I woke up early a couple of days ago and heard a sound that didn't sound quite right for a February morning. It took a moment, then it dawned on me that I was hearing the cooing of a Mourning Dove. In February? Was this bird lost? Of course, I immediately seized upon the explanation that it was a sign of spring. Spring is here!

Okay, maybe I was jumping the gun. Still, I was sure of what I heard. This was verified later when I drove out of the parking lot and saw a flock of maybe a dozen Mourning Doves. As far as I am concerned, spring really is here.

What do you use when you want a quick peep at the stars and find that a binocular isn't enough and a telescope is just too much? Answer, a spotting scope.

Last night I got home late and had a full schedule of things to do, but the sky was clear (for a change) so I just had to take a peek. I picked up my spotting scope and headed for the patio. I turned the little Kowa 663 on Canis Major to spot of few open clusters. It took a while under the light polluted Chicago skies, but at last I spotted M41 below Sirius and zoomed in for a better look. At 60x, it was nicely framed and the stars resolved nicely. For comparison sake, I then tried to find M41 in my 8.5x44 swift. Very difficult. Doubt if would have seen it if I hadn't already lined it up in the spotting scope. Score one for the spotting scope.

I then turned the Kowa to Orion and hit the nebulae. Also excellent, so I zoomed up again and easily nailed the Trapezium. I then turned the little scope on Saturn and enjoyed a perfect miniature of the planet with the rings and ball sharply outlined. Okay, it wasn't large, but the Kowa at 60x did as good a job as any refractor I have used and that includes a Televue.

Score another one for the spotting scope.

Old-timers like me who learned the sky the old-fashioned way via a star map and a dark night sky are becoming an endangered species. I resisted the move to computerized telescopes when they first hit the market and stuck with my manual mounts, secure in the knowledge that there was no subsitute for celestial navigation the old fashioned way. I was proud of the fact that I could point to almost any bright star and give you its name. It's a feat that no GOTO telescope can do without a lot of positioning and slewing of the controls.

Now it seems that anyone will be able to duplicate my skill when the new Celestron Skyscout hits the market later this summer. Just look through this new handheld computer, aim it at any star, hit a button and it tells you the name of the object and also a brief description.

I'm a walking dinosaur.

I could not be more pleased than to see OpticsPlanet become a sponsor for the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. This is one of the most prestigious non-profit, educational and environmental organizations in the world and a familiar friend of every birder. As a lifelong birder, teacher and optics expert, it means a lot to me to be employed by an organization that has stepped forward as a sponsor for the Lab. Thank-you OpticsPlanet.

I was out this weekend on a field trip to a plant conservatory and decided to make a side-trip on the way home, hopefully to add a few bird species to my '06 bird list. All work and no play makes for a pretty empty list, after all.

Thirty minutes on the trails at a local sanctuary, though, only resulted in several Juncos, one Red-bellied Woodpecker and some chattering teeth on my part. Definitely time to warm up, so I stopped in the Nature Center building on the way back to the car. While thawing out, I wandered over to the window to check the action at one of the birdfeeders.

First thing I noticed was that it was covered with Goldfinches. As I watched them through my Leica, I could see Chickadees darting in and out to grab sunflower seeds. Behind them a White-breasted Nuthatch spiraled up a dead oak. Not bad, especially since I was inside where it was nice and warm. Then out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a sparrow land in a bush directly below my window. I aimed the Leica, half expecting to see a House Sparrow. Instead I saw not one, but three different sparrow species scratching in the litter underneath the bush. There in nearly the same field of view was a Tree Sparrow, a White-throated sparrow and a beautiful rusty red Fox Sparrow.

Next time, I think I'll check the feeders first.

Due to our ever-expanding growth, OpticsPlanet is in need of another, full-time riflescope product specialist. Primary focus will answering inquiries about shooting optics via telephone and internet, making recommendations about products, suggesting replacements for items out of stock and assisting the web team in organizing and editing product copy. Preference will be given to applicants with sales and/or customer service experience, but will train any applicant with a strong background in the shooting sports. Position includes paid health insurance and a generous discount program. This is a chance to put your knowledge of the outdoors to work in a young, growing, progressive company . Contact us for details.

PS. Okay, this is not exactly Montana, but there are rifle ranges and shooting preserves here in the Chicago area. Shooting sports are popular here.

Had a clear night last week, but little time, so I grabbed my little Kowa 663 spotting scope and aimed it at Saturn. Now one of my tests of a good scope is to see at what magnification I can see the rings of Saturn as separate from the planet. To get a plus on this report card, I must be able to see at least a sliver, no matter how tiny, of dark space between the planet and the rings. In past tests, the average spotting scope usually requires between 40x and 50x to do this. Premium grade spotting scopes with special glass objectives like the Kowa 663, however, can do it at much lower magnifications, usually between 20x and 30x.

With the new Kowa Z9B zoom eyepiece, this Kowa 663 did it at an amazing 20x even. There it was, a perfectly round tiny ball with a tiny ring, but a ring that I could honestly say was separate from the planet. Wow! That's says a lot about both the scope and the eyepiece. Love my Kowa.

This is an excerpt from an article I have been working on for our website. Pass it on to someone who is thinking about getting started, but needs a little push.

TEN REASONS TO GO BIRDING (BIRDWATCHING)

1. Birds are everywhere. You will never have to travel far to see birds. They are as close as your backyard or neighborhood park. For more variety, try your nearest urban center, cemetery, airport or even your local land fill. Will you be traveling? Watching birds on your next vacation, camping trip or fishing expedition is a great way to see new birds. No matter where you are, you will find birds.

2. You can enjoy birds every day - there is no closed season when it comes to birding. Different seasons bring different birds, but there are always birds to see on any given day of the year.

3. There are many kinds of birds to watch and keep things interesting. Almost any location will have a at least a hundred species and most locations will have many, many more.

4. The element of surprise is always present with birds. Birds have a tendency to show up in unexpected places and at unexpected times of the year. There is always a chance you will see something unusual when birding.

5. Birds are beautiful. Birds are one of nature's most colorful groups for a variety of biological reasons, but for us, that makes them all the more enjoyable to watch.

6. Birds are active when we are. With obvious exceptions, such as owls, birds are daytime creatures just like us and can be observed easily during daytime hours.

7. Birding is for everyone. Young or old, male or female, techno or aesthetic type, casual or fanatic - there is something for everyone in birding.

8. Birding is very popular. In fact, birding is one of the fastest growing outdoor activities today and more people watch birds than any other outdoor pastime. This means there is plenty of help and lots of company to get started. Birders love to share the fun with others.

9. Birding is a fun way to learn about science, nature and the environment. It is a great way to connect to the natural world.

10. Equipment needs are simple. A binocular and a good field guide will get you started nicely. You can add a spotting scope later to expand your birding opportunities, but the basic tools for birding are within anyone's budget.