Spent some of my childhood years in the state of North Dakota and remember it for it's wonderful prairie potholes as well as its friendly people. With that in mind, I have been thinking of setting up a
birding tour some day. What does a prairie birder on the move carry? A
birding binocular, of course, but also a
spotting scope. In fact, you may be using a spotting scope more than a binocular for this type of birding. Eastern birders sometimes fail to appreciate how essential a
spotting scope is for western birding. Think of it this way. How do you plan to get close enough to shore birds that are on a mud flat, hundreds of yards out in the middle of a marsh? Wading? No way, not if you have any concern for the birds or the habitat and, besides, that's going to be illegal in some sanctuaries. Head west, you birders, head west, but take a spotting scope.
