Which birds have that bit of extra magic for you? (1 Viewer)

[Jan-Paul Charteris]

My own favourites: difficult! I still love Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, they add so much life to the Spanish steppes. I suppose I would also have to choose Bonelli's Eagles too, as we have worked closely with them this year and they have rewarded us by rearing a chick for the first time in 6 years.

There's more on this story in our newsletter,, just out.

Steve

Great website :t:

Bonelli's Eagle are amazing birds. I love all eagles, but Bonelli's have a real character and jizz, and very smart birds as adults. Also sadly greatly declined despite a lot of suitable habitat. I think I read somewhere that development and the species being very prone to nest failure by disturbance are leading to this

 

[Fozzybear]

Have to agree with Snow Bunting, they're little stars! Kingfisher also is one of those special birds, I HAVE to say out loud "Ooh! Kingfisher!!" whenever I see one, and Little Terns always are very special to see too.

Thinking about the question though there are lots of birds I see that always bring a smile and cheer me up to see them, very few I don't get a buzz from seeing. Just from the top of my head the high hitters for me would be: Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, Stonechat, Sanderling, Common Tern, Swift, House/Sand Martin, Goldcrest, Pied Wagtail, Cuckoo, Barn Owl, Nightjar, Green Woodpecker...

 

[phil baber]

Dunnock...

 

[Tiraya]

Can we include ones we haven't seen?
Seen:
Stonechat
Flame Robin
Yellow-plumed Honeyeater

Haven't seen:
Sabine's Gull
Snow Petrel
Magnolia Warbler & a multitude of other Dendroica spp.
Eider
Those Pterodroma Petrels (Gould's in particular)
Orange-bellied Parrot

Haven't seen (genders):
Lazuli Bunting (male)
Western Bluebird (male)

Misc.:
Ivory-billed Woodpecker

 

[wolfbirder]

Birds of prey and owls are just magic - Gyr Falcon (white phase), Snowy Owl, Golden Eagle, Short Eared Owl, Barn Owl, Merlin, Hobby, Goshawk etc all superb, but for me its Great Grey Owl or male Hen or Montagu's Harrier. Just stunning!!

Non BoP's I love include Roller, Bee-eater, Wallcreeper, Pom Skuas, Hawfinch, Redstart, Bearded Tits, Wryneck, Nightjar, Tree Sparrow, Sedge Warbler, Firecrest, Ruppell's Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, Squacco Heron, Spotted Redshank, Sanderlings - all gorgeous and fascinating birds! And then elusive blighters like River, Savi's and Groppers.

Birds seen away from Western Palearctic I love include Sooty Tern, Red-eyed & White-eyed Vireos, and those colourful warblers like Black-Throated Blue, Blackburnian, Prothonotory, Cerulean, Black & White, Northern Parula, Bay-Breasted etc.

 

[senatore]

Some great replies everyone.Thanks.

How I forgot to include Barn Owl on my list I shall never know.

Max.

 

[Armin Kreusel]

Hay,
I love all Shrikes and Shorebirds, but love also Cranes.
And all other birds I love also

 

[woodlark1]

The magic birds for me are Barn Owl
Kingfisher
Nuthatch
Woodlark
Bullfinch

 

[Steve Lister]

Sooty Shearwater for me.
I will never tire of watching their masterful movement across a pounding sea. And to think how far they fly. True magic.

Steve

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Damn - forgot Common Loons. It's the sound they make more than anything else.

Rich

 

[ovenbird43]

Any birds with feathers

But especially:

Owls
New World Warblers
Antpittas
Thrushes
Woodpeckers
Hummingbirds

I also have a soft spot for LBJs, I love sparrows, wrens, and Old World warblers, (especially cisticolas)

 

[KC Foggin]

Pileated Woodpeckers for me.

 

[kurakura]

Barbets, paradise flycatcher, any of the Hornbills.... and of course cassowaries - I have been close to tigers and leopards, but nothing as exiting as being close to a cassowary

 

[Ronald Zee]

I am probably the only one to choose the Coot and the Moorhen.

But I do also love to see the Peregrine fly.

 

[steve west]

Great website :t:

Bonelli's Eagle are amazing birds. I love all eagles, but Bonelli's have a real character and jizz, and very smart birds as adults. Also sadly greatly declined despite a lot of suitable habitat. I think I read somewhere that development and the species being very prone to nest failure by disturbance are leading to this

Yes, Jan-Paul, they are among the major issues. Also electrocution, poisoning rearing its ugly head, and interference at nesting sites by Griffon Vultures and Golden Eagles.

Nice photos on your gallery, although some of them make me feel a bit itchy!

Steve

 

[Hanno]

but nothing as exiting as being close to a cassowary

The closest I hav ever come to soiling myself;-)

 

[Armin Kreusel]

I forgot one nice bird.
The Raven...it´s so impressive when a Raven fly over you and play in the wind.
I love it when they turned on the back in flight etc....
A fantastic bird

 

[birdermoose]

Any Kingfisher or American Warbler.
Oh and the Siberian Thrush.

 

[steve west]

Great website :t:

Bonelli's Eagle are amazing birds. I love all eagles, but Bonelli's have a real character and jizz, and very smart birds as adults. Also sadly greatly declined despite a lot of suitable habitat. I think I read somewhere that development and the species being very prone to nest failure by disturbance are leading to this

Now we're on the subject of Bonelli's Eagles I'm sure you'd enjoy watching the video I've just uploaded to You Tube, of a Bonelli's plucking and eating a pigeon.

http://youtu.be/RegK918z-nM

Steve

 

[2Rena]

The returning Stellers Sea Eagles and Japanese Cranes to Hokkaido each winter are my 'magic birds'. This is even better when the either land on my fathers farm or just fly over.