My favorite thing to do is sit outside, relax and watch the birds. I live in a rural area and there are so many different birds. I was always curious about what kind of birds they are. I recently looked at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/). I found the Merlin bird ID on the app store. There you can put in information about the birds you see and find out what kind of bird it is. Also, you can get information from bird experts. I think I’m addicted to this bird app.
OK, so some people have other hobbies but mine is birdwatching. I searched for information about fellow birdwatchers and I found it is good for your health. I read a study from the University of Exeter, the British Trust for Ornithology, and the University of Queensland. The study, involving hundreds of people, found mental health benefits of being able to see birds, shrubs, and trees around the home, whether people lived in urban or more leafy suburban neighborhoods. The study, which surveyed mental health in over 270 people from different ages, incomes and ethnicities, also found that those who spent less time out of doors than usual in the previous week were more likely to report they were anxious or depressed. After conducting extensive surveys of the number of birds in the morning and afternoon in Milton Keynes, Bedford, and Luton, the study found that lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress were associated with the number of birds people could see.