Bald Eagle fishing

This gorgeous bald eagle was photographed by Mike Szmigielski at the Brackendale dyke on the Squamish River one November morning. Notice the impressive wing-span, powerful beak, massive talons and piercing eye. Magnificent! Mike said, there were quite a few eagles hanging around in the trees, along the river banks and flying above. Several were fighting each other over fish carcasses. This eagle was at about five meters above the river, kind of hovering then slowly floated downward ... it then swooped down at a quicker pace, only a few feet above the water, grabbed what I thought was nothing at first but was actually a scrap of Pink Salmon that was floating by from an earlier fight between a group of eagles.

Observing from terrain with difficult access.

Atlantic Puffin with fish in beak

Puffin on rocks with fish in beak

When your observing puts you on "rocky ground", portability becomes a key factor. It may not be practical to carry or use a tripod in these situations. Having smaller, lightweight binoculars may be an attractive option.

Observing a stationary, small, distant target

Nuthatch feeding a nestling

Bird feeding chick in tree trunk nest

Consider the benefits of a spotting scope in this application. With its tripod, there is no need to hold binoculars in shaky hands for long periods. A nice steady view and increased magnification can make a spotting scope an excellent choice. Some binoculars can also be mounted on a tripod for increased viewing stability and comfort. We carry a good selection of binoculars, spotting scopes, and tripods that you can take outside and try before you buy.

Watching birds in flight

Snow Owl

Snow owl in flight

If you are observing birds (or other things) that move around, you might appreciate having a wider field of view. To track birds in motion or to watch large flocks, consider hand-held binoculars with a wide field of view. There is a trade-off for magnification but it will be much easier to keep the target in view.

Observing other wildlife

Lynx

Lynxes in snow

Of course, the same considerations apply to all wildlife observing, not just birding!

Visit our Vancouver store today for a demonstration and expert advice. If you can't make it in just yet, feel free to check out our binoculars & spotting scopes page for more information.