10,000 Birds

APRIL 14, 2021

It wasn’t until a later Pino Real trip, back in 2014, that I saw my first Black-headed Siskins. And this was once a wonderful patch of bird-rich understory. Now it is just… grass. Still, the current pandemic’s extreme social-distancing requirements have limited my site options. No doubt, my low expectations were key.

2013 159

2013 Emotional Abandon Abandoning 159

10,000 Birds

APRIL 6, 2014

It has happened…… On April 3rd 2014 he, and I can fairly confidently say “he” now based on the thickness of his bill, returned to where he hatched from in July 2007. It was quite an emotional home-coming for me as I sat with the other shorebirds at high tide in the 38c heat.

2007 168

2007 Eggs 2014 2002 168

10,000 Birds

MAY 4, 2021

A little more than halfway through 2014, a year Marybeth had decided would be devoted to finishing in the top fifty eBirders in Louisiana AND Alabama, there is a terrible accident and time must be put aside for Lynn’s healing and recovery. ’ “Is this going to be a collection of essays?” ” I wondered.

Louisiana 264

Louisiana Species Mississippi Alabama 264

10,000 Birds

JUNE 2, 2015

Second, reading about birds courting and parenting brings out the tendency to identify, which leads directly to anthropomorphism, the tendency to assign birds human emotions and thoughts. We simply refuse to squee. Some people love books like that. Think of birds too much as humans and you lose the specialness that makes them birds.

Eggs 263

Eggs Family 2006 New York 263

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 6, 2020

There’s a remarkably similar photo, of the nest of a west coast swallow, the Violet-green, in this July 2014 post (the third one down.)).

Eggs 130

Eggs Emotional Bats 2014 130

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 8, 2017

Consequently, I have seen Northern Gannets each year since 2012, but the sight of one sailing over and darting into the sea – any sea – is still a very emotional reminder of the fact that life is good, and where I am compared to where I used to be. Top Bird of the Year: Sociable Lapwing , Bawinkel, Germany.

2016 101

2016 Germany Italy Netherlands 101

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 4, 2023

Germain has lived in East Asia since 2014. It is a deep intellectual and artistic exercise, which authentically captures my passion and emotion while watching birds. By Louis-Jean Germain Influenced by his mother, Louis-Jean Germain has long been interested in art, and in recent years, he has become an avid painter of Asian birds.

Birds 189

Birds China Emotional Vietnam 189