This season the chickens are running free range and covering a much wider territory closer to the fields where we grow produce. But not in them. On this day they were very active close to the barn and house.

I looked up. There was my reward. Soaring above was a solitary bald eagle just a little north of our field. As it soared on the thermal current spiraling upwards I observed its white head with each return until the Bald Eagle soared above the clouds and out of sight. I had no binoculars on me and my spotting scope was in the trunk of my car. So the entire magical moment was a naked eye sighting. My favorite kind. Perhaps my most common viewing of wildlife is without assistance. It is often just noticing something different and focusing my attention on it. This is what birding and birdwatching is about for me. Taking moments from each day and appreciating the aerial escapades of whatever birds I happen upon.

Of course when I have my binoculars (Bushnell compact) or my spotting scope (also Bushnell) I can spend a little more time exploring the details of the scene and the bird. Those are the times when I wish I had a Swarovski spotting scope and Leupold Katmai Compact binoculars with me. That day shall come my way but it must wait until some household essentials are purchased first. In the meantime I share the joy of birding with you today, another magnificent sunny (that is unusual) spring day in April.

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Today came close to being absolutely heavenly! Magnificent weather. Muted yet soft leaf color giving the hills an amber-rust overall appearance.  Just enough gentle gusts of wind to send waves of colorful leaves across my path.

At the Azalea Cascades path in Desoto State Park the brittle brigades paraded across the boardwalk before me. I caught  a white oak leaf in flight, then a chestnut oak leaf and later a red maple leaf and picked up a sweet gum leaf with its vibrant red sheen.

You might think I had forgotten to absorb the cascades and birds along the way. But no. Because of all the recent rains the water level was high at all of the waterfalls.

I was blessed with some up close and personal visits from several of my favorite confusing fall warblers! I heard and then saw hairy woodpeckers, a yellow-shafted flicker and a yellow-bellied sapsucker all right along the trail as I simply stood still. I think the warblers came close to investigate me.

It was the first time I hiked in this area, I wore my hearing aids and it was refreshing and rewarding. My ability to locate the bird sounds was skewed by the location of my microphones. However, without the aids I heard neither the birds nor the waterfalls.

The crisp clear blue sky coupled with the intensely varied forest reminded me how much the mixed mesophytic forest of the Appalachian Mountains speaks the language of home to me.

Just as I realized that, I turned toward  a nearby chirp sound and saw a Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) too close to use my compact Bushnell binoculars! I could almost touch it. It perched on the branch of a blooming witch hazel shrub.

Of course! Insects were coming in to feed or drink at these tiny spidery yellow flowers and this saavy little bird was just perched and waiting for them. I froze in place for several minutes and established eye contact with the warbler once or twice before it flittered away to a different feeding area.  I felt privileged to be there at its buffet table.  This little charmer is often mistaken for a warbler and the “hanging around” behavior is typical for this species.

Observed with my compact Bushnell binoculars.

AWESOME. Yellowstone National Park Lifetime Moment!

Who even knew that Bull Elks and Grizzly Bears could swim so well?

Let me tell you. The Bull Elk outswam that hungry Grizz and ended up grazing on the far side of the lake. Observed in a stunning moment at Riddle Lake late one September afternoon.

Imagine just sitting there eating your lunch on a log and watching this REAL LIFE adventure play out before you.

THAT is what WILDNESS is about.
THAT is why we carry our binoculars with us wherever we go.
THAT is why National Parks were created “for all to enjoy”.

Who knew that a grizzly bear would attempt to take down a bull elk for a meal?

But then, Who Else COULD? Maybe a pack of Wolves.

And to be there with my trusty compact Bushnell binoculars could be the only improvement. You see the last time I visited, we swapped binoculars for a day. And mine stayed behind for this adventure. Of course I still have binoculars, I simply was not with my Bushnells while they had this adventure! I simply listened as it was told.

Binoculars & Scopes

If you’re like me, you probably thought they would only be necessary for someone who was an avid fisherman or bird-watcher, and that a regular pair of binoculars would be fine for your occasional binocular needs.  However, I learned last summer that waterproof binoculars can come in handy when you least expect it. I went whale-watching with my best friend on a day with very rough seas. I had been looking forward to this trip for years and couldn’t wait to get my first glimpse of live whales in the wild.

(Sometimes Birdwatchers go whale watching too!)Due to the poor visibility, we were three hours into our five hour tour before we saw our first whale. Our tour guide explained that because we had been at sea for three hours, we would only have about half an hour to watch the whale before we needed to head back to shore.
I excitedly got out my digital camera and started taking pictures when I realized that it was an impossible task. My glasses kept fogging up and my camera lens kept getting wet. I tried cleaning them, but before I could get the whale back in view, I was fogged up again, and my lens was wet. I was dejected – I had been looking forward to this trip so much. My friend saved the day for me – she handed me a pair of binoculars and told me to try them. I was so surprised when I could see the whale frolicking about so clearly!! She explained to me that I was using her waterproof binoculars, which she had brought along just in case we encountered rain. She told me they were made so that they would not fog up or be affected by water.

