Spotting scope
High-magnification scope on a tripod for watching birds and wildlife
Birders reach for one of these where binoculars run out: a short telescope built for daylight land use, usually 20x to 60x, on a tripod. An adapter or a phone clamped to the eyepiece turns it into a long lens, which is how most garden nest-box footage gets shot. Cheap models start around the price of good binoculars.
People on record
Sorted by strength of stance
Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.
- Austin KleonDoes it
Writer and artist · Steal Like an Artist
Runs a cheap scope and an old iPhone on the owl box in his yard, filming around the clock. Mornings in owl season he reviews the footage and draws stills into his diary, which he says is how he gets himself to actually look at what he is looking at.
Source: AustinKleon.com: Another owl season begins
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under stress or focus.
- Gear$$$Expensive: Several hundred dollars and up.
Glowforge laser cutter
Desktop laser cutter that cuts and engraves wood, acrylic and card
On record from 1 of 62 tracked people: 1 does it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Deliberate cold exposure
Cold showers or ice baths used deliberately, usually a few minutes at a time
On record from 25 of 62 tracked people: 19 do it, 6 have discussed it - HabitFREE, no cost
Daily meditation
10-20 minutes of formal practice, most days
On record from 21 of 62 tracked people: 17 do it, 1 recommends it, 3 have discussed it - HabitFREE, no cost
Deliberate solitude
Regular time with your own thoughts and no other inputs
On record from 12 of 62 tracked people: 9 do it, 3 recommend it - HabitFREE, no cost
Daily prayer
A fixed time for prayer each morning, before the phone and before the day starts
On record from 4 of 62 tracked people: 4 do it - HabitFREE, no cost
Personal mantra
A quote kept where you will see it before you perform, taped up or written on your gear
On record from 4 of 62 tracked people: 4 do it
Gear entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.