The bird you were most happy to see. Anywhere in the world. (1 Viewer)

[Evan Atkinson]

Hey birders, as the thread title above says, what was the bird that you were most happy to see? This could be from anywhere in the world. For me it would have to be the little bunting I saw on Monday. Feel free to post any pictures of the bird if you had any.


Ev

 

[Richard Prior]

Peregrine Falcon, Aviemore Scotland in 1975.
Growing up in England in the 1950s and 60s this species was almost a mythical beast for me, DDT having wiped out most of the population, so when I saw my first one drift out from a crag I was so moved I actually fell to my knees in the snow ( and I hadn’t touched a drop of the local whisky, honest).

 

[Evan Atkinson]

Peregrine Falcon, Aviemore Scotland in 1975.
Growing up in England in the 1950s and 60s this species was almost a mythical beast for me, DDT having wiped out most of the population, so when I saw my first one drift out from a crag I was so moved I actually fell to my knees in the snow ( and I hadn’t touched a drop of the local whisky, honest).

My grandparents used to live in Calne and we saw peregrines regularly there and they were nesting for a few years. Not sure on whether they successfully raised young but I think they did.

 

[John Cantelo]

It has to be Steller's Eagle, a bird I never thought I'd see and which proved to be every bit as good as I'd hoped and more. That said, if I'd got a photo of the Blakiston's Fish Owl I saw on the same trip then it might have just pipped the eagle at the post! Hokkaido in winter is just fantastic.

 

[Prestdj]

great question

prothonotary warbler at hilton head island south carolina stunning bird and my first american warbler

peregrine falcon

living in the pennines there used to be a RSPB hide to see them back in the 80's great views and still a special bird that always amazes me with its speed and have been very locky to have had some great encoutners with them from photographing chicks being rung under the watchfull eye of the local wildlife police, watching parents train the young to hunt is stunning
and this winter 2 were flying around my patch when one went high and the other went full speed towards a group of wood pigeons heading through, 8 dropped into the trees the other just carried on when suddenly the one that went high just dropped.......straight dive then boom that wood pigeon was gone it was one of the best birding moments ever still gives me goosebumps

​

 

[MJB]

It has to be the rather dull-looking, heavily range-restricted and Critically Endangered Puaiohi, or Small Kauaʻi Thrush, found only in the Alakaʻi Wilderness Preserve on Kaua'i. I had the privilege of being shown it by the wardens at a nest site only two metres off the boardwalk, an almost overwhelming experience.

With avian malaria now reaching the tops of highest mountains there, its extinction may not be far off.
MJB

 

[LittleBitOfBreadNoCheese]

Difficult but I'd go for Andean Condor in Peru.

 

[Jonno52]

Peregrine Falcon, south London, 12 March 2021 (saw my first in Scotland, July 1983, when they were still recovering from near extinction in Britain). I'm now flatbound but had been told they were probably breeding less than a mile from my home. So there was the theoretical chance of getting my first photos of the species from my open window., which was what happened.

Golden-winged Warbler (the Maidstone bird) runs it a close second, but regardless of rarity, Peregrine comes top and always will.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Capercaillie a couple of years ago in the Cairngorms.

Honourable mention to the Pelican in WA. Just stood there whilst everyone walked past. Until my wife did. Made me laugh anyway. OH did not see the funny side.

 

[wolfbirder]

The white-phase Gyrfalcon beast photographed in my avatar was probably the bird I was most thrilled to see, at Stepper Point, Cornwall in March 2007. I spent 2 days in my Punto in my sleeping bag, and at dusk on the 2nd night it dropped into this roost point. Next morning I was up before the crack of dawn and enjoyed crippling scope views just 50 metres away for at least ten minutes, seen in beautiful but soft morning light before it flew off.

The 'stunning' Lancashire adult male Pallid Harrier was probably my favourite ever bird however, watching it hunt, glide, feed, perched, and stooping in display was incredible, so much so that I travelled three times to see it. Great Grey Owls in Finland, Bearded Vultures in Spain not forgetting the Peak District individual, Wallcreeper down to five metres in Spain, 'stunning' male Siberian Rubythroat in Shetland, Common Nighthawk at Ballymena, County Antrim down to 2 metres in the daytime, and the 'wonderful' Albatross off Bempton were all awesome memories for me and each right up there as my favourite birds, along with an array of colourful warblers in Ontario, Canada, along with any Nightjars, Wrynecks, Firecrests, Bee-eaters, Rollers, and most of all perhaps raptors.

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

Probably Philippine Eagle.

After a hot sweaty 4 km hike to the camp at Mt. Kitanglad, and two more two mile hikes from the camp to the observation site, finally seeing them on the last day possible was definitely a happy event (and certainly a relief).

 

[Nightjar61]

Hard to choose, but I’d have to say Iquitos Gnatcatcher, first described to science in 2005. Not too exciting to look at (very similar to Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, which is a very common breeder in my part of the country), but what it lacks in looks is made up for by its rarity.

