Wednesday

You Need Good Binoculars for Bird Watching

Bird watching is one of the fastest growing pastimes in the U.S.  It is imperative that you need good binoculars for bird .watching Because birds can be seen in various habitats you must be able to get a good luck at the bird with good binoculars for bird watching.  Many birds have distinctive markings that make them different from other species,   it is imperative to have a close look at a bird to identify them,  to see what their bill looks like, eye markings,  wing bars,  type of feet,  coloring and what species they belong such as hawks, wrens,  warblers,flycatchers,  water birds and  any other various types.  To make these observations you need a good binoculars for bird watching.  Many birds change their color depending whether if is breeding season or winter plumage.  Male and female of the species vary in color  and the juvenile are different in color and add to that birds molt once a year and appear different.  But if you have good binoculars for bird watching,  you have a better chance of making an identify.  Here some binoculars to choose from.
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology does an extensive review of binoculars for bird watching. Below are the top picks of their most recent review.
Features that were rated include price, quality, weight, close focus, field of view, image quality, and overall feel. We have summarized their best birding binoculars into price categories below.  If you can afford a little extra, the mid-price range bird watching binoculars, the Nikon Monarch's, are your best bet considering performance, quality and price.

Best Binoculars for Bird Watching by Price:

Economy Binoculars (under $200)

The Nikon Action Extreme 7x35 ATB Binoculars was the best quality binoculars in the economyNikon 7x35 Action Extreme Binoculars group. The field of view is exceptionally wide, is 100% waterproof/fog proof and has rubber armoring for those of us who occasionally bang or drop our bins when we get excited seeing a new bird!

Mid-Price Binoculars ($200-500)

The Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42 Binoculars w/ Dielectric Coating actually came in second place to the Katmai 6x32 in the mid-price class, but Cornell advised that the Monarch's are actually better binoculars for bird watching.Nikon 8x42 Monarch ATB The low magnification of the Leupold (6x) is limiting for bird watching, good for butterfly viewing.
The Monarch's are lightweight, waterproof, and very comfortable. Many of the reviewers thought they were just as good as binoculars 2-3x more in price.

Top Affordable Binoculars ($500-$1,000)

Cornell was disappointed with what was out there in this category. They noted that the binoculars for bird watching tested in this group did not rate any higher than the top-ranked, less expensive models. You're better off with the Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42 Binoculars than the Nikon 8x32 HG DCF which was at the top in this class. The HGs have a slightly wider field of view and closer focus, but image quality is not any better than the Monarch's.

Top Gun Most Expensive Binoculars (over $1,000)

Zeiss 8x42 FL T w/pouch - BlackThe Zeiss Victory 8x42 FL scored the highest in the "Top Gun", best of the best category. It scored the highest for overall quality, producing clear, bright, crisp, near perfect  images.

The Formula on Binoculars

Binoculars show a formula, such as 8X30. The first figure, (8) is about power. The image is magnified eight times. The second figure (30) is the diameter of the lens at the front of the binoculars, measured in millimeters. The bigger this lens the more light comes into the binoculars and this means the resolution is better.
The amount of light that comes into the binoculars is called the exit pupil. The exit pupil is calculated by dividing the diameter of front lens by the power. This means that the exit pupil of a pair of 8X30 binoculars is 3.5 (30 divided by 8).

Before deciding on the best binoculars for bird watching it is essential to understand the difference between various binoculars available. Binoculars vary in strength and the amount of light that comes in through the front lenses. This is because different binoculars are designed for different purposes. The most suitable binoculars for bird watching will be those with the optimum combination of power and light performance.

Understanding power and light performance is important. Research the internet where binoculars are compared and even free bird charts are available.

Now that information has been given,  go out and purchase good binoculars for bird watching.


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