BinocularsBlog – Advice on Digital, Waterproof, & Compact Binoculars for Bird Watching, Sports, Astronomy, Night Vision, & more!

One day brings rain, the next snow and then there are days with freezing drizzle and freezing rain. This is life in the north country, this time of year as fall slowly gives way to winter. Can’t imagine having birding binoculars or even compact binoculars that are not waterproof as I prowl the woods in search of birds. Fortunately, the vast majority of binoculars on the market, today, are waterproof binoculars, but this was not always the case.

Waterproofing, like so many other advances in binocular design, was a binocular feature that was first available only on the most expensive binoculars, but, thanks to the dynamics of mass production, it eventually trickled its way down to ever lower price points in the binocular market. You can now get binoculars even in the “under $100” category that are waterproof and some also have full-multi-coating and even phase corrected prisms.

Okay, you live in a dry climate. Do you really need waterproof binoculars? Actually, yes, waterproof binoculars are still a good idea, even in the driest of climates. The seals that make a binocular waterproof also do a great job of making a binocular dust proof and resistant to internal fogging caused by drastic changes in temperature, as occurs in many deserts from day to night. Waterproofing is more than just for wet climates. For example, I’ve been birdwatching under conditions so dusty that I had to empty my pockets of dust at the end of the day, but, thanks to the waterproof binoculars I was carrying, all I had to do to clean them was hold the binoculars under a light stream of water from a faucet. That only works with waterproof binoculars.

Two eyes are better than one when it comes to astronomy. That’s how we astronomers who use astronomy binoculars tease our telescope using pals who only use one eye as they look through a telescope eyepiece. We’re just having fun, of course, because most of us who use astronomy binoculars also use telescopes. Is there any basis for such a claim, though, or are we binocular astronomers full of hot air?

In fact, there are scientific reasons for such a claim. All else equal, using two eyes, as you do when you observe through astronomy binoculars, does improve visual acuity as compared to using one eye when you through a telescope. This means seeing more detail. Of course, that all else is equal is the catch. Conventional astronomy binoculars do not offer the magnification you can squeeze out of even a small telescope and magnification is a big player when it comes to seeing more detail. Using two eyes, though, also produces less eye fatigue than using one eye and that can help see more detail over long observing sessions. Use a telescope for a few hours and you will discover this soon enough.

Truth be known, though, most of us who love using astronomy binoculars do so for more aesthetic reasons, though convenience is also a big part of our choice. We binocular astronomers just like the view, better in binoculars. That big, comfortable, three D like view provided by a good astronomy binocular is addictive. It’s such a great way to look at the sky. Try it, sometime. Take ordinary birding binoculars or binoculars for hunting and scan the star fields of the Milky Way on the next dark, clear night. You cannot duplicate that view even in a telescope eyepiece at the same magnification. Yes, when I need more magnification and more aperture, I do setup the telescope. Absolutely, there are some things a telescope does better than astronomy binoculars. On the other hand, there are some things the binoculars do better. That’s why I own and use both.

I still say two eyes are better than one, though.

Temperatures dropped to single digits, last night, and we have a couple of inches of snow, up here in northern Wisconsin. Yes, winter is here, but everyone is still hoping and waiting for that first really big snowfall to break out the snowshoes, skis, snow mobiles and so on. Winter sports are big in this country.

As for me, my cross country skis are waxed and ready to go. I can’t wait to grab my birding binoculars, hit the woods on my skis and do some winter birdwatching and wildlife watching. Now, most people don’t associate skiing with birding, but I have learned, from experience, that skiing allows a close, quiet approach and the gliding motion of skiing doesn’t seem to spook wildlife as much as the walking motion that spells human intruder to them. Anyone who enjoys cross country skiing should carry binoculars.

My favorite binoculars for this type of work are compact binoculars and because of all the huffing and puffing that comes with cross country skiing, I like 7x or 8x as a first binocular number (magnification). Mid-size and full-size binoculars are just too much to carry and manage during a typical workout on skis. They tend to swing around too much to be comfortable, but a good compact binocular (waterproof, of course) is doable. Resist the urge to slip the binoculars under your coat, though, to keep them warm. That heat you generate as you ski will cause the binoculars to fog, externally, as soon as you pull the binoculars out from under your coat and expose them to the cold.

