such a perfect wren
nice contrast of the orange against the green and blue
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Fantastic photos and also what good luck getting those birds!
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I think these are my best cedar waxwing images to date
Warbling vireo
Yellow warbler (happy face often confuses the auto focus)
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grumble grumble very happy for you 
but still a sore spot after my big waxwing disaster last week.
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I was telling the shadowy one about it this morning as we were walking to the park. Those photos are gutting by proxy. I know that when I’m missing shots it’s my own skill gap, and that is hard enough.
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red eyed vireo
Wilson’s warbler (little black cap!) - I know these aren’t the best, but Wilson has been illusive for weeks
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willow flycatcher
probably least sandpiper
super happy with this brown thrasher. at the time we didn’t think I’d gotten anything and we were saying ‘just be happy we saw it’ (when I opened the file I swore, I was so surprised I had gotten it)
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Absolutely perfect killdeer photos!
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Anyone use binoculars?
I have some ~$35 8x32 and I do like them, but I’ve been thinking about splurging on nicer ones. Not $1000 nicer ones, but like $150. Right now eying up the Vortex Crossfire HD, which I can get 10x42 for $150, or 10x50 for $170.
I started looking at 12x50 but… I think for birding, the size/weight and narrow field of view is overall not worth the extra magnification. The 10x42 are only about 10% heavier than my little 8x32, while the 10x50 again add ~25% weight.
Seems like I made up my mind? But if anyone else has any nuggets of wisdom?
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My binoculars are 8 x 42-- Athlon brand with great reviews. I use them exclusively for birding and I think they are great. Looks like I paid about $240 five years ago. But I didn’t mind paying for a bit more expensive ones since I’m not taking photos when I’m out birding. I did upgrade the strap to one that goes around both shoulders instead of the one it came with that just goes around your neck.
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we got binoculars from my dad, and then somehow they broke apart in the shadowy one’s bag, so now we have a monocular.
It is convenient to have something so small, and they have better resolution than i can see on the camera screen. I don’t think we’d want a narrower field of vision at this point, since the birds are hard enough to acquire as it is
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I have a seriously expensive set of Swarovski 8x32s which I was able to pick up refurbished. They are absolutely amazing but sometimes I found I wanted a bit more magnification, usually when trying to identify eagles/buzzards etc.
Going up to 10s didn’t seem a big enough jump and I was a bit concerned about reviews saying 12s would be too heavy but I ended up with a great set of Hawke Endurance 12x50s and no issues around focusing or field of view.
I did go to a couple of shops and looked at lots of brands and ranges. What became clear was that there is a distinct difference in clarity at the various price points and for me it was worth the higher spend to go above the entry ranges. I would definitely recommend trying in store if at all possible before buying.
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Yeah - this was my concern. The 10x42 would be nice, I’m sure. But… would they be worth switching to from 8x32? Where as 12x50 is a big jump in magnification and light gathering.
Oooo a bit more expensive but a great point of reference.
Field of View: 272ft @ 1000yds
Weight: 28.4 oz
For comparison, the Vortex Crossfire ($180) are…
Field of View: 273ft @ 1000 yds
Weight: 29.5 oz
Not bad. I see the “phase-corrected” on the Hawke, and I believe that’s one of the big “more expensive but worth it to many” features!
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The other feature on the Hawkes that seems to make a big difference is the ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass. I’ve had them for about six months and am still really impressed at how good they are, I didn’t expect to be able to get that quality of optics at that price point.
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I have a pair of 10x42 Nikon Monarchs that are over 15 years old, so not a rec per se (I don’t know the brand is now, but they are good binocs) but i will say I bought them because they were lighter than the 12s and I have often wished I had more magnification, so there a data point.
Also, +1 to the shoulder harness strap type. Mine easily clips in and out, and it doesn’t hurt my neck or give me a sore shoulder on long hikes.
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MvR came home from errands today… and handed me an early birthday present.
Vortex 10 x 42! I’ll have to give them a good workout and see how I like them. They work with my glasses and the size is great.
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