Best Birds Seen On Your Birthday (1 Viewer)

[Conwy Birder]

A simple question that arose during a conversation with a nature-friend earlier - what is the best bird or birds you have seen on your birthday?

For me the 10th June it was a very spotty Spotted Sandpiper in the lake district in 2017 whilst on a walking weekend break with my partner.

 

[foresttwitcher]

2020: Steller's Eagle - Hokkaido, Japan; with supporting cast of White-tailed Eagle, Red-crowned Crane, Slaty-backed Gull, Asian Rosy Finch & Black Scoter (amongst others).

 

[lgonz1008]

Only have one checklist for my birthday so far, middle of fall migration in a city park in Miami, amongst the dozens of migrants in a tiny park, the clear winner for me was a Worm-eating Warbler, with a supporting warbler cast of Black-and-white, Cape May, Black-throated Blue, Palm, Yellow-throated, American Redstart and Northern Parula.

 

[JWN Andrewes]

In a UK context, nothing of note, although various a day or two either side, including non spotty Spotted Sandpiper, Ross's Gull, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Sardinian Warbler, Pied-billed Grebe and the very first accepted Lesser Scaup at Chasewater (God, that dates me though, don't it).

Abroad, ticked Common Black Hawk, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Hooded Oriole, Wilson's Plover & Mangrove Warbler all on the same birthday in Belize (39th I think).

Steller's Sea Eagle will be a tough one to beat!!

 

[Jos Stratford]

2020: Steller's Eagle - Hokkaido, Japan; with supporting cast of White-tailed Eagle, Red-crowned Crane, Slaty-backed Gull, Asian Rosy Finch & Black Scoter (amongst others).

Competition is over, no chance of beating this line up 👍

 

[Xenospiza]

Competition is over, no chance of beating this line up 👍

Well... I wouldn't want to exchange that day in Hokkaido with the my 35th birthday: 28 species with Pesquet's Parrot and Palm Cockatoo as absolute crackers. I only ever saw Red-breasted Pygmy Parrot, Doria's Goshawk, Pygmy Eagle and White-eared Bronze-Cuckoo that day.

My only other birthday with lifers just had seven: Rusty-tinged Antpitta, Brown Tinamou, Spotted Rail, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Barred Parakeet, Black-fronted Nunbird and the day's major target (well for my companions!) Varzea Thrush.

 

[Himalaya]

Black Winged Stilts at Potteric Carr this year which could have been trumped by the Stilt Sandpiper at Alkborough but the latter was a no show!

Locally, a Bittern was a big bird. No reedbeds, upland area, found at a lodge.

 

[aeshna5]

Remember finding Ring-necked Ducks for myself on Scilly on my 40th some years back.

 

[Farnboro John]

Until 2008 I'd never had a tick on my birthday, so when on Sunday 6th January a White-crowned Sparrow turned up at Cley I clenched my teeth for twenty-four hours and took a day off on the Tuesday.... fingers well and truly crossed.

It was still there. Birthday tick!

In 2020 I was in the Gambia on my birthday and kicked off with Piapiac, followed by: Black-billed Wood Dove, Yellow-billed Shrike, Violet Turaco, Bearded Barbet, Mottled Spinetail, Snowy-crowned Robin Chat, both Lavender and Black-billed Waxbills, Long-tailed Nightjar, Standard-winged Nightjar (with standards!), Greyish Eagle Owl, Little Greenbul, Western Bluebill, Green-headed Sunbird, Grey-headed Bristlebill, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Brown and Blackcap Babblers.

Back at the hotel we bumped into Britseye and Spider and partied quite long into the night. Great birthday!

Cheers

John

 

[david kelly]

Lesser Crested Tern, Elsie, at Musselburgh on my 25th birthday.

David

 

[kb57]

In recent years I've usually tried to get out birding on my birthday; Twite tops the list for good bird seen more than once, with Chough and Hen Harrier tied for best birds overall - the latter two both on the same occasion.

 

[Jos Stratford]

Saw my 300th species for the UK on my birthday, Grey-cheeked Thrush on Scilly ...rather long time ago

 

[birdboybowley]

Found a Wilson's Phal on Ferry Pond on my 15th bday....which means that was 35yrs ago this Sunday 😱😱😭😭😭

 

[dandsblair]

Arranged to be in Savegre in Costa Rica on a big birthday and caught up with Resplendent Quetzal, Red-headed Barbet and Long-tailed Silky Flycatcher which were all lifers.
In UK either Little Auk or Ring Ouzel many years ago

 

[Andy Adcock]

I ticked Giant Nuthatch and Hume's Pheasant on my birthday in 2002.

 

[Jonny721]

One UK tick on my birthday so far, the Pied Wheatear at Meols on my 24th birthday back in 2018.

 

[loiner]

There was a book published about 25 years ago that detailed which rare birds had turned up on each day of the year. As far as I can recall my birthday (January 18th) was considered the least likely day to find a rarity. I've not had a proper birthday tick, best was an American Wigeon in 2015 which was a local patch tick.

 

[Andy Adcock]

There was a book published about 25 years ago that detailed which rare birds had turned up on each day of the year. As far as I can recall my birthday (January 18th) was considered the least likely day to find a rarity. I've not had a proper birthday tick, best was an American Wigeon in 2015 which was a local patch tick.

Rare Birds: Day by Day

Buy Rare Birds (9781408137956): Day by Day: NHBS - Steve Dudley, Tim Benton, Peter Fraser, John Ryan, Dave Nurney, T & AD Poyser Ltd (A & C Black)

www.nhbs.com

 

[pppppvvvv]

This year, on safari in South Africa was my favourite birthday. Well before dawn I saw my first Spotted Eagle Owl outside the room, (then after dark finished the day with my first Leopard, which was dragging a dead wildebeest out of a river.)

Having a July birthday, I can't think of any other birthday highlights!

 

[Euan Buchan]

On my actual birthday which was on Monday I saw Pink Footed Geese flying over. Great sight made my birthday.