A person with competence and enthusiasm ‘in the field’ for this or that subject of natural history has ready opportunity to get with it in unusual haunts. Birds seem to be an obsession with such opportunity – the competent enthusiast has an instinctive reaction to give attention, and some write books about it.

The competence can range from specialised to general, and be used in manners with or without significance. With significance, for example, it may be rediscovery of a species long thought to be extinct, or occurring a long way from reported range – either being an exciting event for ‘birdos’. With insignificance, yet not entirely without excitement or potential, it would be, for example, my instinctive reaction to a suitable opportunity to look closely at sparrows, numerous anywhere in Melbourne’s metropolis, watching for the Tree Sparrow because it is much less present than the ever-present House Sparrow. (Incidentally, the Tree Sparrow is not averse to houses, nor the House to trees.)