Product Description
Pete Dunne has taught birding to beginners for years, but he has never found the right book to help them get started. Now the popular birding author identifies the skills and tools available to people with any amount of interest, great or small, in bird watching. Beginning with backyard birding and moving through a quick but comprehensive survey of tools of the trade, Dunne outlines ten basic, simple steps in bird identification that can make a birder out of the most casual of observers. He goes on to show beginning birders how to use their skills to explore new horizons through birding by ear, birding by telescope, and finding and identifying rare or difficult birds. Written in the lively, authoritative style that has made Dunne one of the most popular writers in this field today, Pete Dunne on Bird Watching will inspire in readers both a growing passion for birding and a lifelong respect for the natural world and its inhabitants.

Pete Dunne on Bird Watching : The How-to, Where-to, and When-to of Birding

The DCF SP 8×43 Pentax binoculars are smooth, well balanced, ergonomically designed and beautiful to handle, an excellent match for far more expensive top quality binoculars. If you don’t have £1,000+ to spend and you want high performance superior optics encased in a beautiful lightweight but rugged body then take a serious look at the Pentax DCF SP 8×43’s.

The image quality is amazing, I picked up the DCF SP 8×43 Pentax binoculars expecting a good quality viewing but was pleasantly surprised with the brightness and clarity of the image. The roof prisms are top quality high-refraction Bak-4 and phase coated and like all top quality binoculars the Pentax DCF SP’s come with fully multi coated lenses. Pentax use their own specially formulated lens coating which has been proven to deliver exceptionally bright, high contrast images (according to the brochure) and, in my opinion these binoculars stood up to the hype. I was particularly impressed at how well they performed against my all time favourites, the Swarovski 8.5×42 EL’s which are considerably more expensive.

I was impressed with the speed of focus which for me is an important feature that always influences my buying decision and being able to focus as close as 2mtrs was an added bonus. The eye relief is exceptionally good at 22mm (for the DCF SP 8×43 Pentax binoculars), the ‘twist up’ eye cups are comfortable and easy to use and the exit pupil is 5.4mm, all features that make these Pentax binoculars ideal for spectacle wearers. I did think the attached objective lens covers would prove to be irritating but I was wrong, they hang discretely below the binoculars and don’t get in the way.

The body of the DCF SP Pentax binoculars is fairly compact and exceptionally lightweight (695g) for full size binoculars due to its magnesium-alloy body. They are covered in dark green rubber armouring, which not only makes them exceptionally robust but also comfortable to hold.

As you would expect of a top quality binocular the Pentax DCF SP’s are waterproof (JIS class 6), nitrogen filled and sealed ensuring that they can be used in all weather conditions, and are fully protected against fogging and potentially damaging dust particles.

All in all the 8×43 DCF SP Pentax binoculars get my seal of approval, they are exceptional value for money with many features that make their performance comparable to that of far more expensive binoculars. The high performance optics, lens coatings and prisms are of exceptional quality and the sophisticated inner-focus optical design has helped ensure that the Pentax DCF SP’s are lightweight and compact for 8×43 binoculars. I haven’t tried them for astronomy but they stand up well in a marine environment and they are quite impressive when used for bird watching.

As birding binoculars I still prefer the Swarovski 8.5×43 EL’s but I would still be happy with the Pentax DCF SP’s and given the cost differential I couldn’t say the differences between the two warrant the much higher price tag.

I am looking at getting a Bushnell® 10×50 Falcon™ Binoculars which is said to weight 27oz.

I am a beginner – intermediate birder. Is this a good fit?

There is a multitude of prospects for Arkansas bird watching. There are over 400 documented species of birds in the areas that surround the Ozark Mountains. In addition to the birds, there is also a large variety of butterfly species that inhabit the state, creating additional opportunities for premium wildlife viewing.

The first, and probably the most practical reason is that it is affordable. Since Arkansas is centrally located within the United States, it is, with a few exceptions, just about a day’s drive from anywhere in the country. This kind of access, coupled with the low cost of living in the area, makes a trip affordable. If you are coming from out of state or from the East or West coast, you will be delighted at the hospitable nature of the people who call the state of Arkansas home.

Another reason to consider Arkansas as your next bird watching destination is the availability of local resources. A bird watching club is easily found and there are Audubon societies in the area, and most are ready and willing to provide information that will allow visitors to capitalize on all of the bird watching opportunities that an area has to offer. If you are serious about heading to Arkansas to do some bird watching, make sure you check out birding Arkansas site. Here you will find a number of resources and links that will help you plan your trip.

The Ivory Billed Woodpecker recently made headlines and put Arkansas bird watching at the forefront of the North American birding community. This bird, which was thought to be extinct, was seen in the swamps of Arkansas. This discovery has led to a relative tourism boom in the small towns that surround the native habitat of the woodpecker. The economic boost that these additional tourists has provided is being used to further protect the habitat.

Bull Shoals State Park, DeGray Lake Resort State Park, and Devil’s Den State Park each host bird watching festivals or events at different times of the year. These organized festivals and events allow bird watching enthusiasts from around the country to come together and share information and to enjoy the company of folks who share similar passions. Local bird watching club involvement is very active in supporting these events.

In addition to the festivals, some lodges and outfitters sponsor Arkansas bird watching tours. These tours can be a good way to go if you are unfamiliar with the area and want to be assured of the best opportunities to see rare species. The guides who lead the tours will have the latest and most up to date information about where the birds have been seen and will know the best ways to get there. Guided tours give you the chance to focus on bird watching and allow you to leave the driving to someone else.