Monday, March 3, 2008

Bird Watching Binoculars

How to find the Right Binoculars for Bird Watching

Next to gardening there is not many hobbies that are as popular as bird watching. After all, who isn't interested in our fine, feathery airborne friends that come in all shapes, sizes and colors? And the best part is all you really need to enjoy this hobby is a book that shows the different species of birds and a great pair of bird watching binoculars. That's it. So are you ready to explore this fun hobby?

The biggest challenge that you might face when bird watching is that it requires a good deal of patience and practice when you are first getting started. However, once you get the idea and know what to look for, you will find yourself addicted to this hobby in no time.

So, why do you need a pair of binoculars for bird watching. Just like most wild life, getting close to these creatures will most likely prove a challenge. Couple this with the fact that most birdwatching is done by peering into trees and up in the sky and you have to understand why binoculars are so important.

Best Birding Binoculars

Finding a decent pair of binoculars will allow you to see the birds close up and personal..pick a poor set and you will likely get frustrated. When you are investigating different types of binoculars, go with a branded pair; Now this may seem expensive, understand that you are investing in the long term. Don't short change yourself by purchasing a sub par pair.

You are going to want to search for a set that can magnify by at least 7x power. Any lower and you run the risk of not "seeing" them as well. Of course, there are other brands that have higher power but remember that the higher the power, the steadier your hand will need to be.

Also, there is a second number on the binoculars that you will want to take notice of....this number could be 35 or 40. This number is actually the diameter in millimeters in comparison to how large the lens is when looking at the bird (or whatever you are looking at)



The higher the figure, the great the light. And the more light you have, the more clear the binoculars will be.

Compact and pocket sized binoculars may sound like a good deal at first but remember that most have too narrow of a field of view for you to keep track of the birds you are watching.

Now that we have gotten what type of binoculars are best when bird watching, the other thing to get is a good book which will help you identify the bird you are looking at. The best ones are those that will show you the different birds in each region of the country as not all birds will be found in all locales.

With just a book and a pair of binoculars, you can now set off on your bird watching expedition. You can do this anyway you like. You don't even have to leave your home. Some people like to start from a window in their home and move to the zoo before finally going to a national park. After all, practice makes perfect, right?

There are also bird watching clubs found in all cities that you can join. These clubs do fun things like organizing field trips on the weekends and you can learn alot about the birds and their habitats in this way.

In conclusion, wouldn't it be nice if we had an eagle eye and didn't have to bring a pair of binoculars for bird watching? Well, since this isn't an option, our next best option is to grab us a book and a pair of bird watching binoculars with us to view birds in their natural habitat. Bird watching- It is a fun hobby that anyone can do!

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