..............In my search for scopes-----Fujinin, Swarouski, and Pentax
were the finalists. But one brand got really superb reviews, both by an
e-mail and several web sites, so............the final choice is: Pentax
PF 80-ED w /20x60 zoom. Adorama has the best price of the reputable
firms, and believe it or not this model, is *less* than several
"high-end" much touted scopes.
.............."Still out" on the binos, but selection has been narrowed
to Zeiss, LC. Triovid Ultra; B and Lomb Elite; and Swarouski--all
10x50's.(Zeiss is 10x56). The decisions on this can wait longer, as my
present scope is much more inadequate than my better quality binos.
...............All the comments and e-mails have been really helpful. All
spoke of good brands and models, but the ultimate choice is what is most
suitable for your seriousness of birding and what you bird(
and......what one can afford!!!).This makes it very subjective in many
respects, but imput from each and every one of you is equally important
to me.
................I'm listening to, (as one birder put it) "goose music"
this evening as flocks of noisy Canada Geese wend their way westwards
overhead.

Gerald Hamilton
Brush Prairie, Wash.
gerald at e-z.net