Best birds seen from a moving vehicle

brian fielding · Status: Offline

RE: Best birds seen from a moving vehicle

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Lots of goodies from around the world over the years and plenty in the UK but my favourite wasn't actaully seen from the car by me...

Whilst watching a Yellow-billed Cuckoo in St.Levan valley a few years ago, the bird took to flight and headed across towards the car park on the other side of the valley to us, which for those who don't know it is just a sloping field at the side of the valley just by the church. "Cuckoo flying right" a voice in the crowd shouts out, "infront of the white car now!" and as I watched with the amassed crowd I could see my family in the car peering out of the windscreen at the bird flying not 10 feet past my white car. On returning, my partner announced, "what was the big brown and white bird with the long tail that flew in front of the car?" My 5 year old son too saw the bird it really was so close

Les Steele · Status: Offline

Goshawk in Northern France, flew 10 yards in front of the car for 200 yards through a forest.

Les

Iain Johnson · Status: Offline

Black Woodpecker in Germany, White Tailed Eagle in Sweden, Griffon Vulture from a train in Spain, Cream Coloured Courser in Fuerventura (nearly ran over them!), pallid harrier in Israel (saw a wolf moments earlier!), white stork in bulgaria and emu in australia!

Probably barn owl in the UK - just fantastic.

Henry Cook · Status: Offline

Most of my best finds have been from moving vehicles as it happens.
A Black Stork last year flying along the north wales coast in the opposite direction to us driving, didn't allow very long for ID but with such a distinctive bird it was easy. My best find to date but sadly so brief!
Taking the train from Manc to uni in Cornwall allows many opportunities for birding. My highest train list in one single journey is 40 species. The section along the Exe is usually best with Brent Geese, Avocet, Kingfisher (often), Godwits etc etc but on a recent trip after Christmas it was north of Exeter that provided the highlight of this 8 hour journey. Having passed the Exe my attention had dwained a little but upon noticing an egret very close to the train in a COW field I made sure I checked it out in all of the few seconds the train would allow before zooming off. Cattle Egret was my prize and it was such an excitement to jam in on the Cattle Egret fest the country has had this winter by finding my own.
My last 'best bird' from a moving car happened in Ireland last august when about to stop to look for a Rose-coloured Starling. We were about to pull-over and then hop out to look for the bird but I got it from the car before we even stopped moving. Very jammy but saved us a lot of time for what can be quite a suprisingly elusive bird. Think there's a little pic in the out-of-county gallery on the main website.
Thanks. Henry.

sid ashton · Status: Offline

Barn Owl at 11.00 in the morning 'bout a year ago - been to see father-in-law in Wrightington Hospital - wife shouts "Barnie" brakes applied bins at the slant almost caused the biggest pile-up that Rufford has seen!!!

Andy Bissitt · Status: Offline

God, I'd really have to read back through a lot of notes to come up with a definitive answer. However, Prairie Falcon in Oregon comes to mind, as does Brown Pelican in Texas (we were on a ferry crossing from Galveston, but the car was moving!). Closer to home, I've seen Osprey on the M56 near Rostherne Mere, as well as a couple over my car going through Scotland last year.

Perhaps pride of place goes to Austral Pygmy owl which me and my brother saw roosting in a road side tree whilst a mad Argie drove the 4X4 at about 60 mph down a wooded track, (he then reversed at about 100 mph!!!!)

As you say, I'm sure if you had to answer a question on a motor insurance questionnaire that asked if you were a bird watcher - the premium would soar by about 50%!!!

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Inspired by Ian's road birding trip to Windsor I thought I'd start a little list of best birds seen from a moving vehicle so here goes with mine:

1. Roller

Somewhere in the Sierra Nevada on roadside wires screeching the hire car to a hault to the consternation of my Spanish and English friends some time around 1999 (very hazy with dates) before I started active birding again. A lifer and super views without bins.

2. Golden Eagles

Berkshire Mountains, Massachusetts 2002 from a crappy US automatic car on business to Williamstown from Boston. Still never seen one in the UK.

3. White Stork twice:

In flooded fields near Leighton Moss from a train - can't quite recall when - and a genuine wild bird in Poland from a train window on the way from Warsaw to Cracow 2005. Again on business.

4. Kingfisher

Intercity 125 to London to London somewhere in the Midlands flying along a river - quite a train spot. Date not remembered.

5. Barn Owl

A few weeks ago riding my bike with my brother in Oxfordshire. It flew right alongside us in the early evening. My brother was taking me through the site of what, in 10 years time, will be the largest reservoir in the UK near Steventon.

6. Red Kites aplenty

Just to return to where I started - anywhere on the M40 near Oxford. Good job the M40 usually moves along just fine otherwise birders would constantly be crashing into other vehicles!

So come on I'm sure you can top that easily!

P.S. birding at the wheel is not safe and should not be encouraged...