-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Your Most Recent "Life" Bird (8 Viewers)
- Thread starter Larry Lade
- Start date
littlemarshmallow
Active member
Brown-headed Nuthatch this afternoon in Montgomery County Texas
Jon.Bryant
Well-known member
Well yesterday it was an extraordinary bird, extraordinary weather and extraordinary events.
The bird was a female Snowy Owl (we actually saw 2 birds) which we watched on a calm sunny day, but with temperatures south of -30 degrees centigrade!
For those of a gentle disposition, do not read on.
The extraordinary event, was the fact that the Chinese actually feed the birds! I had wondered how this was done - does an owl get habitual used to coming to a feeding station. Well no. The technique is as follows:
1/ Drive round the snow bound steppe searching for said Snowy owl.
2/ Once located, drive up to within about 100m and disembark from car.
3/ Take one live rodent in a cage from the boot of your car and approach on foot to within about 50m of the owl.
4/ The guide with the rodent walks on a max of 20m, calls to the owl and places the rodent on the ground and retreats
5/ The owl quickly spots the rodent and comes hurtling towards the crowd plucking the poor creature from the ice, giving everyone amazingly close flyby views! Actually the bird did a fly past then came round a second time to snatch the rodent, so we had two amazingly fly pasts.
Only in China!
The bird was a female Snowy Owl (we actually saw 2 birds) which we watched on a calm sunny day, but with temperatures south of -30 degrees centigrade!
For those of a gentle disposition, do not read on.
The extraordinary event, was the fact that the Chinese actually feed the birds! I had wondered how this was done - does an owl get habitual used to coming to a feeding station. Well no. The technique is as follows:
1/ Drive round the snow bound steppe searching for said Snowy owl.
2/ Once located, drive up to within about 100m and disembark from car.
3/ Take one live rodent in a cage from the boot of your car and approach on foot to within about 50m of the owl.
4/ The guide with the rodent walks on a max of 20m, calls to the owl and places the rodent on the ground and retreats
5/ The owl quickly spots the rodent and comes hurtling towards the crowd plucking the poor creature from the ice, giving everyone amazingly close flyby views! Actually the bird did a fly past then came round a second time to snatch the rodent, so we had two amazingly fly pasts.
Only in China!
Last edited:
Jon.Bryant
Well-known member
Today’s ticks were the beautiful ghost of the woods - Great Grey Owl, which gave fantastic views, a couple of Hazel Grouse and a Eurasian Pygmy Owl - I feel like I should have seen the last two before, but have never been lucky (or tried hard enough?) in Europe.
… and if you can feed a Snowy Owl, why not a Eurasian Pygmy Owl? This time the only differences were that the guides parked at a known spot and played the call until the bird appeard, the unwitting mouse was placed even closer to the crowd, and the owl pounced on the mouse - I doubt it would have had the strength to pluck the mouse from the ground in flight, as the mouse was 1/2 its size! Amazing views of this mighty fierce looking tiny owl.
… and if you can feed a Snowy Owl, why not a Eurasian Pygmy Owl? This time the only differences were that the guides parked at a known spot and played the call until the bird appeard, the unwitting mouse was placed even closer to the crowd, and the owl pounced on the mouse - I doubt it would have had the strength to pluck the mouse from the ground in flight, as the mouse was 1/2 its size! Amazing views of this mighty fierce looking tiny owl.
Last edited:
Jon.Bryant
Well-known member
Today temperatures dropped to below -40 degrees centigrade here in sunny Inner Mongolia.
We had a great day for owls, with Ural Owls a lifer for me. The day tally was 10 Great Grey Owls, 5+ Ural Owls and just the 1 Northern Hawk Owl (which our guide had saved the last mouse for - I think the owl came to within about 5m of us to snatch it away!)
The second lifer of the day, was a beautiful Azure Tit. Just a pity, it didn’t stick around long (but who would in these temperatures), so no photos.
We had a great day for owls, with Ural Owls a lifer for me. The day tally was 10 Great Grey Owls, 5+ Ural Owls and just the 1 Northern Hawk Owl (which our guide had saved the last mouse for - I think the owl came to within about 5m of us to snatch it away!)
The second lifer of the day, was a beautiful Azure Tit. Just a pity, it didn’t stick around long (but who would in these temperatures), so no photos.
Jon.Bryant
Well-known member
Probably the last tick I will get where we are in Inner Mongolia, as other birds are more reliable in spring or autumn, but today’s bird was a beauty - Pallas’s Rosefinch.
We had two groups, totalling 13 individuals, with 8 lovely males - the forehead and throat spotting is almost silvery white (but it could be frost in these temperatures!)
