As I understand it, in the world of hard-core birders, a person's "nemesis bird" is one that remains out of reach, or at least UNSEEN, yet is highly sought after.
Here's how Merriam-Webster defines NEMESIS:
1 capitalized : the Greek goddess of retributive justice
2 plural nem·e·ses \-ˌsēz\
a : one that inflicts retribution or vengeance
b : a formidable and usually victorious rival or opponent
For a casual birdwatcher who sees the majority of birds at the birdfeeding stations, I offer up this definition of a "nemesis bird": a bird that everyone else has at their feeders and you don't.
So if I were to post my nemesis birds on a hard-core birding site, I'd be laughed out of cyberspace. Why? Because my nemesis birds (and I do have a few) are as common as the Northern Cardinal, the Red-bellied Woodpecker, and the Carolina Wren.
I've SEEN them all and have had 2 of the 3 at my feeders more than once. But they are not regulars, they don't nest in the my yard, and all of them are becoming more common in the Capital District of upstate New York.
Male Northern Cardinal in my yard February 2010
Cardinals do visit my yard. Sometimes. Not always. And just 1 at a time, 2 max; not 8, or 10 or a dozen like some of our customers in suburban areas get. They don't nest nearby so I don't see the cardinal young being raised by their attentive parents.
Red-bellied Woodpecker in my yard January 2009
Red-bellied Woodpeckers have also visited - twice! It was my first bird of the year in 2009 - helping herself to a WBU Supreme Fare Seed Cylinder on New Years Day. And then again 18 months later in the summer of 2010. And not since. Many of our customers have them as regulars at their feeders as red-bellieds expand more and more into our area. Cornell Lab of Ornithology cites maturation of forests, the increasing popularity of birdfeeders, and milder winters to this expansion. (Source: Winter Bird Highlights from Project FeederWatch 2009-10)
Carolina Wren in staff member Linda's Saratoga Springs yard
Another bird that more customers are welcoming into their yard is the Carolina Wren. This species has never even stopped by for a quick visit in my yard. I've had House Wrens and even Winter Wrens, but this handsome bird who is also expanding its range has not paid me a visit yet.
Oh, I know part of has to do with location. I live at a higher elevation than many of our WBU customers (1300 ft in the foothills of the Adirondacks). And many customers of our customers live in suburban settings, at lower elevations, or closer to the river, or have some other geographic advantage to attract these birds. But it doesn't keep me from longing to have them become regulars at my feeders!
Now, time to share! What is your nemesis bird or birds, from a birdfeeding perspective?
Sara - I'll keep my fingers crossed for your Hoopoe!
Posted by: The Zen Birdfeeder | March 01, 2011 at 06:56 PM
You know, sometimes wishful thinking helps :)
Since my last comment complaining about European greenfinches, now I got so many of them I can't keep up in giving out sunflower seeds! I know that compared to your numbers it might sound puny, but more than 6 kg of seeds were gone in less than a week... so I also tried to variate with other blends and njger. But they don't seem to care about njger, yet. So just plain sunflower it is!
Maggpies and backbirds are now around, even if they seem to just like to hang out, but never saw them on the feeders.
And even the great red woodpecker passed by once!!
Soo... just the Hoopoe is missing now :) And hopefully soon also chaffinces and nightingales will show up!
Posted by: Sara | February 26, 2011 at 08:59 AM
Mark - lucky you to have a Carolina Wren!
Joy - maybe he's staying away because a "so bad I can taste it" comment! ;) Enjoy the birds.
Larry - oh my, photographic nemesis birds would be a whole different set! I wish I had another opportunity to photograph the Northern Goshawk that visited occasionally during 2007. Or the Barred Owl that parked just outside the back balcony a few years back.
Dave - you're so right; cut back on the diversity of food you put out and you'll see fewer birds and less variety. Hope you can get a full complement of feeders out soon!
Posted by: The Zen Birdfeeder | February 07, 2011 at 07:00 PM
We've dialed back the winter feeding this year and eliminated seed feeders (rat problems) so we've only got a suet feeder up. Makes for quite a difference although we still get some of our regulars moving through.
Posted by: Dave | February 06, 2011 at 06:18 PM
Well Nancy, my nemesis birds have been kind lately. They are mostly "photographic" nemesis birds. Birds I want to photograph but never seem to be able to get close to. Recently I have gotten the Belted Kingfisher and American Kestrel photos I wanted. My most wanted photo session would be with the Pileated Woodpecker.
These are birds I am able to see, sometimes often (like the Kestrel) but don't like to pose for me.
This last spring, my wife told me of a Bullock's Oriole that came to our hummingbird feeder (while I was at work of course). I immediately went out and bought an Oriole feeder and placed it near the hummingbird feeder in question but never saw the bird myself. My wife saw it for a few days, then it was gone.
Posted by: Larry Jordan | February 05, 2011 at 09:24 AM
Pileated woodpeckers. I want to see one so badly I can taste it, but I think I'm 3 1/2 feet outside their range.
Posted by: Joy K. | February 04, 2011 at 01:24 PM
I have a pair of Carlolina Wren feeding of the suet feeder all winter.
Posted by: Mark the Birdman | February 02, 2011 at 07:36 PM
Momlinda - those siskins move around a lot so sometimes catching them at your feeders is tough. Fresh, loose niger seed is ideal. Keep watching!
Posted by: The Zen Birdfeeder | January 30, 2011 at 10:26 AM
Me, too. The WBU store down the street tells me the pine siskin feed in flocks like noisy school yard children but I have not seen a one. I get most of the rest from blue birds to grosbeaks to waxwings to wrens to multiple varieties of nuthatches and woodpeckers and up to 5 pair of cardinals...but not the pine siskin.
