Bird of the Day, theme 'Your Choice'

natureJul 30, 202627813,465

Bird of the Day is the daily community event and today's theme is Your Choice, so participants may post any bird capture they want. The gallery today features songbirds, raptors, owls, herons and waterfowl, with images ranging from backyard closeups and sunlit portraits to hunting and shore scenes. Standout entries include a White-rumped Shama noted for its vocal mimicry, an adult Barn Owl perched high in a church belfry, and a swan centered in circular ripples at RSPB Rainham Marshes. Look for intimate backyard fledglings, a kestrel in flight, ruby-throated hummingbirds, and several great blue heron and great grey owl photos under the hashtag #YourChoice.

Nature, Preserved

@simonecannon.bsky.social

The unfortunately named White-rumped Shama is a stunning songbird known for its incredible, beautiful vocal mimicry and striking long tail. Native to South and Southeast Asia, it has also been introduced to parts of Hawaii. #BirdoftheDay #YourChoice #Songbirds #NaturePhotography #Wildlife #Honolulu

99245d ago

kimo957.bsky.social2

We sometimes get them in our yard, they like to eat bugs and are a lot of fun to listen to, always experimenting with different songs. If you can whistle they will often try to imitate you.

willfulchipmunk.bsky.social2

Thank you to all who post these marvelous photos of these beautiful birds.

ace100askwong.bsky.social1

Not me, I will never be a bird nor orange.

Laura Gillette1

How do its vocal mimicry skills compare to the lyrebird? BTW, the other day, we were coming home from a bike ride and thought we heard a hawk. Looked up into the tree branches above our house—nope. It was a mocking bird doing hawk sounds. 😆

Eric Olson Photography1

Lovely shot! Btw, he doesn’t mind being named for his best feature. 😁

Alan H

@alan678.bsky.social

Good morning birders. Today I thought I would let you post freely so the #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #YourChoice bird capture/ captures you’ve been itching to post. No alt obviously. I’ve went with the unloved but beautiful in sunlight Starling. Taken a few days ago. #birds #photography #ECK

Close-up portrait of a European Starling perched among leafy branches. The bird’s glossy black plumage shimmers with iridescent purple and green highlights in bright sunlight, while neat white speckles cover its breast and flanks. It faces to the right with its long, pointed bill and dark eye sharply in focus. Soft green foliage and blurred leaves create a smooth natural background, drawing attention to the starling’s striking metallic sheen and intricate feather detail.

79145d ago

Comrade Dogboy KC AO11

In the car park on the way out of work 40 mins ago #BirdOfTheDay #YourChoice

dawoodward.bsky.social9

Starlings are beautiful. I took this late in the day on Plum Island, MA. It looked to me like a dance. #plumisland

Mick Lister4

Beautiful shot marra 👌 of a bird that's about as popular as a ginger haired stepson 😀😂 That plumage has a wonderful sheen to it. Such underrated birds.

Gen Existential Crisis4

The alt should’ve been “not your choice” a photo you’ve kept but aren’t sure why. 😂

Sabine Shutterbug2

Hahaha, just yesterday I talked to Anna @annalois36.bsky.social about the next week’s palace theme and for lack of any other idea we decided to give participants carte blanche like you today. Great minds… 😅😂🫶

SueN2

Such an underrated bird, love their versatile colours.

Alex Sauerbrunn

@birdsbyalex.bsky.social

A Barn Owl gazes into my soul. #BirdOfTheDay #YourChoice #birds #owl #nature #wildlife #photography

A buff and white owl perched on a white pole in a misty field. Photographed in Irvine, California.

60445d ago

Helen Bennett 🌿2

Stunning capture Alex... so beautiful 👏✨

Walter Right ™ I am the One Who Answers2

The owl is the apex predator of night. That bird will tear you to pieces.

Jeffrey1

These two live in my backyard and ya maybe I am a voyeur

jazzrat2000 AKA Bonsai anonymous1

I used to teach at FAU in Boca Raton FL. The school mascot is a burrowing owl

jazzrat2000 AKA Bonsai anonymous1

Beautiful! Here's my poor pencil copy a work in progress

maybemichal.bsky.social1

Straight-out of Ga Hoole!(I hope he's not a Gahooligan)

Rina

@rina2012.bsky.social

Curl into a loop... 🪶 #BirdOfTheDay #YourChoice #birds #birding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #Austria #wildlife #photography #naturephotography #thelittlethings #ECK #Scape

A mute swan has curled its neck so that it forms a loop. Its beak is tucked into its plumage. The background is light and blurred.

