10,000 Birds

JUNE 5, 2012

For many birders, the Pel’s Fishing Owl roosts in a lofty position on just such a list. One of the most highly desirable birds in the world, the Pel’s Fishing Owl is a true phantom. Found patchily in sub-Saharan Africa, this large, ginger-colored owl can never be guaranteed on a trip to the continent.

Owls 256

Owls Fish Botswana Barn Owls 256

10,000 Birds

APRIL 17, 2015

Owls are among the birds with the greatest power to fascinate non-birders, for good and ill. One such person is Scott Rashid, who early in his tome The Great Horned Owl: An In-Depth Study recounts his own first owl sighting at the age of sixteen. The Great Horned Owl: An In-Depth Study is available now from Schiffer Publishing.

Owls 182

Owls Colorado Wounded Rabbits 182

10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2013

.” My question that I hope you can help me with is what would be considered a safe distance to photograph Northern Saw-what Owls? Would this be considered a threat to these owls?” First I applaud the photographer for actually asking the question of how close to get to a Saw-whet Owl. Six feet from a saw-whet?

Owls 269

Owls Barn Owls Agenda Zoos 269

10,000 Birds

APRIL 26, 2024

It was dark when we reached our accommodation in the hillside village of Pachna, where we were greeted by a duet of Scops Owls. According to the taxonomists, these weren’t regular Scops Owls ( Otus scops ) but the endemic Cyprus Scops Owl ( Otus cyprius ).

Cyprus 180

Cyprus Breeders Falcons Hunters 180

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 24, 2013

An Imposing Great Gray Owl, by Carlos Sanchez. Great Gray Owl , Northern Hawk Owl , Snowy Owl – this trinity captures the imagination of most birders with their imposing presence, unique adaptations, and beauty as among the most desired species of bird to see in the world.

Minnesota 198

Minnesota Owls Bald Eagle Hoarding 198

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 173

Owls Skunks Hunting New York City 173

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2020

Just yesterday I learned that the Barn Owl ( Tyto alba ) is the only breeding bird found in New York that has been documented nesting in every month of the year. Barn Owls will nest year round and are apparently just as happy to use brick ruins as barns, if this 18th-century painting is to be believed. Barn Owls with their Brood (c.

2017 251

2017 Barn Owls Rodents Owls 251

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 26, 2024

Sadly, the HBW states that the species is “almost extinct in some areas in China owing to hunting and trapping for the cagebird trade and taxidermy” The Maroon Oriole looks much more interesting, though my photos do not really do it full justice. The post Birding Tengchong, Yunnan (again) first appeared on 10,000 Birds.

Nepal 173

Nepal Birds Owls Fish 173

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. spotted the owl.

New York 101

New York Owls Beavers Puerto Rico 101

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. There are distinct differences between Eastern Screech-Owl morphs.

North America 235

North America Owls America Dominican Republic 235

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.” Thus her story becomes “braided with two ecologies – the ornithological and the personal.”

Barn Owls 113

Barn Owls Owls Serbia Finland 113

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 4, 2012

Western Screech-Owl ( Megascops kennicottii ) photos by Larry Jordan It’s been an interesting winter in my neck of the woods. Personally, I’m waiting for the irruption of Snowy Owls to reach northern California! Once the Jays moved on, the owl closed its eyes and went back to sleep, seemingly unconcerned with our presence.

Owls 186

Owls California Jordan Sparrows 186

10,000 Birds

JULY 12, 2023

Swifts are aplenty, one is likely to see Gray-rumped , Band-rumped , or Short-tailed Swift hunting insects each morning. Even having a conversation at night can prove difficult, as we are often interrupted by the wail of a Common Potoo , or the intermittent hooting of a Tropical Screech-Owl.

Trinidad 240

Trinidad Barn Owls Owls Reptiles 240

10,000 Birds

APRIL 22, 2022

For you, there are two Sentient chapters of special interest titled, respectively, “The Great Gray Owl and Our Sense of Hearing” and “The Bar-Tailed Godwit and Our Sense of Direction.”. Now, we know that owl hearing is extraordinarily acute, able to perceive the faintest rustlings of a vole under heavy snow.

