What birds put a smile on your face in your locale

[steamloco76]

The suburban birds I like to watch:
Cardinal, Chickadee, House Wren, Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Goldfinch, Northern Oriole, Downy Wodpecker, Sharp Shinned Hawk, Yellow Shafted Flicker, Ruby Throated Hummingbird.

Woodland and water birds:
Red Tailed Hawk, Kestrel, Great Blue Herron, Bald Eagle, Mallard Duck, Pileated Woodpecker, Blue Bird, Indigo Bunting, Ruffed Grouse, Belted Kingfisher, Killdeer.

I could list a bunch more, as I've always had a pretty keen interest in birds, and PA has a great variety.

 

[the ringo kid]

Mine is the first flight of Geese flying South signifying the coming of Winter.

 

[H Richard]

I keep a bird feeder in the tree in the yard just outside my office window at home. They come and go all day. The normal fare in the winter is Junko, red breasted house finch, Tufted Titmouse, Black capped chickadee, Red birds, Blue Jays, (saw two robins this morning), and yesterday had to get the book out and still undecided if it was a Downy Woodpecker, or a Yellow Bellied Sapsucker (couldn't get a full view).

 

[kthom]

Any Hawk,
Any Owl,
Any Quail.
Any Golden Eagle,
Any Roadrunner,
And about any bird that shows up to our feeders here around the house, with the definite exception of the grackles. Hate 'em"
One of our favorites is the pair of Curved Bill Thrashers that hang around and are not spooky at all!

Birds are neat! And most birds are beautiful! And who doesn't like to listen to a Mockingbird in the early part of the morning!

 

[2tall79]

Use to hear Ringnecks all the time, even occasionally dodged a few while driving......haven't heard or seen any in years. We have a pretty good population of Red Tails and Bald Eagles and once in a great while I'll see a Wood Duck.

 

[Jack Flash]

At the risk of being a "Debby Downer" ---
Guys and Gals, "in your locale" has no meaning if you don't fill in your "Location" information, or at least give us a hint about where you live in your post. I'm not asking for your street address ...

 

[kozmic]

I really like all of the birds that find their way to our place, but the migratory birds are really enjoyable because we only have them for a week or 2 coming and/or going.
Year round neat birds:
kinglets
thrashers
various owls
various woodpeckers
various prey birds
orioles
summer and year round bald eagles are a few miles away
migratory birds:
indigo buntings
scarlet tanagers
rose breasted and evening grosbeaks
different warblers
cedar waxwings
ruby-throated hummers

 

[mike from st pete]

All the little sandpipers and plovers dashing to and fro in the surf.

 

[walkin jack]

Since we live a stone's throw from a city park we have many different species. my favorites are the hawks and kites and a close runner up would be the yellow crested night heron.

They are regulars but we have some that must get lost because even though they are not indiginous we occasionally see indigo buntings, Baltimore orioles and white doves (the morning doves and white wing doves are always around.

 

[steelslaver]

I am a fan of birds of prey.

Around here top of my list aare the Golden Eagles. Bald then a bunch of the hawks and owls. Lots of farms and ranches, open areas, plus the rivers around here means lot of prey and birds getting fed.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

My year-round favorites are the pine siskins. Always in a small flock, and they always have a lot to say.

In the summer it's got to be the kingfisher that perches on a branch above the creek that flows through town.

Fall it's the mama ruffed grouse and her babies as they pick through the fallen aspen leaves.

Winter (especially this year) the Gyrfalcon, the worse the weather the more likely it is to be seen. The grey-crowned rosy finches, too. This is the grey-crown's winter range, having come south from the arctic.

Springtime brings the myriad types that migrate through here. Don't get to enjoy them for long, but we sure have a bunch of different ones in the span of two or three weeks.

Been up here for more than 10 years and have not seen a house sparrow or a grackle -- it's great!

 

[Jimmyjones]

Any birds that don't leave purple poop on my nice stone patio, not to mention the windshield of my car.

LOL, I couldn't figure out where the bird poop was coming from on my front steps. One day walking up to the house heard/saw plop. Looked up and this Flicker was hanging above the stairs. Tricky getting the pic without getting pooped on.

 

[dave holl]

Timberdoodles, turkeys and pileated woodpeckers chucking wood chips the size of 2x4 studs!

Speaking of Pileated woodpeckers, I caught the fellow in the act pecking for grubs and insects. It took him 2 months to remove the wood. Picture was taken today, looking east across the vernal pool in our Ohio woods. (Sorry about the sideways picture. Couldn't figure out how to rotate.)
Dave

 

[shouldazagged]

Where I live now my favorites are the chickadees, nuthatches, downy woodpecker and the lovely little kestrel.

My very favorite in this part of the country is one I don't see here in the city. It's the indigo bunting. I haven't sighted one in years, but their coloring is magical to me.

 

[DWalt]

Mockingbirds and el chapparal (Roadrunner). Saw (and heard) the first mockingbirds this morning. I think the same ones come back every year.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Where I live now my favorites are the chickadees, nuthatches, downy woodpecker and the lovely little kestrel.

My very favorite in this part of the country is one I don't see here in the city. It's the indigo bunting. I haven't sighted one in years, but their coloring is magical to me.

I would have thought it would be this one:

 

[Inusuit]

Ravens, all of the corvids. Red Tailed Hawks. I'm in SE Wyoming.

 

[italiansport]

Road runner...hands down the most interesting bird in the entire southwest!

I agree on Roadrunners but we also enjoy out Hummingbirds as they are year round residents here. We have a feeder and so we get visited several times a day. I grill not far from the feeder and when I'm out there they fly right up and hover to see what's going on!
Jim

 

[johnbeaver]

Bald eagles. We have had one move into our area in the last year.
Quail. Don't see them much in our area anymore. Fire ants I guess.
Ducks. Especially looking at them down the barrel.
OK guys, hold on. I am pretty sure I saw an Ivory Billed Woodpecker about '72 or '73.
My mother said she saw some when she was a young girl living in the Big Thicket area and was taken with them. She had several bird books and that was her favorite bird. When I saw the thing I went to her house to confirm what I had seen, And according to the pictures, it sure looked like it.
That was at a time the environmentalist thing was getting big, so I did not say anything to anyone for fear of losing my hunting spot. Still haven't told many. Till now
Anyway, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

My Chickens but of course....