OFF TOPIC .....what's your favorite bird?

[justscore]

With all the bad news and stress lately, let's change it up a bit.........

I love to sit outside and birdwatch and certain birds bring different emotions to me when I see them.  My current favorites are my eastern bluebirds, painted bunting and indigo bunting.  
The bluebirds have 3 more eggs that hopefully will hatch, it's been in the 100's lately and super hot!  They (mostly the female lol) work so hard building nest after nest while still taking care of the babies from the prior nests.
When I see the painted buntings I think of this forum cuz they make me feel hopeful when I see this shy, amazing bird.  
The indigo bunting is a new sighting for me and he is beautiful!

What are your favorites and how/what do they make you feel?  

Respectfully,
Heidi

[onthemendmomma]

Living in nh for many years I became an avid bird watcher and we even kept blue bird houses and a log for the Audebon Society...this was before cable. But when we first moved there I lived in a tiny town called Jaffrey at the base of Mt. Manadanock in a tiny converted boyscout cabin. The whole thing was as big as my current kitchen and dining room. The cabin was on the Contoocook lake and every day I would go out and either just sit or try to fish.

Now I grew up in NYC mind you and was not very cultured or educated....one morning I saw these huge HUGE birds....and I watched them a long time they were beautiful but I had never seen anything like them in person. When I went back to the cabin I woke my husband up (I was only 17 and he wasn't my husband yet ;)  ) and I said something to the effect of..."I just saw the most f'-ed up thing...did you know they have greyish flamingos in NH?....they were blue heron of course...but who knew?

[survivor_susie]

I'm a bird watcher; my life list is over 300 now.  In a week, I'll be camping in the Pacific northwest on an island off the coast of Washington state.  I'm hoping to add to my life list!

Anyway, the western tanager is my favorite.  Go here for a picture: http://wdfw.wa.gov/viewing/yakima/graphics/western_tanager.jpg

It's unbelievable colorful.  We don't have much in the way of colorful birds on the plains of Colorado....
Kathy

[SwOC5]

It has to be our Swallows swooping round the garden each evening enjoying all the bugs.

[jane65]

This is such a fun thing to do for us, Heidi, thanks for thinking of it.
.
Goldfinches are my favorite, they're such beautiful, small birds who love the thistle feeders we keep filled for them over the winter here in NJ.

It's such a good feeling to see them at the feeders when the snow is on the ground, we know we're keeping them alive.

The goldfinches make little chirping sounds which is so a cheerful, and the males are more golden than the females.

Happy bird watching,
Jane

[justscore]

I took some bird pictures yesterday as I was sitting on my porch.  I got a couple of good ones.  Since it has been so hot here lately, my bird bath has been very busy!  

I also found a cardinal's nest last night, I hope the snakes don't get it again.  We have had a few roadrunners hanging around too. I have a woodpecker that shows up and it looks quite different than all the other ones that hang around, not sure what it is.

Peace!
Heidi

[Searching48507]

My favorite bird are ducks.  I have fond memories of going to the State parks to feed them as well as from our condo in Florida.  I was able to go "quack, quack..." and the whole flock would come waddling over to the patio where I feed them and gave them fresh water.

Karen

[TrudieC]

We used to have a 23 acre hobby farm and decided to raise different breeds of chickens for fun and eggs.  I had always been afraid of birds and once we had these chickens my fear evaporated as I learned to understand them.  I fell in love with my little Dutch Bantams.  They are so tiny, so smart, and so friendly.  I had a female who was my special pet.  When she saw me enter the coop (an area of our barn with their own exit to outside so they could free range) she would squeal and start running towards me.  I would pick her up, rub her belly, and then she'd sit on my shoulder and cuddle into my neck.  We another girl who would 'help' my husband when he was working on cars or tractors in the barn.  She'd get right under them with him or fly up and sit on the vehicle and talk to him.  She'd also try to steal his tools.  I really miss them and our wish is to find another small country property to retire on so we can have a few chickens again.

