Regular readers will be well aware of the close association between the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC) and ZEISS, which now extends back more than 40 years. ZEISS continues to provide the bulk of the Committee’s annual sponsorship, which is of critical importance in enabling the Committee to function properly. In addition to that lifeline support, ZEISS provides a pair of the top-of-the-range Victory SF binoculars as a prize for the Carl Zeiss Award.