The Complete Guide to Spotting Scopes and Daytime Optics

Bringing Nature Closer — Why Good Optics Matter

There is a kingfisher sitting on a branch overhanging a stream, thirty metres away. To your naked eye, it is a small, brightly coloured shape — clearly a bird, but little more than that. Through a good pair of binoculars, it becomes a recognisable kingfisher: the electric blue back, the orange breast, the oversized bill. Through a quality spotting scope, you can see the individual feathers on its crown, the dark eye against the orange cheek, the texture of its bill, the tension in its body as it watches the water below. You can see every detail as clearly as if you were standing next to it — without disturbing it in any way.

This is what good optics do. They close the distance between you and the natural world while keeping you invisible. They let you watch a family of otters playing without them knowing you are there. They let you identify a distant raptor circling on a thermal by the shape of its wings and the pattern on its underside. They let you observe nesting behaviour, feeding strategies, and the subtle interactions between animals that you would never see up close because your presence would change everything.

Whether you are a birdwatcher, a naturalist, a wildlife enthusiast, or simply someone who loves being outdoors and wants to see more, the right optical equipment transforms the experience.

What Is a Spotting Scope and Why Do You Need One?

A spotting scope is essentially a small, portable telescope designed for daytime use on land. Unlike astronomical telescopes, which are optimised for viewing faint objects in the dark sky, spotting scopes produce a correctly oriented image (right-way-up and not mirror-reversed), are built to be robust and weather-resistant, and are designed to be carried into the field and used in all conditions.

Spotting scopes typically offer magnification between 15x and 60x — considerably more than binoculars (which usually provide 8x to 12x) but less than a dedicated astronomical telescope. This makes them ideal for observing birds and wildlife at distances where binoculars run out of useful magnification: across estuaries, lakes, reservoirs, open moorland, and coastlines.

If your birdwatching involves open landscapes where birds are often distant — waders on a shore, ducks on a lake, raptors on a hillside — a spotting scope is not a luxury but a practical necessity. It is the difference between recording a bird as "unidentified distant wader" and confidently identifying it as a curlew sandpiper in winter plumage.

Binoculars vs Spotting Scopes vs Monoculars — Understanding the Differences

Binoculars

Two optical tubes side by side, producing a stereoscopic (3D) image. Binoculars are the essential starting point for any nature observer. They are handheld, quick to use, give a wide field of view, and are ideal for scanning an area, following moving birds, and general observation. For most birdwatching situations, a quality pair of 8x42 or 10x42 binoculars is the single most important piece of equipment you will own.

Binoculars excel at finding birds and following them. What they cannot do is show you fine detail at long range — the plumage patterns, the eye colour, the bill shape that you need for confident identification of distant or unfamiliar species.

Spotting Scopes

A single optical tube, mounted on a tripod, offering much higher magnification than binoculars. Spotting scopes are designed to complement binoculars, not replace them. The typical workflow in the field is: scan with binoculars, find something interesting, then swing the spotting scope onto it for a detailed look.

Spotting scopes require a tripod (or at the very least a monopod or car window mount) because the high magnification makes hand-holding impractical — any vibration is magnified along with the image. This makes them slower to deploy than binoculars, but for stationary observation of distant subjects, they are vastly superior.

Monoculars

A single compact optical tube, essentially half a binocular, designed to be handheld. Monoculars are lightweight, pocket-sized, and quick to use. They are useful as a supplement to binoculars — particularly for checking something at moderate distance when deploying a full spotting scope would take too long. They do not replace either binoculars or spotting scopes but fill a useful gap between the two.

The Practical Answer

Most serious nature observers eventually own both binoculars and a spotting scope, using each for what it does best. Binoculars live around your neck and are used constantly. The spotting scope stays on its tripod, carried over your shoulder or set up at a vantage point, and is used when you need to examine something closely at a distance.

How Spotting Scopes Work — The Optics Explained Simply

A spotting scope gathers light through its objective lens (the large lens at the front), focuses it through an internal prism system that corrects the image orientation, and delivers it to your eye through the eyepiece at the back.

The objective lens determines how much light the scope gathers — and therefore how bright and clear the image appears, particularly in poor light. A larger objective lens gathers more light, producing a brighter image, but makes the scope heavier and bulkier.

