10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2021

We were even more delighted as we followed some cattle tracks to discover not only more bird species than we had hoped, but also more Yellow-billed Spoonbills. By the size of the juvenile birds the adults must have laid the eggs several months ago when the rains came to that area of Western Australia. Yellow-billed Spoonbill family.

Breeding 244

Breeding Australia Cattle Family 244

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 23, 2024

Sadly, they no longer breed in Algeria, while in Turkey no free-flying birds remain. (In Storks, Ibises and Spoonbills of the World states that “disturbance by local people, tourists, and egg and zoo collectors has similarly reduced the colonies, and more protection is vital”. In 1890 an estimated 3,000 pairs nested in Birecik.)

Morocco 235

Morocco Austria Algeria Germany 235

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2023

Fortunately, there are a few more such breeding species than most Shanghainese are aware of. While the HBW states that it breeds at 300 – 2450 meters, in Shanghai – where such elevations are not available outside of the upper floors of a few highrises – it makes to with an altitude of about 0 meters as well.

Birds 130

Birds Eggs Breeders Breeding 130

10,000 Birds

JULY 13, 2023

Lake Kerkini National Park in the north of Greece is the very best birding area in the Balkan Peninsula and definitely among the top ten hotspots of Europe. We also observed nests of Pygmy Cormorants , Dalmatian Pelicans , Little Egrets , Cattle Egret (with a chick), Squacco Heron , and Spoonbills.

Greece 239

Greece Pelicans Birds Stray Dog 239

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2022

I have written about the interesting sex life of these jacanas a few times already (short version: female mates with male, lays a bunch of eggs for him to incubate and raise the chicks, leaves him, finds another male, repeat). Apparently, after a male first mates with a female, he throws out the first one or two eggs she lays in their nest.

Birds 147

Birds China Eggs Breeding 147

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 27, 2014

The official definition of CR status says the species could be gone within ten years, or could lose 80 per cent of its population within three generations – whichever comes first. Sociable Lapwings breed in several areas along the Kazakhstani – Russian border and overwinter in Iraq, Sudan and northwest India. Gujarat, December 2010.

India 250

India Sudan Ukraine Camels 250

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2022

Another puzzling thing to me, as for me, the ideal number of people to live with would be somewhere between zero and one but definitely not above 1. According to the HBW, when breeding, male birds do most of the incubation and parenting while females often leave the nest up to one week before the eggs hatch. End of side note.

Birds 162

Birds South Korea Japan Abandon 162