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Your Nemesis Birds
Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2026 4:44 pm
by Zoroark
As of February 2026, the Virginia Rail remains one of my top nemeses that I haven't photographed, with 43 observations.
What's your worst?
Re: Your Nemesis Birds
Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2026 8:23 pm
by Aidan B
My most needed photo target is Western Screech-Owl. 43 observations on ebird (plus a ton that I haven't ebirded), and I've never managed more than a glimpse of one flying away. I also don't have any pictures of Least Bittern, which is also pretty bad.
As far as nemesis birds that would be lifers go, my most needed birds (weighted towards things that can be found out west as vagrants) are American Tree Sparrow, Cape May Warbler, Zone-tailed Hawk, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Hudsonian Godwit, and Short-tailed Albatross. It's getting pretty hard to add new birds!
Re: Your Nemesis Birds
Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2026 11:39 pm
by stitch58
Up until recently it was Leconte's Sparrow but then got the one attached. Most wanted now are probably Swallow-tailed Kite or Anhinga. Both are tough in NJ but not impossible.
54889490718_1a400f04bf_c.jpg
Re: Your Nemesis Birds
Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2026 11:31 am
by Charlie Spencer
I don't have true nemesis birds, in the sense that I've tried to see them repeatedly and keep missing.
What I do have is a list of birds from an old family copy of the ever-popular Golden 'Guide to Field Identification - Birds of North America', the edition with the buntings on the cover. Dad bought it sometime in the mid- to late '60s, either before or when we lived in Upper MIchigan. In the index we checked off the species we saw as a family over multiple states and a couple of decades.
But there are no dates, locations, or other details! With so little information, I didn't list them in eBird even as 'Historical'. I've since reseen and documented most of the birds that are marked in the book but there are ten left I want to list 'properly'.
Snowy Owl
Ring-necked Pheasant
Trumpeter Swan
American Woodcock
American Flamingo
Band-tailed Pigeon
Verdin
Bullock's Oriole
Golden Eagle
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Re: Your Nemesis Birds
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2026 2:12 pm
by Kevin
I've only ever seen one Scarlet Tanager, a beautiful male, and I wasn't able to get a photo, that would probably be mine.
Re: Your Nemesis Birds
Posted: Wed May 06, 2026 1:27 pm
by Kansabirdguy
Virginia rail was a big one for me that I recently finally found
Re: Your Nemesis Birds
Posted: Wed May 06, 2026 1:29 pm
by Kansabirdguy
Charlie Spencer wrote: Tue Feb 03, 2026 11:31 am
I don't have true nemesis birds, in the sense that I've tried to see them repeatedly and keep missing.
What I do have is a list of birds from an old family copy of the ever-popular Golden 'Guide to Field Identification - Birds of North America', the edition with the buntings on the cover. Dad bought it sometime in the mid- to late '60s, either before or when we lived in Upper MIchigan. In the index we checked off the species we saw as a family over multiple states and a couple of decades.
But there are no dates, locations, or other details! With so little information, I didn't list them in eBird even as 'Historical'. I've since reseen and documented most of the birds that are marked in the book but there are ten left I want to list 'properly'.
Snowy Owl
Ring-necked Pheasant
Trumpeter Swan
American Woodcock
American Flamingo
Band-tailed Pigeon
Verdin
Bullock's Oriole
Golden Eagle
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Come to ks
I’m missing verdin and band tailed pigeon and snowy owl in ks
Re: Your Nemesis Birds
Posted: Wed May 06, 2026 9:01 pm
by Charlie Spencer
Kevin wrote: Fri Feb 06, 2026 2:12 pm
I've only ever seen one Scarlet Tanager, a beautiful male, and I wasn't able to get a photo, that would probably be mine.
Merlin reported one in the back yard twice this week. I could match a call i was hearing to Merlin's reporting but I could never spot the bird. I'm not familiar with the call and couldn't confirm Merlin's ID, so I didn't mark it.
My best photo of a male SCTA:
Re: Your Nemesis Birds
Posted: Thu May 07, 2026 4:05 am
by Zoroark
Those of you who are missing the Verdin, feel free to take some of my observations.