The prism system inside the scope inverts and reverses the image so that it appears the correct way up and the correct way round — essential for terrestrial observation, where you need to track moving subjects and navigate by what you see. Most modern spotting scopes use roof prisms (compact, allowing a slimmer body) or Porro prisms (which can produce a slightly brighter image but result in a wider, more angular body shape).

The eyepiece magnifies the focused image and delivers it to your eye. Most spotting scopes come with a zoom eyepiece — typically covering a range like 20-60x or 25-50x — which allows you to start at low magnification (for a wider field of view and easier target finding) and then zoom in for detail. Some scopes accept interchangeable eyepieces, including fixed wide-angle eyepieces that offer an exceptionally wide field of view at a single magnification.

Angled vs Straight Body — Which Design Is Right for You?

This is one of the first decisions you will face, and it is largely a matter of how and where you observe.

Angled Eyepiece (Typically 45° or More)

The eyepiece points upward at an angle from the body of the scope. This means you look down into the eyepiece rather than straight through the tube.

Angled scopes are more comfortable for prolonged observation because you do not need to crane your neck to match the height of the scope. They work well on shorter, more stable tripods. They are easier to share between people of different heights — each person simply adjusts their body position slightly rather than raising or lowering the entire tripod. They are better for looking upward at birds in trees or on cliffs. And they are generally preferred for digiscoping (photographing through the scope) because the camera alignment is more stable.

For most birdwatchers, an angled scope is the more versatile choice.

Straight Body

The eyepiece is in line with the barrel of the scope. You look straight through the tube, much like looking through a telescope.

Straight scopes are more intuitive for beginners — you point the tube at the target and look through the end, which feels natural. They are slightly quicker for acquiring moving targets. They work well when observing from elevated positions or from vehicles, where you are looking slightly downward toward your subject. Some observers simply prefer the feel of a straight scope.

Neither design is objectively better. Both produce identical optical images. The choice comes down to personal preference, comfort, and the situations in which you most often observe.

Choosing the Right Size — Objective Lens and Magnification

Objective Lens Diameter

Spotting scopes are commonly available with objective lenses in three broad size categories.

Compact scopes (50–65 mm) are lightweight, easily portable, and ideal for walking, hiking, and travel. They gather less light than larger scopes, so the image is dimmer — particularly at high magnification and in low light — but their portability means they are more likely to be with you when you need them. An excellent choice if you walk long distances to your birding sites or travel frequently.

Mid-size scopes (77–85 mm) offer a strong balance of light-gathering ability and portability. An 80 mm or 85 mm scope gathers significantly more light than a compact scope, producing brighter, more detailed images, particularly in the challenging conditions of dawn, dusk, and overcast days when many birds are most active. This is the most popular size for serious birdwatchers.

Full-size scopes (95–100 mm) gather the most light and produce the brightest, sharpest images, particularly at high magnification and in poor light. They are noticeably heavier and bulkier, making them best suited for situations where you set up at a fixed vantage point — a hide, a headland, a lakeside bench — rather than walking long distances. Many experienced birders use a full-size scope as their primary instrument and a compact scope for travel and hiking.

Magnification

Most spotting scopes offer zoom eyepieces, typically in ranges such as 20-60x, 25-50x, or 15-45x. At the lower end of the zoom range, you get a wider field of view (easier to find and follow subjects) and a brighter image. At the upper end, you get more detail on distant subjects, but the field of view narrows, the image dims, and atmospheric distortion (heat haze, air turbulence) becomes more noticeable.

In practice, experienced birders often find themselves using moderate magnification (25x to 40x) for most observation, zooming to the top of the range only when conditions are favourable and the subject is stationary. Chasing maximum magnification at the expense of image quality is one of the most common mistakes beginners make.

Glass Quality and Coatings — Why They Matter So Much

The single biggest factor that separates a poor scope from a good one, and a good scope from an outstanding one, is the quality of the glass and the optical coatings applied to every surface within the instrument.

Glass Types

Standard optical glass is adequate for basic scopes but introduces chromatic aberration — colour fringing around high-contrast edges (such as a dark bird against a bright sky). This appears as a halo of purple or blue-green light around the subject and reduces perceived sharpness.

ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass significantly reduces chromatic aberration, producing a much cleaner, sharper image with more natural colour. Most mid-range and premium scopes use ED glass elements, and the improvement over standard glass is immediately visible.

