As a relatively new birder (I only seriously started keeping lists and visiting conservation areas last year) I thought it would be a fun challenge to make a list of the birds I'd like to see most in my area (Ottawa, Canada) this year and then try to find them. I'm not looking for rarities or extremely-difficult-to-find birds, though it would be nice to find them too! I'm just looking for some relatively common ones that I have not yet identified for my life list.
In addition, while reviewing my photos I started listing ones I need better shots of. These are mostly birds I've only seen once or twice and would like a better opportunity to photograph them: the ones I took for identification purposes are blurry, or of the bird's back end only!
I thought it would be fun to post these two lists publically and see how many I can get by the end of the year. I also thought maybe others would like to join me and create their own wish list for 2007!
So here they are!
Top 15 birds I'd like to see
1. Indigo Bunting (June 17, 2007)
2. Baltimore Oriole (May 11, 2007)
3. Eastern Bluebird (June 9, 2007)
4. Eastern Meadowlark (July 22, 2007)
5. Purple Martin (April 29, 2007)
6. Saw-whet Owl
7. Peregrine Falcon (April 3, 2007)
8. American Bittern (July 14, 2007)
9. Evening Grosbeak (December 29, 2007)
10. Killdeer (March 31, 2007)
11. Barn Swallow (May 13, 2007)
12. Kestrel (April 9, 2007)
13. Savannah Sparrow (May 26, 2007)
14. Bobolink (May 26, 2007)
15. Sora
Top 15 Birds I would like to photograph
1. American Redstart (May 14, 2007)
2. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (May 5, 2007)
3. Wood Thrush
4. Ovenbird
5. Alder Flycatcher
6. Scarlet Tanager (May 11, 2007)
7. Carolina Wren
8. Yellow Warbler (May 6, 2007)
9. Hermit Thrush (December 9, 2007)
10. Merlin (October 5, 2007)
11. Wilson's Snipe
12. Horned Grebe
13. Bufflehead (April 25, 2007)
14. Winter Wren (September 24, 2007)
15. Rough-legged Hawk
Hi Gillian,
I have given up on wish lists, I never see they birds I want to; but make up for it by seeing birds I would never have expected:-)))