As to my questions:
2) Thanks
1) I am neither a "Birder" nor a "Photographer".
I like birds, and have birdscaped our yard. I have counted about 51 different kinds of birds in our yard since we've bought the place. That includes 6 kinds of hawks (added, we think, the sharp-shined a week ago). And my wife and I will go walking/hiking in places in NC to try to see birds. I also like to just listen. Those that we have identified from the Stokes Guide and from the Internet, we kinda know. Oh, and I have a birdcam in our bluebird house, connected to a VCR. But that's it. My interest pretty much stops there.
b) I have always enjoyed taking pictures, and have taken a few "really good" ones. I started with a Kodak X25, then a Konica AutoS3, then the Nikon N80, now a D300 and soon a Canon 7D. From my experience with the Konica AutoS3, I found I wanted to be able to change lenses. From my experience with the N80, I found I was not "a photographer" because I didn't get any better with the F1.4 80mm lens. So, when I got the D300 I redid the whole kit, and got a 12-24mm zoom, the 18-200mm zoom, the 50-500mm Sigma "Bigma" zoom. Then I got a 50mm prime, and then replaced that with the 105mm macro lens -- fell in love, that is my "prime". Yet, I'm not into exposure settings or processing. I don't do hdr or other special effect stuff. I'm not a "manual" kind of guy. Manual is just a way to get faster response from the camera in a consistent setting of birds that don't like to sit still. I may click off 10-100 pictures to a camera clubbers 1-10. Theirs will be way better. Mine, well, I took a lot of pictures.
Basically, I just like taking pictures, primarily for the record or for the extra focus/concentration on the scene/image/thing. My brain shuts off for a bit, and leaves the rest of the world out/behind.
So, today, had an experience that cemented that I do want both binoculars and the camera. I was at the dining room table having lunch with my wife and saw something. I went and got her binoculars, and what I saw was a mourning dove with ruffled feathers preening itself, somewhat. No need for the camera for that. But the bino's helped me see. So, given the last few days worth of thought/focus and some forum activity, I've decided that yes, I do want the Canon 15x50's.
By the way, I bought my wife her Nikon 10x42 Monarch's a few years back for Christmas, and she just loves them.