I did a top ten favorite photos post, but I also wanted to do a top ten favorite birds. I saw and photographed over 100 in 2024, so its going to be hard to chose just ten! It’s no secret that I love woodpeckers, so of course theres going to be at least one on this list. Red-headed woodpeckers have been hard for me to find, but I have managed to get some really nice photos of them. The red head with black and white body is so bold and beautiful. Next up, the Indigo Bunting. The first time I saw one of these birds in the spring, I just about lost my mind I was so excited! The vivid blue shade seems like it should belong on a tropical bird.
Red-headed Woodpecker, Indigo Bunting
Getting a close up photo of a Belted Kingfisher was really a challenge, but when I finally got one, it was so so satisfying. They‘re fun to watch and I would love to find more species of them! As much as Ring-necked Pheasants are my nemesis bird, I love the hunt and the challenge that comes with these colorful birds.
Belted Kingfisher, Ring-necked Pheasant
Brown Thrashers are such a different looking bird and I love the bright yellow eyes they have. I really enjoyed looking for and photographing them during the summer. Eastern Kingbirds are super plentiful around the summer time, and they always seem to stop and pose for photos for me, and I always love how they turn out.
Brown Thrasher, Eastern Kingbird
Great Blue herons can be really tricky to get close to, and they get spooked very easily, so it’s a fun challenge trying to get good photos of them. They’re a strange looking bird but I really enjoy them. I don’t think there’s a much more elegant bird than a Trumpeter Swan. It took me a long while to find some to photograph, but it was so worth the wait.
Great Blue Heron, Trumpeter Swan
Now for a really cool bird, there’s the Bobolink. I never had heard of the bird before and they definitely became a quick favorite. The yellow feathers on their head are so pretty and the sounds the make are truly so strange but amazing. Now much like woodpeckers, hawks are probably going to be my number 2. I photographed this same hawk on several different occasions and loved every second of his presence.
