Sports
What You Need To Start Birdwatching
Over the past year, many people took up new hobbies. Some of these were pretty conventional, such as golf or bonsai trees. Others, like metal detecting, were a bit more outré. Birdwatching (or birding, as its practitioners call it) falls somewhere in the middle. If you did not get in on this trend during the height of COVID, do not fear. It is never too late to learn something new. And like the best hobbies, birding has a very low barrier to entry.
To unleash your inner Jonathan Franzen you only need one thing (well, besides a place without internet access). As soon as you have a good pair of binoculars, you can start birdwatching. Yes, there are many apps and other fancy online resources for the tech-savvy, but the moment you look through those lenses and see a yellow warbler, you have officially “watched” a bird.
The Hontry 10×25 compact binoculars are a perfect introductory pair for novice birdwatchers. Inexpensive at just $20, they are lightweight and can easily be taken with you on your peregrinations. With that in mind, they do not skimp on quality. The high-def clarity is way better than such a cheap pair has any business being. You will be able to see your query in its full splendor from as far as 1,000 yards away. If you’ve never birded before, this is where you want to start.
Maybe you’ve done the amateur birdwatching thing and want to take your experience up a notch. You can pay top dollar for this pair of binoculars made by Zeiss, a high-end German optical brand associated with products like digital cameras and microscopes. Of course the company tasked with making the replacement of the Hubble Space Telescope is going to make better lenses than some no-name factory in China. Still, unless you are Bobby Axelrod on the lookout for an ortolan to eat, we recommend the Hontry binoculars, or ones at a similar price level.
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 7th Edition — $19.30
All right, you have your specs. In theory, that is all you need to immerse yourself in the world of birdwatching. If you are the meticulous type that birdwatching tends to attract, however, you are going to want a field guide. How are you going to brag to your friends that you spotted a Hooded Merganser if you can’t tell the difference between a merganser and a smew? The National Geographic Field Guide is the most popular resource out there. Don’t overthink it: Get the book, and get to birding!
On November 25, 2022, the prestigious IRONMAN race was held in Israel for the first time in history. As part of a commitment to exhibit athletic excellence around the world, NAIPO, one of the world’s preeminent massage companies, participated as a sponsor.
Since its founding in 2017, NAIPO has assisted thousands of users in the relentless pursuit to “Find Well-being.” NAIPO and its sister brand O’YEET produce state-of-the-art massager products that promote health and wellness for people of all walks of life, from the weekend warrior to the hardcore athlete. NAIPO’s percussion massagers in particular are designed for recovery after the sort of extensive physical activity an IRONMAN race requires.
The IRONMAN has been recognized for decades as one of the planet’s most challenging and impressive feats of strength and stamina. Athletes begin the race with a 2.4-mile (3.9 km) swim, followed by a 112-mile (180.2 km) bicycle ride, and concluding in a 26.2-mile (42.2 km) run. This series of events demands racers be at the very peak of both physical and mental health.
This year’s IRONMAN in Israel represented the 2022 Middle Eastern Championship. It took place in the city of Tiberias, in and alongside the historic Sea of Galilee. NAIPO was honored to partner with IRONMAN as an Expo Exhibitor. NAIPO’s personal massager products aid athletes with post-race recovery, and regular use during training staves off delayed muscle soreness and tension. In other words, NAIPO remains committed not only to helping racers finish the IRONMAN, but also to get them ready for the next one.
About NAIPO
Founded to satisfy growing consumer demand for health and wellness, NAIPO develops affordable massage products that soothe the body, mind and spirit. In today’s fast-paced modern world, NAIPO’s products ease stress without taking up the precious resources of time and money. NAIPO is constantly conducting market research and soliciting customer feedback to further its commitment to developing industry-leading massage and relaxation products. NAIPO pairs traditional and contemporary therapy methods with modern technologies to produce affordable, comfortable and reliable massage products that help people of all ages and lifestyles “find well-being.” The company’s website can be found at www.naipocare.com.
Today is an absolutely gorgeous day, and as I stare out my window this sunny spring morning, all I can think about is playing golf. The golf season is already well underway (unofficially kicked off by the Masters a few weeks back) but because of the vicissitudes of the weather where you live there is a chance you have not played a round yet. Don’t worry: That will all change soon.
If you are a casual golfer like myself, the experience is as much about the social element as it is about getting a low score. It’s about being outdoors with friends—drinking beers, smoking cigars. Amazon sellers obviously know this, which led to the introduction of an innovative and popular product in recent years, the beer cooler sleeve.
Depending on the rules and regulations where you golf, you might be able to pack a bunch of beers into your Yeti cooler and toss it on the back of your cart. Some courses have strict rules against this, however, forcing you to pay out the wazoo for beers from the cart girl, if you can even track her down that is!
Not wanting to get in trouble with authorities, people often just end up packing a beer or two in one of the compartments in their golf bag. But the cooler sleeve presents a better solution. It allows you to fit as many as seven beers in your golf bag, and will keep those beers chilled throughout the several hours of your round. The size of the sleeve allows it to slide neatly into the top of your bag, as if it were just another club.
Having the Pins & Aces beer sleeve may not improve your golf game (although a golf instructor did once tell me that to drink two beers before each round to golf my nerves and overthinking), but it is sure to improve your enjoyment.
In the age of Zoom and the Orwellian concept of “distance learning,” snow days are a thing of the past. When heavy snow comes, students can expect another day spent in front of the computer, as Frosty remain unconstructed outside. There are still weekends, however, so opportunities for winter fun are not altogether lost. Their infrequency does mean that kids need to make the most of them whenever possible. To make sure your child is prepared, your family must own a quality toboggan.
The Paricon disc sled is the classic model, and it guarantees the type of snow day fun your grandparents had by rocketing down hills on the lids of metal trash cans.
Paricon Flexible Flyer Round Disc Snow Sled Toboggan — $29.97
Looking for a sled that is a step above the saucer? Then this one by Avalanche Brands is for you. Although more expensive, it fits two people on it so it may actually save you money if you have more than one child. Keep in mind that because it features a rope and handles, you will be expected to do the manual labor of lugging its riders around the snow banks.
Want your son and daughter to be the envy of everyone in the neighborhood? Then you should opt for the LIFECHOIC inflatable sleds. Perhaps not as reliable as the tried and true models above, they are guaranteed to catch the attention of all who see them. Before long your ears will be ringing with the presumptuous refrain, “I got next!”
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