10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2013

International teams compete for 6 days and 5 nights with the express purpose of recording the most bird species, by sight or by call, while the clock ticks down. In early December of 2012 we had the opportunity to cover this hard-core rally in the south of Peru. An Andean Flicker on the ground in the Peruvian Andes.

Peru 223

Peru 2012 Birds Bears 223

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 16, 2013

Back in January of last year I said in my list for the year that I’d be happy if I hit 300 birds in 2012. The middle period of the year was very barren for new species, and this being New Zealand for birds in general. My final number for last year was 402 as it turns out. So I guess the question is “am I happy?”

2012 157

2012 New Zealand Thailand Albatross 157

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 11, 2023

I began recording my bird sightings with photographs in late 2009, and since then I have seen (or at least heard) a fair proportion of species recorded within my home country of Trinidad & Tobago. I first caught sight of one while birding a mangrove swamp in 2012. Well, let me explain. Will it be upstaged by another?

Birds 262

Birds Trinidad 2020 2012 262

10,000 Birds

MARCH 27, 2022

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes – Coracina novaehollandiae are a common bird species around our home in Broome, Western Australia. The only other similar species is the White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike , but it is a much smaller species and the call is quite different.

Australia 223

Australia Zebras 2014 2012 223

4 The Love Of Animals

DECEMBER 7, 2012

9, 2012, at 8 p.m. These big cats are a species under constant threat from poachers and farmers who fear that the leopards are attacking their livestock. With GPS to track the big cats’ location and WCS camera traps already in place, if successful, the expedition will offer a deeper understanding of the rare and beautiful species.

Snow Leopard 100

Snow Leopard Cats 2012 Afghanistan 100

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 15, 2021

In April 2012 I wrote about A close encounter with a Wedge-tailed Eagle. There is definitely some beauty to the colouring of this species at this stage of their lives. I can’t use that heading again! This time the Wedge-tailed Eagle was closer and only involved ourselves and no other creatures. Wedge-tailed Eagle in flight.

Eagles 263

Eagles 2012 Species Birds 263

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 25, 2012

It is one of several species I saw while backpacking here 12 years ago but haven’t seen while living here. Rock Wren ( Xenicus gilviventris ) ( CC 57 Andrew ) The alpine relative of the Rifleman is one of the harder species on this list, but not impossible. This is one species I have never seen, period.

2012 166

2012 New Zealand Birds Penguins 166

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

From Nature, “ Discovery of species-wide tool use in the Hawaiian crow “: Only a handful of bird species are known to use foraging tools in the wild. Two of these species could be detected only in the interior region in 2012 surveys.

Hawaii 162

Hawaii Research Center 2012 2000 162

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 25, 2023

Most years, there are no more than a few dozen reports of this species across the region. and Canada, Waxwings are clearly an irruptive species for Mexico. Which brings us to the species in this post’s title. Cedar Waxwings have come back to central Mexico. This year, the sightings are less, so far. (I

Mexico 147

Mexico 2020 2012 Parrots 147

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 207

North America Birds Owls America 207

10,000 Birds

MAY 20, 2022

Back in 2012 or 2013, when I was just starting to bird in our current neighborhood, I happened across a bird that didn’t seem to be in the one guide to Mexican birds that I had at the time. (It

2013 187

2013 2012 Birds Species 187

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 15, 2012

Catherine Hamilton has been the first to get all three species correct in the last two diabolical wood-warbler quizzes. If she gets three in a row it will show she is the best birder in the world and Felonious Jive will suffer the sad misfortune of dropping to second place.

2012 161

2012 Suffering Species Birds 161

10,000 Birds

JUNE 25, 2012

Corey had several good species to choose from this weekend but most appreciated trying to get decent shots of alternate-plumaged Herring Gulls in bright sunlight. Corey and I both pondered birds that are extremely ordinary for us. Not an easy task! How do you think he did?