Posted by: momlindax3 | January 24, 2011 at 03:52 PM
Nate - where are you located? Keep trying!
LNMP - Well, you've seen your redpoll! Does that mean I get my wren? ;)
Sylvie - it's tough when they visit ONE TIME and never again!
Eileen - lucky you. What are YOUR nemesis birds?
Pia - thanks and good to hear you've started a list. You'll enjoy doing it and revisiting it.
Marianne - quite a few reports of Carolina Wrens in our area so keep watching.
Barbara - I'm very rural too - that's why the cardinals are not an everyday bird.
Sara - that's quite a list! I've seen pictures of hoopoes and think they're amazing looking birds.
Raymond - good news on the waxwings. They are such handsome birds!
RSA - cardinals certainly brighten the yard anytime of year.
John K - share those birds with me!
Posted by: The Zen Birdfeeder | January 24, 2011 at 01:15 PM
Via email:
As I strolled across your blog and read the article on "Nemesis Birds", I was surprised that the (3) you chose as absent from your feeder are regular morning feeders at our small but well visited window feeder here on Blue Barns Rd. in Rexford.
So if you're wondering why they're absent, they're at our place! (LOL, and I'm sure we're missing some that are at yours.) What are they eating? Cheap bird seed from Tractor supply and suet chunks from Odd Lot. We've even seen Blue Jays this year, saucy and raucious, but welcome after being chased out by a flock of crows that moved in some (20+) years ago.
Regards, John K
Posted by: John K. | January 24, 2011 at 12:44 PM
Haven't really got a nemesis bird. I'd LOVE to see more cardinals though, they really brighten up a garden :)
Posted by: RSA Online | January 22, 2011 at 12:27 PM
I dont really have a nemesis bird, I get all the birds I "should". However I would from time to time spot Cedar waxwings in the treetops. Could never get a good look at them. So I decided to build a little pond with a water fall to try and attract them in. It worked. In the fall i had dozens of waxwings bathing and drinking in the pond. As an added bonus I also got a vireo and 2 different Warblers drinking from the pond.
Posted by: Raymond Schmidt | January 19, 2011 at 09:43 PM
I live in Europe, but I just love your blog! And many adiveces are good anyway :)
My nemesis bird are:
Magpie. There is a couple with a nest just across the street, but they visited my feeders only once!
(a nasty bird for many, but I just find them so beautiful!)
European Greenfinch. A bird that everybody has, but not me.
Hoopoe. I saw them in my garden often in the past, but not in the last two years ufortunately.
Woodpecker. It is so common here that it's even the symbol of my region! But still I never saw them once.
Blackbird. There were many of them in the past but not anymore. saw some around the yard, but never at the feeders!
Another one, a bird that I know I'd never see at a feeder is the Barn Owl. I just saw one once by chance in my garden and it was just sooo amazing! Would just love to see her again!
And squirrels. Yes, not a bird, and usually hated by bird lovers in the US :) they are, unfortunately extremely rare and in danger here but I found some suspiciously opened nuts around my hazelnut grove, hope I'll see them once!
But still, I'm blessed with many other birds like: (European) blue tit, great tit, sparrows, robins and eurasias collared dove. For my first year as a birdgardener... Can't complain! :)
Posted by: Sara | January 16, 2011 at 03:17 PM
Lovely photos - since I'm out in the country cardinals rarely visit my feeders, they are numerous in the towns round about though, and red-bellied woodpeckers - had a family of them, until my dog caught one and made it so angry it hasn't returned... probably scared it so much. Never seen a Carolina wren - this may be just a bit too far north for them... but what a super idea to list the ones you want to see!
Posted by: Barbara | January 16, 2011 at 07:46 AM
I have I think one pair of cardinals that sporadically visit my feeders (always very early in the morning and at dusk); the red-bellied woodpecker I can hear calling in the trees, but only once made an appearance on the ground beneath my feeders (? that was a first for me - have always had them but never on the ground) and have yet to see one of my all-time favorites - the Carolina wren. Had them nest when I lived in GA and VA, both times in pansy planters on my deck. Hope all of these (and more) will find my bird cafeteria and visit often!
Posted by: Marianne Russell | January 16, 2011 at 12:24 AM
Just wow to the photo with the red bird! I also love to view my birds in the garden and did a list. I like your blog!
Posted by: Pia | January 15, 2011 at 01:45 PM
Great shot, all three are regulars visitors to my feeders.
Posted by: Eileen | January 14, 2011 at 07:48 PM
Nemesis, I like the sound of it, but had never thought of that. To me, they're "dream birds", and they are not at all uncommon, but too rare in my backyard. I wish I could see more of the Northern Cardinal, which I have only seen one on New Year's day of this year. My other nemesis would be the White-breasted Nuthatch, who has paid one visit to my birdfeeders but has yet to return.
Posted by: Sylvie | January 14, 2011 at 06:22 PM
Great topic! Well, currently, I'd have to say redpolls. I know that you and others have reported hordes of 'em at their feeders this winter. Although I've been keeping the feeders full, I've had precisely two redpolls show up, and that was on a single day. I haven't seen any since then!
Posted by: LNMP | January 14, 2011 at 11:46 AM
For your second definition of nemesis, mine is Pine Siskin.
They've been everywhere this year, but I can't get them at my feeder.
Posted by: Nate | January 14, 2011 at 10:41 AM