Bushnell NatureView 8×42 Roof Prism Binocular
July 29, 2008
Witnessing beauty in its natural state doesn’t have to come with an unnatural price tag. Case in point, the NatureView binoculars. Available in a variety of different models, including two new configurations for 2004, they’re affordable and loaded with features. Designed specifically for serious birders and naturalists, the ultra close-focus capabilities get you intimate with the details without getting pecked in the head. BaK-4 porro prisms on select models yield brighter images and better edge sharpness. Extended eye relief reduces eyestrain for eyeglass wearers during long observation periods. They’re perfect for the budding nature observer.
Customer Review: Broke easily and warranty stinks
Purchased these as a gift and they were fine briefly until the internal parts failed. Contacted Bushnell and the warranty is useless — costs more to have them repaired under warranty than to buy new ones. Get a grip Bushnell.
Customer Review: excellent value
Purchased to view birds and wildlife from my kitchen window. Sharp, clear image at reasonable cost. Replaced old pair of 7×35’s that no longer fuse images properly (dropped too many times) and a pair of compacts (too small for good image). Buy from here…
National Geographic Field Guides to Birds: Florida (NG Field Guide to Birds)
July 29, 2008
Customer Review: Florida birds in your pocket
This is fantastic to carry with you and being specialized for Florida that makes it easy to use and carry with you everywhere and all information for each bird!! Great !!!
Customer Review: Disappointment
Having seen the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds I was interested in the Florida version. However after receiving the book and looking through it I was greatly disappointed. The illustrations (photographs?) are very poor as far as identifying many of the birds. The drawings of the full version are much superior. It is also very incomplete in its coverage of the birds present. Upon receiving it I tried looking up birds I had recently identified and found a surprising number missing from the book although I could see some of them in my yard trees. Florida’s Birds from Pineapple Press is much better although the first edition of it is also incomplete. I kept the NG book in my library but for now I will continue to use Sibley (Eastern Birds) and Stokes (Eastern Birds) as my field guides. One thing in favor of the NG Florida book is that it is small enough to actually be carried into the field easily. Buy from here…
The Birdwatcher’s Guide to Hawai’i (Kolowalu Books)
July 29, 2008
This is the first site-specific birding book written especially for the casual or novice birder. It is a fully illustrated look at more than 60 top birding sites on O`ahu, Kaua`i, the Big Island, Maui, Moloka`i, and Lanai. Every spot described offers something special–forest-dwelling birds unique to Hawai`i, seabirds that rarely visit the shore, or introduced birds found in city parks and gardens.
Birds of greatest interest and those most likely to be seen at each site are given particular attention, with information on seasonal occurrences to help visitors plan their birding trips. Site descriptions note activities and nearby points of interest, detailed directions to the sites, and available facilities for visitors. Helpful occurrence tables show at a glance where common and uncommon birds can be found. General information on birding in Hawai`i, a description of the processes that led to extensive speciation, and a review of the threats against Hawaiian birdlife are included.
