New Adventures – Needed Equipment
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Roy_Smallwood]Roy Smallwood
It’s a new year. New adventures are yet to be, which means there may be a need to gather some new equipment or replace the old with upgrades. You’ve been contemplating this for a while anyway. You’ve been getting by with that old binocular and scope. You’ve known for a while that there are lighter weight, more powerful binoculars with greater clarity than what you now carry. You know there is a new, more inclusive and up-to-date field guide. You know there are better ways to transport and carry the essentials. You have planned for the day when some or all your equipment can be modernized. Obviously, you’ve gotten your money’s worth from your current rig. But times have improved on all of it. No sense being left behind and becoming outdated.
The advances in optics over the last few years are astonishing. The development of the roof prism for binoculars has led not only to greater clarity of the image but to internal focusing and improvement in water and fog proofing. The new materials used in the chassis of the binocular have made them lighter weight yet more durable. It is so much easier for anyone to stay focused on a particular bird for a longer period of time because one doesn’t tire so easily with these new light weight models. The coatings on lenses have improved light transmission and eliminated much of the chromatic aberration associated. Even the glass used for the lenses and prisms results in greater resolution. Many of these improvements have crossed over into the scopes as well. It’s time to take advantage of these improvements.
Of great significance to birders is a new field guide. It is fun to share the old names of some species, such as “butter butt” for Yellow Rumped Warblers and “butcher bird” for Loggerhead Shrikes. However, it is equally important to know when a species has been split, such as when the Rufous Sided Towhee was split into the Eastern Towhee and the Spotted Towhee. It is also important to note that more species are being discovered in unusual places and some have become residents in those places. For at least these reasons and more, the number of species in North America has grown. There are now 990 species of birds included in the sixth edition of the National Geographic Field Guide. Three decades ago that was closer to 860. New field guides have been revised, redesigned, and rearranged to provide the user with a wealth of information that is more readily accessed than ever before.
Lastly, one must have a mode to conveniently transport his gear, guides, refreshment and water. To that end we seek a travel bag or pack that is durable and light weight but of sufficient capacity. The products offered through Mountainsmith provide all this with one important advantage-an environmental benefit. Water is now being sold in plastic bottles in great numbers. The consequence is a huge impact on landfills. The good folks at Mountainsmith recognized this problem and initiated a very unique and savvy solution. They have developed a way to turn bottles into a fabric from which their bags, lumbar packs and gear are made. By employing their products on your trips to the field you can carry your equipment efficiently and help the environment. Not a bad deal at all.
New year, new equipment, new solutions-all grand. It’s time for adventure.
Roy Smallwood is the owner of Kingbirdfeeders.com. He is an active member of the Bastrop County Audubon Society and encourages everyone to participate and enjoy birding whether in the backyard or in the field. Visit http://www.kingbirdfeeders.com for feeders, houses, guides and gear as well as [http://www.kingbirdfeeders.com/00ProdBinoculars.htm]binoculars. Happy birding!
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?New-Adventures—Needed-Equipment&id=6852030] New Adventures – Needed Equipment