The bird’s entire known range is about 7.5 square miles of white-sand forests protected by the Allpahuayo-Mishana National Preserve outside of Iquitos, Peru. Critically endangered, the estimated population is anywhere from 30 to 250 birds, making it one of the rarest birds in the world. So seeing a tiny bird in a heavily forested area of 7.5 square miles is literally like finding a needle in a haystack.

I saw two birds that were part of a mixed-species flock, and not everyone in my group was able to get onto them before they disappeared. I had hoped to see one but had no realistic expectations of actually seeing one, so when two came into view it was one of the great birding moments of my life.

Dave

 

[Farnboro John]

The white Gyrfalcon at Berry Head in April 1986. By a country mile!

Internationally, a pair of Verreaux's Eagles at head height from the cliffs of the Waterberg in Namibia. I'd seen Eric Hosking's pictures of them at the nest and just thought they were stunning birds. When I actually saw them it turned out I was right, and they put on a fairly extended close range performance, which was amazing.

John

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

I was on a birding holiday in Queensland, and was actually driving one of the hire vehicles. We spent time in the Licuala Forest, failing to see Cassowary, while my mother who stayed in the vehicle did! Anyway, on the last morning I had enough time to drive back for one last chance; success, adult male and chick! Honourable mentions to Hooded Grebe, both Rockfowl, Tibetan Sandgrouse, Bornean Bristlehead, Pale-billed Antpitta, Hawk Owl, Shoebill, Long-tailed Groundroller and King of Saxony BoP, among many others!

 

[pbjosh]

Toss up for me, or perhaps not. It should be the Red-billed Ground-Cuckoo, probably the most mega and rare bird of my life, found in a miraculous day of birding with a good friend in the Serra do Divisor (Acre, BR) just about a month ago. However the Cordillera Azul Antbird before it had a name is just a bit better in terms of ranking the experiences. Hearing a kind of odd Antbird rattle/alarm led to playing a few recordings looking for a match which probably agitated the bird as it started singing - a song I (or apparently any birder/ornithologist) had never heard before. The next half hour or so of recording, playing back, and then seeing an unknown bird was absolutely monumentally cool I feel very fortunate to have seen both and the other cool / rare birds I've managed to cross paths with in the neotropics

 

[Maroon Jay]

Cassowary. Awsome bird. There are a couple of eagles that might top this but have not seen them yet. (Harpy and Stellers Sea Eagle).

 

[Mysticete]

Going with some of my most vivid memories, I would probably considered the below my best experiences

A Swallow-tailed Kite being mobbed by birds and passing overhead maybe 20 feet, as a child in Florida. I still haven't seen another, and it remains one of my most vivid encounter and the only ABA bird I haven't connected with again since becoming a birder

Thick-billed Kingbird in San Diego: Skipped school to chase this, and I fondly remembering my younger self dashing around and guiding other birders to see it.

Streak-chested Antpitta - After hearing and failing to track down one on several occasions last summer in Panama, it was great to finally get a cooperative one that was happy to sing it's heart out along the trail

North Island Robin: This ended up being one of my absolute favorite birds from my trip to New Zealand...surprisingly cute and personable, recalling more an antpitta than the other Australasian Robins I saw.

 

[DMW]

One that stands out is Swinhoe's Rail at Poyang Hu in SE China. After two solid days of trudging around hundreds of acres of wet grassland, having given up hope, suddenly one flushed up in front of us.

Slender-billed Curlew is another contender, although that was as much relief as happiness. I was fortunate enough to get it on the first day of a trip to Morocco. On my last day, I had no more targets so just revisited a few sites in glorious sunshine and had Great Bustards and Cranes at Asilah, Little Bustards at Larache, and rounded off with a return to Merja Zerga for great views of the Curlew, and several Marsh Owls. That was a happy day.

 

[Sandra (Taylor)]

great question

prothonotary warbler at hilton head island south carolina stunning bird and my first american warbler

peregrine falcon

living in the pennines there used to be a RSPB hide to see them back in the 80's great views and still a special bird that always amazes me with its speed and have been very locky to have had some great encoutners with them from photographing chicks being rung under the watchfull eye of the local wildlife police, watching parents train the young to hunt is stunning
and this winter 2 were flying around my patch when one went high and the other went full speed towards a group of wood pigeons heading through, 8 dropped into the trees the other just carried on when suddenly the one that went high just dropped.......straight dive then boom that wood pigeon was gone it was one of the best birding moments ever still gives me goosebumps

​

My first peregrine too may have been from this same hide in West Yorkshire. But also my first twite from the same hide.

 

[foresttwitcher]

Have to agree with John Cantelo on Steller's Eagle & Blackinson's Fish Owl and Welsh Peregrine with Long-tailed Ground Roller plus King Eider, Gyrfalcon & Martial Eagle.