Humane 252

Humane New York Owls Hunting 252

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 8, 2023

A Marsh Harrier hunting over Elmley Nature Reserve before the storm The wind was building up as I started my slow drive along the track, pausing every few yards to scan for birds. Observation is strictly from inside a vehicle, safari style, until you reach the main car park and start exploring the rest of this spacious site on foot.

Shelters 233

Shelters Cattle Wildlife Hunting 233

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 25, 2020

Now that I have driven that to a state of relative completion and I am compelled to return to the forest, I learned that the government here has re-opened the hunting season. After experiencing the ebb and flow of energies over the years with the coming and going of the annual five month long hunting season, the strain is plain for me to see.

Trinidad 264

Trinidad Hunting Venezuela Woodpeckers 264

10,000 Birds

MARCH 31, 2011

I waited until now to post about the owl because the small size of the marsh at Plum Beach and the ease with which people can get into the marsh made it likely that if the owl’s location had been publicized it would have faced repeated disturbances from those hoping to see or photograph it. How cool is that?

Owls 145

Owls New York City New York Rodents 145

4 The Love Of Animals

SEPTEMBER 27, 2011

A family of owls, affectionately called the Potted Plant Owls have taken up residence in a potted plant on the the balcony of South African couple Allen and Tracy. Their natural habitat is under threat, as housing developers plan to build on the neighboring wetland, effectively destroying the owls’ remaining hunting ground.

Owls 100

Owls Eggs Hunting Family 100

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 14, 2021

I thought for sure that Wild Turkeys on the wing would be the highlight of my birding weekend, but that we before I came upon a Barred Owl in broad daylight perched on a power line in Alma, NY. Apparently, this winter warrior has hunted the same farm field from the same vantage point for a couple of weeks now.

Lovebirds 226

Lovebirds 2015 2013 Turkey 226

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2020

Though I traveled to NYC this weekend, Ivy and I nailed down our best bird before I left; a Short-eared Owl has been hunting at a local park not 10 minutes from our house, which makes for the easiest owl sighting we’ve snagged in a long time!

2020 165

2020 United States Jamaica Birds 165

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 2, 2024

He is also a sculptor and a naturalist and has combined his observations with his art in past titles, notably House of Owls (2015), In the Company of Crows and Raven s (2005), and Marine Birds and Mammals of Puget Sound (1982). The Barn Owl sweeps down in darkness at midnight, moonlight illuminated his wings and face.

Chicago 195

Chicago Barn Owls Penguins New Zealand 195

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 13, 2019

Owling on Christmas Bird Counts is a peculiar business. There’s the whole role of chance in owling, too. In birding, perhaps only the proverbial wild goose chase and snipe hunt rank below owling in terms of expected success. Other birders are – quite understandably – less keen about the whole ordeal.

2017 141

2017 Owls Game California 141

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 227

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 227

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 15, 2017

Many countries have private reserves and concessions, run for tourism or hunting, that provide outstanding wildlife watching opportunities. Southern White-faced Scops Owl or African Scops Owl? Brown-hooded Kingfishers hunt far from water. Spotted Eagle Owls are one of several owls that can be seen here.

Zimbabwe 100

Zimbabwe Botswana South Africa Endangered Species 100

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 9, 2018

For me, the colder weather will probably sting until I pick up my first Snowy Owl of the season. Since November isn’t the optimal time to go owl hunting in these parts, I’m going to try to find some fun winter finch action along the lakeshore this weekend. Corey will indulge in his regular coastal Queens birding.

2018 113

2018 Owls Birds Hunting 113

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2012

I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for owls. Wander through my front door and glance upwards and you’ll find at least two watching you, a Tawny Owl and a Barn Owl , both sadly gathered as roadkills. Above our fireplace is a large painting of a Barn Owl.

