Thanks JG. Agree on the Midas - it is certainly a great performance value for the $. The more premium Athlon Cronus G2 UHD has even better optical performance. I love mine for hunting but would hesitate recommending it as a birding glass as i feel some other choices have better handling and focus characteristics that play better for birding.
OP- I tried many 10x42s in that price range and settled on the Sig Zulu7.
Made in Japan, excellent glass and features and in your price range.
If you do a search on here, you will find a link to an exhaustive bino comparison that rates them all on different categories.
...Or you could be a good boy and buy the BX4s like you've been told....
The kowas and mini mavens are great also. My unsolicited opinion is maybe rethink the 10 and drop to an 8. Novices can struggle with keeping things steady.
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+1 for 8x. Possibly even 6x or 7x, though the choices in those magnifications are far fewer. The 6mm exit pupil on the 7x42 is very forgiving. And wider FOV can be especially helpful for birding.