10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2021

My readers are already familiar with Beljarica Backwaters, as described in half a dozen posts here at 10,000 Birds. It all started well three decades ago, when I intensively birded the Danube Backwaters by kayak. mi2 of the Danube Backwaters in 2014 (cover photo). mi at its widest point and some 9 km2 / 3.5 Fingers crossed.

Serbia 276

Serbia Deer Protection Boars 276

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 2, 2017

I know I will be doing my best to make it so, especially from a birding perspective. I’ll bird my butt off and see what happens… I will add at least three new birds to my Queens list. All of 2016 only netted me one new species for Queens, a Greater White-fronted Goose. I will get at least 30 life birds.

2017 103

2017 Puerto Rico 2016 Austria 103

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2020

One of these days, Jeopardy will feature a category called “Field Guides” and the first clue will be: “This landlocked South American country finally got its own bird field guide in 2016, but it wasn’t available in the United State until 2019.” Bolivia doesn’t come up much in discussions of birding travel.

Bolivia 174

Bolivia Birds Brazil Switzerland 174

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 16, 2014

While there are some two dozen birding spots in Belgrade, Serbia, that stand out, in this guideblog I will focus on the river Danube and its floodplain, inside the Important Bird Area “Confluence of the Sava and the Danube Rivers”. The next winter bird spot lies some 4.5 Bus: 79 & 24. eBird list.

Serbia 235

Serbia Birds Ducks Eagles 235

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2016

All of these titles deal with birding in specific North American geographic areas: The Atlantic coast, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The photos show the forms of the bird seen on the east coast and are annotated with notes on plumage and other distinguishing field marks. It’s time for some short book reviews. Well, short for me.

Pennsylvania 168

Pennsylvania Texas Whales Whaling 168

10,000 Birds

JULY 30, 2014

However, I am here to make the case for birding California. With the largest state list by a considerable margin and a mind-boggling diversity of habitats, I reckon we have some amazing birding to offer. So if you are thinking of doing some birding out this way, here is a quick run-down of some of the state’s best birding areas.

California 200

California San Diego Birds Oakland 200

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

The majority are clearly Mallards , followed by Garganeys , with one and possibly more Green-winged Teals , also Ferruginous Ducks … Surprises among them are one Common Shelduck , a species that most likely breeds some 15 mi from here (and my first shelduck of the year) and an even greater surprise: two Eurasian Wigeons. and one ad.).

Serbia 168

Serbia Protection Eagles Ducks 168

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2014

Beside birds, in this park you stand a chance of spotting the Eurasian Lynx , Brown Bear and Gray Wolf ! It is possible to reach it on the Friday afternoon, sleep there and go birding at the crack of dawn on Saturday. Well, do you really? The Forgotten Road does not exist on the GPS screen either. Am I complaining about it?

Serbia 189

Serbia Turtles Birds Eagles 189

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2019

This species was discovered (shot, actually) in the 19th century, only to be lost through the entire 20th century. The Forest Owlet is an endemic species of this mountain range. This many birds at the same site (out of 250 of the reserve checklist) have lightened our spirits, but still – no owlet! Let’s go.”.

India 177

India Owls Tigers Cows 177

10,000 Birds

JUNE 3, 2014

Most of the books about extinction, including Fuller’s Extinct Birds (now, ironically, out of print), describe what was lost and look for explanations, scientifically and historically. Female Imperial Woodpecker in flight, Mexico, a still from recently found film made by William Rhein, p. more than there really was to see!”

Animal 268

Animal Mammals Hawaii Dolphins 268

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 4, 2016

British birders are very serious about birding and their birds. This is a very good thing; it means they publish a lot of books about birds (probably more at this point than U.S. This is a very good thing; it means they publish a lot of books about birds (probably more at this point than U.S.

Ireland 145

Ireland Birds Groups Falcons 145

10,000 Birds

JUNE 2, 2015

Producing a book about birds and nesting is a dangerous business. The truth is that there are few images cuter than baby birds in the nest opening their mouths and begging for food, but there are curmudgeons amongst us, myself included, who don’t like to admit this. And of birds courting and mating. We simply refuse to squee.

