When my wife and I bought our first house in Phenix City, Ala., one of the nicest parts of the whole process for me was being able to hang a bird feeder anywhere I wanted.
No kidding, that was a big deal for me.
I’ve always enjoyed backyard birding, and there aren’t too many opportunities for it when you live in an apartment.
I hung several feeders the day we moved into our house, and I started my life’s birding list a couple of days later.
A few months later, I added the checkmark I’m still most proud of. It was for a painted bunting (pictured here).
Painted buntings are beautiful little birds, even if they do look a little strange. They have so many colors in so many places that it almost looks like they’ve been doctored up by a young kid with a giant box of crayons.
That bird stayed at my feeder for two days, and I haven’t seen one since.
I have, however, checked a few other interesting birds off my list.
I once saw two roseate spoonbills at the Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge the same day I saw a flock of wood storks and an indigo bunting.
I saw my first bald eagle on Lay Lake near Birmingham, Ala., and I once helped officials from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources trap and band an albino ruby throat hummingbird near Columbus, Ga.
I was on a snow goose hunt in northern Missouri a couple of years ago when I saw a duck that the other hunters in my group referred to as a blonde mallard. Those birds are so rare that you can’t even find much information about them with a Google search.
As for birds I’d still like to check off my list, I would love to see a blue-footed booby or a summer tanager. I’d also love to see a vermillion flycatcher or any kind of true wild tropical bird like a toucan.
How about you?
What have you seen? What would you like to see?
in The Great Outdoors
Responses to “What’s your favorite birding checkmark?”
March 8th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
We have a lake behind our house, and I see belted kingfishers all the time. They’re pretty, but they’re mean. They bump into each other in mid-air. It’s like watching a car accident.
March 8th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
We see sandpipers in boat marina parking lots all the time. They puff up at you like they’re going to attack.
March 8th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Lizziebot, Kingfishers are fun to watch. They defend their breeding territories during spring,and I think that’s why they do the chest bumping. Maybe a bird expert can clarify that for us. I’ve seen sandpipers, too, Firebone. They nest in strange places - like in the gravel parking lots at marinas. They act tough, but I don’t think they would bother you.
March 8th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
I really like the little yellow finches that eat the thistle seed from my bckyard feeders. They’re not very yellow right now. But they’ll get brighter and brighter as we get closer to summer.
March 9th, 2008 at 10:33 am
I’ve been interested in birding since the 60’s when for three years I taught bird study merit badge at Scout Camp Kia Kima at Hardy, Arkansas. My interest in birds really took off in May of 1976 in Knoxville when on the wooded side of Ayres Hall (UT) I saw four new species of warblers in about ten minutes. When I got back to my pad I was thrilled to see in the Golden Guide “Birds of North America” - always an underrated publication - besides one of the birds the word ‘uncommon.’ Since then the Cape May Warbler has been my favorite bird. During the spring migrations they were not that unusualwhen I lived in Miami and I saw another a few years later up in Gainesville. On a vacation in April 2000 to Crecsent Beach - just south of St. Augustine - lots of bright warblers were migrating through the dunes - I looked and looked for a Cape May but, alas, to no avail. On May 1 a week later in my backyard in East Memphis I was watching through my binoculars a male and female migrating Scarlet Tangers when just over my shoulder a bright male Cape May hoped onto the branch of a sweetgum.
March 10th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Man, I’m out of my league when it comes to true birdwatchers. I had never heard of a hornbill or a Quetzal, and like I said, I’ve always wanted to see a tanager of any kind (summer of scarlet). NotaBirder and Mark Follis, I appreciate the comments. Very interesting sightings.
April 5th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
living in a tropical country my best birding is during winter…Id love to get me a Chestnut Sided Warbler and a Snow Goose….with those 2 birds checked off I can die a happy man
When I checked off the Resplendent Quetzal was one of my best birding moments…well seeing the bird actually… you get the idea
Good Birding
April 6th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Man, Daniel,
I wish you could see some of the snow geese we have here. I’be been in fields that literally had 40,000 at a time.
Just out of curiosity, which tropical country are you from?
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