10,000 Birds

MAY 28, 2014

The next day we tried mist netting the cave entrance, and the day after I abandoned the project entirely. And this cave has lots of nests, so much so that there is a (sustainable) industry in collecting their nests for birds-nest soup. Fogged up as my bins where I managed to see this beautiful little bird.

Bats 156

Bats Birds Vanuatu Namibia 156

10,000 Birds

JUNE 5, 2012

Birding’s Holy Grails. We pour over photographs, read with envy the eye-witness accounts of the “lucky ones” and fabricate secret plans to abandon our loved ones and embark on expensive trips to track them down. One of the most highly desirable birds in the world, the Pel’s Fishing Owl is a true phantom.

Owls 261

Owls Fish Botswana Barn Owls 261

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 15, 2015

“The estuary and the delta of the River Kalamas form the most important wetland of northwest Greece”, so the “ Birding in Greece ” guidebook claims for the area where I am heading, a bit late since I overslept this morning. Yet, beside a few Little and one Great Egret , a raft of Eurasian Coots , no birds. It is getting a bit hot.

Greece 240

Greece Dogs Pelicans Fish 240

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 21, 2016

I am not entirely sure whether most birders outside Germany know or realize that Germany still has a decent population of one of Europe’s most attractive and desired bird species: the Great Bustard Otis tarda. Never mind the slight over-exposure: look at this bird!

Germany 104

Germany Abandon Abandoning Abandonment 104

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2012

The first was Lewis Binford, who noted, correctly, that if you look at actual animal bones from actual archaeological sites, you could not objectively see clear evidence that would distinguish hunting from scavenging, and if you compared these “food remains” to hyena food remains, they looked roughly the same.

Humane 165

Humane Lions Buffalo Hunting 165

10,000 Birds

MARCH 19, 2013

Never ones to let facts stand in the way of a good, old-fashioned, witch-hunt, the hordes of cat crazies heeded the call of their overlords and not only sent emails but essentially took over the National Audubon Society’s Facebook page. And isn’t that what the National Audubon Society is supposed to be all about?

Feral Cats 272

Feral Cats Trap Neuter Return Tnr Extremist 272

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

. … The ordinance would allow Minneapolis residents to establish cat “colonies” where abandoned and wild cats can be fed but also vaccinated, neutered and identified in an effort to humanely cut their population and control disease. And she has a North American bird book that has so far taught her how to recognize a sparrow.

Feral Cats 244

Feral Cats Feral Cats Minneapolis 244

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 9, 2023

Another item they feed on is hunting edible bird nest swiftlets, which are quite common in edible swiftlet houses in Sabah, Malaysia ( source ). The first attempt in hunting was made by the male hornbill which was seen snapping at a passing swiftlet, but was unsuccessful.

Rhinoceros 148

Rhinoceros Singapore Transported Hunting 148

10,000 Birds

JUNE 26, 2018

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 may sound familiar, it was also the home of one of our most famous extinct birds—the Dodo. Don’t these birds care about propagating their species? I know, that’s harsh.

Mauritius 106

Mauritius Stud Zoos Eggs 106

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2018

Old cars, antique gas pumps, and neon lit motels, were just up Jeanne’s photographic alley, and Lake Tucumcari was sure to be a birding hot spot for me. Unfortunately, the lake was the victim of several years of draught, but the grassy areas held a few nice birds, and there were a few surprises along the way. This was a first!

Albuquerque 136

Albuquerque New Mexico Mexico Sparrows 136

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 19, 2017

In Costa Rica, we don’t get many chances to chase birds. The same goes for other challenging resident birds like the Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo, Speckled Mourner, and Gray-headed Piprites. No matter where in the world we bird, it seems like the ones we twitch are the birds that aren’t supposed to be there.

Costa Rica 100

Costa Rica San Jose Falcons Nicaragua 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 30, 2011

As a youngster of 10-weeks old, it is abandoned by its parents and left to fend for itself. Each year 120,000 birds visit the island to breed from March through August in burrows that riddle the landscape. A pair of birds in a nesting burrow share the parental responsiblities and change shifts under the cover of darkness.

United Kingdom 166

United Kingdom Brazil Eggs Abandon 166

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 24, 2012

The annual Christmas Bird Count is a venerable tradition and this year’s will be the 113th. The oft-told tale of its start in 1900 as an alternative to the “side-hunt” which was itself a long tradition in many families warms many a birder’s heart. Or the Great Bird Count. But maybe it needs a name change?

Saudi Arabia 160

Saudi Arabia Pakistan Abandon Abandoning 160