Eagle Optics Blog

Brutally cold, snowy, windy Wisconsin weather has made me an especially big fan of shopping online this year. What makes this even nicer is the guaranteed delivery by Christmas many retailers are offering. Shop at Eagle Optics with peace of mind and receive your gift on time when you take advantage of our Express Shipping Sale. Check it out online or call us at 1-800-289-1132.

Once you’ve received those new binoculars, put them to good use by participating in the Christmas Bird Count sponsored by Audubon. This 109-year tradition was begun by conservationists in the early 20th century. The current year’s event continues from now until January 5, 2009. Contact a count compiler in your area to join others in this extensive effort. New birders are paired with at least one experienced birder. What a terrific way to learn about birds and give back to this important undertaking.

Kristin

Eagle Optics Staff

Technorati : christmas bird count

During the holidays, we fondly reminisce about activities and gifts from earlier years, often wishing we could still get a certain toy or doll to pass onto future generations. This feeling applies to binocular customers. It is tough to relinquish a tried and true binocular that delivered outstanding views of lions in Africa, tropical birds in South America, or your favorite backyard visitors.

If the Leica Ultravid BR is the binocular you treasure most, Eagle Optics can help you avoid future separation anxiety. While supplies last, you can take advantage of substantial savings on the Leica Ultravid BR 10×32 and 8×32. You will enjoy the rich color resolution and sharp, distinct details delivered by the optics. The Leica Lifetime Passport Protection Warranty makes this a binocular to last for subsequent generations of nature lovers.

Kristin

Eagle Optics

Technorati : Leica

A host of savings-

At Eagle Optics you will find terrific sales and specials to stretch your holiday budget. We have great savings on Audubon binoculars and spotting scopes, the Leica Ultravid 8×32 and 10×32 binoculars, and many others listed under the Eagle Optics Hot Deals section.

Freebies for you-

Other kinds of specials offer you the advantage of receiving an additional product to keep or give as a gift. Purchase a Minox binocular and receive a free Minox digital camera with your order (while supplies last). Buy any Zeiss binocular or spotting scope from Eagle Optics and an Eagle Optics Gift Certificate will arrive with your order. A butterflying favorite, the Pentax Papilio, comes with a free Jupiter III 8×21 binocular.

A lesson for birding and life-

The Young Birder’s Guide to Birds of Eastern North America by Bill Thompson III is an awesome gift for encouraging or expanding a youngster’s interest in nature. I love his advice on page 26, “…it’s not always about seeing the most birds; it’s about enjoying the birds you see.” Good reminder for young and old alike.

Kristin

Eagle Optics Blog

Save Money and See Better—

A long-held belief in our industry centers on the idea that good optics have to be expensive. At Eagle Optics we say, “Not always true.” Advancements in technology have made sport optics with a desirable performance available at more affordable prices, and we are making sure our customers find the best value to meet their needs.

The money-saving options are too numerous to list, but checking our website,
subscribing to our emails, emailing us at info@eagleoptics.com, or calling us at 1-800-289-1132 are terrific ways to learn about sales or get questions answered for all of your shopping needs. A few of my favorite values are the: Nikon Fieldscope 20-60×60 Reconditioned Straight Spotting Scope, Stokes DLS 10×42, Stokes Meadowlark 8×25, Swarovski EL 10×32 Class A Condition Binocular, Audubon Mini 7×18, and The Young Naturalist Package.

Win a Swarovski EL—

Subscribing to our emails comes with another benefit. Each month, subscribers who open the weekly email are entered to win a binocular. This month’s binocular is the Swarovski EL 8×32 Binocular.

Kristin

Eagle Optics Staff

Swarovski Digiscoper of the Year-

What could be as wonderful as seeing wildlife in person? Most of us would say nothing. But when you can’t travel around the world, I recommend you take in the colors and details of the astoundingly beautiful photographs selected as winners in the 2008 Swarovski Digiscoper of the Year contest. You will delight in photos of an expressive, mud-encrusted African Buffalo, the jam-packed cheeks of an Eastern Chipmunk, and the hide-and-seek pose of a Little Owl. I don’t know how a winner is selected—all of these photographs are stunningly gorgeous!

Kids In Nature-

It is a rewarding feeling to see youngsters learning about nature while using binoculars donated through the Eagle Optics Matching Donation program. Jennifer Thorsch from the Kids In Nature Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara sent this photo of her students as they used binoculars for observations of birds including the endangered Snowy Plover. Eagle Optics is grateful to programs like this for teaching others about the world around us.

For information about the Eagle Optics Matching Donation program, call us at 1-800-289-1132.

Kristin

Eagle Optics Staff

Technorati : Swaro Digi contest

So many birds—

Kate and I returned to Madison late on November 10th from the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival. The festival was just as great as Ben and Kate had promised me. I arrived home on a birder’s high. It was fun being the new kid on the birding block. Under Kate’s amazing guidance and with the benefit of her well-used Sibley Guide to Birds, my life bird total for this festival was 57.

