What is your wild nemesis species?

I think there's a few different definitions of a "nemesis bird" applicable for me! The first and most traditional one is probably Eurasian golden oriole, which is the only species I haven't seen in the Benelux that is seen as "relatively common" in my region - I'm also still missing things like velvet scoter, black kite, corn bunting and twite that belong in that category, but those all still do get flagged as rare in my specific region (and are all not straightforward to see in any given year). I have seen golden orioles in Spain, just never in the Benelux.

A nemesis bird in another definition is probably red-breasted goose, which is a (thankfully increasingly common) vagrant that I've twitched 5 times now and never seen! I did finally end up seeing one this winter, but then it turned out that it had a red ring around its leg, meaning it was an escapee...

 

I'm so sorry for you but this species seem to follow me everywhere !
At Pairi Daiza we had in 1994 an hand-raised Roadrunner and I had never to search for it. As soon as I entered the Desert Walk-through enclosure which we had at that time ( now-a-days the Flying fox - Squirrel walk-through enclosure ) he ( or she ) was sitting on my head, arms or attacted my legs. Really funny bird this one.
At the end of 2013 - beginning 2014 my wife and I made a roadtrip through Yucatan ( Mexico ) and during a stop next to the highway a wild Roadrunner looked at me ( and I looked back of course ) to see what I was doing !
Also at the several Dutch, Belgium and German zoos I visit regulary, it happens only very rarely that when Roadrunners are in the collection, that I miss them.

 

I forgot to mention European Goldfinch - I've search for it several times to no avail.

 

Hmm, there are tons of holes on my life lists but these are probably at the top for being species that are local to where I live, reasonably findable, that I've actively looked for, yet never seen in the wild.

Mammal -- Southern Flying Squirrel. Pretty sure they live within a half mile of my house, but have never seen one.
Bird -- Red-throated Loon. Can never seem to hit the big lakes on the days they are migrating through in good numbers.
Reptile -- Eastern Milksnake. I've flipped tons of logs, rocks, and trash, but never have come up with one of these guys.
Amphibian -- Western Chorus Frog. I hear them by the thousands in the local woods, can be staring in puddles where males are calling 5 feet away, and yet see nothing.
Fish -- Grass pickerel. Supposedly common in slow-flowing, vegetated streams. I've looked in lots of these and seen plenty of interesting fish, but no pickerel.

 

Golden Oriole is notoriously difficult to see as usually so secretive in the foliage. I've seen them on migration in the UK and once in a breeding area too, but never terribly well. Earlier this year at Paira Daiza I heard the distinctive 'weela weoo' call, only to later discover two males in an old-fashioned aviary...

I think we may have discussed this before, but can you recommend any areas for Black Woodpecker? A species I really still want to see properly.

 

I've personally seen them the best in Klein Schietveld (near Kalmthout) and just across the Dutch border in the Waterleidingbossen (near Sint Janssteen) - but I've only explicitly went looking for them three times, and both observations were very short over full days of birding. They're not really an easy species to connect with in my region, but I've seen them well in those two areas which both aren't very far from Antwerp.

On this waarnemingen.be map it shows the amount of black woodpecker observations in the last year, which shows that they're reported very often in the Averbode, Zichem and Testelt regions - "Averbode Bos en Heide" is probably the best and most reliable place in Belgium to see them, which are the forests around 'Vogelkijkhut Averbode' on google maps.

As @TeaLovingDave mentions though, I think there are likely more reliable locations when you go a bit further away - Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic will probably have more of them!

 

For the Netherlands the Veluwe is the area with the highest population densities. I've seen them twice and heard them several times at the entrance of the Deelerwoud. I also saw a pair during my one and only visit to the Sallandse Heuvelrug (which also has the last relict population of Black Grouse in the Netherlands). A smaller nature reserve in Noord-Brabant, De Maashorst* also holds a good population of about 20-25 pairs, and the area is not very large. The Wamberg (a 20 minute drive from the Maashorst) also should hold a few pairs, but while I've heard them multiple times I never managed to see one there.

* I'm quite familiar with this area so I know a few of their territories. They are not guaranteed but you'll stand a more than decent chance if you put in some hours.

 

Thanks to Vision and Mr Zootycoon for your answers. My search would probably be somewhere in Benelux countries so this advice is very helpful. I know they aren't easy and luck is needed to come across them, as to an extent the case with other woodpeckers too, but knowing good areas is a big help.

 

It is easily combined with a visit to Burgers' Zoo which borders on some prime Black woodpecker habitat, Raven, Crested tit and Eagle owl are present in the Safari part of the zoo and Black woodpecker must visit from time to time as well. Some good places nearby include the Beech forests of the Veluwezoom NP.

 

Thankyou. Its ironic that I went to Burgers Zoo a long while back and noted the surrounding pine forests, but I didn't have time for birdwatching too on that visit. Regret it rather now! Maybe a repeat visit...

 

@d1am0ndback Make a trip out to California sometime, not hard at all to see Surf Scoters there.

My main nemesis bird right now is the pileated woodpecker. I've only seen wild ones in the Sierra Nevadas; they are widespread in the east too, but I haven't gotten close to any at sites that eBird says should have them... even after someone else spotted them a week earlier!

 

Bobcat, River Otter, and Beaver are the main ones for me, I've seen the other native mammals in the wild at least once, Beaver is probably the worst due to the fact I've had many times to see a wild one but I always just miss it.

 

Thylacine, Ivory-billed woodpecker, any wild hominid; for unknown reasons, I've yet failed to see one of these in the wild...

 

I can’t believe I forgot to mention Indian Rat Snake and Common Wolf Snake! I’ve seen the yellow collared species of wolf snake several times, but I can’t seem to find any common ones, even though people who find snakes actually repulsive seem to find these two species every other day.

 

Perhaps for the same reason I’m missing pink headed duck?

 

American Dipper. I’ve seen one in my entire life, the exact same number of times I’ve observed a Great Gray Owl.

Wolverine. Not unexpected as they exist in pretty low densities across their range....but I’ve spent 15 years in prime wolverine habitat. A couple of years ago I posted photos of tracks left by a wolverine as it passed through my area...and if I had sat tight when I was first reported instead of running looking for it, it would have passed right through the parking area in which I was sitting. Parking my truck and feeling fairly smug for having actually discovering it’s trail and then walking back into the building and noticing an additional trail right past my office window? The worst. The summer after that a wolverine with a litter of kits hung out in Bear Valley in Anchorage for several days and was photographed multiple times by multiple people who drove up the Bear Valley for that very purpose...I was out of town for work. The second worst.

 

Eurasian nuthatch in the UK. Never ever seen one despite how common they are, even in London, where I live.

Then whenever I go to a wooded area on the continent, I see them in droves. Saw about 3 in Prague Zoo earlier this year and about 20 in Munich at the beginning of the month, for example.

 

@d1am0ndback Surf Scoters are easy on Lake Michigan.