10,000 Birds

MARCH 24, 2024

There are beautiful beaches, a plethora of amazing food and drinks, a multitude of family fun locations, a world-renowned zoo, and one of the biggest birding festivals in the US. My family visited San Diego every year as part of a Disneyland-SoCal Road trip to escape the rainy Christmases at home near Portland, Oregon.

San Diego 193

San Diego Sea Lions Lions Birds 193

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 24, 2018

Most of all, I love showing people birds, species both common and mysteriously evasive. Whether a birder is eager for eyefulls of common species or needs to test the birding Zen and. Although we didn’t start out the birding that way, on the third day, we did find ourselves wondering if we were approaching 300 species.

Costa Rica 177

Costa Rica Species San Jose Birds 177

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2024

I saw 32 species here in my first 24 hours, some of them exciting ones. My second lifer this trip was a migratory Yellow-throated Warbler , a species I could not hope to see my previous trip, which had occurred in early summer. And two Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls toot-toot-tooted from the brush. flying by at night.

Barn Owls 200

Barn Owls Mexico Parrots ALA 200

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2015

Here are some things I’ve learned from the Peterson Reference Guide to Owls of North America and the Caribbean by Scott Weidensaul: The Burrowing Owl is the only North American owl species where the male is larger than the female, albeit, only slightly larger. And the term is ‘non-reversed size dimorphism.’).

North America 216

North America Owls America Dominican Republic 216

10,000 Birds

JULY 13, 2023

Some 320 species have been recorded here, and in springtime it is possible to observe more than 150 bird species in a week. To round up the day, in our base-village of Chrisochorafa, we later had one adorable Little Owl just a few hundred metres from our hotel. The lake lies at a mere 35 m / 115 ft a.s.l.

Greece 223

Greece Pelicans Birds Stray Dog 223

10,000 Birds

MARCH 27, 2017

”) that we drive up to the Adirondacks so I could finally connect with a Great Gray Owl. With much trepidation I told her the owl was in Keene, about four-and-a-half hours away and I could call my folks and see if they would put us up for the night at their house, half-way back from the long-range twitch.

New York 101

New York Owls Beavers Puerto Rico 101

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2023

The official Ontario bird checklist, produced by Ontario Field Ornithologists , June 2022 listed 506 bird species**, putting it in the top tier of U.S. Small Species Accounts: Each species is allotted one page (with certain exceptions) offering basics–bird names and size, one or two photographs, and a one-paragraph description.

North America 203

North America Birds Owls Canada 203

10,000 Birds

APRIL 8, 2024

This post starts like every birding blog post should start – by showcasing some bulbul species. The HBW entry on the Collared Scops Owl is disappointingly short, given that this is an extremely cute and attractive bird and that the entry is attributed to 9 (!) Indeed, Wikipedia states that the collared scops owl is a small owl.

Birds 142

Birds Owls China Research 142

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 21, 2013

Sunday morning dawned clear and cool, perfect weather in which to find some owls. Sunrise found me in a car with Rich Kelly and Seth Ausubel, on our way to Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx where we would be joined by Bob Dieterich and Gene Herskovics for an owl prowl. One owl down, two to go! We still needed Barred Owl !

Owls 165

Owls Skunks Hunting New York City 165

10,000 Birds

APRIL 14, 2023

Miriam Darlington determined to take on an owl quest, to immerse herself in their world, as she says, and also to find out how they are immersed in ours – to “look into the mythology, kinship, otherness and mystery that wild owls offer.”

Barn Owls 113

Barn Owls Owls Serbia Finland 113

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 26, 2018

At last count, there are 25 species of birds named for U.S. But only two states have more than one bird named for them: Hawaii and California, with nine and seven extant and eponymous species, respectively. Sand Point Family Vineyards: Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 (Lodi Appellation). Good birding and happy drinking!

2015 113

2015 San Diego Family California Condor 113

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 12, 2021

Most of the birds I spotted this weekend are the same species I’ll be hanging out with all winter. Corey spent the last weekend before his son started school camping with family and friends in the western Catskill Mountains. Nonetheless, the sight of a Merlin pursuing prey in flight gets my attention any time of year.

