Looking for a Healthy Hobby; Try Bird Watching

If you love nature and you want to get outside and spend some of your free time in the woods, consider bird watching as your chosen activity.

Birds are some of the most interesting and beautiful creatures in the world. Animals that can fly, are lightweight, and wear a variety of colored feathers can give you hours of joyful watching every week. This is an activity that can be social, or it can be a way for you to get out in nature and spend some time by yourself.

What are the Benefits of Watching Birds?

Are you an Impatient Person; Learn Patience with Birds

It’s well-known that people can spook birds into flight by simply being near them. If you want to learn how to be still, be patient, and focus on the activity at hand, watching birds is a great way to do this. You’re not going to be instantly gratified when you visit a field or a wooded area where you could see some birds. There might be times you don’t see any at all and other times when flocks of birds are present.

Your Reflexes Will be Tested

Bird watching takes a lot of patience, but it also takes quick reflexes to see the bird you’re looking for, and either captures it in a photograph or simply watch its movements through your binoculars. You don’t want to miss a bird that takes off from the ground, dives down to capture a fish in the lake, or is nestled in the branches above you. Your quick and decisive movements will help you enjoy this activity and help you maintain sharp reflexes.

Enjoy Improved Cardiovascular Health

If you want to head out and watch birds, you’re not going to do it from your car. There’s a good chance you’re going to walk several miles in search of the species you’re trying to follow and enjoy. Birds like to spend time in places where people aren’t often found, which means walking along hiking trails slowly and quietly to find a place where you can see these animals. Of course, even if you don’t see any birds, you’ll be glad to have the time in nature where it’s peaceful and quiet.

Learning Acceptance Comes with Bird Watching

Sometimes it’s good to be reminded that you can’t control every aspect of your life. Trying to see rare and interesting bird species can teach you that. You can’t control what the birds do or how they behave. There will be times you don’t see any birds at all. Along with patience, this activity can teach you acceptance of the possibility that you will not see any birds, run into inclement weather, or have to deal with rough terrain.

Increase Your Upper Arm Strength

You’re not going to get those 20-inch biceps while watching birds, but you will increase the strength in the upper parts of your arms. Many times, following birds, requires going into low-light areas, which means you need to use larger and heavier binoculars or camera lenses to capture the action. If you have weak arms, you’ll begin to shake and won’t enjoy this activity as much. As you hold your equipment, remind yourself that you’re getting your arm workout in for the day.

You Have to Travel to See Birds

Even if you don’t leave your local area, you will have to leave the city and suburbs if you want to see birds that make a home in your area but are not commonly seen in your backyard. This means days planned with travel to trails and parks where you can spend time waiting for your feathered friends to arrive. Bird watching is a great way to see and explore new areas, even if those areas are local or adjacent to where you live.

You’ll Belong to a Community

You can enjoy watching birds by yourself or with one other person, but typically that’s as large as the group gets. Even so, you can bring back your experiences and share them with other hobbyists that find joy in talking about their times following birds in the wild. You’ll belong to a community of people that you might never meet but will enjoy spending time with when you’re online. You might meet up with some of these people later in life, but even if you don’t, you’ll enjoy the community feeling this activity offers.

Increase Your Mental Alertness

Bird watching is an activity with hours of boredom interrupted by seconds of activity. If you’re not alert, you’ll miss the birds that you’re trying to watch and see. Birds can be right in front of you one minute and go into the sky the next. You’ll want to learn how to recognize the signs of a bird being present in the area and ready to take a photo when the birds show themselves to you.

You’ll Have Lots of Time to Think

Our lives can become hectic and make us feel like we don’t have any time for ourselves. You need to have time without other people around you to contemplate, reflect, and meditate. This can all be done during a hike into the woods to see which birds are active. This is an opportunity for you to zone out and calm your brain. Try to remain present when you’re watching the birds, hiking through the forest, and using your equipment. It’s good for your brain to have a break from the challenges of your life.

Develop a True Appreciation for Nature

The simple activity of bird watching can inspire you to appreciate what nature has to offer. If you live in an area where all four seasons are experienced, you can admire the various ways that nature changes, how the birds that stay home survive during the winter months, and how many birds migrate to various regions of the world. If you’re quiet and calm, you’ll probably see more than just birds during your time in nature, which can make for some wonderful stories that you can share with your friends and family.