31645d ago

Sabine Shutterbug1

Just a graceful sight! 🫶

Pirritin1

This is such a fabulous one, superb capture Rina 😍

Aj d'Wit (Audrey)1

Oh wow! This is an outstanding photo, Rina. Top notch. 🥇👌🏼

Shantha Mohan, Ph.D., DTM1

Amazing capture! Have a wonderful rest of the day, Rina!

Doug Engstrom1

Beautiful image. Is the bird resting, or preening?

Laurette

@laurette1.bsky.social

Swan in the middle of circular ripples and caught in the sunlight at RSPB Rainham Marshes. #Swans #BirdoftheDay #YourChoice #Essex

This is a photo I took 10 years ago. I l like it because I think the swan looks so joyous.

26445d ago

Alan H1

So beautiful Laurette. Excellent photography.

Aimee 𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧1

So late summery, I love it 🦢

Gabby1

This is so beautiful and peaceful 🤩

TimBert1

Beautiful capture for many reasons, but especially the concentric rings in the water.

HLK

@hlkfotos.com

Sharp shots of birds in flight are rare for me, and I was pretty pumped that this was an especially photogenic little kestrel. Now if there's a Best of July hashtag I'll have nothing. #BirdOfTheDay #YourChoice 🌿📷🪶

A photo of a female American kestrel (Falco sparverius) in flight against a clear gray-blue sky, banking with wings lowered. It's a small raptor with rufous-and-black barred wings and tail, a streaky breast, dark round eyes, black face stripes, white cheeks, and a small hooked beak. It is moving toward the right of frame, looking very fierce.

22145d ago

Mike2

Wow! You took this photo? Incredible.

Doug Engstrom2

That is an astonishingly sharp image, even for a bird that isn't in flight. You go!

diddlydog.bsky.social1

Top work there HLK. I'd be very pleased with that one.

Graham Jones1

Oh, there will be. He is setting a trap. Fabulous picture, nevertheless. 👌

Pete Geller1

Whoa! 🤩 Amazing shot, HL!

Barrie Cull1

That’s a beautiful capture HLK 👏One of my favourite birds.

Amy Gann

@amygann.bsky.social

We must remember that we share the planet, and must care for it rather than exploit it. All hands on deck. For the #birdoftheday theme of #yourchoice #birds #heron #protectnature #EastCoastKin #greatblueheron #nodatacenters #protectpubliclands

A great blue heron preening. It has one delicate feather in its beak

20445d ago

Gray2

Lovely photo, subject, & message, the trifecta, Amy 😻🖖🏼

Niamh Ní Longáin (pronounced ‘Knee-uv’)2

So well said! Gorgeous photo

Aj d'Wit (Audrey)2

Indeed! As they say, there is no backup planet. Fantastic photo. 👌🏼😍

Alan H1

Well said and a beautiful capture to back those words Amy. 😍😍😍

𝙲𝙰𝙿𝙴 𝙲𝙾𝙳 𝙿𝙾𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙰𝙷1

Lost in thought. or… “Hey, look…a bug!” Good morning, Amy!🌞

Marjo Slingerland-Boks1

Such a wonderful photo and words Amy🙏❤️

Kort Duce

@kortduce.bsky.social

A great blue heron fishes and hunts along St. Vrain Creek in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #YourChoice #bird #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #BirdsSeenln2026 #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Photo by Kort Duce

A great blue heron fishes and hunts along St. Vrain Creek in Longmont, Colorado.

In this horizontal color photograph, the viewer looks upstream as St. Vrain Creek winds into the frame from the upper center. Lush green grasses, shrubs, and trees line both banks of the creek, with a few leaves beginning to turn yellow as summer gives way to autumn. Their vibrant colors are beautifully reflected in the calm water.

In the lower left quadrant of the frame, a great blue heron wades through the shallow creek along a gravel and rock bar dotted with tufts of green grass. The bird quietly searches the water for fish and other prey, blending naturally into its riparian surroundings.

This scenic landscape photograph highlights a great blue heron in the healthy creek habitat that is essential to its survival.