Come on, snow.

I’m not sure why late fall and winter is my favorite time to use my astronomy binoculars and set up a telescope, but it is. Other seasons of the year certainly offer as many or more objects to see in the binoculars or telescopes and, of course, the weather is more moderate in other seasons. Still, those dark, crisp and bitingly cold winter nights are the nights I remember the most as I look back over forty years of looking through the binoculars or telescope eyepiece.

I can still remember what a shock it was to discover that the focuser on my first refractor telescope had frozen when I took it out that first December night, but I also remember how awesome the Orion nebula looked when I got the focuser unstuck. Yes, I especially remember how my eyelashes froze to my binocular eyepieces that January night at twenty below, but I also remember how glorious the Pleiades looked in the binoculars, even so. Yes, cold, dry, winter air makes for some observing challenges, but it also makes for some spectacular images in the binoculars and telescopes.

Call me old, but I’m not sure I’m up to any observing in twenty below weather, anymore, but zero isn’t so bad and the teens are a breeze, now that I know how to dress, properly. Experience has also taught me to keep my eyelashes off the eyepiece and I’ve even learned to breathe away from the binocular or telescope eyepieces to keep them from instantly icing up. No more frozen focusers, either, now that I know enough to keep grease off the gears. Winter astronomy may not be for everyone, but it has a personality all its own and I love it. Did I mention no mosquitoes?

Does your home have a view that would justify the use of long range observation binoculars? I suspect most people would say no. Lucky indeed is the home with that kind of view. Doesn't happen too often in the suburbs or urban areas. However, there is always some use for binoculars in just about any home, even homes in the suburbs or the middle of the city with a very limited view of the landscape.

No, we are not talking about watching the neighbors, here. We are talking about watching local wildlife and for this kind of work, almost any kind of binoculars will work. I've used compact binoculars, birding binoculars and even astronomy binoculars, at times, when I could see some distance. The obvious situation is watching birds at a bird feeder you have set up in your yard. This will keep you and your birding binoculars very busy. What, you live in an apartment and have no yard? I’ve used window bird feeders in apartments and nothing like doing dishes and having a bird eating out of a window feeder right in front of you. No, you probably don’t need binoculars for this kind of up close and personal birdwatching, but you can get some good pics with digital cameras, as I have. Lastly, there are apartment complexes that simply don’t allow you to put up bird feeders of any kind due to management’s concern about the mess created below the feeder.

I lived in such a complex for several years, but I still attracted wildlife to what little lawn I could see by simply throwing bird seed out on the lawn, though I was careful not to be too obvious. This not only attracted birds, but also squirrels and rabbits and even an opossum or raccoon in the evening. My binoculars (and my digital cameras) saw plenty of use.

About the pic: A Chickadee at my current kitchen window bird feeder

Our lake was wearing a coat of white, this morning. Ice? One look through the binoculars confirmed it: our lake is now frozen and, barring a heat wave, it will probably remain frozen till next spring. By contrast, a friend of mine in the southern part of our state (Wisconsin) reports they have had thunderstorms and it was warm enough to leave the doors open, the last few days. What a difference a couple of hundred miles plus makes!

The recent freeze-up explains why I noticed an influx of waterfowl, last week, when our lake was still open. The birds must have pushed out of lakes to the north as those lakes iced over. Nevertheless, I will continue to keep an eye on the lake through the Nikon Premier 10x25 binoculars or one of my other compact binoculars, since frozen lakes in the winter are often highways for other types of wildlife, such as coyotes. Not all wildlife dens up for the winter in this north country.

On the other hand, the activity in our yard around the bird feeders is hotter than ever and it is rare to look at the feeder during daylight hours and not see some birds, with the exception of that last hour before dark. Birds tend to be safely tucked away in their roosts for the night a bit earlier during the cold months. I suspect this is a means of conserving energy in cold weather.