Lots of wonderful people—

The birding community delivered a warm welcome. Festival organizers Jan and Father Tom and their band of hard-working volunteers deserve credit and special thanks . It was especially gratifying to meet Nick Papadopoulos from Burning Hawk Philanthropic Wines, a new Eagle Optics Conservation Partner. Nick’s passion for this worthwhile project was contagious from the first moment he called me at Eagle Optics. The Burning Hawk Wine tastings each evening were the perfect platform for Nick to share these special wines and spread the word to birders from all areas of the country.

And butterflies galore—

I’ve always understood why butterfliers want a close focusing binocular, but seeing the massive numbers and varieties of butterflies allowed me to really get the benefit of a great close focus. The distinctive coloring and details of butterflies and dragonflies were mind boggling and my favorite had to be the Mexican Bluewing digiscoped by yours truly (OK-Kate helped). No wonder we sold so many of the Eagle Optics Ranger SRT 8×32 and the Pentax Papilo binoculars at the festival.

Kristin

Eagle Optics Staff

Technorati : RGVB Festival

On Tuesday, Kate and I left the unseasonably warm weather of Wisconsin to travel to the typically balmy climate of Harlingen, Texas. The 15th annual Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival starts today and I feel very fortunate to be representing Eagle Optics at this outstanding festival. Since I have never been to this area of the country, almost every bird is a life bird for me.

Our first night in the valley found us with devoted bird lovers on a nighttime outing which yielded my first looks at Common Paraques, an Eastern Screech Owl, and Black-bellied Whistling Ducks. I might have seen the owl and ducks by pure luck, but getting the Paraque was only made possible when the pro in our group encouraged me to look closer at what appeared to be a clump of dirt in the plowed field. The next morning was windy and not conducive to birding, but the 15-acre sanctuary of Frontera Audubon in Weslaco, Texas provided looks at the Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Plain Chachalaca, Inca Dove, and Great Kiskadee. I also got a real taste of what it was like to be among numerous butterflies. With Kate’s help, I was soon spotting Julias, Queens, Zebra Longwings, Brown Longtails, and White Peacocks.

The Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge delivered my first encounter with Green Jays, or as Kate says, “the Vegas showgirls of birds”. We got a great look at groups of five Groove-billed Anis and juvenile Black-bellied Whistling Ducks. There was more, but we were most excited for Kate to finally see her first Malachite butterfly! She had been looking for a Malachite for three years and we must have seen close to two dozen while we were there. Kate had the most beautiful one perched on her finger when we realized we should have brought a camera.

The camera is packed for today! (Barn Owl photo taken at the festival).

Kristin

Eagle Optics Staff

Technorati : RGVBirding

Eagle Optics has delivered five free binoculars to readers of our weekly email since we started the email contest. All you have to do is subscribe and open our email within six days of receipt to be automatically entered in this monthly drawing. In November and December, Eagle Optics is pleased to partner with Zeiss and Swarovski to offer you the opportunity to win one of their fine binoculars.

The prize for November is a Zeiss Conquest 8×40 binocular. If you’ve never had the pleasure of looking through a Conquest, a description of amazingly bright isn’t an exaggeration. Open your Eagle Optics emails in December and you will be entered to win a Swarovski EL 8×32 binocular. Hold an EL in your hands and you will immediately understand why this binocular is designated as lightweight and ergonomically pleasing. Win either one of these binoculars, and you will learn firsthand why the premier performance of these European optics are high on everyone’s list.

Kristin

Eagle Optics Staff

Technorati : free binoculars

Next week I am fortunate to be traveling with Kate to the 15th Annual Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival. We will be birding in the morning, demonstrating sport optics in the afternoon, and enjoying Mexican cuisine in the evening. I am anxious to see my first Green Jay and many other species that never venture this far north. This will be my first birding festival, so I will have lots to blog about and some digiscoped photos to share.

About a week after Kate and I return, Ben hits the road to attend the Festival of the Cranes from November 18-23. For 21 years the City of Socorro, New Mexico and the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge have marked the return of the cranes with this popular event. Highlighting the festival are tours to areas of the refuge not normally open during the year. Friends of The Bosque del Apache NWR contribute valuable time and energy to make sure you will return to this terrific festival in the future.

Saving money on Audubon Binoculars

Eagle Optics is having a blowout sale on Audubon Binoculars. Now is the time to pick up a great pair of binoculars or the Audubon Dimensions 80 Spotting Scope at all-time low prices. All of the products are brand new and come with a limited lifetime warranty. Start your holiday shopping early and save!

Kristin

Eagle Optics Staff

Technorati : festivals

At Eagle Optics, we do our best to learn about the products we sell by using them in the field. Recently, my co-worker Christine got a digiscoping lesson from Mike McDowell and came back with great enthusiasm about this exciting method of nature photography. (Song Sparrow photo courtesy of Christine)

So what did Christine learn? Here are a few of Mike’s tips:

• Find a location where your subject is most likely to reside and set up the equipment.
• Select a focal point and note surrounding elements, such as background colors and location of branches.
• Patience is a virtue. Birds will scatter when you first arrive, but are likely to return once they are comfortable with your presence.
• Persistence is vital. Some days won’t yield any good shots. Relish the days you get the good ones!

Eagle Optics offers tips and video to help you get started digiscoping. We are always ready to answer your questions at 1-800-289-1132 or info@eagleoptics.com.

Kristin

Eagle Optics Staff

Technorati : new digiscoper