2012 174

2012 Birds Experience Experiments 174

10,000 Birds

JULY 1, 2012

While I saw a number of tasty shore species, I most appreciated the behemoth Great Black-backed Gulls , which I’ve missed since I’ve moved upstate. Summer can be boring from a birding standpoint or it can be very, very interesting. How has yours been so far?

2012 171

2012 Birds Experience Experiments 171

10,000 Birds

APRIL 4, 2013

They wanted to put together a book about The World’s Rarest Birds , but were finding that it was pretty difficult locating photographs of the 590 bird species considered Extinct in the Wild, Critically Endangered or Endangered. Hold not one, but two international photo contests, one in 2010 and one in 2012. The solution?

2012 177

2012 United States Birds 2010 177

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 14, 2012

Corey’s Best Bird of the Weekend was a more interesting species of warbler, likely the last Northern Parula he’ll find in Queens this fall. I must not be getting out enough, because I was thrilled to find a flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers : usually butter-butts are distractions, not attractions. How about you?

2012 159

2012 United States Birds Experience 159

10,000 Birds

APRIL 8, 2012

My family took our annual post-Easter Egg hunt hike at Powder Mills Park, where I spied several gorgeous matched pairs of Wood Ducks along with lots of different woodpecker species.

2012 182

2012 Birds Eggs Hunting 182

10,000 Birds

MAY 6, 2012

A Bay-breasted Warbler was my best bird of the weekend though I could have chosen almost any of the 64 species I spotted. Mike was with his kids doing the theme parks in Florida and had as his best bird one of his Florida favorites, a White Ibis. What was your best bird of the weekend?

2012 168

2012 Chicago Florida Birds 168

10,000 Birds

APRIL 29, 2020

Typical of the species. The last time I had seen a Summer Tanager was during a Christmas Bird Count in 2012. Both species seemed content to observe each other though. Our most significant sighting in our backyard since quarantine began was this Pale-breasted Spinetail that never gifted me a direct view.

Trinidad 200

Trinidad Birds Squirrels 2012 200

10,000 Birds

APRIL 14, 2021

I was just getting back into birding, and had only gone to some urban sites, during 2012 and 2013. Since it was the first link in this chain, Pino Real was where I met many of Michoacán’s flagship species. As I look back at my eBird species list, it is astonishing how many of my lifers were first seen there.

2013 160

2013 Emotional Abandon Abandoning 160

10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2018

According to Macauley Library’s migration map the overwhelming breeding activity for this species occurs north of the state of California. This is a photo of a female who showed up in August of 2012 with some juveniles. The thing is, I have females that have been hanging around also.

California 100

California 2012 Breeding Species 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2012

My weekend was devoted to a seemingly endless celebration of my son’s 8th birthday, which meant that my best bird was bound to be a backyard species. My liver lingers on in the same (sorry) state in which it entered the weekend. Can you say the same?

2012 172

2012 Jamaica New York Birds 172

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2012

Choosing among the hawks, eagles, and owls at the raptor residence (alas no rehab for these irreparably injured birds of prey) and the active late winter species in the park seemed impossible, until an impressive Pileated Woodpecker put on a powerful display of excavatory activity. Woodpeckers FTW!

2012 164

2012 ALA Woodpeckers Birds 164

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2021

In 2012 , the NFC revised some of its goals and set forth a new vision of waterfowl management that emphasized a core of hunter and conservationist supporters. Thus, birders like natural areas close to home with rare species, and perhaps some ducks. Note that diversity of species, total number of birds, and access, were less important.

Minnesota 264

Minnesota Research Pennsylvania United States 264

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2012

As long as it persists, this Western species will prompt every birder within 400 miles to consider, however briefly, taking a run to see it. The rosy-finch isn’t even that far from me, but I’d rather see this species in the Rocky Mountains. Have you thought about chasing this rarity?

