Bump! See my post #18.
I'll be going back to the Nikon Monarch as soon as my Endeavor brand gets destroyed, which probably won't be long as I usually wear out a pair every year.
For what it's worth, about 25% of all the new bird surveyors I train start off the season with Nikon Monarch. It seems to be the word-of-mouth go-to binoculars for seasonal field biologists. But what's funny is that about half of the other surveyors (those without Nikons) ditch their current pair for Nikon Monarchs by the end of the season.
Sturdy, lightweight, easy to use, and crisp optics. I'll never waste money on anything else.
I’d be curious to know, given your experience, whether you might recommend something for watching further down range, say a half mile.