My bins often accompany me to the cricket and horse racing. Also handy for looking up at tall buildings for those of us interested in architecture.
The time when I'm most likely to look at something other than birds and trees is when I'm in an open area waiting for a look at birds of prey. Sometimes I see 'em, but too far away, on rare occasion a red tailed hawk or turkey vulture will fly right overhead.
Meanwhile, I'm hoping to spot some bluebirds. I hear them, but they rarely come out from the hedgerows into the open area where I watch BOP unless I go early in the morning or in the late afternoon.
My roommate in college was an architecture major and went on to become an architect and builder. He taught me a few things about architecture, which helped me develop a greater appreciation for different styles and movements, "From Bauhaus to Our House".
At the front of the field toward the mountain ridge where the BOP ride the thermals is row upon row of student housing, which is boring looking.
Fortunately, along the perimeter of the park are some custom-built homes, so when nothing's doing bird-wise, I will take in the architectural sites in the area.
One large home has a huge green house with humungous curved windows. The appointments in the yards are also unique - an octagon shaped birdhouse; a homemade wheel barrel and shed; a handmade stone wall; the largest satellite dish I've ever seen on a house - must be part of SETI; a carriage house; an Italian villa type home with iron railings.
Looking at buildings is where AMD and pincushion become most noticeable in my bins.
My favorite bin for looking at architecture (and only for this activity) was the Nikon 10x42 HG, but more so on campus, which has a variety of structures, from winding, green-tinted glass LEED certified buildings to old cottages built at the turn of the 20th century to buildings from the 1800s with gargoyles and other interesting carved details.
Sometimes, I even look at HVAC pipes and vents on the roofs, which are more interesting than it may seem. There's also lots of landscape architecture on campus since the university offers a program in that field.
Although I enjoy looking at birds and more so studying their behavior, I have an artistic eye and enjoy colors, textures, lines in a variety of objects, both natural and man made.
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