10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2024

Most serious bird photographers dislike taking pictures of birds wearing rings (or what on the other side of the Atlantic you call bands). I can sympathise, as a shiny new ring, clamped to a bird’s leg, rarely enhances its portrait. The information I received didn’t indicate the age of the bird.

Lithuania 130

Lithuania Morocco Iceland Ireland 130

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 23, 2016

Appreciation of invasive species may be somewhat heretical in some naturalist circles, but watching these huge winter flocks always entertains. Not the most exciting Best Bird of the Weekend but it will do. What was your best bird of the weekend? How about you?

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2016 Birds Experience Experiments 160

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Of course, birds only represent a sliver of the near-infinite flora and fauna that, collectively, grows, blooms, dies back, and lapses into dormancy over the course of a year. Corey’s Best Bird of the Weekend was his favorite species, a Green Heron , at the Great Vly in his hometown of Saugerties, New York. How about you?

2016 154

2016 New York Birds Collecting 154

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 23, 2024

There’s something wonderfully primeval about the Northern Bald Ibis: it has the look of a bird that really ought to be extinct. The fact that it’s not is quite surprising, as this curious bird has come very close to the brink. Sadly, they no longer breed in Algeria, while in Turkey no free-flying birds remain. (In

Morocco 246

Morocco Austria Algeria Germany 246

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

One good thing about birding during a pandemic–the forced restrictions on place and time translate into more time to observe what birds do. Bird behavior–endlessly fascinating, but so much still hidden and unknown. Extreme behaviors also push scientists to look at birds in new ways.

Research 260

Research Birds Science Costa Rica 260

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 27, 2016

My core values demand that I get outside often enough to experience the real world, rather than what I see while watching football. He was pleased to spot all of his target species, from Yellow-breasted Chat to Ovenbird. But his Best Bird of the Weekend was the fifth Western Tanager he’s ever seen in New York State.

2016 137

2016 Squirrels New York Birds 137

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 4, 2016

While acquiring our fragrant Balsam Fir , I was distracted by a variety of birds flying over. For the sake of family peace, I left my bins at home, which meant that the tastiest species I could put a name to was Dark-eyed Junco , which I’ll be seeing a ton of over the coming months. What was your best bird of the weekend?

2016 124

2016 Birds Owls Experience 124

10,000 Birds

MAY 22, 2016

But evolving patterns of both weather and species distribution still promise wonder in the weeks and months ahead. I’ve added plenty of new species to my year list, but the bird I appreciated most this weekend was the one closest to home. What was your best bird of the weekend? How about you?

2016 104

2016 Baltimore Birds Experience 104

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 8, 2017

Don’t think we’ve noticed that most of you don’t play along with this game of sharing the best–meaning the coolest, rarest, fanciest, or dearest–bird species you’ve spotted in a given weekend. What was your best bird of the weekend? Your year will be much better for it! How about you?

2016 100

2016 2017 New York Birds 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2021

The survey also sought to identify “the key attributes important to birding experiences” and learn more about “decisions to participate in birdwatching and level of identity as birdwatcher.”. For example, the survey (of eBirders) found: “Nearly all respondents (99%) indicated they participate in birdwatching or birding.”.

Minnesota 264

Minnesota Research Pennsylvania Ohio 264

10,000 Birds

MAY 15, 2016

All my favorite birders were out at festivals, doing Big Days, or just racking up scores of awesome birds in the field. Even though I only had an hour before work, I racked up just about all the warblers I wanted; any weekend I see a Blackburnian Warbler , I know which species is my favorite. What was your best bird of the weekend?

2016 100

2016 Jamaica New York Birds 100

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 1, 2017

The year 2016 is done and gone and 2017 beckons us onward, bright and new and shiny, hopefully full of birds. Here’s hoping everyone has a wonderful 2017, full of amazing birds and experiences. Here’s hoping everyone has a wonderful 2017, full of amazing birds and experiences. How about you?

