Egrets Ivadafew
Well-known member
OK, so my dad's dementia degenerated to the point where I gave up work and brought him to live with me, which I guess makes me a full time carer. This means I'm tied to the house, which means my birdwatching patch consists of my back garden (100ft long, south facing, with deciduous and evergreen trees, furthest treetops about half a mile off). Everyday I scan the garden, at all times of day, day in-day out, same view, same trees, same birds (I know we forum members live for our birds but trust me, there's only so many times you can get exited about a Wood Pigeon!). Studying, and studying, and studying the same scene, and I start to notice things, mainly what a vast effect light has. And not in ways I would have predicted. For example, saturating sunshine at midday should produce the best light, correct? Well no actually, I find it brings density to the shade, and silhouettes the distant trees (this being a facing sun), whereas in the evening the low sun ignites everything (with it's own colour when there's a red sunset). Leaf fall through the autumn also 'increases' light, as does soaked shrubbery after rainfall.
I'm sorry if this is glaringly obvious to experienced binocular users, but can I therefore suggest Rule 3 when buying (Rule 1 being, don't buy blind, go and look for yourself, and Rule 2, compare several bins side by side).
Rule 3 -take your existing bins (or the ones you use most) and use these to compare. I say this because it's going to be pot luck with regards to light when you make your choice (the sun bouncing off the water at the Birdfair makes every binocular in the optics tent a 'wow'), and a comparison with your 'right hand man' bins may be a more accurate test.
End of lecture from a novice.
I'm sorry if this is glaringly obvious to experienced binocular users, but can I therefore suggest Rule 3 when buying (Rule 1 being, don't buy blind, go and look for yourself, and Rule 2, compare several bins side by side).
Rule 3 -take your existing bins (or the ones you use most) and use these to compare. I say this because it's going to be pot luck with regards to light when you make your choice (the sun bouncing off the water at the Birdfair makes every binocular in the optics tent a 'wow'), and a comparison with your 'right hand man' bins may be a more accurate test.
End of lecture from a novice.