I have always been a bird lover but my birding enjoyment has increased immeasurably since I finally bought myself a pair of binoculars. (I’d previously relied on using the 300mm lens on my camera to bring me closer to distant birds but I now realise how utterly inadequate that was.) From yesterday’s trip to Gileston and Aberthaw with my bird club, here’s why buying bins has been brilliant …

I could see these Goldfinches with the naked eye and the camera got a reasonable, though not crisp shot.

This was my first sighting of a Yellowhammer this year. You can perhaps just make out a yellow dot perched on top of the hedge.

You’ll have to take my word for this one – there’s a Sparrowhawk in this photo. It was well camouflaged but I could just see it with my bins.

There were lots of waders foraging on the beach: Turnstones, Dunlins and cute little Ringed plovers. Just specks through the camera, though.

This one’s a little easier. Spot the Rock pipit.

Their bright Persil whiteness makes these two Little egrets much easier to see but with the bins I could almost see what they were catching for lunch!