Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
After removing all dust, I moisten the corner of a high-quality lens cloth with a lens
cleaning solution made specifically for coated binocular lenses (never use window clean-
er!) and softly wipe the lenses clean. Then I buff the lenses with the dry portion of the
cloth.
WHAT TO DO WITH OLD BINOCULARS
Many birders keep their old optics
on a closet shelf just in case anything happens
to their new ones. As insurance, this isn't a bad idea, but if your old optics are in usable
condition, you may want to put them to work so that others can enjoy birds and protect
theirfuture.How?Donateyouroldopticstoalocalnaturecenterorbirdingclub,ortoan
organizationsuchastheAmericanBirdingAssociation'sBirder'sExchange,ortoOptics
for the Tropics.
Both organizations send used (and sometimes new!) binoculars to researchers and
educators in Latin America and the Caribbean. Information about Birder's Exchange is
on the ABA website at
www.americanbirding.org/bex,
and about Optics for the Tropics
at
www.opticsforthetropics.org.
Beyond Binoculars: Do I Need Fancy Equipment?
Q What makes a spotting scope different from a telescope? And do I really need
one?
A
spotting scope is a portable telescope that has been designed specifically for observing
objects here on earth. The magnification of a spotting scope is typically on the order of
20× to 60×.
No one
needs
a spotting scope. But a spotting scope will make views of waterbirds,
shorebirds, and grassland birds ever so much easier. It can even give you amazing close-
up views of woodland birds, especially on or near their nests when you don't have to fol-
low a moving object.