HD and fluorite glass, used in premium scopes from manufacturers like Swarovski, Zeiss, Kowa, and Leica, virtually eliminate chromatic aberration and produce images of extraordinary clarity, contrast, and colour fidelity. The difference is most noticeable in challenging conditions — backlighting, low light, high magnification — where cheaper optics struggle and premium optics continue to deliver.

Optical Coatings

Every air-to-glass surface inside a scope loses a small percentage of light to reflection. A modern spotting scope contains many such surfaces. Without coatings, the cumulative light loss would be substantial, resulting in a dim, low-contrast image.

Optical coatings — thin layers of material applied to each glass surface — reduce these reflections and increase light transmission. The terminology you will encounter is: coated (a single layer on some surfaces), fully coated (a single layer on all surfaces), multi-coated (multiple layers on some surfaces), and fully multi-coated (multiple layers on all surfaces). For a quality nature-observation scope, fully multi-coated optics are the standard you should expect.

Phase-corrected prisms are an additional refinement found in better scopes with roof prisms. Phase correction maintains the alignment of light waves as they pass through the prism, preserving resolution and contrast. Any scope with roof prisms should ideally be phase-corrected.

Spotting Scopes for Birdwatching — The Heart of the Hobby

Birdwatching is the activity that drives the spotting scope market more than any other. Birders are demanding, knowledgeable optical consumers — they need instruments that perform in real field conditions, often in poor light, wind, and rain, and they need to resolve fine identification features on small, fast-moving, distant subjects.

Estuary, Shore, and Wetland Birding

These are the environments where spotting scopes are most essential. Wading birds on a distant mudflat, ducks and geese on a reservoir, terns and gulls on a sandbar — all are typically too far away for binoculars to show the detail needed for confident identification. A scope lets you examine bill shape, leg colour, plumage markings, and feeding behaviour that would otherwise be invisible.

For estuary and wetland birding, a mid-size or full-size scope (80–100 mm) on a sturdy tripod is the standard setup. The extra light-gathering of a larger objective is valuable because these environments are often overcast, and many birds are most active at dawn and dusk.

Woodland and Garden Birding

In enclosed habitats where birds are closer, binoculars are usually sufficient. However, a spotting scope is still useful for watching nest boxes from a distance (avoiding disturbance to breeding birds), examining a bird that has landed in the upper canopy, or getting a detailed look at a rare visitor to a feeding station.

Raptor Watching

Watching soaring birds of prey — buzzards, eagles, harriers, kites — from a hillside or viewpoint is one of birdwatching's great pleasures. A scope lets you identify distant raptors by their underside plumage patterns, wing shape, and flight behaviour. It also allows you to observe nesting sites from a safe, non-disturbing distance.

Seabird Watching

Watching seabirds from headlands, cliffs, and coastal vantage points is a specialised and rewarding branch of birdwatching. Seabirds are often distant, moving fast over the water, and the light conditions over the sea are demanding — bright, high-contrast, and often affected by heat haze. A quality scope with excellent colour correction and contrast is particularly valuable for seawatching.

Spotting Scopes for General Nature and Wildlife Observation

Spotting scopes are not only for birdwatchers. They are invaluable for anyone who wants to observe wildlife without disturbing it.

Watching deer from a distance as they graze and interact. Observing seals hauled out on a sandbank. Following a hare across a field. Watching otters fishing along a riverbank. Examining wildflowers on an inaccessible cliff ledge. Studying insects visiting a patch of wildflowers from a comfortable distance. All of these experiences are enhanced — or in many cases made possible — by a spotting scope.

Nature reserves, national parks, and wildlife hides are designed around the principle that observers stay at a distance and use optics to watch the animals. A spotting scope is the ideal tool for this kind of patient, respectful observation.

In the broader context of natural history and conservation, spotting scopes enable citizen scientists to conduct bird counts, monitor nesting activity, record wildlife sightings, and contribute data to conservation organisations — all without approaching or disturbing the animals being studied.

Digiscoping — Photographing Through Your Scope

One of the most exciting developments in nature observation is digiscoping — the practice of taking photographs or recording video through a spotting scope using a smartphone or camera. Digiscoping turns your scope into a powerful telephoto lens, capable of capturing close-up images of distant wildlife that would otherwise require enormously expensive camera lenses.

