Favorite Bird Sightings of 2024

Bisonblake

Bisonblake

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
I know we're already a few weeks into 2025, but I wanted to do something for people to highlight their favorite bird sightings of last year. Feel free to share any species you want to see for this year. If you've already seen some of your goal species this year that's great. Try to keep your lists to 10-15 species!

Favorites of 2024:
1. Western tanager - My first tanager sighting was a rarity. It showed up in the suburbs near my college during finals week. Luckily I was already done with mine, I woke up the next morning and drove over to see it. I waited 30-45 minutes and was so excited to see it. It hung around someone's feeder for a couple minutes then flew back into the trees.
2. Piping plover - My parents' new lake house is only 30 minutes away from a breeding location for this species. I had to go on quite a hike to see this bird and it was well worth it.
3. Willet - I saw a bunch of willets in Key West at the start of the year, but none were as special as the one I saw on the way back from the plover breeding site. This was also the first rare bird I have found myself.
4. Barred owl - I haven't had great luck finding owls, but one surprised me late in the morning. It was a pretty dreadful hike where I couldn't really see any birds, and I was getting mauled by mosquitoes constantly. Luckily this guy came outta nowhere to save the hike.
5. Rough-legged hawk - One of these did fool me into thinking it was a golden eagle, but it was still a cool species to see.
6. American woodcock - All I have to say is "Peent!"
7. Nashville warbler - While most of my favorite sightings were lifers, this warbler was spotted early in migration and was the first reported sighting in that county for the year.
8. Tricolored heron - I think this is the most beautiful heron species in the country. I almost missed it hiding in the mangroves, but I wasn't gonna leave Key West without seeing one.
9. Black-necked stilt - One of my favorite shorebirds out there happened to show up in Fort Wayne.
10. American white pelican - I'm not entirely sure if this is a lifer, but a small group of them also showed up in Fort Wayne.

Goal Species of 2025:
1. Red-breasted nuthatch - I've been birding for over two years and somehow have never seen this species.
2. Scarlet tanager
3. Black-throated blue warbler
4. Blackburnian warbler
5. American avocet
6. Winter wren
7. Dunlin
8. Horned lark
9. White-eyed vireo
10. Prothonotary warbler - Probably my nemesis species, it never shows up when I go out looking for it.

Hopefully, the year has started off great for everyone and I hope everyone gets to see their goal species for the year!
 
My list:


Favorites of 2024:
1. Blakiston's Fish Owl
2. Black-Backed Dwarf Kingfisher
3. Rock Ptarmigan
4. Red Crowned Crane
5. Steller's Sea Eagle
6. Black-faced Spoonbill
7. Japanese Paradise Flycatcher
8. American Teal
9. American Wigeon
10. Peregrine Falcon
 
Bisonblake said:
I know we're already a few weeks into 2025, but I wanted to do something for people to highlight their favorite bird sightings of last year. Feel free to share any species you want to see for this year. If you've already seen some of your goal species this year that's great. Try to keep your lists to 10-15 species!

Favorites of 2024:
1. Western tanager - My first tanager sighting was a rarity. It showed up in the suburbs near my college during finals week. Luckily I was already done with mine, I woke up the next morning and drove over to see it. I waited 30-45 minutes and was so excited to see it. It hung around someone's feeder for a couple minutes then flew back into the trees.
2. Piping plover - My parents' new lake house is only 30 minutes away from a breeding location for this species. I had to go on quite a hike to see this bird and it was well worth it.
3. Willet - I saw a bunch of willets in Key West at the start of the year, but none were as special as the one I saw on the way back from the plover breeding site. This was also the first rare bird I have found myself.
4. Barred owl - I haven't had great luck finding owls, but one surprised me late in the morning. It was a pretty dreadful hike where I couldn't really see any birds, and I was getting mauled by mosquitoes constantly. Luckily this guy came outta nowhere to save the hike.
5. Rough-legged hawk - One of these did fool me into thinking it was a golden eagle, but it was still a cool species to see.
6. American woodcock - All I have to say is "Peent!"
7. Nashville warbler - While most of my favorite sightings were lifers, this warbler was spotted early in migration and was the first reported sighting in that county for the year.
8. Tricolored heron - I think this is the most beautiful heron species in the country. I almost missed it hiding in the mangroves, but I wasn't gonna leave Key West without seeing one.
9. Black-necked stilt - One of my favorite shorebirds out there happened to show up in Fort Wayne.
10. American white pelican - I'm not entirely sure if this is a lifer, but a small group of them also showed up in Fort Wayne.

