10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2017

Over the past few months there have been a lot of birds breeding around Broome with the excellent rain events that we have been having and the vegetation is at long last revived. The grass is green, the wildflowers are spectacular and now we have numerous species of dragonfly to enjoy as the season starts to change.

Breeding 100

Breeding Eggs Protection Cows 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 17, 2022

They migrate north through the Western United States, breeding in pockets all the way up through Canada. No matter how many times I see them, this particular species remains breathtaking. Soon they will disappear, stretching wide wings and taking to the skies in search of breeding grounds farther north.

Pelicans 218

Pelicans United States Canada Arizona 218

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 9, 2013

Unlike the more common American Goldfinch, the Lesser Goldfinch’s ( Spinus psaltria ) plumage does not change color during breeding season. The female Lesser Goldfinch can sometimes be confused with the female American Goldfinch in breeding plumage. Both of these species show gregarious flocking behavior except when nesting.

California 163

California Species North America Oregon 163

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 9, 2023

With my recent relocation to the central forests of Trinidad, I have been afforded the incredible opportunity of observing three oft-confused species in close proximity to one another. In reality these species are rarely in the same place at the same time, however! All the more reason to keep birding!

Trinidad 143

Trinidad Abandon Abandoning Abandonment 143

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 18, 2014

Fish and Wildlife Service has listed the “Rufa” population of Red Knot ( Calidris canutus rufa ) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The other sub-species, Calidris canutus roselaari , migrates along the Pacific Coast and breeds in Alaska and the Wrangel Island in Russia. Photo: Ron Knight.

Endangered Species 160

Endangered Species Protection Delaware Species 160

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

This year we have continued to monitor the breeding of several pairs of Pied Oystercatchers along the coast in Broome from Gantheaume Point to Willie Creek on the south side. This species are long living and so the population appears to be sustainable at this stage despite the predation. Pied Oystercatcher family searching for food.

Breeding 158

Breeding Eggs Camels Raised 158

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 9, 2023

The 1st edition from 1999 was a complete revolution in just about everything, but predominantly the quality and realism of illustrations, showing what a field guide could be and seriously raising the threshold for other publishers. The section with vagrants has been expanded to accommodate more images and longer texts for several species.

Europe 247

Europe Birds Woodpeckers Ireland 247

10,000 Birds

JUNE 15, 2016

It’s a bang-up breeding year for super-endangered birds! The species, which migrates from the Russian Arctic to Southeast Asia, is down to about 200 breeding pairs in the wild, due to habitat loss and poaching. For the past several years, getting the birds to breed has been an exercise in futility.

Eggs 190

Eggs Louisiana Breeding Asia 190

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

Black Drongos must be breeding here – this juvenile was terrorizing his parents with constant calls for food. Presumably, the parents of black drongo chicks sometimes meet with Red-billed Starlings to sympathize with each other about the challenges of raising chicks these days. Black-tailed Gulls , I think.

Cats 208

Cats Birds Kittens Transported 208

10,000 Birds

MAY 25, 2023

Note to other species: better do not rely on mature primary forests, as this may lead to extinction. This says more about my inability to differentiate between warbler species than about the rarity of the bird – but the bird was kindly singing. Also, do not smoke as it is not good for your health. What’s next?

Birds 130

Birds Raised Cattle Mammals 130

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 21, 2022

The raising of these young chicks is not over yet! We are really enjoying the experience of observing another bird species that is black, white and red breed in our local patch. Of course the Pied Oystercatchers are also breeding at this time of year and we continue to monitor their progress along our coastline.

Family 147

Family Breeding Raised Experience 147

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 13, 2021

The HBW even mentions the importance of Ruoergai for this species: “Key sites for migrants include the Ruoergai Plateau (China), which is also an important breeding area” Common Mergansers also seem to use these wetlands as breeding area. Understated elegance is also something the White-browed Tit is rather good at.

China 168

China Mongolia Birds Russia 168

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2022

Every place has its common birds, the species that do very well in a given habitat. As we like to say, these are species that are “hard to miss”, birds that, if you are watching, will be seen. In most places, the number of birds makes it a challenge to pick just one signature species, Costa Rica included.