How It Works

You align the camera lens of your smartphone (or a dedicated camera) with the eyepiece of the spotting scope, so that the camera captures exactly what the scope sees. The scope provides the magnification and light-gathering; the camera records the image. The results, when done well, can be stunning — detailed, frame-worthy photographs of birds and wildlife taken from distances of hundreds of metres.

Smartphone Digiscoping

The most popular and accessible method. Modern smartphones have excellent cameras with sophisticated computational processing, and the images they produce through a spotting scope can be remarkably good. The key is a proper adapter that holds the phone securely in position with the camera lens precisely aligned over the eyepiece. Universal adapters clamp around the phone and grip the eyepiece. Brand-specific adapters (available from manufacturers like Swarovski, Kowa, and third-party makers) offer a more precise fit for particular phone models and scope eyepieces. Magnetic snap-on systems allow the fastest attachment and removal — critical when a rare bird might fly at any moment.

Practical Tips for Better Digiscoping

Use low to moderate magnification on the scope — image quality is always better at lower zoom settings, and the wider field of view makes it much easier to find and frame your subject. Place the scope on a solid tripod — any vibration is magnified along with the image, and a wobbly tripod ruins photographs. Use your phone's timer or a remote shutter (a Bluetooth trigger or even your wired earphone volume button) to take the photograph without touching the phone, which avoids introducing vibration. Zoom in slightly on the phone camera to reduce vignetting — the dark circular border that can appear around the edge of the image when the camera and eyepiece are not perfectly aligned. And above all, practise at home before you need to digiscope a rare bird in the field — familiarity with your setup makes the difference between a memorable photograph and a blurry frustration.

DSLR and Mirrorless Camera Digiscoping

For higher-quality results, a dedicated camera body can be connected to the scope either through the eyepiece (afocal method, similar to smartphone digiscoping) or directly to the scope body in place of the eyepiece, using a dedicated camera adapter. Direct connection generally produces sharper results because it eliminates the extra optical elements of the eyepiece, but it is a more committed setup — the camera stays attached to the scope, and you cannot easily switch between visual observation and photography.

Some scope manufacturers (notably Kowa, Swarovski, and Leica) offer integrated digiscoping systems designed for their own scopes and cameras, providing optimised optical performance and seamless switching between observation and photography.

Tripods and Supports — The Foundation of a Steady View

A spotting scope is only as good as the platform it sits on. Even a premium scope will produce disappointing, shaky images on a cheap, flimsy tripod. Investing in a quality tripod is as important as choosing the right scope.

Full-Size Tripods

The standard support for a spotting scope. Look for a tripod that is tall enough to use comfortably at standing height (or adjust to sitting height for use in hides), has smooth, positive leg locks (flip-locks or twist-locks), and includes a fluid-motion head that allows you to pan and tilt the scope smoothly without jerks or sticking.

Carbon fibre tripods are lighter and absorb vibration better than aluminium, but they cost more. Aluminium tripods are heavier but very durable and more affordable. For serious fieldwork, the weight saving of carbon fibre is worth the investment — especially if you carry your scope any distance.

Window Mounts

A simple clamp that attaches the scope to a car window, allowing you to use your vehicle as a mobile hide. Window mounts are inexpensive, effective, and widely used by birdwatchers who observe from their cars at reserves and along roads near wetlands.

Monopods

A single-legged support that provides more stability than hand-holding but less than a full tripod. Monopods are useful for rapid deployment and moving observation — birdwatching walks, for example — where setting up a full tripod at every stop would be impractical.

Bean Bags and Ground Supports

A fabric bag filled with dried beans or rice, placed on a wall, fence post, or vehicle roof, provides a simple, stable, vibration-absorbing platform for a scope. Many birders carry a bean bag as a lightweight alternative to a tripod for casual observation.

Optics for Children and Families — Starting Young

Introducing children to nature observation through good optics is one of the best investments a parent or grandparent can make. A child who watches a robin feeding its chicks through binoculars, or sees a heron spearing a fish through a spotting scope, develops a connection with the natural world that no screen can replicate.

Binoculars for Children

For young children (ages 5 to 8), compact binoculars with a wide field of view, low magnification (6x or 8x), and a lightweight, robust build are ideal. The most important feature is ease of focusing — children's hands are small and their motor control is still developing, so a focus wheel that turns smoothly without too much resistance makes the difference between frustration and delight.

