My hobby is one that not many others share. I have struggled for years to find other birdwatchers my age. The hobby, or perhaps obsession, seems to be a favourite of retired persons in my area. I have tried going to meetings of the local field naturalist society, but the average age there is 50+ (I have nothing against those older than I, however I find it difficult at times to make friendships with those twice my age). Some of my friends enjoy hiking, but tend to get frustrated when I stop to listen to a bird call or remain frozen in place to attempt to get a better look at a flash of a passing bird. My boyfriend is tolerant of my hobby. He will hold my field guide while I scan the skies for glimpses of flight silhouettes. He is even forgiving when I suddenly pull over while driving to identify a bird I may see at the roadside. While I love ecology and biological identification in all its forms, birding seems to be a particularly feverish obsession of mine. Perhaps the idea of waking up before the sun rises to hike into a nearby forest isn't for everyone, but it makes my heart race with the thought of adding another species to my annual list. Are there others out there who share my obsession? It can be hard enough to find other naturalists out there, let alone those in the LGBT community.
I wouldn't call it an obsession of mine, but it's a hobby of mine (that I picked up from my parents).