She told me that she had received them as a going away gift from her mother before taking a cruise. Her mother had been on a cruise the previous year and had been upset that she could not use her regular binoculars on many occasions because the lenses kept fogging up. Another passenger noticed and recommended that she get a pair of waterproof binoculars. Needless to say, she bought a pair at the next port and never had any problems with fog or spray for the rest of the cruise.

She decided to buy a pair for her niece, who is in a wheelchair and likes to watch birds from her deck. Her niece had mentioned that her regular binoculars would fog up a lot when she brought them outside in the early morning.

I didn’t know how handy waterproof binoculars would be until I bought my own pair. A few weeks later I was out canoeing with my brother. While he was enjoying the sunshine and fresh air, I was enjoying looking at the birds. Then, suddenly, another canoe bumped ours and I found myself in the water!    After fishing me out, by brother was surprised that I could still use my binoculars (which, thankfully I had strapped around my neck). I explained to him that they were waterproof and could still be used after they got wet. After that, he borrowed them every time he went fishing until I got fed up with it and bought him a pair of his own for his birthday.

Who knew a pair of waterproof binoculars could become such a necessary item!

by L. DeGruttola, guest author UAW.

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These small pelagic waders (oxymoron here) like salt water. They are so much fun to watch because when they are feeding they swim around in circles. In my opinion they are almost shorebirds because they do linger near the shore, but just far enough away to require assisted viewing, like binoculars. On these trips I had other binoculars with me but my favorite pocket binoculars came through in the end and were handy right away while my partner groped through our packs for a pair with better magnification. If you are looking for something very useful and easy to tote, go for a pair of compact Bushnells. The quality is not the quite good and it is less expensive and easy to have with you wherever you go. Did I tell you that They are also very affordable?

Phalaropes breed in arctic areas and are found in warmer waters in summer, when they have brighter colors. They are from 6-10 inches long, so the binoculars and scope really help. The circular swimming at feeding time makes a whirlpool effect and draws small food items close to them.
These birds have been around since Pliocene and Oligocene times, according to fossil records. There are 3 kinds of Phalaropes, with common names slightly different in Europe. Wilsons, Red/Grey, and Red-necked are all identified as distinct species.

During their oceanic travels you need better binoculars than my favorite little ones. Marine binoculars are best. ~

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What a delight. Details will follow.

And it is a lot like a homecoming for me to check out favorite birding locations. Having spent years in the field, I know where to look for some bald eagle nesting areas, great blue heron rookeries and it is a good time to be in the mountains to watch for fall migrations.

I carry in my car a compact pair of binoculars for handy roadside viewing when I have a lot of driving to do. They are Bushnell 8X25 from quite a while ago when I first started using compact binoculars for field work. For my camping time I will use a spotting scope which is also made by Bushnell, actually. Though I had not thought of this before now. I guess the photography shop where I bought my scope and binoculars liked Bushnell products in particular.

Here is a mini review of my binoculars before I go and pack my gear. I carry 2 bird guides with me on this sort of trip. One specifically for right in the car beside me on the console beside the compact binoculars. And one for reading and browsing through at night in my tent. It is very refreshing for me and gives me some really peaceful images to drift off to sleep with. For mini reviews of the bird guides that I am taking with me, go to my sister site in a couple of days.

The closest model to what I have in my car is the Bushnell Powerview 8X21 compact folding binoculars.

• Who makes them: Bushnell located in Kansas for the past 50 years. Bushnell is the parent company of several brands of optical equipment. Bushnell, Blackwater Gear, Browning Sports Optics, Bollé, Hoppe’s,Tasco, Uncle Mike’s, , Butler Creek, Serengeti, Stoney Point, and Uncle Mikes Law Enforcement.
• Who uses them: with this wide range of related optical products there are many different dedicated users from birdwatchers to hunters to police, sports arena and concert goers.
• What are they like: They are comfortable and affordable and almost 100% waterproof. Compact and lightweight.
  
• What are their special features:Â Excellent quality and durability at extremely affordable rates. These cost less than $15.00. Fully coated lenses and fold down eyeglass cups, lightweight. At 8X magnification they have a field of view of 378 feet of an area 1000 yards away. Black rubberized coating protects them for sustained use.
  

My spotting scope is also a Bushnell product which I truly enjoy. Particularly on my budget.This spotting scope cost just a little over $100.00. Spotting Scope reviews will be covered in a future post. There is a zoom feature and that is the second set of numbers. I use the first viewfinder to locate the birds I am watching and then use the zoom focus for closer views.

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