The spotting scope discussion brings to mind something
I perceive as a hindrance in getting new birders hooked on
birding - as Robert mentioned, you can see their faces
light up when the scope is actually on the bird and they're
really seeing it - but with groups of kids in particular, there
are never enough good optics to go around. Adults will
be polite and say, "Oh, I saw it well enough, thanks," or
"Guess I missed it, oh well.." But kids will just devote
their attention to other things.

Have any of you seen some kind of format in which one
can give a group some good optics practice, with live
birds (or wildlife), when there are only a few scopes or
binoculars to go around?

I want to get more of our local Auduboners involved in
bird monitoring and I thought some kind of binocular
practice session would help.

Chris Maack
Anchorage, AK
CMaack at compuserve.com

P.S. Robert Taylor - I have a Slik pistol grip too. Probably
was the single most helpful thing in learning to use my
scope.