Memorable Moments/When did you (1 Viewer)

pduxon

Quacked up Member

• Aug 8, 2003

• #1

This may have been done before if so sorry

What are your most memorable bird moments. I'm not really thinking of that once in a life time bird(but that might be it), but the little things that made you smile or moments of pure satisfaction?

Also, when did you realise that Birding was going to be THE hobby (obsession) for you ?

 

Charles Harper

Régisseur

• Aug 8, 2003

• #2

Pete, when I was a callow high school student collecting snakes, somehow I hooked up with the Caloosahatchie Bird Club in Fort Myers, Florida, and a very kind older couple, whose surname I have ungratefully forgotten, adopted me. I went on all their trips, I listened and learned, and at last, during one trip, with my heart in my mouth, I mentioned that a Little Blue Heron we were looking at might be a Reddish Egret-- shaggy neck-feathers, ivory bill base. I don't know if it really was or not, but all those adult, experienced birdwatchers hummed and considered, and decided that it was indeed a Reddish Egret. And I felt proud, I felt like I could contribute something to this hobby.

I try to keep that in mind as I fail on each ID quiz at BF.

 

C

cjay

Well-known member

• Aug 8, 2003

• #3

Finding a Wryneck at Minsmere whilst taking group of thirty around having them stand & applaud me.

Blush Blush!
I knew this was to me my biggest Hobby when I started earning money by it.
Colin.

 

M

Malvolio

Well-known member

• Aug 8, 2003

• #4

Once found a Ross's Gull - will die happy.

MV

 

Andrew

wibble wibble

• Aug 8, 2003

• #5

Found a Bonaparte's but no one around to see it too and it scarpered quickly.

The formative moment was a Cetti's Warbler in St Quen's Pond in Jersey. A birder showed me one in his scope and the spectacular sight of the bird 'close up' tipped me over the edge into a full on birder.

 

esmondb

The fool that MrT doesn't pity

• Aug 8, 2003

• #6

I'm quite new to birding so, any time that I see a bird for the first time in the wild is normally a memorable moment for me. If it's a reserve with a hide specially set up to view one bird, such as Loch Garten, it's not such a buzz, but if I've had to do some work to spot a bird then it's a great feeling.
I'd only seen short-eared owl in Collins' Guide until earlier this year, so when I saw my first one it was if it had come alive from the pages of the book.

As for birding as a primary hobby, it's not. I've always had a love of nature in general, as do most here looking at the other sections, and nowadays I just have a bit more time (and money) to spend in the wilder places in this country. Oh yeah, and some eccentric woman living in a hut in the middle of nowhere (Forsinard) persuaded me to become an RSPB member.

 

B

Beverlybaynes

Mod Squad

• Aug 8, 2003

• #7

A formative moment? Finally figured out that Great Blue Heron, the bird that made me go buy a field guide for the first time.

A spectacularly formative moment: My first visit to Jasper-Pulaski FWA to see thousands and thousands (literally) Sandhill Cranes flying in to their evening roost against a flaming sunset. Heartstopping beauty, chills up the neck.

When did I know that this is a primary hobby? The first time I got involved with an 'event' -- one that was going to raise money for the care and rehabilitation of injured birds.

 

phyllosc

Well-known member

• Aug 9, 2003

• #8

For me it was the day I spent birding on Mount Phulchowki in Nepal. The richness of the habitat and the variety of the birds seen all came together to make the best day's birding I have ever done.

Dave

 

Tony_InDevon

Bird Lover & People Photographer

• Aug 9, 2003

• #9

My latest most memorable bird moment has to be seeing the estimated 5000 swallows coming in at sunset last night. They were all around me and so close I could have almost touched them.

As with any addiction it crept up on me LOL

 

IanF

Moderator

• Aug 9, 2003

• #10

Actually I had one today when I came across a Bittern sunning itself in open view. First one I've ever found all by myself. Even better was for it to hang around 20 mins whilst I grabbed a few photos and video clips.

 

C

cuddy

Brian Robson

• Aug 9, 2003

• #11

While i was visiting a reserve i was standing watching siskins in the trees when i heard a noise and looking down saw a redpoll hopping around and over my boots totally unafraid of me.

Since then there have been many similar moments, and i always feel privilaged to be witness to such events.

 

rb_stern

Richard stern

• Aug 9, 2003

• #12

I can think of several equally memorable bird moments - all different. -- E.g.

-- Standing up to my knees in a marsh in the dark, shining the flashlight in the direction a peculiar "keek-i-dee" sound was coming from, and having a Black Rail stare back at me for about 5 second before it "melted away".

-- Being surrounded by flying Whipoorwills and Chuck-Will's Widows at night in a clearing in a pine forest, with the stars shining overhead.

-- Lying on a roof in Cardel, Veracruz, Mexico and watching nearly a quater of a million raptors drifting overhead.

-- Finding and photographing a Mississippi Kite over my cottage - lifer for me, and first record for the Province.

-- Finding and photographing the Provinces first documented Fieldfare.

-- Seeing a Ross's Gull (me too) - I was in such a hurry to get my camera I knocked over my tripod and bent the end of my scope!

-- The whole experience of Tikal, Guatemala, with its magical ruins, fascinating history, and wonderful birds

-- The sheer terror the first time I ventured near an active N.Goshawk's nest on my own, and experienced Mom's ferocity in defending the area.

-- and many others.

-- All the great moments of companionship, friendship, and shared excitement with my birding friends, when we find, or ID, or confirm, something good. All the above experiences were shared with other birders (sometimes by cell-phone at the time!).


