Let me add this to the discussion - there are on-line stores that are much more "bird friendly" than B&H. Let me explain - several years ago, I wrote and called B&H several times to ask for a contribution to NYC Audubon (NYCA). I wrote that many birders in the city were buying from them, and that a small contribution such as some optics or a credit, would not only provide B&H with further customers by the advertising that NYCA would provide at our annual fundraiser, but would also go to help bird conservation in New York City. I was hoping for a favorable response, but instead, B&H simply did not even have the courtesy to respond at all. I tried two years in a row. On the other hand, Eagle Optics, an online store, has been supportive of many birding organizations (they provided a pair of binoculars for multiple years to NYCA), and, of course, Cape May Bird Observatory as well. I believe you can negotiate with Eagle Optics if you find a better price elsewhere.
Also, regarding checking out scopes - I found birders very generous in allowing me to look through their scopes when I was in the field. This is how I did my research. Everybody has a scope out for shorebirds! Good birding. Lynne Hertzog NYC On Mon, Mar 14, 2016 at 11:40 AM, Glenn Wilson <wil...@stny.rr.com> wrote: > I'll second that. B&H is a fantastic store to buy optics and they are > great in customer service ON-LINE. > > I too went to their store to buy a scope and they are of almost zero help. > > They do have an amazing multi-floor store. If you've never been there, it > is worth a trip one day. > > Glenn Wilson > Endicott, NY > www.WilsonsWarbler.com <http://www.wilsonswarbler.com> > > On Mar 14, 2016, at 11:35 AM, Philip Ribolow <philip.ribo...@db.com> > wrote: > > B&H Photo on 9th Ave has many scopes on display. While they are quite > knowledgeable, they are somewhat less than helpful in that the scopes are > not mounted on tripods. If you already have a tripod, I suggest bringing > it with you. If not, you can go upstairs to the used tripod dept and > borrow one with a head and take it downstairs. If they’ll let you, take 2 > tripods so you can mount 2 scopes at the same time and compare them side by > side; of course that means, you’ll have to figure out 2 tripods. The > downside is that B&H is in the middle of NY and they don’t let you take > anything outside without paying for it, so the furthest away you can focus > the scope you’re trying is across 9th Ave where you can look at a > building façade which is only about 150 feet away. You won’t get a true > feel for how the scope will actually perform when outside in the field. > Personally, I went to B&H and then decided that driving to CMBO to really > give their scopes a true test drive under actual conditions was the right > thing to do, especially since I was spending a significant sum on a scope > that I intend to use for the next 15-20 years, and wanted to be sure I got > the decision right. Added bonus –when you buy from CMBO, you support one > of the most significant birding organizations in the world. Good luck. > > > > Phil Ribolow > > NY, NY > > > > *From:* bounce-120263730-72848...@list.cornell.edu [ > mailto:bounce-120263730-72848...@list.cornell.edu > <bounce-120263730-72848...@list.cornell.edu>] *On Behalf Of *Robert Lewis > *Sent:* Sunday, March 13, 2016 12:20 PM > *To:* nysbird...@list.cornell.edu > *Subject:* [nysbirds-l] stores that display a variety of spotting scopes > > > > I'm interested in shopping for a birding spotting scope. Are they any > stores in the downstate NY area that display several makes and models that > a customer can look through and compare? > > > > Apparently the Cape May Bird Observatory has such a store, but I'd rather > not go that far. I'm looking for a store within, say, 60 miles of White > Plains NY. > > > > Bob Lewis > > Sleepy Hollow NY > > > > > > > > -- > > *NYSbirds-L List Info:* > > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME> > > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES> > > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > > *Archives:* > > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L> > > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html> > > *Please submit your observations to **eBird* > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>*!* > > -- > > > --- > This communication may contain confidential and/or privileged information. > If you are not the intended recipient (or have received this communication > in error) please notify the sender immediately and destroy this > communication. Any unauthorized copying, disclosure or distribution of the > material in this communication is strictly forbidden. > > Deutsche Bank does not render legal or tax advice, and the information > contained in this communication should not be regarded as such. > -- > *NYSbirds-L List Info:* > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES> > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > *Archives:* > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L> > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html> > *Please submit your observations to **eBird* > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>*!* > -- > -- > *NYSbirds-L List Info:* > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES> > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > *Archives:* > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L> > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html> > *Please submit your observations to **eBird* > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>*!* > -- > -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
