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Bird of the Day, theme 'Wild Motion'

natureJul 4, 20262167,544

Today's Bird of the Day theme is Wild Motion, a prompt to freeze dynamic wildlife behavior or show birds playing peekaboo from behind objects. The gallery highlights energetic action shots and candid hiding moments, with subjects including swallows, puffins, kingfishers, pelicans, herons, and backyard warblers. Standout entries show a Barn Swallow weaving very fast over long grass, an Atlantic Puffin flaring and preparing for touchdown, and a Belted Kingfisher hovering just before diving for a fish. Look for frantic feeding pelicans, a Masked Weaver building on its nest, and several peekaboo shots of wrens, owls, and a flamingo.

Alan H
@alan678.bsky.social

Good morning birders. Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #WildMotion, Dynamic wildlife behaviour, freezing a second which is full of energy. Does not have to be in flight. Alt #peekaboo, birds peeking from behind anything. Barn Swallow weaving so very fast over long grass. #birds #photography #ECK

A graceful Barn Swallow flies fast and low over a vibrant green meadow, its long, deeply forked tail streaming behind as it skims effortlessly above the grass. Captured side-on in mid-flight, the bird’s glossy dark-blue upperparts, warm buff underparts, and distinctive dark throat stand out against a beautifully soft, blurred background. The minimalist composition and sea of fresh green emphasise the swallow’s speed, agility, and the fleeting beauty of a summer hunt over open countryside.
32745d ago
Mark Simmonds19

Here is my #birdoftheday #wildmotion Pallid Swift flying past my house here in Spain

Neil Cameron5

Nicely done! We all know how hard those little buggers are to catch in flight.

eeeefarm.bsky.social3

#BirdOfTheDay #WildMotion Osprey catches fish...

Atlantic Birding2

Nice shot Alan; hard to get. The uniform background really adds to it

Dr Anke Marsh2

Fab shot! Swallows are an absolute pain lol. I think I have two not complete blurb shots out of god knows how many I’ve taken 🤣

A-Girl-Called-Ronnie 🇳🇱1

So very fast and yet so well captured, Alan! 👍

HLK
@hlkfotos.com

Visited these swallows nesting in the wall of Bless Your Heart Burgers yesterday. Not sure what kind of pipe that is, but I'm glad the heavy rain we had several days ago didn't wash them out. #BirdOfTheDay #WildMotion 📷🌿🪶

A photo of a violet-green swallow (Tachycineta thalassina) nest inside a drain pipe in the side of a corrugated metal wall. Three brown and white feathered chicks are visible in the pipe opening, in focus and facing the camera, their bright yellow and red mouths wide open as they beg for food. Slightly out of focus in the foreground, with iridescent green back and violet wings and tail, an adult swallow approaches the nest cavity with wings spread wide.
21445d ago
PJ 🇮🇪☘️
@knotweed-ireland.bsky.social

Robin perched on a bird bath for Jane’s @javajanegallery.co.uk 'Small Bird Saturday' theme. #SmallBirdSaturday #Birds #Robin #Wildlife #Ireland #Nature #ECK #Photography #Birding #NaturePhotography #Birdwatching #BirdOfTheDay #BirdPhotography #PhotographyIsArt

Robin perched on a bird bath
23745d ago
The Garden Jungle
@thegardenjungle.bsky.social

#WildMotion is for todays #BirdOfTheDay, so here is an Atlantic Puffin flaring and preparing for touchdown #birds #thegardenjungle #wildlifephotography #birdwatching #shropshire #UKwildlife #birdphotography #canon #photography

Atlantic Puffin
21245d ago
🌸 Soft Blossom1

Kinda forgot those things can fly.. lol

Gray
@grays.art

Excited Green heron (Butorides virescens) Crew flint pen strand trails Bonita Springs, Florida 7-1-26 Alan & Rob’s #BirdOfTheDay theme: #WildMotion, freeze dynamic, and energetic wildlife behavior. Alt #peekaboo: birds peeking from behind anything. #birds #colorADay #greenSat #ECK #threeWordGenre

Small heron standing in shallow water, its feathers ruffled; dark, spiky crest raised, with a chestnut-colored neck, a dark cap, and blue-gray wing feathers with pale edges; sharp, dark bill points forward, and its bright yellow eye is visible; yellow-orange legs resting on rocks at the water's edge; and a natural bokeh background of aquatic plants and clear, rippling water.
19645d ago
Gray26

Less enthused Green heron (Butorides virescens tranquillus) for your comparison and contrast, from the same photo session, though instead of squatting, I was standing. 7-1-26

Peter Sealy Art & Photography2

It looks like it just touched a live wire!

markasteele.bsky.social1

Another great pic! A couple of weeks ago I spent 6 days canoeing in the Hell’s Bay area of the ‘Glades, and unexpectedly the most numerous heron I saw (and heard) was the green.

