10,000 Birds

APRIL 26, 2012

Not only is Toco the largest member of the toucan family, but it is erroneously reputed to have the biggest beak relative to its body of all the world’s birds. That honor belongs to the imaginatively-named Australian Pelican ( Pelicanus conspicillatus ), which is quite conspicillatus indeed with a beak from 13-18.5 inches long.

Pelicans 173

Pelicans Birds Jordan Asia 173

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 21, 2016

There was a family of Black-necked Storks that was initially a family group, but over recent weeks they have started to feed separately. Female Black-necked Stork “kneeling” Australian Pelicans feed along the Fitzroy River and are usually in the more tidal area of the river. Australian Pelicans.

Birds 100

Birds Pelicans Eagles Ducks 100

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2020

Driving through dairy country we soon added Australian Wood Duck , Pacific Black Duck , Grey Teal , Grey Fantail , Wedge-tailed Eagle , Laughing Kookaburra , Eastern Rosella and Superb Fairy-wren to the 2020 Year List. An Australian White Ibis flew in whilst I searched for the family of Dusky Moorhen that I have observed there recently.

Fish 138

Fish Australia Ducks Japan 138

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 21, 2015

Say’s Phoebe – A self-found rarity at Edgemere while accompanied by my family made my day back on 05 October 2014. Golden Eagle – Two weeks to the day after the Say’s Phoebe I was once again at Edgemere with my family and picked up a Golden Eagle flying past , a surprise bird for sure!

2013 160

2013 2010 2012 2011 160

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 10, 2016

Here and there, spits of pale sand became playgrounds for families and dogs, or hunting areas for Great Blue Herons. Brown Pelicans were the most numerous birds, flapping against the wind, diving for lunch, or floating along on the gentle waves. A view of East Bay.

Bald Eagle 154

Bald Eagle Florida Alligators Fish 154

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 5, 2014

There were good numbers of Green Pygmy-geese, Comb-crested Jacana, Great and Intermediate Egrets, Magpie Geese and a family of Black-necked Storks. There was a lot of disturbance, with almost everything taking flight, as a pair of White-bellied Sea Eagles soared over the lagoon on dusk.

Geese 163

Geese Pelicans Ducks Hunting 163

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

But on the other hand, there was so much more I wanted to do in 2012 … and wow, I really need to start buying gifts for my family and friends. On the plus side, it’s almost time for the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, and by all accounts, it’s shaping up to be a very finchy winter across much of North America.

Bald Eagle 139

Bald Eagle Puffins 2012 Baltimore 139

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 29, 2017

Beyond the Mutton Hole wetlands we soon stopped to observe a Sarus Crane family feeding near Corduroy Creek and then we encountered more and more Brolga and Sarus Cranes all the way to Karumba. Silver Gulls , Crested Terns, Caspian Terns, Gull-billed Terns, Pelicans and a White-bellied Sea-Eagle were observed in this area.

Turkey 101

Turkey Falcons Zebras Ducks 101

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 4, 2015

Firstly I would like to just do a little update on the Pied Oystercatcher family that were a large part of my life for the last few weeks of 2014. Pied Oystercatcher family together for the last time in 2014. We had thought we had completed our year list for 2014, until we had a surprise encounter with a Little Eagle on 28th December.

2015 188

2015 2014 Ducks Ponies 188

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 16, 2015

They were the first of many of the finch family that we would observe along the Negri River. The largest bird being a Wedge-tailed Eagle , followed by Black Kites, Whistling Kites, a pair of Little Eagle, Nankeen Kestrel and Brown Goshawk. They were even investigating an old fire pit, which was interesting to observe.

Birds 154

Birds Australia Eagles Zebras 154

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

The trip was to visit a handful of sites across North Sydney, which was great for me as they were places I could stand to know better and were close to where my family live (and I was staying). You might recall the fun trip I had with them last year in Sydney’s western parks. Not that we lingered to look, we were on a mission.

Owls 180

Owls Birds Neglecting Hawaii 180

10,000 Birds

JUNE 19, 2013

When visiting Sydney I have in the past tended to visit birding sites near the coast and centre, by virtue of that being where my family is. After a break for coffee the site got a little better where we heard but couldn’t find a Crested Shrike-tit , but did see a Little Eagle high up in the air soaring on thermals. After that?

Parrots 145

Parrots Barn Owls Eagles Australia 145

10,000 Birds

MAY 21, 2017

The honeyeater family was well represented with Brown Honeyeaters , Singing Honeyeaters , Pied Honeyeaters , Black Honeyeaters , Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters and White-plumed Honeyeaters. We had seen a pair of Little Eagles the day before further north with a recently caught item of food, so it was an excellent area for birds of prey.

Zebras 100

Zebras Birds 2015 Australia 100

10,000 Birds

MAY 21, 2013

Along the way we witnessed a Great Blue Heron rookery with a fly-by Bullock’s Oriole , a pod of American White Pelicans just chilling, a pair of Red-tailed Hawks making goo-goo eyes at each other, Cliff Swallows swarming like mosquitoes, and Long-billed Curlews that nearly blended into their scrubby surroundings.

Nevada 178

Nevada Birds Barn Owls Cows 178

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 29, 2013

It is a little tradition we started when we were not both working on Christmas Day and a great way to pass the day when you don’t have family in the same state or time zone! The raptors included Black-shouldered Kites, Black Kites, Wedge-tailed Eagles, Whistling Kites and Kestrels. Striated Heron. Sharp-tailed Sandpiper.

Ducks 154

Ducks Birds Parrots Australia 154

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2012

Furthermore we have another very special stork-like bird, the regal Shoebill , previously known as the Whale-headed Stork but now placed in its own family. Sometimes they have to protect their catches from piratic African Fish Eagles who swoop down as soon as they that see a Saddle-bill has successfully caught a fish.

Africa 244

Africa Tanzania South Africa Uganda 244

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2019

Spot-billed Pelican – Pelecanus philippensis. Bonelli’s Eagle – Aquila fasciata. Bald Eagle – Haliaeetus leucocephalus. Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle – Spizaetus melanoleucus. Black Hawk-Eagle – Spizaetus tyrannus. Ornate Hawk-Eagle – Spizaetus ornatus. 02 Jun 2019.

2019 121

2019 Jamaica Eggs Woodpeckers 121

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

Can the whole family live together in harmony during the school holidays? Black Eagle – Ictinaetus malaiensis. Blyth’s Hawk-Eagle – Nisaetus alboniger. Crested Serpent-Eagle – Spilornis cheela. Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle – Hieraaetus ayresii. Martial Eagle – Polemaetus bellicosus.

2018 100

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Los Angeles 100