• 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.
Where premium quality meets exceptional value. ZEISS Conquest HDX.

All Time Best Bird in Your Garden (Yard) (1 Viewer)

in Wolverhampton - Meadow Pipit, Redpoll, Oystercatcher, Waxwing.
in Aberystwyth - from a flat I lived in looking over the beach - Med Gull, Gannet, Manx Shearwater, Common Scoter (and Bottle-nosed Dolphin)
in Besançon, when I lived in town, a Wallcreeper, and where I live now, Black Woodpecker, Crossbill and 'white-headed' (but perhaps not pure) Long-tailed Tit.
 
Jane, that is an amazing list of birds seen in and around your garden!

I would imagine that it would indeed be difficult to pick just one species to place at the top of the list!
 
As for my best well,
IN would be Siberian Rubythroat,Cetti's Warbler,Pied Flycatcher,Wood Warbler,Redstart and Woodcock.

Over/From would be Long Tailed Skua,Turtle Dove,Hobby,Waxwing,Crossbill.
 
Walking through my darkened hallway, carrying two bags of heavy shopping into the 'bright' kitchen and on the lawn 15' ahead of me...a female Sprawk on bright 'yellow stilts' astride a Magpie, with her visceral yellow Iris staring into mine! The most spectacular, and dramatic thing I've seen!

Imitating the Bullfinch 'phew' from the bedroom window, hoping to attract
a 'calling' birds attention...Whereby it then flew into the garden with a male Hawfinch in tow!...Having seen numerous Hawfinches up till then..but invariably as 'bouncing' black dots with a broad white underwing, this was the first, and only time, that I was to see it in early morning sunlight, as I looked down on it's 'frenzied' splash of Ginger, Smoke Blue, Black/White,
Peachy Pink, Dark Sienna and Gun-metal Blue..I know of no other bird carrying such a range of colour..absolutely jaw dropping!

Working in the garden one hot August morning..and hearing 'tick-pew'-'tick-pew'...totally alien call to my ear! looked up to see 2 Arctic Skuas very high..winging East.

2 Firecrests appearing in my Ivy hedge just before xmas, a number of years ago, was definitely the best xmas present I've ever had.

The rarest was undoubtedly the Naumann's Thrush!...but for me..the male Hawfinch was singularly the best thing that I've ever seen! ;)
 
:eek!: I know i'm probably the last person in the world who should complain about the birds I've had in my garden but I'd be very tempted to swap them all for that one.


I've had two since I moved in and once before I moved in... blimping over the garden wall.... if that makes sense. Also had Alpine Swift through the chimney pots before I moved in.

So I can certainly spare you one
 
I've had two since I moved in and once before I moved in... blimping over the garden wall.... if that makes sense. Also had Alpine Swift through the chimney pots before I moved in.

So I can certainly spare you one

Now I really am jealous:-O feel free to send the next one my way.
 
While we are in the process of "sending/receiving" birds, perhaps someone over there could find it in their heart to send me a Bohemian Waxwing. It would be very appreciated! The bird would certainly go to the top of my list for the "best yard (garden) bird ever"!
 
Just seen this thread. I've had lots of good birds but the ones that have given me the biggest thrills have been the first Red Kite last spring, a pair of Crossbills over was a great garden tick and hearing very occasionally churring Nightjars and roding Woodcock. It's just great knowing that there is suitable habitat for all of these species nearby and that they just might decide to stay at some point.
 
My all time best bird from my house was Honey Buzzard in September 2008. Plenty of other highlights in 5 years with the best being:

Barnacle Goose, Merlin, Mediterrranean Gull, Barn Owl, Little Owl, Tawny Owl and Short Eared Owl, Crossbill.
 
We've had goldcrest,bullfinch,treecreeper and nuthatch. The sparrowhawk is a regular and that dictates what turns up .. But,the best garden experience is hand feeding the pheasants while we ate our dinner.
 
If its in the garden it would have to be Lesser Redpoll or Tree Sparrow, from the garden/window, it would be the waxwing that I had this winter (and that was only 20 metres from the garden) |:d|
 
Warning! This thread is more than 14 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top