I’m using a Panasonic DMC FZ20 as a main camera. So far I’ve avoided buying anything over 5 MP, they all seem to have “noise” problems. That being said, a little bit of “noise” is better than an image that has been over softened. 10 or 12X zoom and optical stabilization are fantastic, in particular when you get older and not very steady. I was out 30 or 40 feet on these shots, and steadiness gets very critical. Try to see some shots from what ever you consider, look for fine feather and fur detail as much as color. An over softened image won’t show the tiny details.
http://www.pbase.com/tsiya/root
http://photobucket.com/albums/v244/tsiya/
My sister lives on a private lake. A pair of bald eagles has lived there for years and have raised young and fished in the lake. She'll need zoom capability as well as image stabilization.