We had two groups, totalling 13 individuals, with 8 lovely males - the forehead and throat spotting is almost silvery white (but it could be frost in these temperatures!)
Jon.Bryant
Well-known member
Today the Chinese contingent wanted to look for Snow Bunting. We saw 30 or 40 feeding along the road, but with Chinese New Year practically over, the road was busy and the birds skittish. Although I love Snow Bunting, I couldn’t get the thought ‘this is a good place for shrike’ out of my mind, and was somewhat distracted searching the telegraph wires and tops of every bush … but nothing.
Then on the drive home, bingo. I shouted TING, TING, TING (stop, stop, stop) and our car screeched to a stop, I jumped out the car and raised my bins to a Northern Shrike! After looking for a while I scoped the bird, but just as my wife put her eye to the scope it took flight - fortunately she got some photos so should be happy.
I think this may completes my Great Grey type shrikes, so very pleased with myself!
Then on the drive home, bingo. I shouted TING, TING, TING (stop, stop, stop) and our car screeched to a stop, I jumped out the car and raised my bins to a Northern Shrike! After looking for a while I scoped the bird, but just as my wife put her eye to the scope it took flight - fortunately she got some photos so should be happy.
I think this may completes my Great Grey type shrikes, so very pleased with myself!
Jon.Bryant
Well-known member
Not a tick, but in Inner Mongolia I have been struggling to distinguish Eurasian and Oriental Magpie. I have only seen two birds, but they have both sound like Oriental, which EBird flags as needing a description, with Eurasian Magpie the commoner species.
Doing a bit of research, the subspecies of Eurasian Magpie here should be leucoptera, which is truly odd looking as it has entirely white primaries See flight image, so you should be able to distinguish even non calling perched birds. In flight the white lower back, rather than black, should also split Eurasian from Oriental. If these features hold true for all birds of the subspecies, then I think some of the EBird photos of Eurasian Magpie in the area are in fact Oriental. Possibly a case of people assuming what species should be where.
Not sure what you do in Xinjiang where the two species meet and it is not the same distinctive subspecies of Eurasian Magpie.
Jon.Bryant
Well-known member
At dinner the other day our Chinese friend said she wanted to see a particular bird. My response was ‘bu keneng de’ (impossible). When she asked why I said I understood they were rare and that even if one was found it would likely be untwitchable - you would have to be a very lucky so and so.
Well today (unfortunately after our friend has already left) we proved the impossible.
We were sat in the car in a clearing trying to find Siberian Jay, when suddenly my wife shouted ‘Jonathan’. I turned round to see a large falcon take a couple of elastic wing beats then glide behind the tree line. We scrambled out the car to see if the bird had perched up, but alas not. I turned to my wife and said what colour was it, she replied ‘off-white with black spots’ - so I hadn’t been hallucinating - a white morph Gyrfalcon.
It is a bit bitter sweet. Sweet that we stumbled across this bird in China of all places, but bitter that views were so fleeting. It has now left me with a greater itch to see one well!
When our friend left, I joked it was a shame she was going to miss the Gyrfalcon - she will never believe us now!
Well today (unfortunately after our friend has already left) we proved the impossible.
We were sat in the car in a clearing trying to find Siberian Jay, when suddenly my wife shouted ‘Jonathan’. I turned round to see a large falcon take a couple of elastic wing beats then glide behind the tree line. We scrambled out the car to see if the bird had perched up, but alas not. I turned to my wife and said what colour was it, she replied ‘off-white with black spots’ - so I hadn’t been hallucinating - a white morph Gyrfalcon.
It is a bit bitter sweet. Sweet that we stumbled across this bird in China of all places, but bitter that views were so fleeting. It has now left me with a greater itch to see one well!
When our friend left, I joked it was a shame she was going to miss the Gyrfalcon - she will never believe us now!
Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
jack Snipe at Irakhiya Farms in Qatar.
Jon.Bryant
Well-known member
And now for something completely different…
We left Inner Mongolia and have spent a day travelling to Hainan for some warmth in the latter part of our Holiday. A temperature difference of about 60 degrees!
This morning at the photograph hides we had three new species - Rufous-cheeked Laughingthrush (a small group plus two Black-throated ‘Hainan’ Laughingthrushes), Silver Pheasant (a striking male with five female types) and a Hainan Peacock Pheasant. Annoyingly there was a loopy squirrel who kept doing crazy gymnastics every time pheasants appeared - the Silver Pheasants ignored his repetitive circuit of leaps and dashing runs, but he spooked the approaching Peacock Pheasant, which after a fright, recomposed itself, and decided on a slow retreat back into the forest, rather than be humiliated by the squirrel again.
We left Inner Mongolia and have spent a day travelling to Hainan for some warmth in the latter part of our Holiday. A temperature difference of about 60 degrees!
