notice a herd of elk moving slowly away from you on the distant mountain-side.
As you point in the direction of the sighting, you hand the binoculars to the family member or friend. They were able to visually identified the sighting with the naked eye, but couldn’t find it with the binoculars before it moved out of sight. There is a method to this madness; if followed, it will make spotting game or even birds with binoculars quicker and more successful.
- Once you have spotted the game/bird with the naked eye, don’t look down or away but maintain observation of the object;
- Raise the binoculars to the eyes, identify the object, and observe while you’re making minor focus adjustments to the binoculars.
Bird Watching Essentials!
Be Prepared!
Like everything, the key to success is in the preparation. To ensue that you have an exciting and eventful Bird Watching event, it is important that you have access to the required equipment.
Some questionably feel that the most important item to have is a pair of binoculars; a pair that is lightweight and allows you to tackle long distances. But, there are also other influencing considerations that must be made to add credence and enhancement to the overall experience:
- A birding vest with various size pockets (10-15). This will give you easy access to bird identification guides, lens caps, lip balm, snacks, insect repellant, and other personal needed items.
- A lightweight rain jacket might be needed to protect you from the elements. Don’t forget a hat, it will not only protect you from sun rays but also keep hair out of your eyes.
- A written journal should be maintained explaining the – Who, What, When, and Where. If desired and time permits, the journal could be supplemented by photographs.
Some avid bird watchers like to pair their trips with extending hiking. If so, additional consideration should be made for a daypack. Depending on the trip, this might also include meals, bottled water, extra binoculars, socks, map/compass, and a charged cell phone. However, Don’t over Pack!
So Many to Choose From!
Bushnell!
Choosing the right pair of binoculars is a little more difficult than going to the store, looking at a couple pair and buying the lightest and least expensive ones. There must be a method to the madness. It is super critical that you know what they’re going to be used for and under what kind of environmental conditions.
The choices are numerous and prices vary between a few dollars and thousands of dollars. Of course, the more you pay – the better the optics. But, don’t get confused by the “bells and gadgets”. More than likely, you won’t have to spend an arm or a leg to get a good pair for your specific, personal situation. For the hiker or camper, maybe something that is lighter and water proof would be desirable. For the serious trekker or bird watcher, a pair of binoculars with a stabilizing feature would probably increase activity enjoyment. You shouldn’t be intimidated by the numbers, simply put:
OPTICS: 8 X 42
- The first number represents the binocular’s power (times closer the object is than seen with the naked eye);
- The second number is the lens size in millimeters (the larger it is, the more light it lets in and the lighter the object; but, the larger the lens – the heavier the binoculars. Be aware of the trade off!
What’s Value?
Does It Do The Job?
A good friend of mine just bought a new scope for his Winchester 30-06 rifle. He was so exuberant when announcing that he got a real value – an $800 scope for $600. I thought long and hard about our friendship but couldn’t help myself. I responded by saying that price alone does not determine value, but rather getting the most out of the product for the price you’ve paid does.
If you can purchase non-named brand rifle scopes, with similar features for $250, did you get real value? Dollar for dollar, is the more expensive scope 2 or 3 times better than the cheaper one? Do you really need the best? Wouldn’t the lower priced scope have served your needs just as-well? – now that would have been real “Value”!
Binoculars and the Military
Civilian Binoculars
Binoculars have a long history of military use. Galilean designs were widely used up to the end of the 19th century when they gave way to porro prism types. Binoculars constructed for general military use tend to be more heavily ruggedized than their civilian counterparts. They generally avoid more fragile center focus arrangements in favor of independent focus. Prism sets in military binoculars may have redundant aluminized coatings on their prism sets to guarantee they don’t lose their reflective qualities if they get wet.
Military binoculars of the cold war era were sometimes fitted with passive sensors that detected active IR emissions, while modern ones usually are fitted with filters blocking laser beams. Further, binoculars designed for military usage may include a stadiametric reticle in one ocular in order to facilitate range estimation.
There are binoculars designed specifically for civilian and military use at sea. Hand held models will be 5× to 7× but with very large prism sets combined with eyepieces designed to give generous eye relief. This optical combination prevents the image vignetting or going dark when the binocular is pitching and vibrating relative to the viewer’s eye. Large, high-magnification models with large objectives are also used in fixed mountings.
Binoculars
Fog/Water Proof!
There are many advantages for using Binoculars over other optic devices when viewing distant objects. Most binoculars are sized to be held by two hands, although, their size varies greatly; some are small, low-powered and are ideally used at the opera or performance events.
Unlike a monocular telescope, binoculars will give the user a three dimensional image: for near objects, the two views presented to each eye produces a merged view with depth perception. The use of both eyes increases the perceived visual sharpness, even at greater distances where depth perception is not readily apparent.
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