[texbirds] Re: Spotting scope rfi
- From: Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Patricia Wight <pcwight@xxxxxxxxx>, 4 Texbirds Maillist <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 2 May 2014 13:30:43 -0500
Scopes are very personal and people are happy with many different models.
Price does equate with quality in general but there is a lot of overlap and
bragging about which is the very top of the line this year. Other than the
lowest cost scopes, most have a good look at a bird for the money.
Unless you are going to do sea-watches 2 miles out there or top level
photography, the top of the line scopes may be overkill especially for a
first scope. Models such as your suggestion are great for looking at ducks
on the wetlands at Port Aransas or shorebirds in a rice field.
I would go with a zoom and angled eyepiece as you suggested. With a tripod
it allows the scope to be set much lower and can be used by multiple
viewers more comfortably. You will find as you zoom out, the field gets
narrower, the light a little less and heat shimmer a little more but the
zoom is great for a rare bird way out there like he boobies currently in
corpus.
You cannot go wrong dealing with eagle optics. They stand by their
equipment and are very understanding if your choice would not work for you
for some reason.
If you can and there is a bird festival anywhere near you anytime soon,
Eagle optics and others often attend and have a variety of equipment to
demonstrate so you can compare. Other vendors may also be there. I don't
know of any until the fall but if you found a bunch of birders almost all
would let you look and compare. Perhaps at the weekly walk in Corpus
Christi or out at Paradise Pond.
Also google spotting scope ratings or spotting scope comparisons as there
are several sites that rate and evaluate and compare different models that
can be very helpful.
On Fri, May 2, 2014 at 1:12 PM, Patricia Wight <pcwight@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Petra's post reminded me that you all would be the perfect resource for
> info on spotting scopes. Watching shorebirds move into flooded rice fields
> sounds like great fun!
> Hubby is not a birder, but he's willing to buy a scope. He loves wildlife
> watching in Yellowstone. Obviously, for me, the only point in having a
> scope is for birds. We don't want to spend mega bucks but the one
> recommended by Eagle Optics seemed a good option for us. It's the Vortex
> Razor HD 20-60 x 85 angled spotting scope. Currently $1,600 and we have a
> heavy tripod we can use.
>
> Any other suggestions? We're complete novices.
>
> Pat Wight
> Rockport
>
>
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--
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
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