what are the best things you have seen so far in 2009?

[vogel]

For me its gotta be , the buzzard in my garden and, ltts, fabulous.

[vogel]

oh and my wife hehe.

[smartie]

Not sure it's the best but the most surprising thing I've seen this year was a fox which strolled past my front gate at about 10.30 this morning, casually passed the time of day with a couple of neighbours who were also walking by, then ambled off across the road apparently without a care in the world.

I was so stupefied I dived for my camera only too late as he went behind a house further down the street.

We know there are foxes in the area, as we hear them barking sometimes at night, but I wasn't expecting to see one on a busy street in the middle of the day.

Err - just realised this thread is in the bird forum. Doh!

[muddyfeet]

A pair of blue tits using the tit-box as a roost (hopefully they'll nest there come spring), and of course - our resident red squirrels!

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by leifus

i saw one at WWT Slimbridge

There are "wild" ,as in feral, Mandarins around Slimbridge as well as obviously captive birds. I've seen up to 6 along the brook below the willows.

[crates]

No rarities - but a wren and a goldcrest together for ten minutes foraging in patio pots.

[sunnydale]

Originally Posted by leifus

i saw one at WWT Slimbridge

We have a pair of Mandarins on Bakewell river. I had to giggle when I heard someone saying (about the male).. "oooh look at that funny looking duck! How's it got like that then?!"

[Ida]

Last weekend I saw two black caps (1 male, 1 female) feeding on ivy berries in my small, urban garden. They were only about 15 feet from my back door, and didn't seem to care that I was standing so close to them peering through my binoculars.

A couple of days prior to that I had a close view of two goldcrests while I was working in a garden a few streets away.

I know neither of these sightings are likely to attract many twitchers, but I was delighted to see these birds in what's classed as an inner London area.

[Toad]

So far this year I've had 4 long tailed tits spend an hour in my garden which was a 1st for me and yesterday a male sparrowhawk terrorising my hedge.

[AshleyB]

I think mine has to be the Greenfinches I saw in my Girlfriends garden and a nice encounter with a juvenile blackcap!

Also Woo! First post on WAB!