spotting
n. uncountablen. the activity of looking for and identifying specific things, like birds, trains, or planes. People often do this as a hobby to keep a record of what they see.
n. the practice of observing and identifying specific objects or species, typically as a systematic hobby. Often occurs as the second element in compound nouns such as 'trainspotting' or 'plane-spotting'.
He spends his weekends bird spotting in the local park.
The coastal cliffs are a popular location for whale spotting during the annual migration season.
While casual observers enjoy the view, serious enthusiasts engage in train spotting with meticulous logs, recording every engine number and arrival time with academic precision.
Commonly used in compound forms or followed by a prepositional phrase starting with 'for'.