Barn Owls 189

Barn Owls Finland Owls Portugal 189

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 9, 2016

Many of us picture owls in the sky, silently soaring, or perched atop tree branches or light poles as they sleep or keep an eye out for prey. However, on my first trip to Aruba I scanned the ground for a very special type of small owl, known for its terrestrial antics.

Prairie Dogs 101

Prairie Dogs Tortoises Owls South America 101

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 18, 2021

Two more aspects contribute to bird diversity: these are the inner city waters, so hunting is forbidden, and the Danube rarely freezes, and even then it would be the last water to freeze. Yes, other species easier to spot in winter include the Long-eared Owl and the Peregrine , but I am not going to discuss their whereabouts openly.

Serbia 304

Serbia Birds Woodpeckers Ducks 304

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

A shot or two coming from the opposite bank, but they do not sound like geese shooting – more like boar hunting. A goose hunt sounds like a WWII battle. We counted more than 35 of them, relaxed and fearless, clearly not hunted. Easy – it is forbidden to hunt at night. Labudovo okno reserve, photo (2) by Marko Sciban.

Geese 184

Geese Hunting Boars Birds 184

10,000 Birds

JUNE 8, 2012

Abbotts Lagoon welcomes the night and so do Burrowing Owls. Searching for Golden Gate Great Horned Owls. Red-tailed Hawks often hunt through dusk in San Francisco. Owling anyone? A kelp mound looms during the search for Sanderlings in Point Reyes. Varied Thrush habitat on Mount Tamalpais. Many, many, many flowers.

San Francisco 191

San Francisco Tennessee Falcons Owls 191

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. As it learns to hunt and live on its own, the young bird has taken up residence in a tree right in front of the farm. Did Cope have another site for nesting Great Potoo ? What has Chambito been seeing in Cano Negro?

Costa Rica 230

Costa Rica Birds Thailand Farming 230

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 24, 2021

Once the private hunting preserve of the Maharaja of Bharatpur, this fabulous wetland gave us a list of over ninety species in a very relaxed day on a recent trip! On night drives here looking for Eurasian Eagle Owl and nightjars you have a very good chance of seeing Striped Hyena. We also visit the world famous Keoladeo National Park.

India 202

India Wildlife Tigers Eagles 202

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2021

Keep birding and you might see a White-tailed Kite hovering as it hunts rodents and one of the few Bat Falcons in the Valley might dash into view. Lesser numbers of other common birds also occur; birds like the Gray-crowned Yellowthroat , Inca Doves , saltators, Groove-billed Anis , and other species.

Costa Rica 261

Costa Rica Sparrows Birds Rodents 261

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 31, 2012

Next time you find the light fading and resign yourself to a night sky filled with owls and bats, remember that some diurnal denizens like to stay out late too. Red-tailed Hawks have a habit of hunting well into the night if there is any available light and the getting is good. Gophers that live near streetlights beware.

Gophers 168

Gophers Bats Owls Hunting 168

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 10, 2012

Snowy Owls are all over the place this winter. One person noted on social media that they were having a tough time finding a snowy owl. And is stepping six feet closer to the fence really going to make a difference in your Snowy Owl view? And this year the pickin’s for quality hunting grounds may be even slimmer.

Owls 181

Owls Protest Protesting Protesters 181

10,000 Birds

JUNE 14, 2011

Dirt hawking is a form of falconry that involves hunting rabbits and other small game with Harris Hawks (other hawk species also qualify). One of the primary reasons that these hawks make such excellent falconry birds is because they are one of only two raptor species (the other is the Galapagos Hawk ) that hunt cooperatively.

League Against Cruel Sports 270

League Against Cruel Sports Rabbits Falcons Hunting 270

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 29, 2013

They spice up their vole-based diet with the occasional Snow Bunting or Ptarmigan or even a young, confused Short-eared Owl. They are magnanimous lords of the winter fields, and don’t care at all about our folly in preferring flashy Snowy Owls or the mere rumors of Gyrfalcons , or even silly little snack-sized finches.

North America 186

North America Owls Protection Hunting 186