This morning at the photograph hides we had three new species - Rufous-cheeked Laughingthrush (a small group plus two Black-throated ‘Hainan’ Laughingthrushes), Silver Pheasant (a striking male with five female types) and a Hainan Peacock Pheasant. Annoyingly there was a loopy squirrel who kept doing crazy gymnastics every time pheasants appeared - the Silver Pheasants ignored his repetitive circuit of leaps and dashing runs, but he spooked the approaching Peacock Pheasant, which after a fright, recomposed itself, and decided on a slow retreat back into the forest, rather than be humiliated by the squirrel again.
Last edited:
WACCOE
Marching on Together
Nine more lifers today around the hotel and a short late afternoon walk.
Brown-throated Sunbird
Streak-eared Bulbul
Stripe-throated Bulbul
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
Pacific Reef-egret
Chinese Pond-heron
Zebra Dove
Malaysian Pied Fantail
Edible-nest Swiftlet (German's)
Brown-throated Sunbird
Streak-eared Bulbul
Stripe-throated Bulbul
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
Pacific Reef-egret
Chinese Pond-heron
Zebra Dove
Malaysian Pied Fantail
Edible-nest Swiftlet (German's)
Jon.Bryant
Well-known member
This afternoon my wife and I did a 5km walk along a forest road. Things were very quiet, but the things we did manage to find were pretty nice.
The only tick of the afternoon was a Chinese Barbet. I found the bird and got my wife on to it, but it promptly dropped out of view. A bit of tape luring and it popped back up, but slightly obscured by twigs. Not even the barbet could be coaxed into its monotonous song, on this eerily quiet afternoon.
The only tick of the afternoon was a Chinese Barbet. I found the bird and got my wife on to it, but it promptly dropped out of view. A bit of tape luring and it popped back up, but slightly obscured by twigs. Not even the barbet could be coaxed into its monotonous song, on this eerily quiet afternoon.
Jon.Bryant
Well-known member
Back at the photographic hides this morning. Virtually the first birds to the food were four Hainan Partridge. They are great birds with flame orange red chests, and black faces with an off white spot behind the eye. I never really liked game birds - probably put off by the releases and introduction in the U.K., but the more I see, the more cool they become!
At the other hide yesterday’s birds have been present. Couldn’t resist a go at digi bining, while my wife is taking proper photos. It’s an awful image but what can you expect through 8x32 bins…
Lunch has just been delivered to the hide! Rice, beef and beans and egg with vegetable.
At the other hide yesterday’s birds have been present. Couldn’t resist a go at digi bining, while my wife is taking proper photos. It’s an awful image but what can you expect through 8x32 bins…
Lunch has just been delivered to the hide! Rice, beef and beans and egg with vegetable.
Last edited:
Frank van Drogen
Not so important
A hide with lunch service! Now that's something
(Generally, I'd be happy with a hot coffee at hides in ther early morning
)
WACCOE
Marching on Together
The excellent birding continues on my family holiday here in Khoa Lak.
Seven more lifers today starting with a Red-necked Stint on the beach in front of the hotel I also managed to pick our an Malaysian Plover among the many Sand Plovers here.
I then got a taxi to Cape Pakarang about 10 minutes which holds lots of roosting waders including lots of Tibetan Sand Plovers with some Greater mixed in also good numbers of Terek Sandpipers here.
Indochinese Roller was the only lifer here.
Black-napped Oriole and Yellow-vented Bulbul added on the walk back.
A late afternoon walk around the hotel produce two more lifers in Dollarbird and Common Flame back which was also the fiftieth tick of the holiday.
Seven more lifers today starting with a Red-necked Stint on the beach in front of the hotel I also managed to pick our an Malaysian Plover among the many Sand Plovers here.
I then got a taxi to Cape Pakarang about 10 minutes which holds lots of roosting waders including lots of Tibetan Sand Plovers with some Greater mixed in also good numbers of Terek Sandpipers here.
Indochinese Roller was the only lifer here.
Black-napped Oriole and Yellow-vented Bulbul added on the walk back.
A late afternoon walk around the hotel produce two more lifers in Dollarbird and Common Flame back which was also the fiftieth tick of the holiday.
Last edited:
This is going to be pretty unimpressive, and I'm not even sure if this counts, but I was scrolling through photos and found a pretty clear one of a little me standing next to a great egret. Upon questioning my mum, it was when we went on holiday in Florida. I live in the UK!
How do I categorise it? Does it count? I don't remember it but there's photographic evidence... 🤣
How do I categorise it? Does it count? I don't remember it but there's photographic evidence... 🤣
Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
Your list, your rules.
Similar threads
