Don’t Miss What’s in Your Own Backyard: Natalie Farley’s Solvia 8x32 Story
A lifelong animal lover shares how an unexpected interest in birdwatching, a shared sense of curiosity, and the Solvia 8x32 have helped her notice more of the wildlife already around her.
For Natalie Farley, meaningful wildlife encounters do not always require a grand expedition.
They can happen along a quiet forest trail, during a walk through a neighborhood park or on a short marsh boardwalk where something unexpected is waiting to be noticed.
Natalie’s Solvia 8x32 story is shaped by a lifelong connection with animals, an unexpected interest in birdwatching and the quiet wildlife moments she shares with her husband.
“I love the feeling of ‘slowing down’ that nature brings. Everything feels very instinctual, and you can listen to yourself rather than the outside pressures.”
A Lifelong Connection With Animals
Natalie grew up in a family that loved animals and nature. As a child, she explored outside, climbed trees and joined her family on camping and skiing trips.
She knew from an early age that she wanted to work with animals. She originally studied with the intention of becoming a veterinarian, but a summer volunteering at a big cat sanctuary helped her discover a different path.
Natalie realized that she loved working with animals every day, particularly the cats, rather than only seeing them when they required medical care. That experience eventually led her toward becoming a zookeeper and carnivore keeper.
One of her favorite parts of the job is observing behavior. She enjoys watching how animals interact with their surroundings, with one another and with the people caring for them.
That habit also shapes the way she observes wildlife outside of work.
“It’s not just about spotting the animal, it’s also about watching how they interact with the world around them.”
Natalie remembers watching a muskrat carefully choose the next piece of grass to add to its lodge and seeing a bear pause to scratch its back against a tree. For her, these small behaviors can make a wildlife encounter just as memorable as the initial sighting.
An Unexpected Interest in Birdwatching
Despite her lifelong love of animals, Natalie admits that birdwatching did not immediately appeal to her.
“I have to admit I was hesitant, haha. I jokingly call myself a cat and carnivore snob at work, so initially birds didn’t really entice me.”
Her perspective began to change when she allowed herself to learn more about the birds already surrounding her.
Unlike wildlife that may require a particular destination or a lucky encounter, birds were present almost everywhere she went. The more she noticed them, the more she began to appreciate their variety, their unique characteristics and the different niches they occupy.
Birding did not replace Natalie’s interest in mammals. Instead, it expanded the range of wildlife she noticed and gave her another reason to pause, listen and look more closely.
Finding Her First Pair of Binoculars
Before discovering the Solvia 8x32, Natalie did not own a personal pair of binoculars.
She mainly relied on a camera with a large zoom lens to observe and photograph animals. Although the camera allowed her to see wildlife at a distance, carrying the equipment could be bulky.
When an advertisement for the Solvia Kickstarter appeared on her social media, the timing felt right.
“It just seemed like the perfect sign to invest in my own personal pair of binoculars.”
Without her camera, Natalie often relied on her naked eye, which could be challenging because she is near-sighted. Identifying an unfamiliar animal could also involve trying to describe what she had seen through an online search.
She continues to use the Merlin app alongside Solvia, describing the two as her “perfect birding duo.”
Since beginning to use the Solvia 8x32, Natalie says observing and recording wildlife has become much more accessible.
“Everything I need is truly in one place.”
She can observe an animal and take a photograph through the same device instead of immediately switching to a separate camera. Being able to capture those moments has also made it easier to share her experiences with friends and other nature lovers.
Natalie has even started printing photographs from some of her most memorable wildlife encounters and displaying them in her home.
Birding Together With Live View
Natalie’s favorite Solvia feature is the ability to cast the binoculars’ view to her phone through the MatataXplore Optics App.
Her husband, she explains, is “absolutely eagle-eyed” and can often spot animals with his naked eye before she finds them through binoculars.
Before Solvia, helping each other locate the same animal could become a frustrating exchange involving different trees, rocks and directions.
