Seeing our feathered friends whilst on your outdoor walk genuinely is a fascinating thing to do, there will likely be a number of unique birds to experience and recognise. A few birds are well-known and simple to see, others are rarer and more challenging to name. Some species of birds are so similar to others, for example a willow warbler and a chiff chaff (each summer migrants to Great Britain) will only be told apart by their voices. The former has a gorgeous melodic song so evocative of the Uk countryside though the other features a monotonous two note call that presents it with it’s title.
In addition to your regular out of doors equipment when rambling to go bird-spotting you'll need a field book to recognise the birds you see and a good set of binoculars so you can get a close-up observation of the birds you spot. Therefore what should you look for if you are selecting field glasses? Like a variety of choices there are a whole lot of factors to take on board and your final selection is likely to be a compromise involving all of them.
To start with an essential aspect would be the magnification of the field glasses, 8x, 8.5x, 9x & 10x powers are the most popular used by bird-spotters and this is by and large ordered by the places they bird watch in. For example if you’re using them in the yard, community woods and parkland then 8x strength would be more satisfactory as these typically enable close-up focusing, and with a big objective diameter such as 42 - 50mm, will provide a brighter image particularly in weak light for example, late evening.
The next factor to look at is the objective diameter. A well focussed, bright image is the primary aim whilst making use of binoculars. The dimensions of the lens is measured in millimetres. for example 42mm, which relates to the sizing of the picture you are seeing and if taken into account alongside the magnification describe the field of view the optics provide. Thus you will encounter binoculars described by the magnification X lens size e.g. 8 X 42 or 10 X 50. As lens size (the 2nd number) dictates the brightness of the image, it is really more vital than magnification itself. Lens coating (a thin layer on the lens) will also improve brightness levels and phase coating should aid reduce polarisation.
The next substantial issue is, needless to say, money and the author's guidance is to go for the most pricey that you can manage to pay for. There is a significant difference between binoculars less than roughly £500 and ones above. If you are fortunate enough to be able to pay a greater amount there's an additional definite jump in functionality between those under and all those above roughly £1000. You can find, needless to say, quite a few well-liked makes to pick from. The quality of the aspects detailed above will be the most important issue in determining price tag.
Finally consider the weight of the binoculars, Okay they're going to be on a strap round your neck nevertheless you’d be amazed how heavier binoculars can put strain on the neck if you use them all day. Even more significantly in order to utilise them you will be holding them up to your eyes and after you do so for more than a number seconds weightier binoculars will be more difficult to keep still.
Before starting off on your bird spotting trip take a look at My Outdoor Store to compare prices on a range of walking and hiking outdoor gear .
Bruno Blackstone is a freelance writer interested in all things to do with the outdoors and helping others get the most from the outdoors. Starting with a psychology degree his early career was as a social worker and family therapist working with families to help them achieve more positive and stable relationships. In his more recent career he has coached many senior executives in both small and large organisations in areas such as strategy, human resources, organisational design and performance improvement. He now continues his work in the business world but he is also co-owner of http://www.myoutdoorstore.co.uk a price comparison site for outdoor enthusiasts.