As for us, we are almost finished cutting and splitting our firewood for the coming cold months so we can keep feeding that wood burning stove no matter what the weather. Our basement family room, where we have our stove, is now the center of activity for all of us. Naturally, this means I have a birding binocular on a window sill for some birdwatching while I stay warm and cozy by the stove. I have the spotting scope on a tripod at the other window. Let it snow.

I can’t even begin to estimate how many times I have picked up the binoculars I have on my kitchen table to scan our lake, in the distance, but it surely amounts to a dozen times a day or more. Our lake is like a magnet when it comes to me and binoculars. How could I not grab a binocular, any binocular, for a closer look? Most of the time, I fail to spot any birds or other wildlife on the lake, but on those occasions when I do see something in the binoculars, it tends to be exciting and bit unusual.

Yesterday was a good example. After cleaning up breakfast dishes and feeding the puppy, I sat down at the kitchen table to catch my breath. I looked out on the lake and, even without binoculars, I saw a white speck or two that suggested we has some kind of duck or other bird on the lake. I picked up the Nikon Premier LX 10x25 binoculars, which I keep on the table, full-time, for a better look. I was rewarded with the sight of a flock of Hooded Mergansers, one of my favorite species of duck. The males are just about as handsome a duck as you will see, but you don’t see a Hooded Merganser that often. In most places, they are rather uncommon. The view at 10x in the binoculars was just enough for a positive identification, so I started to get up and go hunting for my spotting scope.

I never made it. I was about to put down the compact binoculars when I saw the flock of Mergansers fly off as if something had frightened them. At first I thought, beavers, but these animals were slimmer and longer than beavers and swimming much faster. Then it clicked. I was seeing otters! Even at that distance, the lighter color under their chin and neck was obvious. I counted three of otters, though there may have been more, but they soon swam out of the field of view in the direction of our dock, of all things. That did it! I grabbed one of our digital cameras with a lot of zoom - a Panasonic Lumix - and ran out the house and down the path to the dock in the hopes of getting a pic. No such luck, though. The otters were nowhere in sight by the time I arrived.

Looks like it’s back to the kitchen table to keep watch on the lake, again. Wonder what I will see, next?

Here’s a question I get, now and then. The best binocular as in the best brand of binocular? Zeiss binoculars? Leica binoculars? Swarovski binoculars? Steiner binoculars? Nikon binoculars? They all have their champions and there is no shortage of folks who will loudly declare one or the other as the best brand of binocular. As for me, though, forget it. You can choose the nastiest “interrogation technique” yet devised by our government and I’ll still refuse to state what I regard as the best brand of binocular. In fact, I’ve gone to great lengths to keep my opinion as to the best brand of binoculars a secret by owning one or two of all the top brands. I certainly can’t be accused of playing favorites when it comes to choosing a binocular.

Seriously, though, just how do you define “best” when it comes to binoculars? That's the rub. Is it the best optics? Is it the best construction? Is it the highest price tag? Is it customer service? Why does there have to be a best brand of binocular, anyway? In truth, I don’t have a particular brand of binocular that I will loyally declare to be the best and that is not just me trying to be politically correct. I tend to pick and choose specific models of binoculars and types of binoculars that best suit my needs. That's why I own a couple brands of astronomy binoculars and more than just a couple brands of birding binoculars and compact binoculars. My experience has been that it is better to choose a binocular by specific model, rather than stubbornly staying with one brand of binocular. Furthermore, I have had overwhelmingly positive experiences with nearly all brands of binoculars and the customer service behind them. The binocular market is simply too competitive to allow any one brand to stand at the very top to the exclusion of all others. There is no best brand of binocular, there is only a lot of best quality brands of binoculars for us to consider. We have never had it so good when it comes to buying binoculars.