[Burnzie]

What a great idea you had!  For the past threee years we have made a point of attracting birds to our backyard and it has given us much joy.  This year a baltimore oriole showed up, which I think is rare in Ontario.  I love the colours!  Its a nervous bird though, so I'd have to say that my favourite is the hummingbird. The fact that those little beings can fly all the way to Mexico amazes me.  They are so strong in spirit!
Thanks Heidi

Karen

[dawnlyn]

Okay my favorites are the Robin, after a long cold winter when they appear you know everything will start anew....Mourning Dove....We have a whole family of them, the wee ones are so cute...They too make me feel comfortable and peaceful...and my next favorite would be the Cardinal....for some reason makes me feel more energized....They are fun to watch......Dawnlyn

[SimplyStar]

I love to watch the Quails in my sons backyard in AZ, the little ones scurry in single file behind mother and father,  so cute.  I belong to the Hancock camcorder sites that have the Eagle nests in BC Canada,  to watch  them from egg laying, hatching and learning to fly and OH those parents, how hard they work to raise them.  A funny story, one day when my kids were small, I was talking about always wanting a parrot,  unbeknowst to me, they took their money and went to a pet store looking for a parrot for my BD,  when they found one, and it cost 500 dollars, their poor little hearts were broken, they only had $11.23 .  But it is a memory that I hold onto.  Leslee had lots of wild turkies at the farm, we loved to watch them parade through her place.  I am fascinated at the hummingbirds around my place, so tiny and colorful.  Most unusual bird I ever saw was a giant White Snow Owl in Minnesota   years ago, it came walking down the road and  then perched on a tree stump right by our camper.  I compared its "voice' to a dog with asthma, we fed it for 3 days,  what a privilege.   To watch an Eagle fishing, catch a big one, bring it to shore  to a rock and kill and eat it, it something else.  Walking along the shores you see these rocks with fish sheltons everywhere.   Marty

[Ramsay14]

I love the peacock.  I am fascinated by those beautiful feathers.  My least favorite...the woodpecker!  Why can't they tell the difference between a house and a tree?

[marie3B]

I have cardinals and mourning doves in my yard.  I love them.  My all-time favorite bird is not in my yard.  I love the loons I saw in Minnesota every year on Lake Vermillion.  They are so beautiful swimming and they fiercely protect their babies and their call is really unique.  Marie

[ireneo]

Oh dear. Considering birds are a big part of my job, it's so hard to pick a favorite. And my so called favorites would shock most people. Yes, chickadees are cute, tough and sassy. Painted buntings are a work of art. Eagles are awesome (but did you know they snort to vocalize?).

Still my 2 favorites (that's not fair!) are the Turkey Vulture and the American Crow. The vulture is such a calm, mellow creature. They just look at you and wonder what you're going to do next. And if they're stressed, they simply throw up (reminds me of my daughter). Crows are very intelligent and easy to work with. If I move slowly, talk softly, they will rest in my arms or lay on my lap and just watch. It's so easy to do physical therapy on them or even pick them up.

[Teresa222]

Ditto on the Cardinal. I have a family of them living in my yard. I love watching them interact.  They are a very loyal birdie family.
Teresa

[bohan54]

Gotta go red, Cardinal is my pick

[silver&gold]

My favorite Bird is the Robin Redbreast, there is one that visits my garden nearly everyday and is so tame it will let you get really close up to it. I talk to it sometimes as i like to imagine its my dad who has passed , I know its a bit mad but it brings me comfort The cats seem to like him too so I have to keep a careful watch and shoo them away when they are on the prowl.

Angie

[gah_70]

Hi Heidi,

What a lovely idea!  I guess I have to choose Doves...the Mourning Dove in particular.  It's the bird's call that makes me like it so much.  It's relaxing to me (not sad at all), and makes me think of my childhood out in the country.  There two of them who have taken up residence in our neighborhood the past couple of years, and I love to hear them "talk" to each other in the evening.  

No disrespect to our state bird, the Cardinal, though.  Nothing like the bright red feathers to brighten up the cold winter woods.  

Gail