Bird of the Day, theme 'Firsts'

natureAug 3, 20261243,130

Bird of the Day is running the theme Firsts, asking participants to share their earliest bird photos as chosen by cohost Atlantic Birding. The gallery collects early captures and nostalgia shots, from scanned 1981 slide images to recent first-try digital photos, with many users noting first subjects and first cameras. Standout posts include Kevin the Kingfisher, a photographer’s first sighting and shaken-legs shot, a lilac-breasted roller taken in Chobe National Park in 2009, and a dawn flight of Canada Geese captured on the Lake Huron shoreline. Look for robins, puffins, great tits, kea, and other first-ever sightings and the stories about the cameras and trips behind them.

Alan H

@alan678.bsky.social

Hi folks my cohost AB @atlanticbirding.bsky.social has said the #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #Firsts some of your earliest bird captures. Alt. is my most captured; #Robins I’m going with a #ForJanet #Robin as my first bird shots were taken in 1989. 😅😅 #birds #photography #ECK

A European robin stands upright on a weathered stone covered with patches of moss, facing slightly to the left. Its vivid orange-red face and breast contrast beautifully with its soft grey-brown back and pale grey-white belly. The robin’s glossy dark eye catches the light, giving it an alert, inquisitive expression, while its slender black bill is closed. The background is a smooth wash of muted green tones, creating a clean, uncluttered backdrop that makes the bird’s colourful plumage stand out in sharp detail.

2047h ago

Graham Jones1

Marra, you are the best. Thank you. This is so beautiful. ❤️🙏🏻

Atlantic Birding1

😂 You’re not going into the attic to dust off the negatives??? I’m offended!

It'sFromJenni1

Nice one ☺️ Oh, 1989... I was 9 or 10 then... I hadn't even thought about photography yet...

Marjo Slingerland-Boks1

That would be a long way for digging in the film rolls I guess Alan😅 lovely Robin 🤎😘

Kate Boyce-Miles1

Such a cute, lovely photo.

Amy Gann1

😂 ditto! My first photos are on film. First digital ones not easily accessible. I may have to sit this one out😂 Lovely robin photo though, Alan!

Atlantic Birding

@atlanticbirding.bsky.social

Good morning All. I thought that as today is my first day, the #BirdOfTheDay theme should be: #Firsts some of your earliest bird captures. Alt. is my most captured; #Robins - Male Reed Bunting, shot in my 1st fortnight of having a camera - The ubiquitous European Robin #birds #photography #ECK

A Male Reed Warbler on a thin plant stalk. The bird is left of centre of the shot perched near the top of tall, dried out plant stalk that is bent over at a 45 degree angle with the weight of the bird. It is turned slightly to look right so that its front, belly and right side can be seen.
Another plant stalk is vertical beside the bird.
The background is an out focus blue sky with two thin, vertical tree branches sparsely covered in green leaves.

1868h ago

✮: 🎀 𝒥𝒶𝓃𝑒 🎀 :✮2

Nice choice AB .. scuttles off to look in the 30 year archive 😂

Diane Furlong2

Good morning Welcome and congrats on Your first day of presenting the theme. Nice Captures and the little Robin fits nicely with a tag #ForJanet

Sue Ibrahim2

Wonderful shots and themes. Welcome to hosting. (I notice you can't always trust ALTs.🙃)

Aj d'Wit (Audrey)2

Lovely captures. All the best with your new role. Thanks for helping Alan and Rob out. 🫶

Graham Jones1

Two great captures to get you started AB.

Alan H1

Excellent themes And captures AB. Good luck today mate.

Aintright

@aintright.bsky.social

Kevin the Kingfisher. Uncropped and just as I saw it down the lens. I'd never photographed a Kingfisher, or even seen one perched, before this. I can still remember my legs shaking as I took it. #BirdOfTheDay #Firsts #Birds #Wildlife #BirdPhotography #ECK

1445h ago

diddlydog.bsky.social1

Great shot - sets a high bar. He certainly picked the spot for you.

Atlantic Birding1

I know that feeling too Aintright; first time I had a WT Eagle in the viewfinder

Tom1

I like it if one sees more context. And these dark colors (colours) are gorgeous.

Rina

@rina2012.bsky.social

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Firsts, the Alt. is #Robins I'm going with a Robin #forJanet 🪶 #birds #birding #wildlife #photography #nature #naturephotography #thelittlethings #ECK #EastCoastKin

A robin is perched on a twig and is photographed from the side. It is looking to the right. The background is a green bokeh.