2017 124

2017 2016 New York Birds 124

10,000 Birds

JULY 17, 2016

This weekend, millions of people, young and old alike, were driven to explore the most unlikely corners of the world in a relentless, unquenchable thirst to track down species they hadn’t ticked before. And some of the rest of us went birding! But whether you’re questing for Pokémon or birds, at least you got outside.

2016 100

2016 Michigan Jamaica Birds 100

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 7, 2016

Yet, in realms such as birding, the acts rarely overlap; if you are birding, you’re probably not writing about it, and vice versa. This brief moment of rumination is meant to explain why we don’t have the best bird of Corey’s weekend. The best way to appreciate mundane species is through a new filter.

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Idaho 2016 Colorado Birds 100

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 24, 2016

Alas, now that the Arizona Cardinals have fallen to the Carolina Panthers, we face the prospect of a Super Bowl without bird-themed football teams. I got a good dose of seaducks this weekend up at the mouth of Irondequoit Bay; the most interesting species amidst the mixed flocks was a lone Bufflehead hobnobbing with Common Goldeneyes.

2016 104

2016 ALA Arizona Horses 104

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2016

Some birds are leaving, making room for welcome new arrivals. I noticed plenty of species I hadn’t seen all winter, but was most surprised by an energetic Northern Mockingbird. What was your best bird of the weekend? Tell us in the comments section about the rarest, loveliest, or most fascinating bird you observed.

2016 100

2016 Sanctuary New York Woodpeckers 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 24, 2016

I enjoyed encountering a lot of first-of-year spring arrivals, but the species that most piqued my interest was White-winged Scoter , with a late flock of 17 hanging around Braddock Bay. The birds had already adopted their drab eclipse plumage, unlike the winter warrior featured in the photo above. What can I say?

2016 100

2016 Adoptable Florida Birds 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2016

An enjoyable late day walk at Durand Eastman Park uncovered more species than expected, but my favorite were two brilliant Eastern Bluebirds. What was your best bird of the weekend? Tell us in the comments section about the rarest, loveliest, or most fascinating bird you observed. How about you?

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2016 Birds Experience Experiments 100

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 28, 2016

However, more impressive than shorebirds for me were the seven species of tern that (hehe) turned up, especially the cackling flocks of Black Skimmers that wheeled right overhead. What was your best bird of the weekend? Tell us in the comments section about the rarest, loveliest, or most fascinating bird you observed.

2016 100

2016 Virginia Jamaica Birds 100

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. In August 2016, the newly planned Chinese Belt and Road harbour development inside the most valuable 9 km2 / 3.5

Serbia 279

Serbia Protection Deer Boars 279

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2019

During the decade, I submitted 1,219 checklists and observed 555 bird species, all in the U.S. I started eBirding about the same time I started birding, and I made an early executive decision (a very good one) that any pre-eBird observations simply did not count. Birding trips to Florida , New Mexico , and Texas are obvious too.

Puerto Rico 175

Puerto Rico Virgin Islands Michigan Washington 175

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2016

India was not on my list of places to go in 2016. So, I birded India, land of Indian Peafowl , Saag Paneer (my favorite Indian dish) and Tigers. Neither are birds, but both involved a lot of birding.). I left feeling ecstatic over observing the birds. We still had our bins and our eyes and our patient guides.

India 189

India Tigers Birds Owls 189

10,000 Birds

JUNE 7, 2016

The American Birding Association Field Guide to Birds of New York by Corey Finger, birder, blogger, and co-emperor of 10,000 Birds, with photographs by Brian E. We at 10,000 Birds are so excited, we’ve decided to give away a copy of this excellent guide. It’s here! It’s here!

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New York Birds New York City Campaign 187

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.

