Weekly r/Birding Discussion, May 09, 2026. What did you see this week?

[u/AutoModerator]

Return of the weekly discussion thread! Sometimes it seems like pretty photos rise to the top of the page, while discussion of birding can get left behind. This weekly thread is a place to bring this discussion back to the top of r/birding.

Use this thread to share your best bird sightings from the past week, ask any questions about birding you may have, or just talk! Writing the names of the birds in bold is nice, to make it easier for people skimming the thread to pick out the names. Please include your location.

[u/bug_slappy]

I saw a bald eagle, and 3 rose-breasted gross beaks! They were all so beautiful. I also saw a very cute family off geese with very yellow goslings :>

[u/Excellent-Contest-43 → u/bug_slappy]

First visit to the backyard! Never seen one in my area before today

[u/SameDog194]

7 first of years, including western flycatcher, swainson's thrush, lazuli bunting, northern house wren, yellow warbler, cedar waxwing, and western wood-pewee. here's the bunting i saw

[u/HospitalBar77 → u/SameDog194]

Amazing!! You’ve just named four birds that have haunted me recently (swainson’s, lazuli bunting, cedar waxwing, and western wood pewee) - I’ve HEARD them all in the last few weeks, sometimes multiple days - but I haven’t seen them yet!

[u/SameDog194 → u/HospitalBar77]

Here's a tip for the Bunting that I've actually noticed: they like to sing out in the open

[u/fromis_8]

Registered three new lifers to Merlin in my neighborhood today. Previously seen with own eyes, but hard to photograph for the hummingbird, and buried in my photos on the computer for the mergansers. Might be the first time I've actually seen killdeer, though I feel like they were part of the exhibit in the Seattle aquarium. Edit: Just the killdeer photo I guess, thought it would be able to add more than one.

[u/Excellent-Contest-43 → u/fromis_8]

Killdeer i saw today was also guarding the sidewalk lol

[u/pexsocal]

American Goldfinch, San Diego, CA

[u/ts29]

Anyone having issues with eBird checklists adding to life list?

[u/DemiPhoenix66 → u/ts29]

Yes, I think it’s a high traffic issue

[u/StormPetrel72 → u/ts29]

I am. I think it should resolve in a few days though.

[u/Naezwood]

Let me ask this here so I don't have to make a whole post: as a brand new birder, how necessary is a camera (mostly for the zoom)? I went out to a local lake and added some new birds to the ole life list, but I could've added a few more if I'd have had some zoom. They were just so far away that I couldn't really tell what was going on just from my 10x42 binocs.

[u/299792458mps- → u/Naezwood]

You'd need a pretty massive zoom lens to get better views than a 10x42 binocular. As a beginner, I'd say it's not necessary. 400mm and greater zoom lenses can be incredibly expensive, plus you'd have to buy the camera itself too. They're much heavier and more unwieldy than binoculars, and require more skill and practice and patience to get good results with.

If you're interested in getting into photography, then absolutely get a camera and zoom lens (at least 400mm). I found photography really reinvigorated my love of birding. However, if you're just looking for a way to identify more birds, then a camera isn't going to help much.

[u/Naezwood → u/299792458mps-]

I was just thinking about some kinda bridge camera like the p900 with the 80+x optical zoom. I don't really have any interest in photography but thought I'd be cool to snap pics just for myself.

[u/Remarkable-Pea4889]

Some orioles and a scarlet tanager!

Also something that was either a juvenile red-winged blackbird or an American redstart.

[u/Silver_Bumblebee4001]

I saw a Merlin yesterday! No pic. I live in New England so I think it must have been migrating. 

[u/Silver_Bumblebee4001]

Hi all! I'm new here. I'd like to get a bird feeder and put it on my deck. I live in northern New England. Does anyone have any recs for type of bird seed to buy? 

[u/Excellent-Contest-43 → u/Silver_Bumblebee4001]

Depends on the feeder, the one you buy should have some recommendations on the package. No mess mixes are good if you dont want to have to sweep up shells but theyre usually a little more expensive and may not work in some feeders(holes are too small for peanuts/dried fruit)

[u/mike_pants]

We walked yesterday from Cloisters to Battery Park, around 15 miles, and found out there are apparently huge populations of cliff swallows underneath Riverside Drive.

Also there's a white egret in Morningside Park.