1197h ago

Alan H1

Wonderfully captured and what an endearing little one it is Rina. 😍😍 I think I’m going with a Robin too as my first photo was taken in 1989. 😅

PacBirds

@pacbirds.bsky.social

A lilac-breasted roller from a trip to Chobe NP, Botswana in 2009 for the #Firsts theme of #BirdOfTheDay picked by @atlanticbirding.bsky.social 📷 Canon EOS Rebel Xsi, 250 mm #birds #nature #photography #ECK

Multi-colored bird perched on a dead branch with dead branches in the background

912h ago

Atlantic Birding1

What a beauty of a bird Pac

Dave Meredith Photography

@davemeredith.bsky.social

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Firsts. My first digital capture of a bird. A group of Canada Geese flying towards the giant Canadian flag on the Lake Huron shoreline at Southampton, Ontario at dawn. #BruceCounty #ECK #photography #birds #TenMinutesFromHome #Dawn

585h ago

Dave Meredith Photography1

I just realised, this was made with the plastic telephoto zoom kit lens that came with the camera so I have two bird in flight images made with auto focus. 😂

Fraggs Photography 📸🦊🦉🦋🦔 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

@fraggenstein.bsky.social

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Firsts some of your earliest bird captures set by new co-host @atlanticbirding.bsky.social - back to 2021 for me and a very dark photo of a Robin (learnt a lot since then 😜) 🪶🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #birdphotography #ECK #naturephotography #naturetherapy #robin

556h ago

The Garden Jungle

@thegardenjungle.bsky.social

#Firsts is the theme today for #BirdOfTheDay, so I have this Great Tit for you which was one of the first images taken in Berkshire when I got my new Canon 5D in 2018 #birds #thegardenjungle #wildlifephotography #birdwatching #shropshire #UKwildlife #birdphotography #canon #photography

597h ago

Atlantic Birding1

Nice shot GJ; lovely little bird

Aj d'Wit (Audrey)1

Nice one. I think its listening.

LaffingKat1

Off to a great start!

Vicky Outen Photo DPAGB

@vickyoutenphoto.bsky.social

Little Corella - Darwin Australia These were the first birds I photographed when I arrived in Darwin. They were in a lively flock, constantly showing off to one another, which is probably why this one ended up hanging upside down! linktr.ee/vickyouten... #wildlife #birdoftheday #browngoshawk

527h ago

Tony Beales

@tonybeales.bsky.social

This fieldfare captured on a compact camera in 2018 is the first bird capture I kept. I then bought a used bridge camera, and eventually a "proper" camera a couple of years ago. Today's main #BirdOfTheDay theme from @atlanticbirding.bsky.social is: #Firsts some of your earliest bird captures.

A fieldfare perched on a twiggy branch of a rowan tree amongst bunches of berries that have mostly been eaten, leaving bare stalks with a few berries left intact.

516h ago

Atlantic Birding1

I love a fieldfare; beauty of a thrush

Clive

@stonesphotographs.bsky.social

Cliff top views at @rspb.bsky.social #BemptonCliffs Gannet standing proud high on cliff face with the sparkling glistening waters below. #FSPrintMonday #ShareMondays2026 #BirdOfTheday #Nature #EastCoastKin #Wildlife @yorkswildlife.bsky.social #ThePhotoHour #Birds #Bokeh

497h ago

Neil Cameron

@neilcam57.bsky.social

Atlantic Birding @atlanticbirding.bsky.social 's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Firsts From 2003: Band-tailed Pigeon Chestnut-backed Chickadee Snow Goose Western Meadowlark #ECK #birds #birdphotography #birdsofbluesky #wildlife #nature #Photography #Nikon #PhotographersUnited #PhotographersOfBlueSky

487h ago

Atlantic Birding2

Lovely shots Neil; that Chickadee has tons of character

Alan H2

Fab shots Neil. I know you have earlier film ones. 😅

Aj d'Wit (Audrey)1

Well done, Neil. I didn't bother with this challenge. I've lost photos over the years, and my attention isn't always on birds. And we certainly don't have Robins down this way. 🤷‍♀️

Tony Allen-Mills

@taminf.bsky.social

Welcome @atlanticbirding.bsky.social but shame for making me feel old. My first birds date from (cough) 1986, when I was living in South Africa. In those days I shot Kodak slides, digitalised (badly) decades later. For the #Firsts theme of #BirdoftheDay here's a 40-year-old Scarlet-chested Sunbird!

497h ago

Atlantic Birding1

Lovely bird Tony; I think the digitalisation gives it an interesting distressed look

Lizzie Wallis

@lizziewallis.bsky.social

@atlanticbirding.bsky.social's 1st #birdoftheday is aptly #Firsts. Sunset briefly illuminates a Herring gull. Taken on our first 3 month campervan trip to N. Scandinavia in 2013. The start of my 📷 & adventuring journey. #AlphabetChallenge #WeekEforEphemeral #birds #ECK #ColorADay #PinkMon

In the pink light of the setting sun, a Herring gull hangs in the air, wings akimbo, legs dangling down. Deep blue sea below and a hint of land behind

438h ago

Atlantic Birding2

Really interesting light Lizzie, great shot

Alan H1

Stunning shot Lizzie. That light 😍😍

Michael R Photography 🌿

@msriffle.bsky.social

Atlantic Birding, @atlanticbirding.bsky.social, says today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Firsts. This image of a beautiful tricolored heron was made back in 2019. #photography #wildlife #ECK #birds #birdsinflight #Birdsky #birders #Nikon #herons

484h ago

Bird of the Day, theme 'Firsts'nature

Bird of the Day, theme 'Firsts'

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