Birdwatching or
BIRDING
Yes - BIRD is a verb!
I'm not the birdwatcher in my family, but my wife is. It's a good hobby, especially if you're a 'listmaker'! Birds are cool, but only for about an hour at a time for me. If you get into this, a good pair of binoculars is a must. The old adage, you get what you pay for is true here. The $50 pair you got a few years ago (the ones that fold up and fit in your pocket) are OK, but the $300 pair you looked at are a LOT better. Of course, you can spend thousands, but around $300 - $500 seems to be the sweet spot. The ability to focus close, as close as 8 feet away, is surprisingly important. We've bought several things from Eagle Optics, and they seem to be 'square shooters'. Same thing holds for spotting scopes and tripods, the more expensive ones really are better, up to a point.
Almost every city and town has an Audobon group. They have almost always proven to be friendly and helpful.
Here's some good links: