We have several types of binoculars that we use for birding, but they all have the same magnification: 10 x 50. These are large, easy to use binoculars that allow you to pick out about anything. I’ve read a lot about how these binoculars are too big for birding, but I couldn’t disagree more. True, they are pretty clunky for hiking and walking, but great for the car. Click on any of the pictures to view the binoculars we are discussing:
For the kids, we have picked up smaller pairs. These would be more like 7 x 23s. (For binoculars, the first number is how much closer the image appears, and the second is for image quality.)
We also purchased a spotting scope that lets you see the ticks on a deer’s back at 500 yards, but it is so difficult to aim and focus that we use it at Yellowstone and big trips, but not our weekly bird drives.
It came with a tripod, but we got what is called a door mount so that you can hook it onto the window of your car and you don’t even have to get out. That has been very convenient when we’ve stopped to look at the bears or wolves in Yellowstone, or tried to see the mountain goats up the canyon.
Of course, we do have a really nice pair of Celestron binoculars for star-gazing, too. These are great for birding, and we use them all the time. They are amazing for looking at the stars and hold one important advantage over a telescope– They don’t go upside down and backward when you move them like most telescopes.
Of course, if you are going to buy them, you need a tripod for stargazing. I also use the tripod for long range viewing and calibrating my own binoculars.
And this dohickey connects the binoculars to the tripod.
Happy viewing!!