There have always been best quality binocular models on the market, but not all of them can claim to have changed the binocular market. A binocular that can make such a claim was the original Bausch&Lomb Elite. I saw my first one back in the early 90’s and was able to field test one of those first Elite binoculars, thanks to a loan made by a Bausch&Lomb optics rep. I returned the binoculars, a couple days, later and when asked for my opinion, I just said, “Wow.” Yes, that first Elite did live up to its claim that it could compete with the finest roof-prism binoculars made in Europe and I agreed. For the first time, a Japanese made roof-prism binocular could give the finest roof prism binoculars from Leitz (Leica), Zeiss and Swarovski a run for their money. Of course, there have been many binoculars made in Japan to make it to the rank of premium grade, roof-prism binocular, since that time, but that early Elite binocular was the first. My only regret is that I did not have the money to buy one.

In the early 90s, Bushnell owned B&L sport optics, but wisely continued to market binoculars under both the B&L and Bushnell name. After all, B&L binoculars had a fine reputation. Bushnell binoculars were the value line, designed to give a customer the most binocular for the money and that philosophy is still the guiding principle behind Bushnell binoculars, today. B&L binoculars were the premium binocular line for those who could afford a premium grade binocular. However, in the early years of the next decade, a conflict arose around the use of the B&L name, that pitted Bushnell optics and their use of the B&L logo against the folks who made contact lenses and B&L magnifiers under the B&L name. In the end, it was Bushnell that dropped the B&L logo from their optical products, but, fortunately, you can still buy an Elite binocular, Elite riflescope or Elite spotting scope with that same great, Elite, made-in-Japan quality. Thank-you, Bushnell for keeping a legend, alive.

My “first” serious compact binocular was a Swarovski 8x20 Pocket that I purchased back in the late ‘80s. At the time, I was looking at other premium compact binoculars, such as Zeiss binoculars and Leica binoculars, but I chose that Swarovski binocular, first, because it had a certain something not easily defined. Eventually I purchased every premium compact binocular made, but it all started with that one Swarovski binocular. Great binoculars are like that. They have a certain feel or character that sets them apart from the rest and you won’t be able to spot that sort of thing by reading the specifications. You just have to hold a great binocular and then use it to understand.

Many of these classic great binoculars generated a very loyal and passionate following that bordered on a cult. One of these was the old Zeiss 10x40B, later renamed the Zeiss Classic 10x40, but discontinued by Zeiss some years, ago. In my early days behind the optics counter, I was astonished at how some customers were oblivious to all the alternatives I offered to this one Zeiss binocular when it was out of stock. It was the Zeiss 10x40 or nothing, thank-you very much and these customers seemed insulted when I suggested something else, no matter the brand or the price. No rational argument, based on specifications, features, price would change their mind. In their minds, it was the only real binocular made.

Great binoculars are like that.

About the pic: This is a Crystal version of the Swarovski 8x20 Pocket binocular which I financed, partially, through a Christmas bonus.

Had out first snow, this weekend or the first snow that stuck to the ground, at any rate. It’s enough snow for some work with the digital cameras and I’m sure a lot of deer hunters will be happy if it sticks around long enough for the season opener, this weekend. It also provides a sample of what the landscape will look like for the next several months as the long, northern winter takes hold. However, it doesn’t count as THE first snow of the season, in that it wasn’t enough for snowmobiling or even cross country skiing. That snow is the one that gets folks excited in this country.

The little snow we have, now, certainly hasn’t slowed the birds at our feeders. If anything, they have been more active than ever and it seems that I am constantly interrupting my writing, my music or household chores to look at birds with the birding binoculars and the temptation to grab the digital camera and do a little digiscoping through the spotting scope is sometimes more than I can resist, even when I should be doing other things. It’s just that the snow makes such a wonderfully contrasting background for birdwatching, in general and bird photography, in particular. A good example is the Mourning Dove in the pic I shot, last winter, as the bird was perched in a snow covered pine. There are more colorful and striking birds that visit the feeders, to be sure, than a Mourning Dove, but the snow makes the view through the binoculars or the cameras a real treat.

At four in the morning, the constellation Leo is just not high enough in the sky for good viewing from our yard, here in northern Wisconsin. I know, because I got up at four to let the puppy out in the yard to do his business. Since I was up, anyway, though, I grabbed my Nikon 10x70 Astroluxe binoculars to do a little astronomy while the puppy took his time selecting just the right spot in the yard to leave his calling card.