Customer Review: Not for strangers in paradise
Before our first visit to Hawaii I searched to find something that would serve as a useful guide for a trip that would permit only casual bird-watching. This book is really best for someone able to dedicate time to exploring the recommended hikes. Having said that, my main complaint about the book is that the illustrations are of little use to someone from the North American continent who is unfamiliar with Hawaii’s birds, as the majority of readers probably are. After all, which would be more useful, good color photos of Northern Cardinals, or a photo of the ‘Apapane? A photo of a Black-crowned Night Heron, or a photo of the ‘I’iwi? The Birdwatchers Guide has very good photos of a male and a female cardinal and the heron, which are close to ubiquitous in the mainland USA, and none of the latter, which are totally unfamiliar to mainlanders. There are lots of black and white photos of things like people looking through binoculars, road signs, and trails, none of which are terribly useful to birdwatchers trying to ID unfamiliar species…
Customer Review: Useful and interesting
Rick Soehren knows Hawai’i and its birds, and this site guide is a great help to visitors. Soehren describes, island by island, where to find Hawai’i’s birds, and in the process gives the reader some of Hawai’i’s avian history. The book is illustrated with good black-and-white photographs. I have used the book on Hawai’i and Kaua’i and have found it clear, accurate, and very useful. Buy from here…
Birds of Washington v3.9
July 29, 2008
Version 3.9 was released on July 31, 2007. Birds of Washington v3.9 contains 345 species regularly seen in the state. This Windows CD-ROM includes color photos, songs for all species from the world-famous Cornell Lab of Ornithology, range maps, abundance maps, ID tips and more. The CD-ROM includes an ID Wizard to help you identify the birds, even if you do not know the bird’s name. Just enter colors, size, habitat and location. The ID Wizard will show you photos of all the birds that match your description. Petey the Parrot will pronounce each bird’s common and scientific name for you. Also included are over 300 quizzes, including Christmas Bird Count Quizzes for Bellingham, Ellensburg, Moses Lake, Olympia, Seattle, Anacortes-Sidney and Spokane. The CD-ROM lets you compare two birds side-by-side and shows you the similar species. With version 3.9, you can: Share Custom Lists with your friends Download songs and photos to an iPod for your own personal use Add your own comments and photos for each bird Identify birds by sound in the ID Wizard Use the new “Pick One” quiz — see four bird photos and pick the right one. And most important of all, The Birder’s Handbook is now included (a $20 value) System Requirements: Windows 2000, XP or Vista; Pentium 4 processor or equivalent; 512 MB RAM; CD-ROM drive; 1 Gig on hard drive; plus hardware and software required to support multimedia applications. Some features of this CD-ROM require an Internet connection. Buy from here…
Bird watching Rock My World Short Sleeve T-Shirt
July 29, 2008
The Design/Saying is printed on the front of the product, we use the newest & best technology to print the design with great inks that are cured into the product. This new high tech way of producing garments is very fade resistant. WE DO NOT USE TRANSFERS. It is great, since you dont have that thick transfer feeling. The feel is very smooth and comfortable. Opinionsrfun offers over 40,000 designs on tons of products to offer millions of variations. You can search our store for something for everyone on your gift list or shop for yourself (our personal favorite). Please contact us with questions. Buy from here…
National Geographic Field Guide to Birds: New York (National Geographic Field Guide)
July 26, 2008
Sized for backpack or pocket, each 272-page volume highlights a single state or two and covers 125 species (each with a photograph and range map), with local expertise provided by experienced birders.
Even novice birders will make quick and confident identifications thanks to the uncluttered, easy-to-use format. An introductory locator map pinpoints top birding sites, and customized range maps detail each species’ winter, breeding, migration, and resident ranges.
New York boasts a rich mix of city and country birds, from Long Island waterfowl to Niagara’s famous gulls and various high-latitude Adirondack species. Springtime hawk-watching makes Derby Hill Bird Observatory a favorite; at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge in the Finger Lakes, seasonal migrations promise sightings galore, while New York City’s Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge shelters birds of interest all year. Buy from here…
Bird-Witched!: How Birds Can Change a Life (Mildred Wyatt-Wold Series in Ornithology)
July 26, 2008
Birding can become an addiction. It starts when you hang a bird feeder in the backyard. Then you buy a bird book to identify the birds you see. Then, before you know it, you’re keeping a life list and traveling the region, the country, perhaps even the world to catch glimpses of rare birds. Marjorie Adams’s birding passion progressed through all these stages and continues today in her tenth decade. In this engaging and informative book, she looks back at her evolution into a full-fledged birder and the concurrent growth of the sport of birding, to which she contributed significantly as a founding member of the American Birding Association, a newspaper columnist on birding, and a teacher and producer of educational wildlife films with her husband and lifelong birding partner, “Red” Adams.
