Before the tide turned to music, I was a very active birder here in Tucson, Arizona. But alas, it's very hard to stay up all night playing fiddle and then get up at the break of dawn to go birding.

I used to run the rare bird alert here, and my husband founded BIRDCHAT and various other birding lists- (but has since given them over to others to be in charge...)

I always paid attention to songs/calls, and still cannot walk into any outdoor environment without assessing the birds. But I don't plan trips around birding anymore... even forgot to pack binoculars on the last road trip....