I went on a little walk to mail an envelope (an actual envelope!), and spent some time in a treed-in vacant lot, listening to the birds. Why is it that birdwatching is a serious pursuit, while birdlistening isn’t? It takes just as much concentration, and it seems to me that a listener is much less likely to startle a bird or damage its habitat than someone trying to catch a glimpse might be*. All these birds are out here, singing their little hearts out, but somehow that’s not good enough? I don’t know. Seems good enough for me.

*Obviously, this doesn’t apply to birds who are just hanging out in plain sight. Those birds don’t care if you look at them or not.