I totally agree with the comments of others about the utility of Bogen Manfrotto tripods. I went through several cheaper tripods before finally waking up to getting something better and more durable. Also, because a decent tripod and scope setup can be rather awkward to maneuver around and transport, I would recommend considering a little backpack like the "Tri-Pack" (at www.aba.org), which is specially designed for carrying a scope-mounted-tripod. This gadget lets you more handily pick up an awkward scope-mounted-tripod, swing it onto your back, and carry it more easily to a nearby birding site or series of locations. You can also transport a scope-mounted-tripod like this with the tripod legs fully extended, if the terrain isn't too obstructive.

Bruce Moorhead
Port Angeles, WA
bruceb at olypen.com