Following on from the red kite thread, what is the best or perhaps rarest bird you have seen. I once saw on the Aran Islands (Ireland) Chough, Ravens, Black-backed Gulls and some kind of Skua!

No Vicky P does not count! lol!

Saw a Kingfisher, errm, fishing once. Could only see a metallic turquoise blur for the most part but still very impressive.

Griffin Vultures in Nepal, and I dunno – Ring Ouzels in Scotland.

A ring ouzel, it’s like a posh blackbird. Does it not live down south?

when I used to canoe , there was a colony of heron who nested in tall trees by the river ribble just by a weir above preston .I would stop and watch them before shooting the weir

Is is a UK based thread?

If not, a resplendent quetzal in Costa Rica – well not really – saw lots of Toucans and humming birds though.

Best in UK is Hawks hunting in marsh lane – which is in Rural Leyton, E10. The way they move so impressive.

I was working in an office at the back of Piccadilly, by the canal basin, and saw a blue flash out of the corner of my eye.

Looked out of the window and a kingfisher was sat there on the wall right next to my window. Sat there for a while too. You don’t expect to see that in the middle of the city, mid morning

Hoopoes are pretty cool, as were Frigate Birds over the Caribbean.

I do like looking at boobies, though, or perhaps a nice shag.

😉

Surprised this thread has not spun out of control yet.

[Edit, it has! CFH to the rescue]

Toss up between…
The red kite on a branch over the trail about 10 paces in front of me.
The black woodpeckers in the forest not far from here (didn’t realise they were that big)
Or the eagle soaring in the Süd Tirol last year (they are huge – you know when you’ve seen an eagle the first time, and not a buzzard etc.)

Sea eagles on Mull. Just huge. Beautiful birds

The blackbird in our back garden who has been here for a couple of years and keeps bullying me to throw another handful of sultanas out to her.

First thing every morning she spots when I go into the kitchen and she flaps around the window while I’m at the coffee machine.

Spotted Flycatchers

…ain’t seen one for three years now.

Not to sure how to define best but a few years ago I saw a sea eagle (at least I think it was) take out a black backed gull in flight near Kilmuir on Skye, was very impressive and the NZ Kea, intelligent, bold and very funny to watch.

Bearded tits. A sight I shall never forget….

A nice pair of tits on a frosty morning always perks me up.

I had a bloody big owl swoop right over my shoulder from behind me, when i was out solo night riding. Its wingtips felt inches from my head

I absolutely **** myself!!! 😯

saw a hoopoe in Ibiza… beautiful bird!

wanted to see one of those for years since seeing a picture of one in my observers book of birds as a kid!

also seen sea eagles.. a golden eagle.. on skye.. peregrines in a couple of places too..

the best though has to be puffins… theyre amazing!

*not my pic

Edit: Owls on nightrides are pretty special too.. so silent and good grief they scare the bejeesus out of me when they drop out of trees right in front of me!

UK –
Corncrake
Brown Albatross
Snowy Owl

However the sightings I have enjoy the most are the regular sightings of Shorteared Owls up by the Goyt valley

Worldwide-

Paradise Flycatcher in India

looking at the pic of the puffin , I once went to skomer island [ off pembrokeshire coast ] and there are hundreds of the varmints there.

I saw a peregrine falcon tucking into a wood pigeon in our front garden the other day. That was pretty cool. Also see quite a few ‘big things’ (buzzards?) at Haldon.

Favourites recently were a Red Kite last weekend, scavenging aside the M11, and a Nuthatch a couple of weeks prior. Hadn’t seen a Nuthatch for years…

Back in December I saw a Great Grey Shrike atop a bush when I was out fishing.

There are loads of Little Egrets round our way these days, I love those. They were rare back when I was into birds.

Saw a pair of golden eagles on Jura, that was pretty impressive 🙂

Capercaillie in Scotland. Rare enough to be something a bit different.
They’re bloody huge as well, like turkeys! I never realised they were that big!

I reckon these guys win:

Fairy Penguins by Mark-Farrell, on Flickr

Saw one of these, once. Northumberland, dusk. Last week of 1999…

Kingfisher
Wax wing flock about 20
Parakeets (in Beckenham SE London)

Golden Eagle over Mt Blanc from Sixt.

Two Waterrail’s in the garden last year for 3 months.

These were cool taken yesterday…

Severn Beach Birds by SGMTB, on Flickr

and Female black cap

Severn Beach Birds by SGMTB, on Flickr

STW Art Club by SGMTB, on Flickr

In a park near us, don’t have a clue what it is, not sure if it is a good or bad hair day.

Best bird encounter was when a Buzzard decided fly along side me, while I was riding, about 5 feet away.. OMG they are **** big!

Kingfisher a good few years ago now, and as with wwaswas it was more of a blue flash really.

Fairy penguins in Tasmania.
Sea Eagles in Knoydart.

Herons and owls aren’t quite so exotic but it still puts a smile on my face when I see them.

I admit to being a birder, is anyone else slightly emabarrased to mention this to people in public 🙂

Or is it fashionable now, due to the rise in popularity of springwatch et al.

Ostrich (behind a fence!) at the top of the climb out of the local town, always a useful excuse to stop for a breather 🙂

when a Buzzard decided fly along side me, while I was riding, about 5 feet away.. OMG they are **** big!

I’ve had a sodding pelican swoop at me – now that’s a big bird, and a much bigger beak!

No one mentioned a Dodo yet?

Saw a pair of Bald Eagles in the wilds of Minnesota about 12 years ago.

Redthunder i reckon your yellow wagtail might be a grey wagtail.
Nice drawing though!

Out night riding and we came to a gate blocking out path with a barn owl sat on it.. It wouldn’t move and none of us were brave enough to shoo it off.. It stared us out for about 2mins in the glare of our night lights before casually flying away.