Some birders get confused on what the numbers on their binoculars stand for. For example 7x45 (pictured above, best binoculars in the world)...the 7 stands for the magnification (power), and is built into the ocular lenses (the lens you put your eyes up to). The 45 stands for the diameter in millimeters of the objective lens (wider lenses at the end of the binoculars). The wider the objective lens, the more light they are supposed to gather, although glass quality and type of coating on the lenses plays a part in this.

The field of view is not determined from the size of the objective lens...the field of view is determined by the width of the ocular lenses. So a 7x50 binocular does not necessarily have a wider field of view than a 7x42...and may not be brighter in some cases. The field of view is measured in feet per 1000 yards. So a FOV of 350 ft. at 1000 yds. will be smaller than a FOV of 405 ft. at 1000 yds. When comparing full-sized high quality binoculars, most 10x binoculars have a smaller FOV compared to 7x binoculars. Don't be convinced by someone who claims to own a 10x binocular with a wide FOV.

The hawk Migration is in full swing at the moment. Lots of Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper's Hawks, Harriers, Kestrels, and Red-tailed Hawks moving south along the Wasatch. If you get a free moment to hike along the foothills....look up. Lots of Flickers migrating as well -- they typically coincide with the Cooper's Hawks. Yellow-rumped Warblers are in good numbers too. Also saw a hummingbird today.

Goshawks, Swainson's Hawks, Broad-winged Hawks, Ferruginous Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Golden Eagles, Bald Eagles, Turkey Vultures, and the other falcons can be seen on any given day.

Took this photo of a Sharp-shinned Hawk about half way up to Grandeur Peak yesterday ("click" to enlarge).

Sabine's Gull at Antelope Island State Park: 10/8/11

According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Sabine’s Gull is "An unusual and distinctive arctic gull that breeds at high latitudes but winters near the tropics."

Today at Antelope Island State Park, Tim Avery and I located one. One of the first thoughts I had when I saw this amazing bird was it must’ve gone on one hell of a journey to get here. Just take a look at where they breed.



This bird likely came from somewhere off the northern coast of Alaska or Canada. The Gull showed the characteristic look of a juvenile bird, meaning it hatched just a few months ago. What an incredible journey to make. A flight of presumably 3,000 or so miles just to get to Utah with likely at least that left to go in order to reach it’s wintering grounds in the tropics. Stunning. Remarkable. I am in awe of the Sabine’s Gull. More of Tim's photos of the bird can be seen here.

Thought I'd share some sightings. Every October I see a fair number of Common Loons (above left) migrating along the Wasatch and the Goshute Mountains, so keep an eye out for them. Some people are puzzled by this, but if you spend time along the ridge during fall and spring migration, you will see some neat sightings or views of birds that you don't see in the valleys.

The photo in the middle (above) is part of the Rosy Finch flock of about 500 birds that spent a month or so below Grandeur Peak along the shoreline trail last winter. They were difficult to find unless something happened to scare them up, even though they were right above the trail only about 50 ft.

The photo above right is of a dragonfly in flight. I didn't think much of it, but a friend filled me in that there aren't too many dragonfly photos of them in flight. So, I thought I would share it. I have a few more interesting photos to share down the road.

When birders talk about difficult ID issues, they never mention telling female Kestrels from "brown" (juvenile and adult female) Prairie Merlins. Yes, when seen in close-up photos, the two are easy to tell apart, but when seen at a distance in the field they can look very similar to each other. Trust me, I've seen some of the best birders and hawk watchers in the country make this mistake.

The flight style of Kestrels and Merlins differs, and the shape differences between the two are sometimes obvious, but the plumages can appear quite similar (Merlin on top, Kestrel on bottom). Next time you see a distant "Kestrel" that seems a tad stocky or is flying like a Merlin, take a second look. Hope this helps.