Max viewing distance (1 Viewer)

Hi
Can any expierenced birders help a newbie.

Using a pair of 8*32 what would be the maximum distance one could expect to positively identify the following birds.

1 Warbler size
2 Pigeon size

Assume good light conditions. Average/corrected eyesight.

When would it be more practical to use a scope.

Cheers

Seaside said:

Hi
Can any expierenced birders help a newbie.

Using a pair of 8*32 what would be the maximum distance one could expect to positively identify the following birds.

1 Warbler size

Click to expand...

Between twenty feet and eighty yards, depending on the species.

Seaside said:

2 Pigeon size

Click to expand...

Up to a couple of miles away.

Seaside said:

When would it be more practical to use a scope.

Cheers

Click to expand...

When you have one setup and ready to use .

Concentrate on looking at the bird. Bring your binoculars into use if you have them. Use your scope if the bird is static. At all stages, if you take your eye off the bird you'll lose it.

It gets easier ...

Cheers,

Andy.

It is going to depend a lot on you. I would suggest that you set up targets roughly the size of the birds you are interested in. Mark off the longest distance that you can still identify the targets. If 100 yards is the maximum that you can view them with the naked eye. Than you can probably view them at 800 yards with your 8X binos. This is just a rough estimate and there are other variables, but it should give you an idea.

ranburr

Seaside said:

Hi
Can any expierenced birders help a newbie.

Using a pair of 8*32 what would be the maximum distance one could expect to positively identify the following birds.

1 Warbler size
2 Pigeon size

Assume good light conditions. Average/corrected eyesight.

When would it be more practical to use a scope.

Cheers

Click to expand...

You can perhaps get some insight by remembering that at 8x the birds will appear 8 times closer to you. A bird that is 16 feet away will look essentially the same as it would to the unaided eye at 2 feet.

A lot depends on the bird and your experience. Some warblers are easier than others, and you will be able to identify them at farther distances. The same goes for larger birds. With experience you may find some you can identify at fairly large distances with the unaided eye. I find perched Eastern Bluebirds quite distinctive even from a distance without my binoculars.

I'd recommend waiting on a scope until you've gotten some experience with your binoculars. Once you feel comfortable with them, and can fairly reliably identify birds, visit the idea of a scope. And keep your eye on the bird, carefully noticing field marks. Avoid digging right into the field guide.

Clear skies, Alan

Seaside said:

Hi
Can any expierenced birders help a newbie.

Using a pair of 8*32 what would be the maximum distance one could expect to positively identify the following birds.

1 Warbler size
2 Pigeon size

Assume good light conditions. Average/corrected eyesight.

When would it be more practical to use a scope.

Cheers

Click to expand...

This isn't an answer, but it might help. You would not believe how many times I have been in a situation where I regretted not having my scope with me. I can identify many tiny birds from 100 yards with my 8x32s, but I have missed opportunities to get great views of rare birds that sat still for a long time, not always very far away.

Seaside said:

Hi
Can any expierenced birders help a newbie.

Using a pair of 8*32 what would be the maximum distance one could expect to positively identify the following birds.

1 Warbler size
2 Pigeon size

Assume good light conditions. Average/corrected eyesight.

When would it be more practical to use a scope.

Cheers

Click to expand...

Sorry not to be more helpful, but I don't think there's a right answer to this question, and so I don't know what you're going to gain from the answers given...

It all depends entirely on the bird - I could ID a Robin for instance at great distance through bins, but many people would struggle with a Marsh Warbler given point blank views! Same goes for all sizes of bird.

I think the answer is to get out in the field as often as possible, with your binoculars, and practice! You'll soon work out what you can and can't ID, and determine which occasions you personally want more magnification - different people use scopes for different things.

I agree with Jonathan, as well - a scope is a fantastic piece of kit for getting really close views of birds that can be identified with bins alone.

David

Thanks everyone
It appears experience and knowledge is the major factor.

This might sound weird but it's true (for me at least - I'm sure i'm not alone)
Even when the image of the bird in your binoculars is fairly small (normally smaller than you would comfortably be able to identify it with the naked eye) the very act of looking at the bird through bins seems to concentrate your mind/vision so you actually see more of it than you would if viewing a bird that appeared to be the same size (image wise) with the naked eye (does that make any sense? I'm struggling here )

Seaside said:

It appears experience and knowledge is the major factor.

Click to expand...

Experience leads to knowledge so there really is no substitute for getting out birding as often as possible, I'm sure that after a while you too will experience the phenomenon (sp?) I've tried to describe