RE: Spotting scope?
I've been disapointed in my Leupold Windriver. Mainly because it darkens as you pump up the magnification. In other words, at 15X, it is crystal clear. But at 45X it gets dark and objects are very indistinguishable. Dark and not a sharp image also.
I love my Nikon scope and binocs. When you're looking at spending that kind of money, drive somewhere to look through all the available scopes and pick one in your price range that stays bright and clear at the highest (most powerfull) setting. You will be glad you did.