Breeders 211

Breeders Birds Owls Experience 211

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 25, 2017

Costa Rica’s winning combination of small size and distinct habitats makes it possible to connect with species as different as Snowcap, Crested Owl, White-throated Magpie-Jay , and glittering tanagers in a matter of thirty-six short hours, even quicker if you push your luck (and your vehicle). aka Tiny Cool Kingfisher.

Costa Rica 136

Costa Rica Owls Birds Eagles 136

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2021

So I contacted him for the exact location, which turned out to be a beautiful 14-acre property that belongs to his family, and he kindly invited me over. Along with the Sedge/Grass Wrens Ignacio had reported, he had also posted some fine photos of a Great Horned Owl that had roosted on his property. Which it was!

Barn Owls 254

Barn Owls Owls Mexico Leopards 254

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 11, 2021

It was a treat to see several wintering members of the esteemed Parulidae family. An uncommon species in Costa Rica, it was in a brushy area that reminded me of its breeding grounds. Only two of us got a glimpse but that was enough to add it to our long list of species for the day. 171 Species. Wintering Wood-warblers.

Costa Rica 214

Costa Rica Wildlife Tennessee Owls 214

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2021

Where a birder goes in the Caribbean determines which birds are seen including toy-like todies, Carib hummingbirds, cool pigeons, quail-doves, unique avian families and outrageous woodpeckers. One such special place is the Centro Manu, a small family run reserve that features several star bird species of Costa Rica’s Caribbean lowlands.

Costa Rica 263

Costa Rica Puerto Rico Birds Owls 263

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2023

If you want to pretend to combine learning Mandarin and learning about this species, watch this video. There is also the usual article about the first sighting of the species at a new location. If you think that these photos of the owl are sufficient … … you should probably skip the main part of this post.

Birds 213

Birds Deer China Owls 213

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2023

So, in order to show a few more photos of the bird than the usual two or three had I included this bird in a post of birds seen around Wolongshan, Sichuan), here is one dedicated to the species. The Latin species name is semitorques , which means something like “half-twisted” – but I have no idea why.

Vegan 171

Vegan Cats Animal Friendly Eggs 171

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2021

I knocked down several first birds of spring this weekend (not literally) but will always give Best Bird honors to a Saw-whet Owl , especially one showing as well as the one Ivy and I located at Owl Woods on Easter. Corey was extremely pleased to finally get out and about birding again after his family all caught COVID and recovered.

Texas 167

Texas New York Birds Owls 167

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 16, 2012

They’re also one of the most diverse, with approximately 330 species, all in the Western Hemisphere. Hummingbirds have long been classified as most closely related to the widespread, well-known swifts and the treeswifts , a small, predominantly Indomalayan family. However, two recent papers by McGuire et al.

Family 194

Family Ecuador Costa Rica United States 194

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 29, 2022

The stars of the bird world take many forms and fame is often related to location but some species, some cool groups of birds are accorded priority no matter when or where they are seen. One such star avian family is the Setophagidae, the birds known as wood-warblers. In other words, it was the usual birding shenanigans.

Costa Rica 271

Costa Rica Nashville Tennessee Turtles 271

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2020

Ivy and I couldn’t shake an owl out of Owl Woods but we walked away with all kinds of FOY species such as the unexpected Yellow-bellied Sapsucker calling high in a tree. Yes, birding may not be as carefree as usual, but the freedom, fun, and fascination the act elicits matters more now than ever. In fact, he saw six!

2020 172

2020 Birds Owls Experience 172

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2022

The 11,000 foot volcano isn’t the only place to connect with high quality birding in Costa Rica but it is one of the easier places to see a number of uncommon and rare species. During our morning of birding, we connected with several choice species in the dramatic montane surroundings of the Museo Nochebuena. Wrenthrush Zone.

Costa Rica 247

Costa Rica Birds Owls Geese 247

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 2, 2021

The text goes far beyond just those two birds, however, as Doug works his way through the puzzles presented by the incredibly wide diversity of bird behavior, even within species, citing current research and new and old theories, reasoning out the most likely and unlikely answers. The six middle chapters are my favorite reading. ” (p.

Science 206

Science Albatross Research Birds 206

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2020

Which tours saw the most roosting owls? This odd nocturnal creature is around the same size as a Barred Owl. Local guide and birder David Mora Vargas has been spending much of his time at his family’s farm in the Sarapiqui lowlands. A Fantastic Day of 200 Plus Species. What has Chambito been seeing in Cano Negro?

