This time of year I can hardly get anything done for watching the birds. Instead of looking at the computer screen, I look out the window.
Most mornings I watch my buddy, Mr. Kingfisher, sitting in a tree by the water’s edge. His distinctive Woody Woodpecker hair-do, long bill and squatty body make him easy to identify by silhouette alone. But my baby boomer eyes need help seeing if his head-first dive into the water to claim his breakfast has been successful.
Our bird feeders are closer to my viewing perches the kitchen and office windows — but even there, my visual navigation is fuzzy. I like to view the details of a pine warbler’s golden chartreuse body, the chestnut brown patch on top of the nuthatch’s head, the perky expression of a titmouse face. I gratefully reach for my binoculars to zero in on these familiar landmarks that make birding encounters more intimate.
Whether you scan the horizon for sporting maneuvers, astronomical events or bird sightings, get yourself a good pair of binoculars to enhance the experience. With the help of birder friends at Wild Birds Unlimited, a naturalist and a website, I found the perfect pair. I also learned a new vocabulary — prisms, lens coatings, eye relief (important if you wear glasses), exit pupil, close focus — and more numbers than I cared to know.
Like most folks, the formula of numbers on the body of binoculars made little sense to me: 8x42, 7x35, 6x32. What the heck does that mean? The first number (6, 7, 8, 10, 12, etc.) tells you the degree of magnification: The more magnification, the better to see small details on a bird, an eye ring or dollop of color on its tail feathers.
So wouldn’t it be best for that number to be big? Not necessarily. Every step up the magnification ladder means that everything is magnified, including imperceptible hand movements of the person holding the binoculars, so the image may become shaky. Higher magnification also affects image brightness in low light situations; you’ll see more of the bird but less of the area surrounding it. The most recommended magnifications for birding are 6, 7 and 8.
The second number of that mathematical phrase (25, 35, 42, etc.) denotes the size of the objective lens, which is the lens located at the end of the binocular body farthest from your eye. This lens, measured in millimeters, determines the amount of light that enters the binocular: the bigger the lens, the brighter the image. Its size also affects the size of the binocular body.
Field of view, expressed in either feet or as an angle, is the amount of geography you’ll see when you look through the binoculars; specifically, “the diameter of the field you can see from a distance of 1000 yards.” A wide field of view allows you to track a bird over a longer distance. The Audubon Society suggests a minimum field of view of 341 feet or an angle of view of at least 6.5 degrees.
It’s best to experiment with binoculars before purchasing — checking how they feel in your hand, how they fit your face, how heavy they are, how easily they focus. Portability is important too. Will you stomp around the wilderness espying birds or leisurely gaze from the confines of your home?
I eventually chose Eagle Optics’ Ranger 8x42 because they deliver a bright image even in poor light. I shuttle them between my office and the kitchen so I don’t miss a thing when my bird pals stop by for a visit.
The Great Backyard Bird Count, Feb. 18-21, could be a perfect reason to add a new pair of binoculars to your birding experience.
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