I had hoped to spot some of the more famous galaxies in Leo, which is a constellation awash with galaxies, some of which are even visible under a dark sky with astronomy binoculars. However, as any astronomer knows, it takes more than a dark sky on some nights to spot faint objects. The atmosphere, you see, is truly a sea of swirling gases and there are nights when it is so thick with gas, dust, water vapor and other matter, that transparency is greatly reduced. That is bad news if you are trying to spot faint objects outside our solar system with binoculars or telescopes. Nights of poor transparency often occur before an approaching storm and, sure enough, when I looked outside, this morning, it was raining and snowing. Then, too, when the telescope is pointed lower to the horizon, rather than high overhead, you are looking through even more of the atmosphere. Best transparency is when objects are over head and, from my location at four in the morning, this week, Leo is not overhead; it is still too low in the sky for good observing.

From all this you might conclude that the deck is stacked against us astronomers or that it is folly to buy telescopes or buy binoculars for the purpose of astronomy. We don’t see it that way. Not at all. The thrill, the beauty, the challenge of seeing some of the most immense and distant objects in the universe is addictive. We will put up with all the nights of poor visibility, the cloudy nights and wait, patiently, for those nights when it all comes together in the telescope eyepiece or binocular eyepieces. Leo will be better placed for observing, later this winter and the sky will clear ever so beautifully on another night. I will be waiting.

I’m a bit old school in that I wait to do my holiday shopping until after Thanksgiving, though I know full well that things have been changing over the years with stores doing holiday promotions as early as September, in some cases. As a late shopper, then, I am often faced with availability issues. The shopping playing field is no longer equal, so to speak. Waiting sometimes means going with my second or even third choices. Ouch.

Are there products, then, that I would start shopping for, right now, even if it means going against my policy of waiting till after Thanksgiving? Definitely. In my experience on the sales end of the phone or on the sales side of the counter, there are some optical products that typically run a bit thin on availability by the time Christmas rolls around. These include telescopes and, to a lesser extent, astronomy binoculars. Astronomy is huge around the holidays and most retailers sell more telescopes during the holidays than the rest of the year, combined. Given that choosing the right telescope involves a lot of telescope questions as to what features you want and that it sometimes takes time to mull over all the options, waiting till that last couple of weeks to buy a telescope can backfire. Shop now for telescopes.

The other product line I would not hesitate to buy early would be beginner microscopes and, especially, student microscopes, and for the same reason as shopping early for telescopes. More introductory, beginner and student microscopes are sold during the holidays than the rest of the year combined and by a wide margin, at that. Like telescopes, it also takes some research on the part of the buyer to know the correct type of microscope when buying a microscope that is appropriate for the intended use. Shop now for microscopes.

Someone asked me to help them find a good resource on binocular astronomy that actually lists the specific astronomy objects you can see with binoculars. Yes, I do blog a lot and have written short articles about astronomy, astronomy binoculars and telescopes, and, yes I often mention objects I have seen when I observe with binoculars, but a complete list of objects that visible in astronomy binoculars, not to mention telescopes, is a much beyond the scope of a blog. Not to worry. I am pleased to say that OpticsPlanet is a sponsor of the Astronomical League and you can’t do much better than that for an astronomy resource, in general, or a resource for astronomy with binoculars, in particular. They even supply lists that are specific to the size of astronomy binoculars used. That’s hard to top for specific.

The Astronomical League Binocular Messier Club -Appendix A, for instance, is a great way for anyone with a binocular to begin observing with binoculars of any size, even compact binoculars (yes, I have done some astronomy with small binoculars, now and then, when I didn’t have access to larger binoculars). This binocular list is for use with binoculars with objectives 20MM to 50MM in size. That covers about 95% of all the binoculars likely to be found in the home. In other words, if you’ve been thinking about try astronomy, you may already own some binoculars that will get you started.

