As mentioned in my previous post, my 40 Before 40, I have put together a wishlist of sorts of birds I'd love to photograph. Some of these birds I have already photographed in the past, some I have seen in the wild but not had the chance to photograph, and others I could only dream of having seen!
If it wasn't clear that birds are a big part of my life, I'm sure you must be new here haha. I suppose you could say birds are my 'special interest' and every day of my life includes some bird-related activity - from feeding my garden visitors to going on nature walks photographing birds and editing photos to share with others just how lucky we are to share the planet with such creatures and how we must protect them.
Below is a list of 15 species I hope to have the pleasure of photographing in my lifetime.
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Jay
Despite how difficult the shy Jay is to see they are actually green UK conservation status.
They are UK residents, part of the crow family, with gorgeous blue and purple colourings!
I have seen one Jay, though I was in the car and so obviously unable to take any photos.
They are UK residents, part of the crow family, with gorgeous blue and purple colourings!
I have seen one Jay, though I was in the car and so obviously unable to take any photos.
Kingfisher
Another bird I have had the luck to see, though only once and only a quick glimpse as it flew down a stream.
Kingfishers are a very popular, famous bird that most non-birdy people would recognize if they saw them.
Kingfishers are a very popular, famous bird that most non-birdy people would recognize if they saw them.
Avocet
An Avocet is a stunning black-and-white coastal bird with a long beak that curves upwards.
Upon looking more into Avocets, this amber status bird is actually stated on the RSPB website to be 'the emblem of the RSPB and symbolises the bird protection movement in the UK more than any other species'.
Upon looking more into Avocets, this amber status bird is actually stated on the RSPB website to be 'the emblem of the RSPB and symbolises the bird protection movement in the UK more than any other species'.
Owl
This sounds very amature of me but to be honest I didn't want to list just one species of Owl.
I'd be happy to photograph any of the handful British Owl species.
In the past, I have actually photographed many Owls and other birds of prey in captivity, so it would be magical to see them properly in their natural habitat.
This sounds very amature of me but to be honest I didn't want to list just one species of Owl.
I'd be happy to photograph any of the handful British Owl species.
In the past, I have actually photographed many Owls and other birds of prey in captivity, so it would be magical to see them properly in their natural habitat.
Green Woodpecker
Green Woodpeckers are another brightly coloured bird with a green body and red head, the largest of its family, and green UK conservation status.
I have never seen a Green Woodpecker, though they are year-round residents in the North East so fingers crossed I come across one someday!
Green Woodpeckers are another brightly coloured bird with a green body and red head, the largest of its family, and green UK conservation status.
I have never seen a Green Woodpecker, though they are year-round residents in the North East so fingers crossed I come across one someday!
Goldcrest
Again, a green status bird, resident pretty much all over the UK and super duper cute!
They are the UK's smallest bird*, smaller even than Wrens so I assume that perhaps that is why I am yet to see one..?
Their bright yellow mohawk-type crest makes them pretty distinguishable and very punk haha.
Again, a green status bird, resident pretty much all over the UK and super duper cute!
They are the UK's smallest bird*, smaller even than Wrens so I assume that perhaps that is why I am yet to see one..?
Their bright yellow mohawk-type crest makes them pretty distinguishable and very punk haha.
* Alongside the Firecrest which I'd obviously also be over the moon to photograph!
White-Tailed and Golden Eagles
The UK's largest birds of prey, White-Tailed Eagles, are of course of red status, recovering after decades of reintroduction after previously being extinct due to hunting as well as extensive habitat change. They predominantly live and breed on Scotland's west coast.
The Golden Eagle, slightly smaller than the above, is actually of green status and most commonly seen in the Scottish Highlands.
The Golden Eagle, slightly smaller than the above, is actually of green status and most commonly seen in the Scottish Highlands.
Greenfinch
Between putting together this post and publishing, I think this may be the first bird I can tick off!
On a recent visit to our local WWT I saw and photographed one on a feeder at a woodland hide.
I would like to get a close photograph though!
Greenfinch are of red status and like the name suggests are a green-coloured finch, confused by some with the Siskin.
On a recent visit to our local WWT I saw and photographed one on a feeder at a woodland hide.
I would like to get a close photograph though!
Greenfinch are of red status and like the name suggests are a green-coloured finch, confused by some with the Siskin.
Brambling
Similar to a Chaffinch, Bramblings are also part of the finch family. I have photographed many Chaffinches over the years, but I have never seen a Brambling.
They have really cool, black, white and orange markings which should make them somewhat easy to identify.
They have really cool, black, white and orange markings which should make them somewhat easy to identify.
Capercaillie
A big, beautiful woodland Grouse, Capercaillie are at risk of extinction so are sadly probably one of the least likely birds on this list for me to photograph.