Now, Natalie can hand the binoculars to her husband and see exactly where he is looking through the app. She can also take photographs from her phone while he continues following the animal through the binoculars.
The feature has helped turn birdwatching into something they can experience more closely together.
“Not only are we able to hear and ID a vocalization together, now we can use the Solvias and the casting feature to both work together to find the bird.”
For Natalie, it is not only about spending time outdoors together. It is also about sharing the same goal of finding a new bird or animal.
“It’s a cool feeling not only to share the experience of hiking and being in nature together, but we can also work together with a common goal of spotting a new bird species or animal.”
Learning Through Real-World Use
Natalie has also been honest about the parts of using Solvia that required some practice.
She has occasionally received identification suggestions that she knew were incorrect. Learning to capture a clearer image for the identification feature has therefore been part of becoming familiar with the device.
“I’ve gotten a few AI suggestions that I know are incorrect, so trying to help provide a clearer image to help with the ID feature has been a learning experience.”
Her experience shows that identification suggestions work best as part of the wider observation process. The user’s knowledge, the clarity of the image and the visible characteristics of the animal all continue to matter.
That approach fits naturally with the way Natalie already observes wildlife: look carefully, remain curious and be willing to take a second look.
The Animal She Nearly Mistook for a Chipmunk
One of Natalie’s favorite discoveries happened during a recent trip through state parks, national forests and national parks.
Near the end of the trip, she and her husband visited a local marsh boardwalk. Although the walk was only around one mile long, it offered some of the best birding of their entire journey.
At one point, Natalie’s husband noticed a small animal ahead of them and asked her to identify it.
Natalie initially thought it was probably a chipmunk. When she lifted the Solvia and looked more closely, however, she realized that it was a least weasel.
She had never seen one in the wild before.
Without taking a closer look, Natalie believes she could easily have continued walking without realizing what they had found. A small sighting on a short local boardwalk became one of the most memorable moments of the trip.
Bring Them Everywhere
Natalie’s advice for someone using the Solvia 8x32 for the first time is simple:
“Bring them everywhere! Haha. Even if it’s just a short walk through your neighborhood park, you never know what you’ll be able to spot!”
The photographs Natalie shared for this story were captured during a recent trip through Michigan. There was no international expedition or one famous national park at the center of the experience.
Instead, Natalie and her husband explored quieter natural spaces filled with birds, mammals, insects and peaceful scenery.
“No grand travel, not even a big National Park, we found many quiet areas that gave us so much beauty to enjoy!”
Natalie believes that native wildlife and local natural spaces are sometimes overlooked. Traveling internationally can provide incredible experiences, but it is not the only way to connect with nature.
Her story is a reminder that memorable discoveries may already be much closer than expected.
“Traveling to other countries is incredible, but don’t miss out [on] what’s in your own backyard!”
Sometimes, discovering more does not mean traveling farther. It simply means slowing down and looking a little more closely.
About Natalie Farley
Natalie Farley is a zookeeper, carnivore keeper and lifelong animal lover. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, birdwatching and exploring natural spaces alongside her husband.
Follow her wildlife discoveries at @suburban_safari.
This story reflects Natalie’s personal experiences and views. She is not speaking on behalf of or representing her workplace.
Keep Exploring With MatataXplore
Curious to discover more? Learn more about the Solvia 8x32 and explore how it can help you observe, capture and share the wildlife moments you encounter.
You can also visit the MatataXplore Explorer Program to discover more stories from our community or submit your own experience for a chance to be featured.
Already using Solvia? Keep sharing your favorite photographs, videos and discoveries with us. Tag us so we can see what you find and potentially reshare your moments with our community.
A huge thank you to Natalie Farley for taking the time to share her story, experiences and beautiful wildlife captures with us. We loved learning more about her journey and hope it inspires others to slow down and appreciate the nature already around them. 💚