Cheers - Richard

 

E

Elizabeth Bigg

Addicted member

• Aug 10, 2003

• #13

Hard to say, but about twenty years ago we were touring Scotland, and saw a sign to Boat of Garten. It was such an attractive name, that we found a B&B and stayed there for a few days. You can guess the rest! We were not so much into birds back then, but seeing an osprey bringing a fish to the nest was quite amazing. We also saw red squirrels feeding on our hostess's bird table - it was a magical holiday, with several other instances of serendipity.

 

B

Beverlybaynes

Mod Squad

• Aug 10, 2003

• #14

It's nice, isn't it, to know that those memorable moments don't have to be BIG ones?

Another that's a favorite for me is an early morning Aubudon bird hike with just one or two other birders (the rest were to come at 8 a.m.). I commented that I hadn't seen my first Pileated yet, so Jim the Bird God, said, "Let's just go back down the trail a few yards." We did, and within moments he pointed out a huge woodpecker.

It flew almost immediately, but my look was enough to 'get' the white underwings and huge size, and positively ID my first Pileated. I was thrilled!

Most of my happiest and more memorable birding moments have been with other birding friends, but one when I saw alone stands out as well:

I was walking along a fence line chock full of small trees and scrub at a 'new' redeveloping marsh area about 50 miles south of town. A big Red-tailed Hawk burst out of the foliage just ahead of me. It flew low and circled around me as it headed away, not 20 feet from me. It was being mobbed by several small sparrows. As it flew closest to me, I could see one sparrow even land on the hawk's upper back and peck vigorously on the back of it's head. Another thrilling moment for me -- although over in a heartbeat.

 

pduxon

Quacked up Member

• Aug 10, 2003

• #15

I notice that I didn't include mine.

Not for me some rare vagrant ( I wish) or even a rare bird.

Shortly after starting getting into birding turning up at Fowlmere and watching a Kingfisher fish for 20 minutes breathtaking.

Probably the event that told me I was hooked happened during the time whilst I was unemployed but knew that I was starting a job in a few weeks.

I turned up at Rye Meads in late Oct early Nov without any form of waterproof (fool) and just as I approached the first hide the clouds came up and it started raining. I was watching this Green Sandpiper when the two others in the hide started on about a Dunlin (or was it a Knot?) now this was a new one one me at the time and I couldn't see what they were looking at. I could see a bird that looked like a lighter smaller Green Sandpiper and it had a crescent shape by the wing. So I thought oh well lets make a fool of myself "uh I thought it was a Common Sandpiper it looks alot like the Green doesn't it?" which brought two birders looking at me in annoyance. I wandered off getting soaked but as happy as larry. ok a Common is no great bird but at the time it was a lifer.

Some years back I went on a family holiday and visited Wilton Hall (well worth a visit not for birds though) and sitting by the river this Mallard appeared and started pecking at my Dads feet. Some years later a friend and I visited Wilton after stopping in Salisbury. She's no animal lover and ducks are low down her like list for animals. Anyway I had told her the duck story and as soon as we sat by the river this female mallard made staright for her. The look on face was priceless. And no she still hasn't forgiven me for laughing!! Hence I sponsor a Mallard via the WWT!!

 

M

Mark D

BOG member

• Aug 10, 2003

• #16

Howdo,

Having been a birder for some years on my own out in the wilderness, the biggest event for me was to have contacted Bradford Ornithologists group about an Iceland Gull I'd seen. I was promptly invited to go along to the next meeting, which I did, and was so impressed I joined up there and then. It felt amazing to be among like minded folk who just wanted to go birding.

It even appears that my local patch keeps rewarding me, for now I have somewhere to report sightings to, I am finding better birds out there. Not only that I have impacted on the Bradford scene by finding local rarities for the past few years. MY patch rewarded me with a site for breeding Peregrine (at the time the only one in the Bradford area!). The following year I found a Red-necked Phalarope (a memorable day in it's own right)which stayed for 3 days allowing most of the membership to see it as well as quite a few twitchers!

Now six years since joining I am the recorder for the area, a member of the committee, and more importantly for me I was asked onto the Bradford Rarities committee a couple of years ago.

I will never forget the day I joined, as these are the best years I've had as a birder

Mark

 

Hanno

Ho Ho Ho

• Aug 11, 2003

• #17

- Seeing a million Lesser Flamingoes at Lake Nakuru.
- Seeing my first Pittas after 20 years of birding this year.
- Thousands of Common Cranes on migration.
- Black-faced Spoonbills
- and, and, and.

I have been lucky to be able to live and work in many exotic countries. Like a previous poster, I am into wildlife (almost inevitable if you grew up in Kenya) and like the outdoors, so becoming a birder was a natural progression. The only downside is that i am usually in countries with few birders, I would love to share my birding with like-minded people:-(

 

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emjaybee

Member

• Aug 15, 2003

• #18

My word, this is a tough one!

Every "lifer" for me has been special, but there are those breath stopping moments that sum up the fascination of this hobby of ours, like being in South Africa for less than 5 hours and hearing and then seeing my first African Fish Eagle at Shongweni, or the pair of Narina Trogons and Woodward's (Green) Barbet in Ongoye Forest. Closer to home I was thrilled to see a Bittern in front of the hide at Marazion, but disappointed I'd forgotten my camera.

Mike

 

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smeltmill

Well-known member

• Aug 15, 2003

• #19

Dear all,

My finest birding moment -1945 -.
I borrowed my father’s opera glasses and studied the newly fledged future Mrs. Boreham-Styffe.

Yours etc.
Gordon Boreham-Styffe.

 

Doug

Well-known member

• Aug 15, 2003

• #20

Just last weekend in a hide overlooking Pagham Harbour two birders showed me how to distinguish a Curlew from a Whimbrel (a lifer for me) and it just blew me away. I could have watched that bird and drank in it's features forever - don't know why but it just did it for me.

And the great thing about birding is I know there will be many many more moments like that to come.