They are declining and very rare, sticking to native pinewoods in Northern Scotland though are very sensitive to disturbance and conservation efforts are in place.
Read more about Capercaillie here.
A big, beautiful woodland Grouse, Capercaillie are at risk of extinction so are sadly probably one of the least likely birds on this list for me to photograph.
They are declining and very rare, sticking to native pinewoods in Northern Scotland though are very sensitive to disturbance and conservation efforts are in place.
Read more about Capercaillie here.
Fieldfare
The image at the top of this post is a wonderful Fieldfare, photographed in my garden back in March of 2018.
This is the only time I have seen a Fieldfare, at the time I had to search online to find out what it was and I've wanted to see another since.
They are winter visitors, red status and part of the Thrush family.
Waxwing
To me, our winter visitors the Waxwing look very exotic!
As stated on British Trust For Ornithology website, 'Waxwings breed within the substantial belt of boreal forest, that extends from Scandinavia, through Russia and across to the Pacific coast'.
As stated on British Trust For Ornithology website, 'Waxwings breed within the substantial belt of boreal forest, that extends from Scandinavia, through Russia and across to the Pacific coast'.
European Nightjar
If you search for any of these birds online, I recommend searching the Nightjar.
This brown bird seems like something straight from mythology and I love it!
They are amber status, summer visitors who are nocturnal and can be seen eating at dusk and dawn.
This brown bird seems like something straight from mythology and I love it!
They are amber status, summer visitors who are nocturnal and can be seen eating at dusk and dawn.
Snipe, Jack Snipe and Woodcock
These three species are all wading birds of the same family which also includes Curlew, Sandpipers and much more.
Of amber, green and red statuses with the Snipe and Woodcock having resident colonies in the UK and the Jack Snipe being a winter visitor.
I'm hoping they might show their lush little faces at the wetlands centre at somepoint...
Cuckoo
Last but certainly not least is the Cuckoo.
With their telltale call, I'm sure you'd hear them before you see them.
They are red status, summer visitors and have a very unique way of raising their young...because they don't.
''Cuckoos are summer visitors and are well-known brood parasites. Instead of building their own nest, the females lay their eggs in other birds’ nests, especially meadow pipits, dunnocks and reed warblers. When a female cuckoo finds a suitable nest, and the hosts aren’t looking, she removes one of their eggs and lays her own egg in its place. Cuckoo young hatch after just 12 days, and push the hosts’ eggs or babies out of the nest, allowing it to eat all food brought by the host bird. By the time the cuckoo leaves the nest, it is far bigger than the host bird, but the adoptive parent continues to feed the young cuckoo for a further two weeks.'' - RSPB.org
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These three species are all wading birds of the same family which also includes Curlew, Sandpipers and much more.
Of amber, green and red statuses with the Snipe and Woodcock having resident colonies in the UK and the Jack Snipe being a winter visitor.
I'm hoping they might show their lush little faces at the wetlands centre at somepoint...
Cuckoo
Last but certainly not least is the Cuckoo.
With their telltale call, I'm sure you'd hear them before you see them.
They are red status, summer visitors and have a very unique way of raising their young...because they don't.
''Cuckoos are summer visitors and are well-known brood parasites. Instead of building their own nest, the females lay their eggs in other birds’ nests, especially meadow pipits, dunnocks and reed warblers. When a female cuckoo finds a suitable nest, and the hosts aren’t looking, she removes one of their eggs and lays her own egg in its place. Cuckoo young hatch after just 12 days, and push the hosts’ eggs or babies out of the nest, allowing it to eat all food brought by the host bird. By the time the cuckoo leaves the nest, it is far bigger than the host bird, but the adoptive parent continues to feed the young cuckoo for a further two weeks.'' - RSPB.org
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There we have it, my bird photography wishlist. I wittled it down to these few but to be honest I want to see and photograph anything and everything. I get just as excited by the daily visitors to my gardens as I do birds I only see occasionally and although it's always thrilling to spot a rare bird I find just as much joy and appreciation in a Pigeon as I do a Bullfinch.
I love birds. I love their songs and their movements, their colours and their interactions with the world around them. As I type this I can see a Blue Tit on the suet feeder outside, with a Starling startling it as it came to feed on the cocounut feeder beside it. There are Pigeons cooing in the front garden, Herring Gulls flying overhead and a Blackbird singing away somewhere. That is all just from my seat on the sofa!
Birds of all sizes and species are a great comfort to me. They are my friends and my sanity in a scary world, even if they don't know it haha!
I'll end it here because otherwise I won't stop but I implore you to do what you can for the birds and other wildlife in your area. Even if you can't or don't want to feed them, providing clean water all through the year, especially in very hot weather and in freezing temperatures where natural resorces may be scarce, is a huge help.
Until next time...
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