Costa Rica 205

Costa Rica Birds Thailand Family 205

10,000 Birds

JULY 20, 2019

If a list also shows the status for each species, birders on their way to Costa Rica would realize that they shouldn’t really expect vireos with white eyes nor blue heads (but would hopefully know that they should very much report those species on eBird so local birders can chase them!). Screech-Owls! Juvenile Gray Hawk.

Costa Rica 197

Costa Rica Birds Owls South America 197

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 21, 2021

It helps that there is a little bird hide almost on top of the hill, guarded by a Chinese lady and attracting a substantial number of species of birds and birders. The hide also attracts three species of minla – Blue-tailed Minla , Chestnut-tailed Minla and Red-tailed Minla. Anyway, here is the photo you were not supposed to see.

China 261

China Birds Zebras Germany 261

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2021

Some call them trash, tours might not visit, but they can host more than the expected and common species. Some such vegetated spots can also attract oddball birds, species that wander to find a home in urban circumstances. Three species of seedeaters sing from the tall grass, one of them being the Yellow-bellied Seedeater.

Costa Rica 248

Costa Rica Sparrows Birds Rodents 248

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 19, 2020

With 500 pages, this guide is a bit on the heavy side, but still not too much, having in mind that half of the region falls into the tropics and the edition is dealing with almost a thousand species (989 to be exact). Distribution maps show the relative abundance of a species in the region and also indicate resident or visiting status.

Africa 264

Africa South Africa Swaziland Lesotho 264

10,000 Birds

JUNE 27, 2019

Collared Scops Owl – A Cat Head Eagle. For some of the more common or exciting birds, I know the Chinese names as well, such as Maotouying for owl (literally “cat head eagle”, which I think is both cute and accurate) or Xianbasedong for Fairy Pitta (“eight color fairy thrush”). Well, no more!

China 184

China Eagles Cats Owls 184

10,000 Birds

MARCH 26, 2017

Rochester is still wintry, but bird activity among the common species has picked up quite a bit. On Saturday he dragged his family to the Adirondack Mountains to see a stake out Great Gray Owl in Keene, a first for all three in the family. My best sighting was a Hairy Woodpecker puffed up to fight the cold.

2017 110

2017 Owls Birds Woodpeckers 110

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 8, 2020

The authors wrote: [Species] “are the currency of field guides and of birding, but deciding what to treat as ‘species’ is inevitably a subjective endeavour. … We have tended to a liberal (= realistic) direction when recognising species.” There are no species distribution maps, only textual descriptions.

Chile 195

Chile Birds South America North America 195

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

But this book taught me about eagles, owls, storks and herons. Not all the birds, of course, but many of the distinctive and conspicuous species. Very soon, the other members of this unique family were on my radar. T&T has five recorded species of woodcreeper, all resident. Straight-billed Woodcreeper.

Trinidad 175

Trinidad Laws Family Hunting 175

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

How much do you know about owls? I’ve been fortunate to encounter many owls in my birding life, sometimes because I’m looking for them, sometimes happily by happenstance. What the Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds is a joyous, fascinating read. I don’t think so.

Owls 203

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 203

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2019

I saw 863 species of birds, bringing my life list to 1,820. I also spent a week in northwestern Costa Rica on a family vacation, a long weekend in Barbados, a week in Georgia, and two week-plus-long trips to visit relatives in southern California. How can I narrow down the eight-hundred-sixty-three species to ten?

2019 137

2019 Barbados Uganda Costa Rica 137

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 18, 2021

All sorts of exotic and beautiful species may be seen. This would sound attractive even to me, except for one fact: almost all of those exotic and beautiful species are common down here in central Mexico. Southeastern Arizona is unusual, precisely because its species mix is as much Mexican as it is American.

Arizona 259

Arizona Mexico Los Angeles Dallas 259

10,000 Birds

MARCH 17, 2013

Let’s take a look at some of what lurks inside: Pygmy-owl split. Proposal 2013-A-2 would split the “Guatemalan Pygmy-Owl” ( Glaucidium cobanense ) of southern Mexico and northern Central America from the widespread Northern Pygmy-Owl ( G. gnoma ) on the basis of vocal differences and a discrete range.

2013 182

2013 Sparrows Owls Stray 182