New Binoculars!

Guess which lenses are coated...

 

About two years ago, I purchased my first pair of binoculars, Bushnell Sportsman 10x42s! I've been really impressed with them, but my recent intrest in butterflies highlighted their main shortcoming, the close focus distance of over 7 meters! Amazingly, I only paid $30 for those binoculars! They were marketed at Nascar Fans that might pick up a pair of bright roof-prism binos at Wal-mart in the states. (My new binoculars are marketed towards hunters... I can't afford binoculars marketed to birders). The old pair of binos will be my spare binos that I leave in my trunk just in case!

This week, I picked up a pair of Bushnell XLT Trophy binoculars, which were only $150. They are a little brighter than my original pair, and colours seem a little brighter, but they are a little heavier. The close focus distance of these binoculars is only 2 meters, so they are much better for butterfly watching. I really think that if you take any pair of 10x42 roof-prism binoculars you have a great tool to go birding. Check out the optical specifications for $500, $150, $30 binoculars. The XLT wins on all measures except for weight!

ELITE

XLT Trophy

Sportsman

Magnification X Obj Lens

10 x 42

10 x 42

10 x 42

Close Focus (ft/m)

8.2 / 2.5

8 / 2.4

23 / 7

Lens Coating

Fully Multi

Fully Multi & XTR

Multi

Field of View ft@1000yds / m@1000m

325 / 108

314 / 104.7

305 /

RainGuard® HD

No

no

Eyecups

Twist-Up

Twist-up

Twist-up

Eye Relief

15.2

15.5

13.6

Adapt to Tripod

Yes

Yes

Yes

Focus System

Center

Center

Center

Exit Pupil (mm)

4.2

4.2

4

Prism Glass

BaK-4

BaK-4

BK-7

Water/Fog Proof

Yes

Yes

No

Prism System

Roof

Roof

Roof

Weight (oz/g)

25 / 765

26.1 / 740

22.2

Model

234210

620142ED

141042

Size Class

Standard

Standard

Standard

More Butterfly Watching... Mainly from the Spring garden area of Ojibway

Male and Female Fiery Skipper - Common at Spring garden

Long-dash Skipper

Tawny edged Skipper

Wild Indigo Duskywing

Male Sachem, Unmistakable with large stigma on the upper forwing.

Birding has been slow, although I did notice a (juv?) Humingbird perched in my backyard near my feeder, as well as my first southbound Warbler, which was associating with some Black Capped Chickadees today.

 

My first South-bound warbler for the season. Cool!

Good birding (& Butterfly Watching!)
Dwaynejava

Common Checkered Skipper ... is Common at Spring Garden!

Shorebirding Point Pelee's Marsh

I've started a tradition over the last two or three years to kayak Point Pelee's Marsh in August. This is a nice way to witness the fall migration of shorebirds very close-up. I was hoping to see a rarity, such as a Phalarope or Avocet, but no such luck. Pretty much what I've seen in previous years was seen this week:

Pectoral Sandpiper 5
Semi Plover 4
Semi Sandpiper 6
Least Sandpiper 4
Black Bellied Plover 3
Killdeer 6
Short Billed Dowitcher 2

 

 Semipalmated Sandpiper

Semipalmated Sandpiper. Its funny to think that as recent as last summer, I had some minor confusion with this species and Sanderling. Rest assured, I've ironed out the differences and will no longer be confused!

Pectoral Sandpiper

More Butterfly Watching

I've walked alot at Spring Garden (as mentioned in my last posting) but butterflies diversity has not really changed, or seems to be tapering off (between broods?). I did see a pair of Variegated Fritillaries though, which was exciting to see... I don't think any former butterfly counts for Ojibway had that species, so that's pretty significant to see so many there! Other butterflies there are Pecks, Fiery, Dainty Sulphur, Common Buckeye, Eastern Tailed Blue, Wild Indigo Duskywing, Least skippers, Crossline Skipper and Checkered Skipper.

Two Variegated Fritillaries, chasing each other in a whirlabout!

Its surprisingly difficult to photograph an Orange Sulphur in a dorsal perspective!

The photo below shows a pair of Skippers that I noticed at Wheatley Beach this week. When I was at the beach, I had noticed some Common Sootywings and a few skippers,  and figured I would ID the skippers when I got home. They turned out to be Sachem Skippers! Pretty rare... In my opinion at least! I would have taken more care in photographing them, but I figured I was looking at something common! Other butterflies included Common Sootywing and many Sulphurs.

Sachem Butterflies - Wheatley Beach. Note the huge stigma marking on the male.

Good Birding,
Dwaynejava

Rough Blazingstar - Spring Garden Area

 

First time seeing a Walking Stick Insect in the wild... Crazy!