22545d ago

Howard Beale Lives1

St Vrain is a beautiful waterway.

raistlin71.bsky.social1

I am continually astounded by how widespread the birds are. I had never seen one until I moved to NW Florida, thought they were strictly warm weather animals. Anyone know what these are? www.youtube.com/shorts/PObso...

franceflo.bsky.social

@franceflo.bsky.social

From @alan678.bsky.social Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #YourChoice any bird capture. Ruby throat hummingbird #hummingbird #photography #birds #colibri #aves #birdphotography #nature #mexico

Male Ruby throat hummingbird perched on small branch , with pollen on top of its head .

19245d ago

Michael R Photography 🌿

@msriffle.bsky.social

Forgive me if I've posted this image before but if the #BirdOfTheDay theme is #YourChoice, I'll probably post a snowy egret, my favorite avian. The beauty with yellow slippers. #photography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #ECK #birds #birdsinflight #Birdsky #birders #NikonZ8 #conservation #nature

18245d ago

roxmontana.bsky.social1

Fabulous image and great timing!

Jan1

Ahh Swan Lake comes to mind a floating ballerina

Fraggs Photography 📸🦊🦉🦋🦔 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

@fraggenstein.bsky.social

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #YourChoice bird capture/ captures you’ve been itching to post set by @alan678.bsky.social - Adult Barn Owl perched high up in a church belfry - South Wales 🪶🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #birdphotography #ECK #naturephotography #naturetherapy #owllovers #owl

17245d ago

Rob Baron1

I'm not a photographer so was pleased with this shot of a Gannet with nesting material (Bempton Cliffs, UK).

saepurusass.bsky.social1

I recall years ago being the non-English speaker in a largely English-speaking group, and having to ask what bird they kept referring to that sounded as "banol" to me. They kindly spoke it a bit slower.

Den 🇮🇪

@denterrick.bsky.social

Got to stay close to mother. These cygnets are just a few weeks old. #Photography #10MinutesFromHome #Birds #Swan #BirdOfTheDay #YourChoice #EastCoastKin #Ireland

This is for Alan's bird of the day. A mother mute swan and six cygnets following her.

Looks like midnight with a spotlight but it was taken in the middle of the day in bright sunlight. It's underexposed with spot metering so only the mother's body has "correct" lighting.

15445d ago

Robyn1

Incredible shot! So dark and beautiful.

Yana Das1

My fav photo of the day! What an amazing capture!!

Dwight1

Wonderful, photo and excellent lighting!🕊️

Barrie Cull1

That’s a wonderful photo Den and really interesting to read how the lighting was achieved. Thank you.

Mark Coupe Photography

@mcoupephotography.bsky.social

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #YourChoice. Whenever I get to choose it's always got to be a great grey owl. This one from last night was kind enough to pose in front of a golden sunset lit field. #owls #birds #greatgreyowl #mcoupephotography

Close up of a great grey owl with a golden background.

14445d ago

Zita Hildebrandt3

And he's thinking "OMG the peeparazzi are back." 😆

Helen Bennett 🌿1

Stunning capture, Mark 👏 I love the Great Greys expression! 🤎

franceflo.bsky.social1

This is an awesome picture 😍

Lecia Michelle

@leciamichelle.bsky.social

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #YourChoice. This beautiful great blue heron was so chill, it never even noticed me behind it. #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky

Great blue heron stand on the edge of a lake with sparse grass around it, its back to the camera.

15044d ago

Gray1

That’s not a heron, it’s a toilet brush!

NullPointer 🍄1

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a heron from directly behind. Cool photo!

Gabrielle1

I think he’s deep in thought. Perhaps some existential troubles.

julielfrost.bsky.social

@julielfrost.bsky.social

It's difficult to select just one image from a recent photoshoot with common yellowthroats, but I particularly like this image for today's #BirdOfTheDay theme, #YourChoice. #Birds #Warblers #Photography #Nature #WildlifePhotography #BirdPhotography

A common yellowthroat warbler sits among bright green leaves, its lemon yellow throat highlighted in the sunlight and its under feathers fluffed out

14845d ago

Reform‑run council proposes quarry expansion in ancient Oaken Woodnature Bird of the Day, theme 'Your Choice'nature

Bird of the Day, theme 'Your Choice'

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