For older children (ages 9 to 14), a quality pair of 8x42 binoculars — the same specification that most adult birdwatchers use — is appropriate. Many mid-range binoculars are light enough for older children to handle comfortably and will serve them well into adulthood.

Sharing a Spotting Scope

One of the great advantages of a spotting scope is that everyone in a family or group can take turns looking through it. Set the scope up on a tripod, point it at something interesting — a nest box, a group of ducks, a distant deer — and let each person look. An angled scope is particularly good for this, as children and adults of different heights can all view comfortably without adjusting the tripod.

For families, a mid-range compact scope (60–65 mm) offers a good balance of quality, portability, and cost. It is light enough to carry on family walks and produces images that will genuinely impress and engage children.

Budget, Mid-Range, and Premium Optics — What the Tiers Really Mean

Optical equipment spans an enormous range of quality. Understanding what each tier offers helps you make a realistic decision about what to invest.

Entry Level

Scopes at this level use standard glass, basic coatings, and simpler mechanical construction. They will show you birds and wildlife at a distance, but the image will be dimmer, less sharp, and more prone to colour fringing than better instruments — particularly at high magnification, in poor light, or against bright backgrounds. Entry-level scopes are a reasonable starting point if you are exploring the hobby and want to try a scope without a large commitment. They are also suitable for occasional use and for children.

Mid-Range

This is where the balance of quality and value is strongest. Mid-range scopes use ED glass, fully multi-coated optics, phase-corrected prisms, and better mechanical construction (smoother focusing, more robust waterproofing, better eyepiece design). The improvement in image quality over entry-level scopes is dramatic and immediately visible. A mid-range scope from a reputable brand will serve a keen birdwatcher well for many years and deliver genuinely satisfying views.

Brands producing excellent mid-range scopes include Vortex, Hawke, Celestron, Kowa (their mid-tier lines), Nikon, and Bresser. These manufacturers compete intensely in this segment, and the standard of quality available is remarkably high.

Premium

The finest scopes from Swarovski, Zeiss, Leica, and Kowa (their Prominar range) represent the summit of optical engineering for nature observation. They use the highest-quality glass (including fluorite elements), the most advanced coatings, the most precise mechanical construction, and they are built to last decades of hard field use.

The image through a premium scope is startlingly good: bright, razor-sharp, with natural colours and exceptional contrast, even at high magnification and in challenging light. The difference between a mid-range and a premium scope is most obvious in the most demanding conditions — precisely the conditions in which birdwatchers most need their equipment to perform.

Premium scopes are a significant investment. They are most appropriate for experienced, committed nature observers who use their optics regularly and who know from experience what they value in an optical instrument. They also hold their value well and can last a lifetime with reasonable care.

Caring for Your Optics — Making Them Last

Quality optics, properly maintained, will last decades. A few simple habits protect your investment.

Keep lens caps on when the scope is not in use. Dust, grit, and moisture on the glass surfaces are the main enemies of optical performance. Use a lens brush or air blower to remove loose particles before wiping — dragging grit across a lens surface scratches the coatings. Clean lenses with a proper lens cloth or lens-cleaning tissue, using a small amount of optical cleaning fluid if needed. Never use household cloths, paper towels, or your shirt — all can scratch delicate coatings.

Store your scope in its case when not in use. Avoid leaving optics in direct sunlight for extended periods (particularly in a car, where temperatures can build to damaging levels). If your scope gets wet in the field, wipe the exterior dry and allow it to air-dry with the lens caps off before storing it in a closed case.

If you observe in very cold conditions, allow the scope to warm up gradually when you bring it indoors — sudden temperature changes can cause internal condensation. Placing it in its case and letting it return to room temperature slowly is the safest approach.

What You Will See — A Celebration of the Natural World

The natural world is astonishingly rich, and good optics reveal layers of detail and behaviour that the unaided eye simply cannot detect.

Birds

Through a spotting scope, a distant wader on a mudflat is no longer just a brown shape — it is a dunlin, a knot, a redshank, identifiable by the precise colour of its legs, the length and curve of its bill, and the pattern of its breeding or winter plumage. A raptor soaring overhead reveals its underwing pattern — barred flight feathers, a dark carpal patch, a pale breast band — features that tell you instantly whether it is a buzzard, a harrier, or a young eagle. A small bird in a hedgerow, dismissed by the naked eye, turns out to be a firecrest — Europe's smallest bird — its orange crown stripe blazing through the scope like a tiny flame.

