Leisure Activity: Bird watching

Description: Bird watching entails spending time outside, either alone or in a group, with the express purpose of observing local avian life and behavior. The purpose of bird watching activities can be documentary in its approach, as in the cataloging of which birds were seen in a list. Alternatively, bird watching can consist of passive recreational activity in which simple observation and admiration of bird species is the goal. Some bird watching will entail the use of camera equipment. Because I am also a hobby/enthusiast photographer, I took my camera along every bird watching activity and therefore combined two of my favorite leisure activities into one. Additionally, bird watching will usually involve the use of binoculars. While some birds do not mind being close to people, most will fly away. Binoculars can also allow for the observation of raptors and birds of prey when they are soaring.

Bird watching can take place in any natural environment, or even in the city. For this leisure experience, I visited a local wetlands park known for its diversity and abundance of bird life. While there, I took about fifty photographs, and documented sightings of ten different birds. The wetlands park has a gravel path leading through it, and parts of it have a raised boardwalk. Additionally, the wetlands have bird "hides" for people to sit in and wait patiently and undetected by the birds. These are small wooden structures with windows...

There is no structure to the activity, other than what I chose to place on the event. I took my camera because I wanted to practice wildlife photography. This meant taking some time to set up shots and think about shutter speed and other elements in addition to composition. It helped me to fill the time while waiting in the hides, whereas otherwise I might have been bored. I also liked that this area had walking trails. It was a good amount of exercise if I walked briskly, but I chose to walk slowly because I get my aerobic exercise from doing workouts at the gym. Bird watching was about fresh air and letting go, and it did feel that way to me. Watching the birds gave me a sense of peace and calm that few other leisure activities have provided to me. The beautiful species of birds in the wetlands often brought a smile to my face, and I believe next time I will bring a partner along to share the experience.
Conceptual analysis: Particularly because bird watching is a multisensory experience, it allows for a full exploration of the benefits of leisure for the body and the mind. The leisure activity of bird watching was ideal for this exercise because it highlights the benefits of expanding the diversity of leisure activities available to me. Bird watching can be expanded to include other activities that are similar,…