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Bird of the Day, theme 'Touchdown'

natureJun 23, 20261977,483

Today's Bird of the Day theme is Touchdown, focusing on birds at the moment of landing on water, land, or branches, with an alternate theme of White for birds with mainly white plumage. Photographers and birders are sharing decisive in-flight freeze frames: wing-splayed brakes, splashes at water impact, and tiny passerines landing on thin perches. Standout entries include an American white pelican yawning in the shallows, a snowy egret captured mid-splash as it lands in shallow water, and an Atlantic puffin coming in to land at Borgarfjörður eystri in Iceland. Look for graceful braking poses, shorebirds skimming the shoreline, and unusual White entries like an albino blackbird or a shelduck dropping into a field; tag posts with #Touchdown to join.

Alan H
@alan678.bsky.social

My cohost Rob @robcrank68.bsky.social has said: “ Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Touchdown, birds at the moment of landing whether on water, land or branches, the Alt Theme is #White, birds with mainly White plumage.” As this is a twofer. Step please. Ta 🍻🥃🍺✨💃🕺🧊 #birds #photography #ECK

A dramatic wildlife photograph showing two little egrets engaged in a territorial dispute on a muddy wetland at golden hour. One little egret is landing with wings fully spread, long black legs extended and elegant white plumes catching the warm light, while the other strides forward defensively with its beak open in challenge. Their bright white feathers stand out against the dark mud and soft green background, capturing a fleeting moment of tension, movement and interaction between the two birds.
43345d ago
lauren e💙37

Love your 2-fer🤍 I'll match you with one of mine: the 3rd in a series of battling Snowy Egrets. #BirdoftheDay #Touchdown and Alt #White #TidesOutTuesday #Twosday #ECK #birds #photography #Florida

Lorraine 🦆🦋🐝🦔🦊🌿5

Nice one, Alan. I do agree with @fozziefotos.eurosky.social that it might be the naughty step for you today 😉😂

fozziefotos.eurosky.social3

Showing off again! Do the twostep to that there step!

Erin Freeman3

I think you deserve your own special step. Over there. Away from the group. Go. Shoo! 😂 Gorgeous capture!

Graham Jones2

And the boy from Ulster goes for Gold … again. Can he make it his 23rd this month? Of course he can. Move over on that Step ladies, make room for King ShowOff himself for he comes bringing sacks of booze and cakes. He's a bit like Santa but with just Sam instead of all those annoying reindeer.

Lori Batchelor🇨🇦2

Fabulous photo!🤩 Definitely deserve the naughty step!😁

Dave Meredith2

I don't know if the instigator of the naughty step is allowed to join the troublemakers. We may be a bad influence.

Rina
@rina2012.bsky.social

Take me to church... 🪶 "Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Touchdown, the Alt Theme is #White, birds with mainly White plumage." #birds #birding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #Germany #wildlife #photography #nature #thelittlethings #ECK #Scape

A white peacock is photographed from the side as it strides from left to right. On the right side, there is a very dark green colour from some bushes.
31345d ago
Amy Gann
@amygann.bsky.social

An American white pelican that was sleeping in the shallows of the river. After some loud geese flew by, it woke up, yawned, then went back to sleep. For the #birdoftheday theme of #white #birds #pelican #protectnature #EastCoastKin #tired #yawn

A pelican stands in the water. It was sleeping, but after some loud birds flew by it woke up, yawned, and went back to sleep
31645d ago
lauren e💙
@learls.bsky.social

A Great Egret for @alan678.bsky.social 's #BirdoftheDay #Touchdown and Alt theme #White Have a lovely Tuesday🤍 #ECK #bird #Egret #birding #photography #photographersofbluesky #Michigan

A Great Egret lands, wings spread above and behind him, leaving a narrow trail in olive green marsh water in a protected wetlands in Michigan. His reflection is just below him in sparking green water. Green ferns on a strip of land and more sunlit water and reflections sit beyond him in the background at the top of the photo.
28545d ago
Kort Duce
@kortduce.bsky.social

A killdeer lands along the shoreline at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado, appearing to proclaim, “I swear I did not purposely poop on that man!” #BirdOfTheDay #Touchdown #White #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #BirdsSeenln2026 #nature #wildlife #wetland #wetlands

