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A review of the birdcentric novel “Accidentals” (the title of which is in the plural for a reason)

10,000 Birds

In Gaines’ first novel Carbon Dreams (2001) the science (there, geology) tended to overwhelm the story, but in Accidentals, she incorporates ornithology and microbiology skillfully into a well-woven whole. In the marshes of the estancia , he discovers what he comes to believe is a new species of rail – one of the “accidentals” of the title.

Uruguay 153
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The Regal Western Kingbird Can Be Very Aggressive

10,000 Birds

The Western Kingbird is one of eight species of tyrant flycatchers that breed in North America. Many Kingbirds and other species that regularly hawk prey in the air have a large, broad bill that maximizes their chances of seizing at least some part of an airborne insect when they snap their bill shut. References: 1 Sibley, D.A.

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Red-crowned Parrots at Irvine Regional Park, Orange County, California

10,000 Birds

Many escapes and introductions have taken place over the years and some species have found the warm, dry climate to their liking. Quite a few species are well-established and breeding from San Diego to Los Angeles and beyond. In particular, subsection iii seems to be the hurdle that most species can’t clear.

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Peterson Reference Guide to Sparrows of North America: A Review by a Sparrow Fan

10,000 Birds

I like observing them, reading about them, grappling with species and subspecies identification, and even—on a good day—talking about sparrow taxonomy. Peterson Reference Guide to Sparrows of North America covers 61 species of the New World sparrow family Passerellidae that breed in Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico.

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The Crocodile Safari (Botswana)

10,000 Birds

Among 60 or so heron species in the world this is the only one using this peculiar fishing technique. It was January, 2001, and here in the southern hemisphere January is the hottest of summer months. Date: January 24th, 2001 (08:30-11:00h). I would not have minded having some shade myself.

Botswana 187
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Birdwatching the Okavango Delta

10,000 Birds

In 2001 I was offered the chance to joint-lead safaris with my good friend Brian Gibson, owner of Capture Africa Safaris , a long established and well-respected Botswana based safari company. The birdlife here is wonderful, a ten-night safari should give you over 200 species, (2018 & 2019 both gave us 242!).

Botswana 175
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No two scaups are equal

10,000 Birds

In a typical birding year, no other month will bring you that many new species as January. At this point, let us travel in time, back to the last day of the year 2001, and down to the Lowveld National Botanical Garden in Nelspruit, in South Africa’s province of Mpumalanga. And I saw them. I felt… I felt like a tourist.

Serbia 181