Costa Rica 147

Costa Rica San Jose Asia Geese 147

10,000 Birds

APRIL 27, 2023

The Latin species name alphonsiana refers to Prof. Of course, the Red-billed Leiothrix is a species native to Sichuan – in Britain, it is now discussed whether to regard it as an invasive species ( source ). While the Buffy Laughingthrush is a nice-looking bird, its Latin species name berthemyi is quite unfortunate.

Italy 181

Italy Birds China France 181

10,000 Birds

APRIL 29, 2020

Typical of the species. Both species seemed content to observe each other though. Bon voyage , friend, may you traverse the next two thousand miles safely, may you not encounter any glass windows and may you find a mate and breed successfully! Hopefully they found a suitable place nearby to raise the next generation!

Trinidad 194

Trinidad Birds Squirrels 2012 194

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 24, 2023

Last year, in November, I notched up a dozen species of butterflies, an impressive total anywhere in Europe so late in the year. A feature of the autumn is the abundance of Great White Egrets – up to 200 on the lake – but as far as I know they have yet to breed here.

Greece 199

Greece Pelicans Geese Buffalo 199

10,000 Birds

JUNE 4, 2013

The Florida sub-species of Burrowing Owl is now classified as a threatened species in Florida and it is one of the rarest sub-species of Burrowing Owls. Loss of habitat due to development, disturbance at burrows and negative interactions with humans are some of the threats facing this charismatic species.

Owls 228

Owls Florida Raised Coyotes 228

10,000 Birds

MAY 13, 2022

For once, eBird gives a good description of the Asian Glossy Starling, calling it a “Fierce-looking, large songbird” As are humans, this species is fairly urbanized – it “sometimes enters urban areas to roost, e.g. in Singapore” (HBW). “Odd, me?”

Singapore 210

Singapore Birds Zebras Feral 210

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 29, 2021

Maybe these people like challenges – at least here at the monastery, getting good shots of this species is quite easy. Another species apparently enjoying the proximity of a monastery is the White-winged Grosbeak. In the non-breeding season, Common Merganser all look pretty much like females.

Birds 202

Birds Germany India 2018 202

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2023

The Majestic Wetlands: Within Shanghai’s boundaries lie several pristine wetland habitats that serve as vital sanctuaries for a plethora of bird species. This expansive marshland is home to rare and endangered species such as the charismatic Black-faced Spoonbill, Saunders’s Gull, and the elegant Oriental Stork.

China 159

China Endangered Species Sanctuary Protection 159

10,000 Birds

MARCH 31, 2022

Not bad given that the 5 families in the inner circle of the laughingthrush family have a combined number of about 68 species. The Hainan version is sometimes considered a separate species, in which case it is classified as Near Threatened. 36, if my counting is right and there has been no very recent split or lump.

San Diego 198

San Diego Malaysia China Zoos 198

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2021

High up at almost 4500 meters, some Alpine Accentors were posing in the sunshine, justifying the description in the HBW as “large, attractive accentor” (though eBird seems to disagree, instead characterizing the species as a “stocky, stout, and unobtrusive bird”). I side with the HBW on this issue.

China 181

China Birds Sheep Monkeys 181

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2022

There was a Gartered Trogon right above me, and one cooperative Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth on a cecropia tree, raising its head to smile at us. Young birds, at least in captivity, become mature after 5 years and start breeding after 6 or 7 years. Next goal: 1100 species, to cover about 10% of the total.

Costa Rica 225

Costa Rica Nicaragua 2019 Farming 225

10,000 Birds

APRIL 3, 2023

Such programs are somewhat inefficient anyway – in one study , the breeding success of wild male pheasants was 2-5 times higher than for hand-reared and released ones while for females, hand-reared birds were 3 times as vulnerable to predation as the wild ones. Apparently, there is a website just showing stamps depicting bird species.

Birds 186

Birds Blackbirds Indonesia Bhutan 186

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 23, 2014

When you monitor a species of birds over many years you learn a lot from your observations and you soon become aware of the fact that some birds are just better at parenting than others. This year one pair of Pied Oystercatchers has once again proven to be able to raise young. Birding Australia Broome Pied Oystercatcher'

Eggs 165

Eggs Raised Breeding Family 165

10,000 Birds

MARCH 29, 2012

If you’ve read my posts before you’d know I’ve written at length about the devastating effects of introduced mammals in New Zealand, and also of the ways that New Zealanders have been working to save their species from those same mammals. If the money is raised he will match it to get the work underway.

