You have a spotting scope.
Note: This was not phrased as a question. Nor is it a matter of debate. If you are reading this column chances are you are a birder. If you are a birder then you own a spotting scope.
What could be more defining or self evident than this?
Any ol’ body can own binoculars (and many any ol’ bodies do). In this category you will find football fans, concert-goers and U.S. army snipers.
Mark Levy, Chair of the NJAS Board of Directors, scans Bunker Pond from the Hawk Watch platform. Photo by Laura Guerard.
But a spotting scope is serious bird watching equipment. It separates the casual birder from the terminally intrigued. It cuts distance, imparts supernatural intimacy, cures myopia, and best of all it makes a statement.
Do you remember the scene in Crocodile Dundee when Mick is accosted by the knife-wielding “lad” and retaliates by drawing forth a knife that would instill blade envy in Jim Bowie?
“Naaw, that’s not a knife. Now this is a knife.”
The scene gets replayed on hawk watches, sea watches, and shorebird pools all over North America.
Bunch of birder types all standing around swinging binoculars side to side. You draw up. Pull spotting scope out of the trunk and set it up. It’s as good as saying:
“Naaw, those aren’t optics. Now this is precision optics.”
But you already own a spotting scope. Bit the bullet way back when and own what you have come to realize is an invaluable piece of biding equipment.
So how come you only own one eyepiece for it?
And you say:
“Uh…that is…I mean…uh…what? One eyepiece? Of course I only own one eyepiece. It’s a spotting scope! There’s only one barrel to look through so you only need one eyepiece.”
Wrong! Absolutely, unequivocally, wrong.
The truth is that different eyepieces offer different advantages. Wide angle fixed power eyepieces provide a more generous field of view. They make it easier to find things. They facilitate studying birds in a flock.
Zoom eyepieces are an advantage when you need to see more detail on a very distant object (so you increase magnification); when heat wave distortion is fierce (so you decrease magnification) and when subjects are harshly back-lit (so you increase magnification to restrict the amount of peripheral light).
Tom Parsons, CMBO Associate Naturalist, uses his spotting scope during winter months to look for alcids at Sandy Hook. Photo by George Myers.
Fixed is good for finding for things; zoom is best for studying a thing.
When you bought your spotting scope, you weighed the pros and cons of both eyepieces and chose one or the other.
There is no wrong decision. There was just your decision. Now, you love the eyepiece you’ve got. And while I appreciate your fidelity, I feel compelled to point out that your past choice of one did not nullify the advantages of the other.
If you use a fixed eyepiece, you have experienced occasions when all you’ve seen of a bird is a dark silhouette.
This is bad.
If you use a zoom, you have to spend more time going through flocks to find the odd bird out than you need to.
This is bad.
But if you owned both, you could just change eyepieces at will to suit the situation.
Click out. Snap in. This is good.
So why don’t you own different eyepieces to suite different birding situations?
I’ll bet it’s because you never thought about it.
Well do. The Holidays are coming. There are people you know who are wracking their brains trying to come up with a present that you really need and will really use and that won’t break the bank.
Again!
Remember, you already own the scope. The big expense is already behind you.
Or do you really want another sweater? Remember, you’ve only got one torso, too. And you’ve already got drawers filled with sweaters.
There is only one place to look for optics – whether it is binoculars, spotting scopes, or eyepieces. Just stop by the Cape May Bird Observatory and ask for Jason, CMBO’s Sales Manager, or Amy, Bookstore Naturalist. They’ll be glad to show you any and everything you need in optics. They can help you with all you’ll need to go out in the field – and with anything else you might not know you want yet. Find out why the Cape May Bird Observatory is THE place to come for all your nature needs. CMBO is located at 701 East Lake Drive overlooking Lake Lily in Cape May Point (609-884-2736).
And remember, the gift of nature – one size does fit all: we have gift certificates, too.