98-06-05, Marvin Cooper asked (privately) but I'll share my thoughts with the
list:

<< My inclination is to buy the angled scope but I've never used one in a
vehicle with a window clamp and wonder if this scope is an inconvenience in
that situation. Do you have any thoughts on this?
>>

Choosing the straight vs angled spotting scope comes down to simply a personal
preference with some thought to how and where and by whom it might most often
be used.

I elected the straight version for two very important reasons:
(1) I like to be able to look at the bird (object, area) with one eye while
looking through the scope with the other. If the scope is straight, it is
easier and quicker to orient on the target area and to find the object. With
an angled scope, it might be more difficult to find the bird especially if
unbeknownst to you it decides to walk or fly away when you're looking down and
can't see what's going on out there with the other eye. And who knows,
something 'more interesting' might fly by or in that you'd see with the
'other' eye and peripherial vision with a straight scope but would likely miss
if looking downward.
(2) If birding in the rain, especially our kind of often perpetual
intermittant misty drizzle around here, a straight scope would be less prone
to catching annoying droplets of water.

Otherwise, two distinct advantages of having an angled scope over a straight
one is that (1) you don't necessarily need a really tall tripod and (2) if you
are likely to be sharing the scope a lot as in group field trip situations,
it's more handy for birders of different heights without having to frequently
raise and lower tripod.

With respect to your question about using an angled scope with a car window
mount, I considered that as well. I would tend to think that an angled scope
might be better and more versatile. The straight scope can be a bit awkward
to downright impossible at times, especially when the object is above
(uncomfortable) or below (even worse in a Subaru Legacy SW where a big guy
like me is short on headroom) the horizontal plane of the observer. The
amount of flexibility with respect to headroom inside your car is a
significant point of consideration. Someone who has an angled scope and uses
it with a window mount from the car is probably better qualified to address
this. However, for the same two reasons indicated above, I decided on the
straight scope which still means having to compromise a bit.

Should you take it to Costa Rica? It's extra weight and space and you'll
probably worry about the possibility of it getting damaged or stolen which
could just as easily happen right here. I've certainly traveled over much of
the world *without* a spotting scope and managed okay, but there certainly
have been many a time when I sure wished I had it along. So, I would tend to
say take it, unless perhaps you're going on a tour in which case there will
likely be other scopes available and you won't then have to worry and lug
yours around and wondering where to put it when birding somewhere where a
scope isn't all that practical. Still, there is nothing like just plain
having *your own* scope on hand and I'm sure you'd certainly enjoy it when you
are using it.

Richard Rowlett (Pagodroma at aol.com)
47.56N, 122.13W
(Seattle/Bellevue, WA USA)