When folks mention astronomy binoculars, though, they usually have larger binoculars in mind. That’s where the Astronomical League Binocular Messier Club - Appendix B delivers with a list of objects for binoculars of 56MM to 80MM in size. Need more? Then try the Astronomical League’s Deep Sky Club which takes you beyond Messier objects into the much larger realm of the NGC and other catalogs. There is enough, here, for a lifetime of observing.

So what are you waiting for? Grab those binoculars and get started in astronomy.

If you enjoy birdwatching or birding, you probably understand that winter, at least in the northern and central parts of the country, is not the best season to add a lot of birds to your list. In fact, if you head out to the fields, forests or marshes with your binoculars or birding spotting scope in the winter, you will see only a fraction of the species you would see in a day of bird watching in the spring. Nevertheless, winter is a popular time of year for many birders, my self included, despite the lower numbers of birds seen. Why?

For one, birders tend to be a social lot. Christmas bird counts, for example, are at the top of the social calendar for many birding groups. Nothing like braving the elements for a day of birding, followed by a holiday dinner with friends. Social aspects aside, though, winter birding offers some advantages in its own right. Trees are and brush are bare in the winter, so birds are easier to spot; birds are all the more obvious and conspicuous in the winter for us to see. Winter also has the potential to deliver some real birding surprises. Winter storms often blow in some unusual birds for a given area and birds, especially raptors, also wander a lot in the winter as food supplies change. And, speaking of food, winter is the busiest time of the year at the bird feeders. All in all, winter is not the time of year to put down your birding binoculars and stay in the house.

My first night of dog-free observing was last night with my Nikon 10x70 Astroluxe binocular and what a fine night it was, thanks to my very dark skies, up here in the north country and the superb optics of my Nikon binoculars. I have yet to test any astronomy binocular, of any size, that offers such brightness. Star colors are especially prominent, as star colors go, when seen through binoculars or telescopes, and they are made all the more obvious with the Astroluxe’s ability to provide inky black backgrounds. The view through this astronomy binocular under a dark sky will take your breath, away.

I've been accused of being a binocular snob more than once. Not so. It is true that my personal taste in binoculars runs to premium quality binoculars, regardless of whether we are talking about astronomy binoculars, birding binoculars, compact binoculars and so forth. I also tend to baby my binoculars and, typically, after years of hard use they still look as new. However, that does not make me a snob.

I understand, completely, that not everyone should buy the most expensive binocular and that not everyone needs the most expensive binocular. In fact, I would say that the majority of my binocular customers, over the years, are more practical when it comes time to buy binoculars. To these binocular users, a binocular is just a tool and is useful in as much as it helps them achieve some objective. Save the fancy binocular optics, forget the fine points of binocular construction, the heck with brand; just get a binocular that is good enough to do the job and that will give good service for the job at hand. If a binocular gets banged up a bit or even scratched, don’t worry about it as long as the binocular keeps working.

I have no problem at all with such a utilitarian approach and, if I used it, I could probably save money on binoculars, given my expensive tastes. No doubt about it, I could probably identify just as many birds with less expensive birding binoculars or as many faint objects with less expensive astronomy binoculars. Furthermore, I would hate to think that some beginner would think that it is necessary to emulate my taste in binoculars to start birdwatching or astronomy. There are binocular snobs, out there, that will tell you that only the very best binoculars will do, but I am not one of them.

People do some crazy things with binoculars, including me, assuming you think using binoculars in a moving vehicle is crazy. First, let me say that I have never, ever and I never, ever, will, use binoculars while I am driving and the car is in motion. I’m not that crazy. The only time I really use binoculars in a moving car is when I am a passenger and I have spotted a bird or some other wildlife directly ahead and, believe me, the object must be directly ahead if you want to look through binoculars while the car is moving. Using a binocular in a vehicle to look at an object that is even at a little angle from the line of motion with the vehicle, is, of course, a waste of time, even with image-stabilized binoculars (I have tried) unless you like making yourself dizzy.

