It seems that my indigenous gardening adventure has turned me into a bird-watcher. I suppose it's a logical progression, as the local plant life attracts more wildlife, with the most conspicuous being the vibrant birdlife that we are so blessed to have here in Southern Africa. I appreciate this even more after a recent trip to the USA, where I would be lucky to see 4 birds during my 30 minutes of morning exercise. And this was next to a lake, where you would expect even more birds. In contrast, here in my garden, in that same amount of time, without even looking for them, I can see more than 40 birds, consisting of more than 15 different species. This is one of the reasons I now prefer exercising outdoors. Unfortunately, my gym membership is in danger of lapsing, because I did not attend the gym the annual prescribed amount of times, despite the fact that I exercise almost every day. When I did frequent the gym, I felt the need to always have music, while when I'm outdoors, the birds produce all the music that I need, keeping me alert for different sounds from birds I have not seen yet. Watching the birds has also proven to be educational. In contrast to the dynamic activity level of birds, I've realized that being physically active is something that's missing in the lives of most people living a "modern" lifestyle. Most of us don't have to walk much, lift much, or carry much. Everything is automated, available a short drive away at the nearby store, and with communication made so easy, we don't have to bother going to visit our friends and family. In the end we are less active, and I firmly believe that our health suffers as a result. When birds wake up in the morning and start foraging for food and reinforcing their nests, they are physically active until the sun goes down. Many lessons can be learned from nature, as long as we are there to observe.
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