I'm trying to decide on a Simmons model 841101 which I can get on sale right now for $49.99 or the Celestron model 52229 which I can get for $64.99. I know Simmons is low end but I'm not familiar with Celestron.
I'm not very well versed on optics, and only know enough to be dangerous about birds.
I will throw in my suggestion though, only because of my experience with both cheap spotting scopes and decent binoculars. Skip the scope and pick up a decent set of binocs for the same amount of money. Out at the range, it takes me a few minutes to get my scope set up on a target that sits in one place all day. Even then, the slightest wind will jiggle it around and knock it out of sorts and then finding the target again is a pain.
I can't imagine trying to spot a bird that has a mind of it's own with one--unless they are stuck in a dedicated area like a pond or feeder. My mother-in-law keeps a pair of binoculars at each door in her country-house so she can stare out at the birds that show up in her yard. She has a blast doing it, and keeps a little book on her coffee table that she flips through to show the rest of us what she just 'found'.
I have picked up celestron telescopes for free, and tried to give them to a friend that's really into stargazing, and collecting old quality optics, he was not interested at all, I get the impression that people in the " know" are not impressed.
If they like to watch birds, they almost assuredly have binocs. Spotting scopes are very often used to watch birds at a far distance, better viewing, long term viewing, etc. Serious birders may not always have their scope with them, but they own one. I know a whole bunch, and there is not one exception to that rule.
I have a Celestron 1200 mm lens that can be used on my camera, or on a tripod for watching the sky, or birds. Excellent quality.
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