In truth, I only do that kind of binocular work on a rare occasion. Otherwise, all my binocular viewing from a vehicle is with the car at a complete stop. This can be when I am sitting in traffic and want a better look, ahead, to plan an escape route or a place to pull off and take a break. (That's why I keep a compact binocular in the glove compartment.) If you commute in Chicago or any other large city during rush hour, you know what I mean about sitting in your vehicle. The way I prefer to use a binocular in a vehicle is prowling the back roads in search of birds and other wildlife. For this work I use a standard birding binoculars, though I sometimes carry a spotting scope and window mount, such as the Nikon 7070 when I need more magnification. When I spot something and want a closer look, I pull safely off the road and park, but remain in the car. Vehicle really don’t scare wildlife, but people getting out of a vehicle is another matter. That is usually a signal to most wildlife to head for the hills.

One of the things I enjoy most about astronomy is that it gives you a perspective on earthly matters that is hard to come by ay other way. Being outside at night, viewing stars, star clusters, planets, nebulae, galaxies and other celestial objects through astronomy binoculars or a telescope eyepiece gives you a feel for our planet’s place in the universe. Somehow, earthly matters seem more workable and less overbearing when viewing objects in the heavens that are immensely distant and incredibly large, by earth standards. Earth seems like such a small place, but an oh, so special place, by comparison. I, for one, come away from each session at the telescopes or astronomy binoculars, a bit more calm and reassured that personal problems can be handled and managed. My love of the night sky gives me what I call my “heavenly calm”.

This heavenly calm is something I wish I could share with others in times of upheaval, change and runaway emotions and conflicts. Yes, I think a little of my heavenly calm would be just what the doctor ordered after yesterday’s election, irrespective of political position or affiliation. As a nation we do have problems and challenges. So, what else is new? Time for everyone to take a deep breath, roll up our sleeves and calm down a bit. Get out and look at the stars, then let’s go to work.

I don’t feel the same way about using someone else’s binoculars, though. Not at all. Borrowing someone else’s binoculars is akin to wearing someone else’s underwear, as far as I am concerned. Binoculars, like any other outdoor tool I use a lot, become very personal items to me. I feel the same aversion to using other peoples' fly rods, bass reels, digital cameras, telescopes and so on. I’m just not comfortable with someone else’s equipment. I like the familiar and reassuring feel and layout of the tools I’ve come to know so intimately. On the other hand, I’ve been known to loan birding binoculars to a visiting birdwatcher or two and no one has abused the gesture, as of yet. Still, there are a few binoculars in my collection that I am loathe to even let others even touch, much less use. I know I shouldn’t get so fussy about my birding and astronomy binoculars - they are but material things, after all - but when you’ve used certain tools for so long, they become like old friends and who wants to lose a friend?

Don't forget to vote, today!

Our lake had a ring of ice along the shores when I walked the puppy down to the dock, this morning, but no birds on the lake, though I spent a few minutes scanning with the birding binoculars. Shallow lakes, like ours, freeze over rather early and tends to push birds to the more open waters found on larger lakes, late in the fall. Still, the quiet on the lake, this first day in November, was, as they say, deafening. If I could bottle it, I could make a fortune down in the big city, but, all the same, I think I’ll just keep all this solitude right where it is. I’m not selfish, though. Anyone who needs a little peace and quiet is more than welcome to come for a visit, up here in northern Wisconsin, as long as you don’t mind a puppy chewing on everything in sight, including my shoes as I write this. Ouch!

Funny how things all fit together, sometimes. We brought home our puppy, just last week and already I have managed to make the adjustments in my activities to accommodate his needs. Our walks in the morning and during the day provide me opportunities for some birding and birdwatching, so I try to remember to grab the birding binoculars and our walks sometimes provide opportunities for photography, as long as I remember to carry one of our digital cameras. At night, when I take the pup outside to do his thing, I am treated to a magnificent starry sky when the clouds have departed and I can even manage to do a little astronomy with my astronomy binoculars, even with the puppy tugging at his leash. When Bill finishes building the puppy’s outdoor run, I may even try setting up the telescope while the puppy does his job.