The fear of missing out, commonly abbreviated as FOMO, can come in many forms, at any time of year.
However, there is one type of FOMO that has been effecting me particularly. We are nearing (if not already at) the peak of autumn mushroom season here in western Washington State. If this were up to me, I’d be pulling into my driveway coming back from a foraging trip right about now. But, sadly, my schedule only allows for very little time. I’m busy all week with school work, and the weekends are the only real opportunity I have. Even then, the weekends are only available if I don’t have anything else happening, or if im not busy, (or on the off chance that I didn’t sleep in - sunset is at 6:00!).
All I can do is stand on the sidelines, watching other local iNatters go on trips, observing the awesome species I really want to find. Coming up here soon, my schedule clears up, and I’m hoping I won’t be too late to the party!
Thank you for reading my long winded venting session. So, are there any parts of the year when you get nature-related FOMO? What organisms are you afraid of missing out on?
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I just took a trip up to Lake Tahoe last weekend to see the kokanee salmon run in Taylor Creek. I was there at the perfect time last year. There were tons of them. This year, not so much. I think I missed the best part of it by a week or two.
Another one I look forward to every year is seeing the elephant seal pups on Drake’s Beach in Point Reyes Nat’l Seashore. They’re on the beach for just a few weeks in Feb - March. Missing out on those chubby little babies would definitely be a big disappointment.
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I feel you and especially when I’m in school busy with work and I’m just depressed because I’m forced to stay indoors, especially during midterm and final season
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Idk whether this is possible in the US (with overall longer distances, I assume, to reach the nearest good mushroom spot, and perhaps a more dangerous flora and fauna than in central Europe), but I just bought a good video light for myself so I could go out later (after uni lectures) and still take okay photos. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than nothing.
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Hip replacement this year. Serious FOMO! Missed a good chunk of odonata season, insects in general, & probably a lot of fungi & slime molds 
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Rare fall warbler season! There is a place near my home where there are rare warblers, but my schedule is also kind of tight (and of course nobody wants to take me to yet another swamp…).
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I was just going to say: overwintering warblers in the Dominican Republic. In the cacao groves: American Redstarts, Black-and-White Warblers, and Northern Parulas. In the mangroves, Northern Waterthrush. Along streams, Louisiana Waterthrush. Once, an Ovenbird. Of these, the only one I have managed to see in North America is the Northern Parula, by a lucky chance a couple weeks ago.
And, really, whenever I’m not in the Dominican Republic, I get FOMO about the seasonal fruits like avocados and mangos, breadfruits and breadnuts. Durning mango season, everyone has so many that they are constantly trying to give them away.
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I totally get it! I have been so busy this year and haven’t had a chance to go hiking much and then I see all the goodies local people have been finding not far from where I live. Oh well. There is always next season. Happy hunting!