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Beginning in
February, the Community Center Committee, on behalf of
F.O.R., began holding lectures, hands on workshops and fun
events for all who wish to attend. David Plunkett,
Brazosport Birder president, was our very first guest
speaker. The Brazosport Birders and Naturalists is an
organization, that's based in southern Brazoria County,
whose primary focus is birding and conservation of our
natural resources. David's presentation was very
informative, and enjoyed by all. We thank and appreciate
David, for agreeing to continue to teach us about 'Birds In
Our Own Backyard' through a series of web posts written for
this site.
The F.O.R. Community Center Committee plan to have a subject
of interest to the community the third Friday of every other
month, 7 p.m.- 9 p.m. Some months and times will be adjusted
to best serve the event being presented or to avoid conflict
with other scheduled events -so keep watch on the F.O.R.
calendar for upcoming sessions. -and mark your calendars now
to attend "Fishing Tips" by Randall Groves,
owner of Grove's Guide Service. - Friday, April 18,
2008.
Social hour will begin at 6p.m. Presentation at 7 p.m.
Agitated Male Painted Bunting
(fluffed up)
Beginning Birding Tips – Seeing Better
By David
Plunkett
When I bought
our first pair of binoculars in the late ‘80s, the only
thing I knew was I wanted something and Sears had a pair of
10 X 50 binoculars for half price at $29.95. This is not
what I would choose today but it made a big difference in
the details that we were able to see in our backyard at a
seed feeder we hung on a tree. We had no idea of the
incredible colors and details of some of the birds in our
backyard. One thing that really hooked us was a male Painted
Bunting that showed up at the feeder one spring. We did not
know that birds in this area could be so spectacular.
So what do you need to know when you are buying binoculars?
The 10 x 50 above gives you the magnification strength. In
this case, the object looks 10 times closer to you. The 50
describes the width in millimeters. The larger the width,
greater amounts of light enters and you should get a
brighter, crisper image. However, with a 10X50, your field
of view is narrower (the actual area you see) and they tend
to be heavier which makes them harder to hold steady.
The link below suggests 7X35 or 8X40 are the most practical
binoculars to have for birding. They work well in the forest
or in the backyard, gather a fair bit of light and have a
relatively large field of view. Although 10 power binoculars
tend to be heavier and have a narrower field of view, many
experienced birders prefer the higher magnification they
provide. It is really is about what works best for you.
http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/learning/birdingtools/binocular-basics
Another big factor is the quality of the optics, both the
glass and any special coatings to minimize dispersion of
light. Optics quality means increased price.
Based on birding friends’ advice, the second set of
binoculars we purchased was an 8.5X44 Swift Audubon. Back
then, we got these for about $225. Wow! What a difference in
our ability to see details. These were “relatively”
inexpensive and worked great. The only drawback is they are
not waterproof. Swift must have thought this too and this
model has been discontinued.
The equivalent model is the 8.5X44 Swift Audubon BWCF which
sells for approximately $350 online. These are waterproof
and are described as “porro prism” binoculars. This means
the optical elements are offset from the eyepieces. The
8.5X44 Swift Audubon HCF model (“roof prism” where all the
elements are in line) are approximately $360. To my
knowledge, neither of these is available in any area stores.
From here, prices continue to climb based on the quality of
the optics. I currently use Pentax 10X42 roof prism
binoculars which I see have come down in price to about
$350. At this point, I am not that excited about these
binoculars. I am still looking for more optical clarity so
at some point in time I will upgrade to something like
Swarovski which is very expensive. At this point, I have not
researched this enough to even know what I would want.
With many birders, now also heavily into butterfly,
dragonfly and damselfly identification, close focus is
another feature to look at in addition to optical quality,
power, low light characteristics, eye relief and others. It
can also be a benefit in birding areas like Quintana where
the birds can be close due to low foliage.
Another “seeing better” tool to consider is a spotting
scope. The scope needs to be mounted on a tripod. Again, the
power (magnification), the diameter (low light
characteristics), the optical coatings and brand quality are
all important things to consider. The price will vary with
all these characteristics. A scope is very useful in seeing
more detail or longer distances than you can with your
binoculars. I use this mainly in the Christmas Bird counts
for birds at longer distances but, occasionally, in my
backyard to see fine detail. The following is a link to more
detail on spotting scopes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotting_scope
In 1999, we purchased a Kowa 82 mm spotting scope with high
performance optical coatings and a 20-60 mm zoom eyepiece.
If I read the web information correctly, this particular
high performance model is no longer available and has been
replaced with an 88 mm scope which is even more expensive
today.
The first time we used our scope was at the Brazoria
National Wildlife Refuge where we had stopped to observe
some Sandhill Cranes from 200+ feet. My daughter was excited
to note that she could “see all the way though the bill” of
one of the cranes. Sure enough, we could clearly see all the
way through the cranes nares (nostrils) in the upper part of
the bill. I have been sold every since on the value of the
scope that I have.
The important point of this whole article is that viewing
birds with your eyes is great but to see more details you
need optical help. Do your research on what properties you
want and can afford before you buy. Also, be very cautious
when buying on the phone or online. At some stores, cheaper
prices can mean imports that do not have an American
warranty, accessories that should be standard come for an
extra price, or shipping and handling fees are higher than
they should be.
My next planned topic is “What, when, where” or how to
figure out what bird should be here in different parts of
the year and where at the numerous places in our area to
look for them.
David Plunkett
One of F.O.R.'s
primary functions is to educate the public
regarding the issues concerning the San Bernard
River and it's Communities. Contact Pat Webb
pat@sanbernardriver.com to schedule a
guest speaker for your group or special event.
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