New Birds seen in 2025

 

Had a great year birding in 2025. Found 86 new birds this year, pushing my life list to 444 birds. Got new birds near home here in Illinois and on road trips to 5 different states. This group of 4 lifers shown here include two from southern California, which I saw early this year (the Bewick's Wren and the Back-tailed Gnatcher) and two from Illinois, including a beautiful Snowy Owl seen in Lockport and the Common Goldeneye seen in the Illinois Canal last January in Darien. Sometimes you have to go far and wide to get a bird. Sometimes, they are more local.  It is getting harder and harder to book new birds but there are still lots of local birds that I haven't seen. The Lapland Longspur comes to town every winter and is one I might get this year. The winter wren as well. Those two are on my target list. You also have to go far and wide to get new birds and next year I have a trip lined up to Alaska, which should net me a boatload of new birds. Anyway, here are the first 4 of 86 birds that I will show over the next few weeks. Enjoy!