Great! Not sure what your budget is, but I've had really good luck with a used Nikon D3200 I picked up a couple of years ago on Ebay. You'll have the ability to use a wide range of Nikon lenses -- both long and short.

That said, a mirrorless camera may also be helpful. Without the mirror moving, the camera is a lot quieter, something that may be advantageous if you want to take pictures unnoticed.

Can't wait to see what you might get!