Eggs 263

Eggs Family 2006 New York 263

10,000 Birds

MAY 6, 2016

Once you eliminate the risque jokes (I know, I know, but it’s a family blog) the Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet might have the most comical name in American birding. How did this itty-bitty bird come to be saddled with a moniker that sounds exactly like a punchline about bird names? Which brings us to Northern.

Costa Rica 102

Costa Rica 2014 Family Collecting 102

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 5, 2017

I started keeping year lists – not just blogging about them but really keeping track of what I see each year – as late as 2012, roughly 30 years into my birding career. I was able to maintain the new structure in the 2014 list , and this was a mighty fine birding year in all aspects. Species List.

2017 100

2017 Germany 2012 2013 100

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 10, 2016

Late last month, while searching for bears , woodpeckers and spirits of Greece, I deliberately avoided checking any news, especially from my home country. We are facing a plague of poaching that is again decimating the species. Steven had no binoculars, but impressively sharp eyes and great knowledge of birds. One may say so.

Elephants 186

Elephants Botswana Zimbabwe Africa 186

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2019

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.

North America 149

North America Sparrows America United States 149

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 16, 2021

Have you ever birded a place so young that birds still have no names? At first we followed one trail, without success, then we followed the other one – the same happened – and when we were ready to enter the boat, to cross the river arm behind the sandbank, there it was, the bird with no name.” Thamnophilus sp. Thamnophilus sp.

Colombia 277

Colombia Birds Fish Venezuela 277

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 14, 2023

Sometimes I just want to hug eBird, or more specifically, whoever writes the short species descriptions (even though I am not the typical hugging kind of person, trust me on this). There are about 50 different species of flowerpeckers globally. There are about 50 different species of flowerpeckers globally. “Dull, me?

Los Angeles 187

Los Angeles Birds Woodpeckers Owls 187

10,000 Birds

JUNE 7, 2022

The Eurasian Wryneck is the woodpecker that doesn’t look like a woodpecker, the bird with the portmanteau name that is also a medical condition (and which may remind some people of a Nora Ephron essay). They are slim and small-headed birds and their bills are fine, not strong and dynamic.

Woodpeckers 236

Woodpeckers Hungary Thailand 2014 236

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2014

The magnificent history and diversity of birds on Earth came into sharper focus this month with the publication of 28 new scientific papers in Science and other journals. One of the central papers, Whole-genome analyses resolve early branches in the tree of life of modern birds (Jarvis et al. American Flamingo photo by Dick Culbert).

Family 279

Family Parrots Birds 2014 279

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2021

Whether it is birding tourism or simply spreading awareness about biodiversity, it is always with the aim of getting us humanoids to treat nature a little (ideally, a lot) better. A brief personal digression: I moved back into the house I grew up in back in 2014, my parents vacated at the end of 2016. Birds have also benefitted.

Opossums 264

Opossums Barn Owls Hunting Reptiles 264

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 9, 2017

This past Saturday, 07 October, was the day for the Queens County Bird Club Big Sit, our fourth year of counting every species we could see from the hawk watch platform at Fort Tilden, in southwestern Queens. But the first bird of the morning was not a bird most would consider nocturnal. And we birded.

Birds 109

Birds Dolphins Canada Sparrows 109

10,000 Birds

JUNE 26, 2018

Basically, this species is so dimwitted, it doesn’t know how to survive. Because, Pink Pigeons are not capable of doing the tasks required to create and bring up children of the species. A bit of background: Pink Pigeons are medium-sized, pink/gray/ brown birds found on the island of Mauritius, Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar.

Mauritius 102

Mauritius Stud Zoos Eggs 102

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2015

It’s December and that means one thing—a great excuse to buy books on birding. I thought I’d do a round-up of some of the best bird books reviewed this year, a few memorable titles from recent years past, and one that wasn’t reviewed but which I love, that would be great holiday gifts. Books for Beginning Birders.

Papua New Guinea 183

Papua New Guinea 2014 Penguins Birds 183

10,000 Birds

JUNE 18, 2015

This bat is rare and range-restricted in South Florida, which are some of the reasons it was recently listed as an endangered under the Endangered Species Act. floridanus constitutes a separate species ( Eumops floridanus); a bat with one of the most restricted ranges. ounces, a body length of 6.5 inches, and a wingspan of 21 inches.

