binoculars

He misplaced his binoculars and swore his sister took them.

In an attempt to even the odds, the rural crime team has been using thermal imaging cameras attached to drones and binoculars capable of picking out suspected treasure thieves on a pitch-black mountain side.

The volunteers — sporting bright yellow vests and navy blue hats with an “Orange County Fire Watch” emblem — slap large fire watch magnets to the sides of their vehicles, grab some binoculars and start to watch.

With him was Geoffrey McQuilkin, the Mono Lake Committee’s executive director, who held binoculars as he pointed out ospreys, American avocets, Wilson’s phalaropes and other birds.

“All you need to do is go outside and look around. It helps to have binoculars . . . but you don’t need binoculars to appreciate the birds around you.”