Mice 158

Mice New Zealand Albatross Mammals 158

10,000 Birds

JULY 13, 2017

One of the best things about our annual Lassen Park campout is that we get to see several species of birds that are rarely, if ever, seen in the Sacramento Valley. Many of those species also nest in the park. One of my favorite species is the Water Ouzel , more commonly known now as the American Dipper ( Cinclus mexicanus ).

Woodpeckers 101

Woodpeckers Sacramento Raised Squirrels 101

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 22, 2022

It is not particularly big but has a reported 430 bird species including migrants, though during my short stay it seems I missed most of the key attractions among them. Great White Pelican is not just the name of a non-existent glam-rock band but also of a bird species. Pel’s Fishing Owl, where were you?

South Africa 147

South Africa Africa Birds Research 147

10,000 Birds

JUNE 9, 2022

After writing this last sentence, I looked up the species in the HBW and found the sentence “Song poorly documented” in the appropriate section, while with regard to calls, the description is that “call is a two-note raspy nasal ‘ryeeh-reh’”. In New Zealand, the Spotted Dove is an introduced species.

Singapore 147

Singapore Birds Mountain Goats Giraffes 147

10,000 Birds

JUNE 13, 2013

Serbia holds 13 per cent of the European breeding population of this “electrified” species which is not only Endangered in Europe but also listed as Globally Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Raising the binoculars to teary eyes, I am trying to see the bird in the nest on a nearby pylon.

Falcons 216

Falcons Serbia 2007 Europe 216

10,000 Birds

JULY 25, 2012

But names aren’t everything and there is plenty to say about this species. Male Brown Teal showing some breeding plumage. Females and non-breeding males look similar The Brown Teal is endemic to New Zealand, and was once lumped with two closely related island forms, the Auckland Island Teal and the Campbell Teal.

New Zealand 172

New Zealand Ducks 2000 Breeding 172

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 11, 2015

I thought so too when I first went out, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how many species I do encounter every day! They are partially covered with Sea Oats and other vegetation, providing habitat for beach mice, shorebirds, and other species. Why bother?” My walk on one particular Thursday provides the perfect example.

Florida 157

Florida Birds Mice Breeding 157

10,000 Birds

MAY 12, 2015

Both species are notoriously aggressive, and out-competed bluebirds for the nesting cavities they needed to raise their young. Today, there are over 22 million breeding Eastern Bluebirds, and they are an IUCN species of Least Concern! Note: The Eastern Bluebird in this photo is being banded by a certified professional.

New York 160

New York New York City United States Birds 160

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2016

There are three species of ptarmigan, all found in Alaska. Unlike other grouse species, the male Willow Ptarmigan remains with the female throughout the breeding season to help raise the chicks. Partners in Flight estimates that there are nearly 50 million breeding Willow Ptarmigan throughout the world.

Alaska 102

Alaska Finland Indiana Russia 102

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 20, 2015

This map shows the distribution of the World’s bird species, based on overlying the breeding and wintering ranges of all known species. And it raises a question: if all the birds are having a party over there, am I in the wrong spot? And a mere 120 bird species would be a good reason not to take Polynesia as an option.

Sri Lanka 256

Sri Lanka Botswana Africa Serbia 256

10,000 Birds

JUNE 23, 2013

Once again Pied Oystercatcher breeding season is fast approaching in Broome and we can expect the first batch of eggs to be laid within the next few weeks. Due to the longevity of this species it appears that they are able to maintain their population. They do not react to Lesser Frigatebirds when they are in pairs and breeding.

Eggs 169

Eggs Breeding Australia Raised 169

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 16, 2014

I soon found the pair of Pied Oystercatchers that I was looking for and they had two failed attempts at breeding this year. They have only once successfully raise a chick on Cable Beach in the territory they have chosen and that was incredible to follow the fast progress of a small feathery bundle to a flying juvenile. Echidna tracks.

Turtles 162

Turtles Taiwan Breeding Raised 162