As one who was there from the beginning, Marjorie Adams is uniquely qualified to recount the astonishing rise of birding to a major pastime and recreational industry. She describes the founding of the American Birding Association and profiles its founder, James A. Tucker. She vividly recalls many of her and Red’s birding adventures, from southern Canada to Mexico, as well as their encounters with a host of highly regarded birders, including Roger Tory Peterson, Pete Dunne, Victor Emanuel, Charles Hartshorne, and Roy Bedichek. She also explains how her and Red’s love for birds led them to become conservation activists and how they produced an award-winning film on the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler. Offering an important chapter in the story of birding in Texas and the United States, this book establishes Marjorie and Red Adams’s rightful place among the leading Texas naturalists of recent decades.
Serendipitous Outings Near New York City: On Foot in New Jersey, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania
July 26, 2008
Selected outings are for those with specific interests: There are mushroom forays, walks among fragrant herbs (especially, but not only, for the blind and handicapped), total fitness trails, vineyard and apple-picking walks, and a walk amid an amazing sculpturescape. Each entry includes the authors’ recommended time for a visit (it’s not always spring!), directions, and ideas of other outings in the area. All walks are within the abilities of the average family, and some are easier.
For walkers of every description–from experienced hikers to leisure-time strollers–this book is the perfect guide to outdoor adventures close to the City.
Customer Review: Taken the scare out of visiting New York City
Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (7/06)
Anticipating a trip to the New York City and area, this book certainly has taken the scare out of visiting an incredibly large city. “Serendipitous Outings Near New York City” simplifies the trip and gives the reader an opportunity to visit New York City with ease.
Harrison and Rosenfeld intended this book for all walkers - experienced trail hikers, antique hunters, nature lovers, as well as slow walkers that just love to browse and enjoy conversations with those they meet. The book starts off with the “Deserted” Village in the Allaire State Park of New Jersey. The authors give a brief history, description and when the village is open. They explain that guided tours are available if one so desires, but they also encourage self-guided tours. After the walk, they suggest a trek to the Atlantic Ocean where another small town exists.
This is only one of the many walking trips that the authors suggest. They include an easy to follow map and there is no doubt they have trekked the streets and areas themselves. They say things like “Before leaving Stonecrop, be sure to walk on a small path through the woodland garden: Azaleas, rhododendrons, and other shade-loving plants have been carefully placed to blend harmoniously with this natural habitat. Nearby is a pond surrounded by lilies and groupings of…” How enticing is that! With descriptions like this, one can’t help but wander on the path.
I’m looking forward to using this book on my trip to the area. At first I wasn’t anticipating visiting some of the areas which include New Jersey, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. However, after perusing this book, the travel plans will have to include these areas.
Buy from here…
Birds of the Los Angeles Region (Regional Bird Books)
July 26, 2008
Customer Review: Birds of the Los Angeles Region
First, I am not a bird watcher. I don’t go out of my way to see birds and I’m not enthusiastic about sighting them. I just sit by my window and lately there have been many different birds in my garden. This isn’t surprising because it’s autumn and they’re passing through.
I never could find my way around a Petersen guide or other birds books I’ve seen, but Birds of the Los Angeles Region is organized so I can find what I just saw and the pictures make it recognizable. It also makes it easy to find the birds that will be in my microclimate, not all over Southern California. The descriptions give me all the information I want.
Now I know I’ve had a junco living in the garden for a couple of weeks. I’d heard of juncos, but had no clue about what they were. My favorites were some yellow warblers. I didn’t even know there were yellow warblers before this book. It stays on my desk by the window so I don’t have to go out of my way to get acquainted with whoever is visiting today.
This book has added a small pleasure my life. Whatever brings a small pleasure is a happy gift.
Customer Review: Great new reference
Gotta have it if you live or spend time in greater L.A. Buy from here…
Water Ballet - Swans - Wildlife Decor Art Print - License Plate Tag By Terry Isaac From Airstrike
July 26, 2008
Airstrike specializes in producing top quality custom decorative license plates, magnets and keychains from artwork by popular artists via a unique patented process. Buy from here…