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Pennsylvania Texas Whales Whaling 188

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 12, 2014

After wrapping up our time in the highlands of Honduras, Chris Lotz (owner of international bird tour company Birding Ecotours ) and I arrived at the deservedly famous Pico Bonito Lodge. However, for me, there were birds to be seen. More than 400 species have been recorded at the lodge to date. Photo by James Adams.

Honduras 168

Honduras Monkeys Birds America 168

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 172

Ireland Birds Groups Falcons 172

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 5, 2019

I first encountered Molly Hashimoto’s bird art in California. Hashimoto’s prints and water color bird portraits differ in materials and style from Harper, but she shares with him a talent for portraying common birds in a lively, accessible, yet new way that belies the artistic processes employed to create the finished image.

Birds 185

Birds Eggs Laws Woodpeckers 185

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 23, 2016

That’s January for birding. This year, visiting Niagara Falls until January 6th gave me the chance to experience a bit of both latitudes. A cold, productive day spent birding with a friend from Buffalo was marked by two owls, lots of ducks, Tundra Swans , several gulls, and other targets not possible in tropical Costa Rica.

Costa Rica 104

Costa Rica 2016 San Antonio Sparrows 104

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 16, 2017

Twitching is a British term used to mean “the pursuit of a previously located rare bird.” Basically, I never had the time to chase birds. My second twitch, during the winter of 2011, was also in the area of McArthur where an American Tree Sparrow ( Spizella arborea ) was spotted during a Christmas Bird Count.

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California North America Wildlife Campaign 100

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2016

What is the best bird you’ve seen in New York State and why has it stayed in your memory? This is the question I posed to 10,000 Birds readers in celebration of Corey’s first book, the ABA Field Guide to Birds of New York (by Corey Finger, author, and Brian E. So, I treasure every sighting.

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New York Bald Eagle Birds New York City 100

10,000 Birds

JUNE 5, 2016

The other day, Redgannet, when sharing the 10,000 Birds combined bird list for 2016 , mentioned that I had made some sort of notable contribution by submitting 25 checklists in one day. The reasons for this protocol are as unique as this unique type of birding. But the truth is perhaps more pedestrian.

Whales 100

Whales Whaling North Carolina Mammals 100

10,000 Birds

MAY 23, 2023

I recently asked ChatGPT some questions about the best birding locations in the United States and the results were decidedly mixed. Here are the queries and the ChatGPT responses are below: What is birding? What is a “nemesis bird” in birding? What is a “big year” in birding?

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United States North America Birds America 147

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

It actually makes a lot of sense, the geographic features of the isthmus between North America (including Mexico, because Mexico is part of North America) and South America cut across political lines, as do birds. It is the first bird field guide to every country of Central America (plus the islands governed by those countries).

America 214

America El Salvador Costa Rica Honduras 214

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 3, 2017

It was a good birding year. Many sad and unfortunate things occurred in 2016, but the birding was good. I started the year in Florida, traveled to India with the ABA in February, combined family and birding in an August trip to California, and in-between saw very good birds in New York and New Jersey.

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2016 India Ducks Birds 127

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

I’ve been fortunate to encounter many owls in my birding life, sometimes because I’m looking for them, sometimes happily by happenstance. I’m sure many of you have had similar experiences. What the Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds is a joyous, fascinating read.

Owls 244

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 244

10,000 Birds

APRIL 10, 2016

The 2016 tide chart is also useful if you want to see the dinosaur footprints at Gantheaume Point, because you need the tide to be below 2.16m for them to be visible and due care is required over slippery rocks. We wish them all a safe journey and hope to see them return alongside juvenile birds later in the year.

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Taiwan Breeding Japan 2017 100

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 4, 2020

Here are some of the things I learned reading Birds in Winter: . Birds who store food in advance of winter (corvids, t**s, and nuthatches) have a larger hippocampus (the brain structure that regulates memory) than non-storing birds do. Author Roger F. The book is organized logically by seasonality.

Research 201

Research Birds Hoarding Sweden 201