1. When did you first become interested in bird watching and what has kept you interested?
I first became interested in bird watching when I was a kid. I remember watching cardinals and Red-winged Blackbirds at my grandfather’s birdfeeder using his navy binoculars.
2. Where are you located and what species do you spend most of your time observing?
I’m located in Connecticut. I don’t look for any one type of species but we have a lot of Great Blue Herons and Bald Eagles in our area.
3. Are you active in a local or online birding community?
I participate in activities with two of our local Audubon chapters, Mattabeseck and Hartford Audubon.
4. What is your favorite bird or your favorite birding moment? It doesn’t necessarily have to be anything rare, just something meaningful.
The first time I saw a Black-crowned Night Heron near my home was exciting. I had no idea what type of bird it was. I drew a sketch and ran back to get a camera only to find out that birds come out like dots using a camera without zoom.
5. Do you have a competitive birding interest ie a year list or life list?
I’m not into listing at this point. I have enjoyed doing a Big January for my state just as a way to keep winter a little more interesting. I have a life list but only update it when it comes to mind that I may have seen a new species over the last year.
6. What is your favorite place you’ve been bird watching? This includes a birding vacation or even your own backyard.
My favorite place that I’ve been bird watching is up in the Connecticut Lakes region of northern New Hampshire. It has a remote feel to the area and find it a nice setting to search for boreal species. It’s fun to see moose walking around while you’re looking for birds. They can be dangerous at certain times of the year though.
7. What is the farthest you have traveled to see a particular bird?
Maine is about as far as I have gone for bird watching-maybe 500 miles. I’ve never traveled to a birding destination for the specific purpose of watching birds. The places I go are usually tied into a fishing, hiking, or camping trip.
And because this is AllBestBinoculars.com, we have to ask….
8. What was your first pair of binoculars?
The first pair I used were navy binoculars from WWII. I don’t know the manufacturer. The first pair I owned were Tasco 7×35 binoculars.
9. What is the best pair of binocs you’ve ever owned?
The best pair I’ve owned are the Meopta Meostar 8×42.
10. The worst?
The worst pair were probably the Tasco binoculars. The cement which secured the lenses melted when I left the bins on my dashboard. I thought they worked pretty good at the time though.