Goal Species of 2025:
1. Red-breasted nuthatch - I've been birding for over two years and somehow have never seen this species.
2. Scarlet tanager
3. Black-throated blue warbler
4. Blackburnian warbler
5. American avocet
6. Winter wren
7. Dunlin
8. Horned lark
9. White-eyed vireo
10. Prothonotary warbler - Probably my nemesis species, it never shows up when I go out looking for it.

Hopefully, the year has started off great for everyone and I hope everyone gets to see their goal species for the year!
Click to expand...

1. White-Winged Fairywren - Not a particularly rare bird in the right habitat, but one of my favourites growing up, it had always been one of those bucket list species for me, their colours are so vibrant they almost look fake.

2. White-faced Storm Petrel - Was my first lifer of 2024, several of these had been reported at a pier west of Melbourne and it was practically the ‘easiest twitch of my life’, rocked up to the pier, several photographers there and there they were hopping on the water. Awesome experience.


3. Pacific Koel - Was relaxing at home when I heard the unmistakable call, immediately grabbed my binoculars and found it in a fig tree on the next street over. This is a relatively uncommon bird in Melbourne, although increasing in numbers so I was wrapped to get my lifer so close to home.

4. Channel-billed Cuckoo - Like the Koel, is an uncommon bird in Melbourne, infact even rarer than the Koel. I had ‘dipped’ (missed a reported bird) twice in 2023 so to finally get it was a great moment. Such awesome looking birds too, essentially the closest thing we have to Hornbills in Australia.

5. Red-backed Kingfisher - A lone individual was reported at Yarra Bend Park in spring, whilst I did see it briefly on my first attempt, I had much better views a few days later. I also saw another one later on in the year (in an area where it’s still rare) whilst looking for Painted Honeyeater.

6. Australian Pratincole - A rare bird in Victoria, the best way to look for them is scouring short, grassy plains and paddocks where they have been reported. Probably my favourite Australian ‘wader’.

7. Painted Honeyeater - A rare and declining bird in Victoria that is a mistletoe specialist, just a beautiful bird.

8. Southern Emu-wren - Very fluffy cute birds, not much else to say about them.

9. Cockatiel - Weird (but good) experience seeing a bird that I normally associate with pet shops and aviaries in the wild, practically at their southernmost distribution point too.

10. Southern Scrub-Robin - Cute bird and the second last robin species I needed for Victoria (I got the last on Jan 2 this year)
 
Unfortunately last year was a little dull in terms of birding, as university study took up much of my time. I did, however, get some nice birds.

1. Superb Fruit-Dove
A nemesis species that had evaded me for a long time. My lifer for this species was seen in a very unfortunate situation - a juvenile bird rendered flightless by a fracture of the keel. Taken to wildlife carers, and ultimately euthanised.

2. Eastern Koel
Another species that had mysteriously evaded me for years, despite being considered common in my area. Heard many times prior, but only managed to lay my eyes on this species in 2024 - my first sighting was a handsome male feeding on palm fruits.

3. Roseate Tern
Somewhat of a holy grail of Australian terns, this species appeared to me by alighting on the railing of the dive boat during a dive trip, a nice distraction from an ear infection that had left me unable to dive on the last day of the trip. The bird stuck around only long enough for me to snap a few pics before it continued on it's way.

4. Brown Booby
I simply adore this species, and am always happy to see them. From the same boat as the Roseate Tern, I watched several individuals wheeling around the boat as the sun rose over the ocean. Not an experience I will soon forget.

5. Southern Cassowary
Another species I never tire of. Etty Bay is a great place to watch these absolute dinosaurs of a bird strut around the beach, where I saw three in one day. Unfortunately they are a little too comfortable around humans here - I saw one barge in on a family picnic, rummage through the food bag and swallow an entire packet of burger rings.

6. Nordmann's Greenshank
A vagrant that has returned to the Cairns Esplanade for several years in a row now, who has become very comfortable and confiding around people, allowing for exceptional, close and prolonged viewing. Always a bit of fun to try and spot 'Nordy', as he is known, hiding within flocks of local waders.

7. Black Noddy
Another bird seen from the dive boat, on two separate occasions one of these noddies made itself very comfortable on the top deck, showing no fear of humans (nearly getting itself trod on a few times!), and seemingly listening in on dive briefings. Even allowed me to take a selfie with it!

Goal Species 2025
1. Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher - my number 1 nemesis!
2. Grey Wagtail - one has been reported near me, I will be trying for it tomorrow
3. Rock Ptarmigan
4. Brown Dipper
6. Varied Tit
7. Falcated Duck
8. Black-faced Spoonbill
9. Japanese Wagtail
10. White Wagtail
11. Common Merganser
12. Masked Bunting
13. Long-tailed Tit
14. Japanese Grosbeak
15. Dusky Thrush
16. Azure-winged Magpie
 
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