Photo by Kort Duce A killdeer lands along the shoreline at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado, appearing to proclaim, “I swear I did not purposely poop on that man!” In reality, however, it is instinctively attempting to lure the photographer—or any potential predator—away from its nest or young. To me, killdeer always seem to be crying wolf. In this horizontal color photograph, a killdeer occupies the left half of the frame with its wings raised high as it touches down in shallow pond water. Shown in right profile, the bird has its beak open as it splashes through the water. Its left leg stretches far forward while its right leg is planted firmly, sending droplets into the air. The muddy shoreline extends from the lower left corner to the middle right side of the frame and is littered with organic debris. The water in the background reflects the cloudless sky, creating a rich blue backdrop that contrasts with the earthy tones of the shoreline. This humorous image captures a killdeer in its natural environment during what appears to be a particularly animated moment.k
27045d ago
Neil Cameron2

Fabulous, Kort. To me it appears to be shouting "Something cold and wet touched my butt! Cold and wet! On my butt!"

Michael R Photography 🌿
@msriffle.bsky.social

One more for today's #BirdOfTheDay theme of #touchdown. This little tern came in for a landing on an old piling in Apalachee Bay in North Florida. I held the shutter down as it filled the frame with grace. #photography #wildlife #ECK #birds #birdsinflight #terns

19345d ago
DWebster🇺🇦🇨🇴🇨🇺🇲🇽🇨🇦🌎🦜
@dwebstersf.bsky.social

A Vermilion Flycatcher lands in SE Arizona. #birdoftheday #touchdown #birdphotography #aves #birds #naturephotography

16045d ago
PacBirds
@pacbirds.bsky.social

A snowy egret landing in shallow water qualifies for both the #TouchDown and #White themes of #BirdOfTheDay picked by @robcrank68.bsky.social #birds #nature #birdphotography #birding #photography #ECK

A small egret just landed in shallow water and is starting to fold its wings. It is all white except for a back bill and yellow lores.
15545d ago
julielfrost.bsky.social
@julielfrost.bsky.social

A female red-winged blackbird sticks the landing on a thin branch for #Touchdown, today's #BirdOfTheDay theme. #Birds #Birding #WildlifePhotography #Nature #Photography

A female red-winged blackbird, wings still spread, sticks the landing on a thin branch. Her bill is filled with caterpillars and insects destined for young in the nest.
15445d ago
Marjo Slingerland-Boks
@marjosl.eurosky.social

Good morning all, for the #BirdOfTheDay today from @robcrank68.bsky.social #TouchDown I have one of my favorite birds this holiday the Eurasian Jay for its daily peanuts 🥜 #ECK #Birds

13745d ago
Anna Quent
@annaquent.bsky.social

@robcrank68.bsky.social hat für den heutigen #BirdOfTheDay das Thema #Touchdown Vögel bei der Landung.

Männlicher Buchfink, ausgerichtet zur linken Bildseite, mit nach oben stehenden Flügeln, und nach vorn geschobenen Füßen, kurz vor der Landung auf einem hölzernen Untergrund.
10245d ago
Atlantic Birding
@atlanticbirding.bsky.social

🪶 Rob has chosen #Touchdown as today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme. Alt. is #White I have three touchdowns; which also hit the white criteria; - Little Egret - Common Redshank - Mute Swan #birds #birdsofbluesky #birdphotography #ECK #irishbirding #naturephotography #RockinTuesday

A Little Egret coming in to land on the coast; the bird is in side profile, coming in from the right to land. Its legs and feet are outstretched beneath and slightly ahead of it while its wings are outstretched as brakes. It is landing on a dark rock covered in clumps of seaweed with other flat risks in the background covered in barnacles and a hint of the sea behind them
11145d ago
The Garden Jungle
@thegardenjungle.bsky.social

Here is a #Touchdown Swan for you on today’s theme for #BirdOfTheDay #birds #thegardenjungle #wildlifephotography #birdwatching #shropshire #UKwildlife #birdphotography #canon #photography

Landing Swan
10545d ago
Tony Allen-Mills
@taminf.bsky.social

I haven't seen many aquatic crows, but this one put on its best Osprey impression for today's #BirdoftheDay by @robcrank68.bsky.social. It came screaming in, hit the water and made off with a floating morsel. Here it is moments from #touchdown #photography #birds

10045d ago
Dave Meredith
@davemeredith.bsky.social

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Touchdown with the alternative theme #White. A male Common Tern about to land next to a female on a boulder on the Lake Huron shoreline at Southampton, Ontario. #BruceCounty #ECK #photography #birds #TenMinutesFromHome #Velvia #2000s #VintageLens #ManualFocus

8945d ago

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