Botswana 162

Botswana 2012 United States Birds 162

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

An associated issue is that the Belize and Costa Rica guides share many of the same descriptions of species, written by Howell. Similarly, descriptions of species repeated across volumes do not lose their accuracy with each publication. Other species are splits and lumped and have had their names changed. Why are these issues?

Costa Rica 210

Costa Rica Belize El Salvador Birds 210

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 10, 2014

I wasn’t having any luck at all though I was enjoying the typical assortment of wetland species that make we New York birders a bit jealous of our southern compatriots. And there it sat until 2012 when the Florida Ornithological Society’s Records Committee reviewed the status of several introduced species in 2012.**

Feral 178

Feral Florida Ducks Texas 178

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 14, 2021

Geographic patterns of species richness for birds (1,558 species) in East Africa at 0.25° resolution (blue indicates low species richness, while brown indicates high species richness). At the time of writing, Uganda has 16 hotspots with 400+ so far eBirded species, of which one has almost 600 species.

Africa 196

Africa Kenya Tanzania Uganda 196

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2012

A new species of barbet was discovered in 2008 in Peru by a team of ornithologists that were recent graduates of Cornell University. The new species is described in the July 2012 issue of The Auk. The Sira Barbet has as its scientific name Capito fitzpatricki , in honor of the director of the Lab of Ornithogy, Dr. John W.

Peru 160

Peru 2008 2012 Species 160

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2012

Even if you’re not ticking new sightings, pay attention to your FOY birds, the first of year sightings that commemorate the phenological passage of assorted avian species in and out of our life. I gave up year listing a couple of annums back even though I’ve rung up some banner bird bounties in 2010 and 2011.

Atlanta 158

Atlanta Zimbabwe 2012 New York 158

10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2012

Forget March Madness… this is when things get crazy for those in sync with the endless sojourns of countless species. With the arrival of May, we turn from bird love to migrant mania. Make the most of this special time!

2012 161

2012 Florida Birds Species 161

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 26, 2012

I, on the other hand, will be lollygagging with the usual Western New York winter species. Corey will be experiencing birding bliss all weekend long at the mighty, mighty Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival. Lucky you if you’re there too! What will you be doing this weekend and where will you be birding?

Tanzania 164

Tanzania 2012 Branding New York 164

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 29, 2012

I’ll admit that I rarely reach 20 bird species a day, especially this time of year. Speaking of Birdchasers, Rob Fergus may not be a medical doctor, but his prescribed 20 Bird Minimum Daily Requirement seems to be a sure cure for what ails most of us. Be honest: how often are you reaching that mark?

2012 162

2012 Birds Medical Owls 162

10,000 Birds

APRIL 30, 2017

Way back in the days when blog posts still got a lot of comments, I wrote a piece on why field guides that arrange species in a more or less strict taxonomic order regularly frustrate me. Taxonomy is constantly changing and so does the order of species in field guides. van Balen, N. Brickle & F. Rheindt (review here ).

Brunei 153

Brunei 2009 2016 2014 153

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 19, 2012

But on his boat ride around lower New York Harbor and Jamaica Bay on Sunday he found himself appreciating the Herring Gulls more than any other species. From Orange-crowned Warbler to Razorbill , from Lapland Longspur to Red-necked Grebe , from Northern Shrike to Gray Catbird , Corey had a heck of a weekend. Is he becoming a larophile?

2012 155

2012 Birds Jamaica New York 155

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2014

It was July of 2012. I didn’t know what species of woodpecker it was, but I knew it was just in the clearing on the other side of the road. Black-backed Woodpeckers are non-migratory, although there have been documented intermittent irruptions of the species outside their normal range. It was a cool 48 degrees.

Woodpeckers 170

Woodpeckers California South Dakota Chad 170

10,000 Birds

JUNE 16, 2012

The risk of extinction for Amazonian birds has increased substantially: 07 June 2012 The risk of extinction has increased substantially for nearly 100 species of Amazonian birds, reveals the 2012 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ update for birds released today by BirdLife International.

Parrots 196

Parrots 2012 Birds Humane 196