Remembering your first big tick.

[lvn600]

I remember the first time I had success in finding a bird that I had never seen at my bird feeders and was excited about. It was a yellow warbler. When I saw this all yellow bird with the red markings I felt I had really hit the jackpot for the first time. I was amazed that I had never seen or noticed this bird before. What was the first bird that you found while out in the field with a binocular that you were excited about?

[Lucky Birder]

Male Reed Bunting at my local nature reserve sometime in the late 1970's. It was a frosty morning and I had my first proper binoculars. That observation stands out for me. I still think they are a class bird.

[Sn@ve]

The first bird that I identified using binoculars in the field was a Hairy Woodpecker. It's still pretty fresh in my mind as it only happened about 3 weeks ago. :bounce: I look forward to many, many more big ticks. I had two today as a matter of fact... the first was a Cooper's Hawk (juvenile) and the second was a Blue Grosbeak. All in all a pretty good day.

[Lucky Birder]

Why is it called a Hairy Woodpecker?

[birdpotter]

My first Red-headed Woodpecker, my first Blue Grosbeak...
Gosh, there are a lot of them. Any time something I am not expecting at all comes into view...
I gues my first Really big one was the Common Redpoll. It was in my backyard for only one day and it was in southern Missouri, not part of its range. There hadn't been a recorded C. Redpoll in Missouri for about 20 years. People from the local Audobon Society came to get a look, but it never showed up again.
But it made me feel good that they took me seriously, even though they hadn't seen it themselves.

Elizabeth

[C0ops]

Why is it called a Hairy Woodpecker?

Very good question....Maybe because It is a little more messy then the Downy Woodpecker.

[C0ops]

As for my first big tick...I have been birding since the age of 5, therefore I can not remember the first. I can tell you that I saw a Variegated flycatcher at the age of seven at Toronto Island, Ontario.

[pduxon]

I can remember being very happy about a Blackcap and a Common Whitethroat.

[Stranger]

As a returnee (is that a word ?) to bird watching, most of my sightings are new ticks for me.The latest being a Pied Flycatcher. In my excitement I called out Flied Piecatcher! much to the amusement of those around me,so I guess this will stick in my memory for a long time.

[lvn600]

As a returnee (is that a word ?) to bird watching, most of my sightings are new ticks for me.The latest being a Pied Flycatcher. In my excitement I called out Flied Piecatcher! much to the amusement of those around me,so I guess this will stick in my memory for a long time.I just hope you don't own a bakery.

[e burr]

Once you've seen one, you never forget. 1993 in Korea. A pair lived by our shop located on a big hill in the middle of a golf course.

[samuel walker]

I had what I thought was a fairly exclusive hooded merganser.It was in a tiny pond near home.Like a good birder. I posted it to my state's birding site. A fellow from Toledo emailed me and asked for directions to little Clague Park where the hoodie was.I was astonished since he lived on the doorstep of one of the greatest wetlands in America and should be wading in hoodies.Why take a 100 mile trip to Cleveland.A few days later I was birdwatching along Lake Erie and a fellow stopped to join me.After about half an hour of watching Fall migrants he asked if I knew where Clague Park was.Sure leave here turn right travel 2 miles go left.I asked what's at Clague?A hooded merganser.Yup sure is,are you from Toledo?Yup.It became disclosed who I was.
Sam

[salty]

my first golden eagle for me........breath taking.

always dreamed of seeing one in the wild as a child, but it wasnt untill getting out and about in our little car last year, that i was actually able to go and see them in the wild. after that dream sighting, all other birds didnt have as much impact, because i had seen the bird i wanted most. but they all have a place in my memories.

i managed many must see birds in the same 10 months or so, being mobile and kitted out with my new optics i managed: osprey, golden eagle, goshawk, hen harrier, marsh harrier, peregrine falcon, short eared owl, barn owl, tawny owl etc etc. just after a few more of my dream birds to complete my list now.....fingers crossed.

[Wan2caTanager]

|=)| Hmmm.. I think for me it would be the summer and scarlet tanagers, rose-breasted grosbeake, and cedar waxwing!

[Vipers]

For me it has to be Waxwing. When I was nine or ten a flock turned up at my school. These birds have been one of my favorites ever since.

[Peter Sparks]

A Brambling with the Chaffinches beneath the bird table in the garden many years ago. It remains the only lifer I've ever found in my garden although the Woodcock I flushed from the lane behind was also new to me.

[stevo]

Seeing my 1st displaying Honey buzzard right above my head it was a nice clear day so I could see all of the markings.This will stick with me forever.

Cheers Steve.

[Alcina]

When I was 16 and had just decided to go birding for the first time, a birder pointed out to me a linnet sitting on a fence. I was almost delirious with excitement, having only ever seen the birds in my garden before. The next week, I identified a new bird for myself (a common sandpiper). Wow! Now I was a real birder!

I can still see both of them clearly (and the page of the cheap field guide I used for the sand)

[Tim Allwood]

Wilson's Phalarope

Cley, August 1983, aged 14. Mum n Dad left me there all day. Was red hot and i had a great time

Then a bit of a gap until Greater Sand Plover, Blakeney Harbour in 1985 (I think)

Tim

Tim

[John o'Sullivan]

great grey shrike in cardiff around 1979, first good bird I ever found. I'm not sure if theres been one in cardiff since. Also I can remember the first linnet I saw.

[Tim42]

I think my biggest tick was the only owl I've seen since I started birding. It was a Barred Owl, you know the one that says 'Who cooks for you, who cooks for you aaallll!' When I caught him in my bins he was sitting in a tree staring back at me with those black, haunting eyes! I'll never forget that!

[BarbatusOne]

Crested Caracara, in my home county of Monterey in summer 2002, I'd only been birding for a year or two then and it was the first California state record widely accepted as legitimate.

[GreatHornedOwl]

What was the first bird that you found while out in the field with a binocular that you were excited about?


That was a male Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) who was singing in the neighbours' old walnut tree, a couple of years ago. Not a rare bird , but it really took a while before I could spot him - a greenish bird among green leaves. But I had a real good, long look at him through my binoculars - very satisfying.

[pauco]

Corn-bunting, in the summer of 1962.

[lvn600]

The "with a binocular" I picked up from the new Kaufman field guide. It says that technically it is correct to say "with a binocular" as opposed to with a pair of binoculars.

[gi2012]

A few come to mind:

My first memorable tick was seeing a pair of Shorelark at Landguard Point around winter 1979/80 with a school YOC trip.

An Osprey at Trimley Lake (Loompit Lake) May 1985 - I still haven't seen another one since!

Then in 1985 seeing a Greater Yellowlegs at Minsmere while on a high school outing and not knowing it was there until entering the hide which was a great surprise and an excellent bird.

A mate and me finding a Wryneck in 1986 is still the rarest bird I've found.

Gi

[Dave B]

I remember me and some mates being shown a Buff-breasted Sand at Walberswick in 1975. We were more thrilled to see our first Curlew Sandpipers which were giving much better views than the BBS. Only later did we realise what a good Suffolk tick it was (quite a Suffolk blocker for about the next 20 years).