Category Archives: Accessible_Birding

Comida Mexicana

When in South Texas, we try to have breakfast or lunch once a week at small restaurants where the locals eat. We got some suggestions and then, like on our recent road trip, look for places with dusty pickups and no RV’s. It’s fun to listen to conversations, enjoy the colorful decorations, and eat some tasty modest-priced food. Good birding fuel.

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge — A Great Birding Spot

One of my favorite birding haunts is on Plum Island, Newburyport, MA.  The Parker River National Wildlife Refuge is a prime Atlantic coast habitat for more than 300 species of birds.  Our daughter and her family live less than an hour away so whenever we visit, I try to get over and check out the situation.  The only problem is that dogs are not allowed at all and so it’s a hassle at times to find ways to leave Penny elsewhere.  Like all refuges, a Senior Pass or a Federal Duck Stamp gets you in free.

I like to do some homework before I visit and one of the best sources is Tom Wetmore, who visits the refuge nearly every morning and keeps detailed records on his website.  He has a wonderful “A Birder’s Guide to the Parker River NWR and Sandy Point SR on Plum Island” that you should download and print.

You can grab some of the same information from eBird but Tom tends to personalize it — and he often sees many notable birds first.  The issue with eBird is that there are dozens of hotspots along the island so you need to check numerous sites.  Here’s a map of some of the spots:

ParkerRiverMapW

Parker River Refuge has a number of accessible sites and for someone unable to travel far, good birding in many spots along the access road.  On a weekend, hundreds of slow-moving cars traverse the area although you have to watch out for folks heading to the state beaches at the end of island (outside the refuge).  Some of them could care less for birds, or birders.

Hundreds of migratory shorebirds, waterfowl and songbirds use its salt marsh and freshwater impoundments. Shorebird migration begins in July, with numbers peaking in August. photo by USFWS -Northeast

Hundreds of migratory shorebirds, waterfowl and songbirds use the salt marsh and freshwater impoundments. Shorebird migration begins in July, with numbers peaking in August. photos by USFWS -Northeast

The Boardwalk near the Hellcat area is famous for warblers and songbirds. The birds are nearly at eye level. One end of the walk is the marsh/impoundments and the other, the ocean.

The Boardwalk near the Hellcat area is famous for warblers and songbirds. The birds are nearly at eye level. One end of the walk is the marsh/impoundments and the other, the ocean. 

Peregrine falcons can be seen on the refuge from mid-September through November. In winter, the snowy owl returns – I saw my life bird there two years ago. Rough legged hawk and short eared owls can also be seen. Loons, grebes, scoters, and other waterfowl winter along the refuge shore.

Here’s how Tom Wetmore describes this neat spot:

 If you are interested in only one specific group of birds you may be able to find a better spot in Massachusetts to see them, but if you are interested in finding the widest variety of birds from the widest variety of groups and on any day of the year there is no better spot to visit in the state than Plum Island.

Bird list: http://1.usa.gov/19zljMJ

Binocular Stabilization

A while back, I took a wonderful walk with an old friend to look for birds along the Rhode Island coast.  It was a glorious fall day and we walked along the canal way, watching the tide stream back in.  I spotted a bird perched on a rock way upstream and set up my scope.  Because our difference in height, I had to set the tripod rather low which always makes for an Ichabod Crane look when I bend over to scope the bird.  It was a Green Heron and my friend, who first identified it, said, “This is great.  I can’t really use my binoculars because of my hand tremors.  But I can see this bird clearly.”

We moved on to a marsh where dozens of Great Egrets foraged and again, the telescope was a great tool since it was stable and the birds were cooperative.  So, we got talking.  I said that there must be a way to stabilize binoculars — that she should look into it and perhaps the kids could make it a Christmas present.  We saw a few more birds and then strolled back home catching up even more on our lives and our kids/grandkids.  It was a short but great outing.  I hadn’t thought about the conversation until yesterday — where it just popped up and I thought, “I’m going to check out binocular gear.”  So I did and here’s a little about what I learned.

I found out that one option is image stabilizing binoculars:

The Pros of image stabilization in binoculars

  1. Optical advantages: When binoculars are stabilized, they result in sharper images, better clarity, and clearer contrast. Image stabilized binoculars of magnifications as low as 7x to 10x will outperform conventional binoculars of the same magnification by far.
    This means that they are useful not just in extreme outdoor situations but also when image stabilization is not really needed. Obviously, this advantage will only be a reality when image stabilization is turned on.
  2. If for some reason image stabilization is not turned on (or fails), they operate as normal binoculars. In other words, you’re not stranded with a useless instrument when the batteries have gone flat and you don’t have replacements.
  3. Huge magnification made possible: Without stabilization, the maximum practical magnification for hand holding is about 7x, possibly but rarely up to 10x (varying from person to person). However, image stabilization technology allows the viewer to use binoculars (handheld) with magnifications of up to 20x, opening a new world to the viewer.

No eyestrain or headache: If you cannot hold your conventional binoculars perfectly still, not only will your image be spoiled, but you can also end up with eyestrain and headaches – which is not the case with image stabilized binoculars.

The cons of image stabilization in binoculars

  1. Limited options available: In the case of conventional binoculars, the client has so much options, he could find it difficult to make his final decision for that very reason. However, in the case of image stabilizer binoculars his choice is very limited: Only about six different brands with limited models are available.
  2. Price: These instruments are more expensive than conventional binoculars due to the extra complicated technology included, which limits the buyer’s options even more.
  3. Weight: Due to the extra technology (and batteries in most cases, to drive the image stabilizing technology) they are also heavier than the counterpart.
  4. Dimensions: The added technology resulted in more bulkiness as compared to conventional binoculars.
  5. Activating the image stabilization: Some binoculars need the stabilization button to be continuously pressed to keep the binoculars stabilized. This is to save the batteries, but can be tiring. New designs keep the stabilization on for a few minutes after the button is pressed and released.
  6. Durability: The added technology makes these binoculars more fragile, as clearly reflected in the limited warranties going with the products, typically only 1 to 3 years.
  7. Batteries: With the exception of the last category of image stabilized binoculars (mechanical stabilization without gyroscopes), all IS binoculars use batteries. In addition to the burden of the extra weight, you also have to make sure to use the best batteries available and remember to take extra ones along as well.

A better option, in my opinion, is a tripod and a binocular attachment device.  This way, you can use the binoculars you already own.  Monopods are also an option although some say that people with tremors may have difficulty stabilizing the unit.  Tripods can be pricey but get a good stable one and it can work for a camera, a telescope, or your binoculars.  Here’s a description of one attachment option for binoculars: