ColinD
Well-known member
Recent discussions elsewhere about which scope to buy got me thinking about how rarely I use mine these days. I have a Bushnell Spacemaster, which when I bought it over 20 years ago, seemed a good scope, but I accept has now been overtaken many times.
However, I just can't justify buying a new scope. The only time I take it with me, is if I am specifically going to see a bird which I know will be some distance away, or if it's a rarity that I want a good view of. Since I very rarely twitch these days, I bet I haven't used my scope more than twice this year (Black Lark on Anglesey was the last time).
I can't be bothered to carry it when I'm out locally, and when I go abroad it's just a pain (literally) to carry it with light clothes on and in that heat. Birding is much more pleasurable without a scope, even if it means missing a few bits and pieces.
I'm at the stage where if I can't id the bird through bins, I'm not interested what it was. My attitude is, even with a scope, there will always be birds which are just too far away.
I could easily live without a scope, and my advice to new birders would be, if you have a limited budget, spend the money on a good pair of binoculars, rather than compromise with both scope and bins in order to get both,
Colin
However, I just can't justify buying a new scope. The only time I take it with me, is if I am specifically going to see a bird which I know will be some distance away, or if it's a rarity that I want a good view of. Since I very rarely twitch these days, I bet I haven't used my scope more than twice this year (Black Lark on Anglesey was the last time).
I can't be bothered to carry it when I'm out locally, and when I go abroad it's just a pain (literally) to carry it with light clothes on and in that heat. Birding is much more pleasurable without a scope, even if it means missing a few bits and pieces.
I'm at the stage where if I can't id the bird through bins, I'm not interested what it was. My attitude is, even with a scope, there will always be birds which are just too far away.
I could easily live without a scope, and my advice to new birders would be, if you have a limited budget, spend the money on a good pair of binoculars, rather than compromise with both scope and bins in order to get both,
Colin