So many cute stories around. 
I’m quite lucky since my partner is so supportive and he enjoys looking at animals and plants. He couldn’t care less about taxonomy or putting a tag to it (so no use of iNat), but he likes to observe and has a great eye for photos. I truly appreciate that we can hike slowly and relatively silently and that allows us to spot so many things!
My mother was the one that introduced me to nature as a kid, specially towards plants. I was more attracted to animals but she definitely taught me to pay attention to the genus or families around us and to name the familiar ones.
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Not sure. I think it would be OK if I were more likely to concentrate on birds, mammals, or just larger creatures. But, I only use a cell phone, which makes anything at a distance difficult to capture on camera, so I tend to focus more on small things–insects, mushrooms, plants, etc. I think the insects creep them out. And it’s a small, conservative town–hunting, fishing, and trapping are fine, but poking around to just film things qualifies as unusual. I’m probably, from that standpoint, eccentric, and therefore embarrassing.
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I think that is part of being a naturalist!! No matter where I go, I have people looking at me strangely. One time, I was taking photos of these awesome damselflies by a creek in Hot Springs, Arkansas, when two younger boys in the net-structure about 20-30 feet above started audibly talking about “What’s she taking photos of??”
Or at gas stations around the states I stay outside to find cool insects who like to rest on the exterior walls. Everyone coming in just stares at me, wondering why this teen is at the gas station in the first place, and what is she doing?
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My family does refrain from rolling their eyes when I randomly stop to take a picture of a really cool looking flower and even though they are going to decline that they do anything of the sort when I tell them. But they don’t mind. The people who mind are passersby in whose way I come while walking since I tend to stop in the middle of the road for little critters or fascinating trees.
But to be honest, after reading few of the posts in this topic I am glad that I’m not alone !!
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My family get annoyed at me when I stop to take a picture, mostly because its the same bird species I’ve already seen like fifteen times.
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But hey! if it is your favorite species, or even just because you like it, then you should stop to enjoy it! I wish more people would stop to enjoy nature, even if it is common (Now) in the area. I do get your family’s perspective of having to stop all the time for something they don’t care about, since my family is the same, but something I have tried is to try to get them more interested in the nature around us! I have successfully brought the older of my two younger brothers into birds, which made me really happy. And now he does not get as annoyed when I stop. Welcome to the forum!
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I suppose if you made a career out of biology and nature study, as I did, your relatives might be more understanding of your strange obsessions. But if it’s a hobby, they might be a little less understanding. After all, you could be obsessed with a more relatable hobby like golf, although I can’t think of a less enjoyable way to go for a stroll (to paraphrase Mark Twain).
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My family is supportive for the most part! My dad is always happy to walk around the yard with me to show me spiders when I visit! My mom calls to tell me when she sees any at work. My twin sister and my wife both have iNat accounts!!
Once, when I was younger, I told my mom that I was planning on studying spider taxonomy for my career. She was quiet for several minutes before finally asking me why I “wanted to go to school to learn how to stuff dead spiders.” This led to me explaining the difference between taxonomy and taxidermy, lol.
I’m pretty sure I was on iNat identifying spiders to calm my nerves on the day I had my first date with my wife! And the day she proposed to me, we went on a small hike and made a few observations!
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I almost just spat out my drink. Taxidermy. Lol.
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Yes…and maybe. Spouse yes - and now our walks are nature-focused and for well-being.
Larger family network - when I talk about biodiversity, ecological systems, climate impact, reduction in habitat, taxonomy….(etc.)…I see see and hear the not-so-subtle “ok” - the out of courtesy - head nods and some cognitive drifting…but they are happy to send photos to me - with “What is this? -found in in my backyard.” And so … I keep on ‘Natting and I think it has made a difference with awareness and education for family network (beyond their hunting/fishing interests). If we try to care for one another (family/friends)…the same level of care is extended to nature as well.
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My husband is a wildlife biologist (or was until he retired) so he’s interested too although he doesn’t really contribute to iNat much. We just make sure we know where each other is and call each other about every hour or so to make sure we’re both safe. We tend to do our own “thing” since you always see more alone than with other people.
Even my dogs are supportive. They’re used to me stopping to look at things and take photographs so they just sit down and wait for me to finish and move on.
So I feel pretty lucky.
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