RE: What power bino's
I have a pair of Swift Audubon 8.5x44s that work really well. I had bought a cheap pair of 12x50s, and I couldn't hold them still enough to see much at all. In-between, I have a pair of Nikon 10x50s that I use for backyard birdwatching, and they're great for viewing up to 80 yards or so (just too heavy to carry in the field).
So to answer your question, a good pair with about 8x magnification should be about right.