Luis D Caldero1

Wow, such a beautiful bird & shot Gray...👌🏻❣️

franceflo.bsky.social1

Shaking it up , great timing 😍

Will W 🐝🐺🇪🇺1

Bad feather day. Lovely picture

Helen Bennett 🌿
@helenbennett.bsky.social

"Come on Gary, it's coming in, quick....1, 2, 3 JUMP!" 🌊 😁 Just a couple of gull-friends hanging out and having some fun on the beach'! One for #BirdOfTheDay #WildMotion 🐦 📷 🪶 Wishing everyone a great weekend 🕊️👋 #Birds #UKWildlife #BirdPhotography #Nature #Photography #ECK

A photograph of a pair of Black headed Gulls jumping up as the waves roll in on the beach. One of the gulls is in front with its wings outstretched, caught mid hop. Its pinky red legs are dangling down with water splashing up from where he was standing. Another gull is behind, slightly obscured also caught in motion, but not as high as the one in front. The photograph is high contrast appearing almost black and white with only the colour of the gulls bill, legs and feet showing. The gull in front almost looks like it is talking with its bill slightly open.
16445d ago
Gwyn1

Stunning pic !! I love black headed hills they are real characters!

KB1

Hope you have a great weekend too. Thanks for the perfect alt text!

WhatABeautifulWorld
@abbphotos.bsky.social

A Belted Kingfisher hovering just before diving for a fish. #BirdOfTheDay #WildMotion #birds #nature #photography

15344d ago
Michael R Photography 🌿
@msriffle.bsky.social

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #WildMotion. I think this image might just work. I watched as many pelicans frantically fed, opening the shutter many hundreds of times. They didn't notice me standing right in the middle of them. #photography #wildlife #ECK #birds #birdsinflight #birders #pelicans

15745d ago
WarriorAngel1

Shot at 1/5000 I'll bet. Good work! Beautiful image.

Kort Duce
@kortduce.bsky.social

A male yellow-headed blackbird perches on a fence post at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. #BirdOfTheDay #ECK #bird #birds #birdphotography #BirdsSeenln2026 #wetland #wetlands #blackbird #blackbirds #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Photo by Kort Duce A male yellow-headed blackbird perches on a fence post at a nature area in Longmont, Colorado. In this vertical color photograph, a male yellow-headed blackbird fills the frame in three-quarter left profile with its head turned to its far left, revealing the right side of its face. A bright specular highlight in its eye brings the portrait to life. The background is softly blurred in varying shades of green from the cattails lining the edge of a pond. The rounded fence post on which the bird is perched is heavily weathered, its surface etched with deep cracks and grooves. A handsome portrait showcasing the striking plumage and confident posture of a male yellow-headed blackbird in its natural habitat.
15645d ago
Amy Gann
@amygann.bsky.social

Marsh wren is not good at hiding. For the #birdoftheday theme of #peekaboo. #birds #wren #marshwren #protectnature #EastCoastKin

A marsh wren standing behind a single blade of grass. The wren is on a small branch looking toward the camera
12845d ago
Mamady1

😂 Not winning any hide and seek games this one.

Kevin Wertman
@kevin.wertman.org

Gonna hit today's alternate #BirdOfTheDay also, because I really just love this shot. I posted one from this same session a couple of weeks ago in color, but I thought I'd try the #monochrome approach for this one. 🦉 #Peekaboo #Photography #Birds #Owls #ClassicMono

A black and white photo of a small barred owl, half of which is hidden behind a tree trunk which fills the left side of the frame and catches the sun in the foreground. The owl's one eye that is visible looks at the photographer.
12545d ago
SeaLevelOslo
@sealeveloslo.bsky.social

"Is this all life has to offer?" A juvenile blackbird eyeing some unripe wild cherries. "I might as well go back to eating earthworms" #BirdOfTheDay #peekaboo #birds #photography

A photo of a juvenile blackbird sitting on a branch behind leaves in a wild cherry tree, looking up towards two yellow cherries out of focus.
11345d ago
JBC
@johnbcaddell.bsky.social

a #flamingo raises its head out of its feathers just enough to play #peekaboo with the giant lens on my camera. #BirdOfTheDay #birds

a sleepy flamingo lifts its head out from its feathers to peek at whoever is watching it.
10444d ago
julielfrost.bsky.social
@julielfrost.bsky.social

I braved the outdoors for a few miles this morning before retreating to the AC (and World Cup matches). This orchard oriole was playing #peekaboo along the trail. #BirdOfTheDay #Birds #Photography #WildlifePhotography #Nature

An orchard oriole peeks out from behind a green leaf.
9944d ago
Peter Barnes
@infinite8horizon.com

@alan678.bsky.social #BirdOfTheDay theme is #WildMotion Kookaburra alighting #photography #birds #wildlife #nature #ECK

A kookaburra in an almost vertical ascent in preparation for landing on a branch just above. Its wings are spread and forward, tail flared.
8745d ago

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