I don't have a cell phone either ... to expensive, liable to be stolen, lost,
damaged or hacked, and a complete infringement on privacy. It offers some
convenience but it is not essential, or even desirable on the long term. The
wireless providers are pushing the digital drug and are laughing all the way to
the bank. Then again, a digital camera can also be addictive, but that flavour
of addiction can only lead to artistic expression and gradual edification. Any
bird, or fungus, or plant, or insect that I have learned occurred by way of
photography. You don't need a DSLR, or mirrorless camera to record your
discoveries. A simple and cheap point-and-shoot camera will suffice, or the
archetypal approach (like Darwin) by sketching what you encounter.