Bats 166

Bats Florida Endangered Species Cuba 166

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 19, 2014

Outlook and goals for 2014. In a funny twist of fate, it seems that 2014 will be much the same as 2012 and 2013 have been, with family trips to somewhere in France and business trips to Indonesia and Kazakhstan. However, I really want to focus more on lifers instead of year birds, particularly in Indonesia. The Birding Diary.

2014 145

2014 France Germany Indonesia 145

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2019

In reverse order, the medals were awarded for “most species seen in a country”, to Australia with 420, USA got the silver, scoring 556 while the runaway winner was Costa Rica with 646 species. Best wishes to you all for 2019, keep safe and keep birding. Gray Go-away-bird – Corythaixoides concolor.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Sparrows 113

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2018

The two most prolific contributors, Pat and Tom, have been sharing their birding space in Costa Rica. The beats have now contributed more checklists than birds. During October, 7 countries (Costa Rica, Australia, USA, India, Hong Kong, UK, Serbia) were birded by 11 beats who shared 135 checklists and noted 697 species.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Los Angeles 113

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2018

8 beats shared 126 checklists accounting for 704 species. They birded 6 countries; USA, UK, Costa Rica, Serbia, Australia, and Mexico. Gray Go-away-bird – Corythaixoides concolor. Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve. Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve. La Cotinga Birding B&B. Kruger NP Central Park.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Sparrows 113

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2018

It’s September and time for birds to start their southerly journeys. Please remember to give migrating birds the space that they need. They noted 598 species as a team, bringing the year total to 2118 and pushing the life list to 3555. Jason hoisted his colours in Kansas and claimed the state for 10,000 Birds.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Los Angeles 113

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 5, 2017

The point is, the field guide I grabbed without hesitation was the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 7th Edition by Jon L. No other field guide to North American birds does rarities so comprehensively and so well. (To I miss the shorebird and get it a few days later, but that’s not the point of this story.

North America 184

North America America 2017 Birds 184

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2015

Picidae, Woodpecker, is one of those charismatic bird families that everybody gets excited about. Unless the woodpecker is drumming a hole into your garage, and then, well, it’s a different kind of excitement.) Woodpeckers of the World: A Photographic Guide is the first major guide to family Picidae in 20 years.

Woodpeckers 244

Woodpeckers 2002 Europe Research 244

10,000 Birds

MAY 24, 2014

Nevertheless, 370,000 ticket applications were received from USA, which shows a real enthusiasm if slight confusion about the event which will be contested in Brazil during June and July 2014 and will likely attract television audiences of more than 3 billion over the course of the tournament. Timings are 08.00 ‘til 17.00.

Brazil 160

Brazil Birds Transported Game 160

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 1, 2016

Electric storms closed the new walkway there and he amassed a total list of just 3 birds! It is a dream, nay, a mission statement of 10,000 Birds to see as many of the World’s birds as possible. Should the fancy take you, you could call up a 10,000 Birds life list (from 2016 onwards. 08 Feb 2016. 04 Aug 2016.

2016 154

2016 Sanctuary Australia Ghana 154

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2014

2013 was a strange year for me, staring in the UK, ending in Borneo and spending large tracks of the year not really seeing many birds in New Zealand. Birds simply don’t get much better than that, but then again locatins to start and end a year rarely get much better than the famous Danum Valley in Borneo. The List: Birds.

2014 150

2014 New Zealand Singapore Rhinoceros 150

10,000 Birds

APRIL 1, 2014

I am also writing it on the tails of an excellent review by Corey who, although he termed his post a collection of “impressions,” really did nail down the great content of The Sibley Guide to Birds, Second Edition , by David Allen Sibley, as well as the minor items that need to be improved. I like this.

North America 240

North America Birds Species America 240

10,000 Birds

APRIL 7, 2015

Last month woodpeckers, this month penguins. This is not your ordinary reference book, though it was cited as one of the best reference sources of 2014 by Library Journal. The introductory Penguin Who’s Who introduces each species visually. Some are cute, some are dignified (and royal!).

Penguins 200

Penguins New Zealand South Africa Albatross 200