With the warm weather and a break in the rain, this was a day for a walk at Nisqually with our 4-1/2-year-old grandson Benjy (also known in various social circles as Ben, Benjamin, or Benny). Granny (Lois) couldn't go today, but she challenged Benjy to find three things: a woodpecker, a Canada Goose, and a seal, the latter being what we had seen there about a week ago. Benjy is too young to use binoculars and watch birds as adults do, but I carried my spotting scope along for him. I found a Red-breasted Sapsucker, and he could see it flying about but it moved around too erratically to get the scope on it for him; but then he spotted a bird in the bushes that turned out to be a Downy Woodpecker, so we satisfied one challenge doubly. There were no seals in the river, but I got the scope on an immature Red-tail for him and then on an adult Bald Eagle, so he could get used to looking through an optical instrument and really seeing with it. Finally, we found a pair of Canadas, accompanied by a silly barnyard goose, so he could look at them through the scope, too.

I'd be interested to know what experience others have had with young children, especially introducing them to using binoculars properly. I don't know at what age one can reasonably introduce binoculars; even adult beginners have trouble learning to point them at a target, and there is the additional issue of learning what "focus" means and how to do it. I figure at some point I'll try showing slides on a screen to develop the idea of "focus." We have bought inexpensive binoculars for our 6- and 9-year-olds, Rachel and Haley, but they keep misplacing or forgetting them, so I don't think they've had much real experience; anyway, my impression is that even 6 is too early for productive use of binoculars. I welcome your comments and experiences.

Burt Guttman
The Evergreen State College
Olympia, WA 98505 guttmanb at evergreen.edu
Home: 7334 Holmes Island Road S. E., Olympia, 98503