Mammals

A group of deer on a distant hillside becomes a herd of red deer hinds with their calves, the dominant hind alert and watchful while the calves play and feed. A dark shape on a riverbank resolves into an otter, grooming its fur and then slipping into the water with barely a ripple. A grey seal on a sandbank reveals its mottled coat, its whiskered face, and the way it shifts its bulk to catch the warmth of the sun.

Insects and Plants

At lower magnification and close focus distances (many scopes focus down to five metres or less), a spotting scope becomes a powerful tool for examining wildflowers, butterflies, dragonflies, and other insects without approaching closely enough to disturb them. A damselfly resting on a reed stem reveals iridescent wings and jewel-like compound eyes. A wild orchid on a clifftop shows the intricate patterns that attract its pollinators.

Landscapes and Habitats

A scope lets you examine the structure of a landscape in a way that the naked eye cannot: the pattern of vegetation on a hillside, the movement of water through a marsh, the flight paths birds use as they move between feeding and roosting sites. This broader view, combined with the ability to zoom in on specific details, builds an understanding of habitats and ecosystems that enriches every nature walk.

Choosing the Right Optics for Your Needs

Why Buying Through Amazon Is a Smart Option

Amazon carries optics across every level — from children's binoculars and entry-level spotting scopes through mid-range instruments from Vortex, Hawke, Celestron, and Nikon, to premium optics from Swarovski, Zeiss, and Kowa. Tripods, adapters, digiscoping accessories, carrying cases, and lens-cleaning equipment are all available. Customer reviews from birdwatchers, naturalists, and photographers provide real-world feedback on optical quality, build quality, ease of use, and value in field conditions. Amazon's delivery and returns process allows you to examine equipment at home and return it if it does not meet your expectations.

Amazon Marketplace Protections Explained

The A-to-z Guarantee

Covers every purchase made in Amazon's store, including items from third-party sellers. Protects delivery timeliness and product condition. If a product arrives damaged, defective, or materially different from its listing, you can file a claim directly with Amazon for a refund — even if the third-party seller is unresponsive.

Amazon Renewed Guarantee

For refurbished optics and accessories, a minimum 90-day window for replacement or full refund if the item does not look or work as expected.

Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA)

Items stored and shipped from Amazon's own warehouses, with Amazon managing delivery, returns, and customer service directly. Look for the "Fulfilled by Amazon" badge for the most seamless buying experience, regardless of who the actual seller is.

Your Pre-Purchase Checklist

Start With Binoculars

If you do not already own a quality pair of binoculars, buy those first. A pair of 8x42 or 10x42 binoculars is the foundation of all nature observation. You will use them constantly, and a spotting scope is a complement to binoculars, not a replacement.

Define How You Will Use a Scope

Estuary, wetland, and open-country birdwatching benefits most from a mid-size or full-size scope. Travelling, hiking, and holiday use suits a compact scope. If you observe mainly from hides, viewpoints, or your car, weight is less important than optical quality — choose the largest objective lens you can comfortably transport.

Prioritise Glass Quality Over Magnification

A scope with excellent ED glass at 40x will show you more detail, more clearly, than a cheap scope at 60x. Optical quality always matters more than headline magnification figures.

Budget for a Tripod

A quality tripod is not optional — it is essential. A good scope on a bad tripod is a frustrating experience. Include a tripod in your budget from the start, and buy the best you can afford. Your hands, your eyes, and your patience will thank you.

Try Before You Buy If Possible

If you have the opportunity to try different scopes — at a nature reserve, a birdwatching club meeting, or an optics demonstration event — take it. The experience of looking through different instruments and comparing them directly is invaluable. If you cannot try before buying, Amazon's returns policy gives you the opportunity to evaluate at home.

Think About Digiscoping

If you are interested in photographing what you see, consider a scope with features that support digiscoping: generous eye relief (the distance between the eyepiece and your eye for a full image), a flat field (sharp image across the entire frame, not just the centre), and compatibility with your preferred adapter system. Many birdwatchers start out intending only to observe and quickly discover the appeal of capturing and sharing what they see.