10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 10, 2011

And the famous Wandering Albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, nearly 12 feet across in the largest individuals. Four families are often recognized: storm-petrels, albatrosses, shearwaters and petrels , and diving-petrels. Do you get far enough from land to see tubenoses? Which are your favorites?

Albatross 187

Albatross Penguins Groups New Zealand 187

10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2016

I purchased my first Sibley— The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America —in 2003. Am I willing to give up the field guide which bears the mud and dirt of so many falls on so many birding trips? Am I willing to give up the field guide which bears the mud and dirt of so many falls on so many birding trips?

North America 171

North America 2003 Birds America 171

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 20, 2014

I’m at a yearly disadvantage when it comes to deciding my Best Bird of the Year (BBOY) here on 10,000 Birds. When all of you are settling in inside away from the snow for family, food and arguments, we’re all getting our travel on. The scope is to give you the illusion you might be able to work out the species).

2013 179

2013 Birds Rhinoceros Thailand 179

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2018

About six-and-a-half years ago I had the privilege of watching a young Waved Albatross on the Galapagos island of Española learning how to fly. The sight of the large bird, so awkward on the ground, trying to launch itself with the coaching of an indefatigable parent, was funny, charming, and amazing in its uniqueness.

Albatross 114

Albatross Penguins Research Breeding 114

10,000 Birds

JULY 30, 2014

I bring this up not to boast (well, not much) but because I think that this approach to wildlife travel is somewhat neglected in birding circles. Read most accounts of how birders see birds outside their patch and one way or another, they’re tourists. Ugandan Mangabeys were part of my family once. I still have that marker.

Uganda 162

Uganda Sharks Africa New Zealand 162

10,000 Birds

JUNE 10, 2015

In many ways the weaver family is for Africa are similar beasts to the pseudowarblers of North America (sometimes called wood-warblers). They are also generally easy to see, especially species that construct huge colonies of woven nests in villages and farms (or even cities). They also have messy nests for the family.

South Africa 154

South Africa Senegal Ethiopia Africa 154

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 3, 2014

As New Zealand’s beat writer I think I’ve done an okay job of discussing the birding of an entirely different island for most of the year, so it’s only fair that I keep that winning streak going by talking about my target for the trip. It’s a species that has bedeviled and bewitched me over the years.

Sharks 177

Sharks Leopards Whales Whaling 177

10,000 Birds

JUNE 3, 2014

Hugh, who years ago helped me find my first Pauraque in the Rio Grande Valley , visited Peru as part of the 2014 World Birding Rally, where he stopped thinking of himself as an experienced birder. This is his first contribution to 10,000 Birds. We’ll go on a pelagic trip and you can wave at albatrosses. Come to Peru, they said.

Peru 255

Peru Birds South America Owls 255

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 9, 2011

Be warned, The Atlas of Birds is not a map book, though it does contain maps, lovely orange and purple and green bird distribution maps. It is not an encyclopedia, though it does summarize research, explain basic concepts, and ends with a section on bird statistics. Intriguing, isn’t it?

Albatross 205

Albatross Birds Campaign Protection 205

10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2013

People ascribe near mythic status to the members of the family Delphinidae (and other related families). Yes, the same Kaikoura I keep banging on about that is a great place to see albatrosses. The routine for swimming with Hector’s Dolphins is slightly different to other species, however. South Banks Peninsula.

Dolphins 157

Dolphins Sharks New Zealand Albatross 157

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. ” Last year I saw this Antipodean Albatross. The equation is simple, surely, if seeing birds makes me happy, then surely lots of birds makes me lots of happy, right? ” Well yes, I guess.

2012 157

2012 New Zealand Thailand Albatross 157

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2011

home about advertise archives birds conservation contact galleries links reviews subscribe Browse: Home / Birds / Stalking a Kiwi Icon Stalking a Kiwi Icon By Duncan • March 16, 2011 • 1 comment Tweet Share Most people, if asked, would confidently name what they thought the National Bird of New Zealand was.

New Zealand 149

New Zealand 2011 Deer New York 149

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 Birds Parrots 2014 279

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2020

There are few bird names that will elicit great big smiles and Penguin is one of them. Other contenders are Kookaburra, Shoebill, and Umbrellabird, but people smile when they hear these names because they know a song or because they can’t believe these are real names of real birds. <pause> Do I have your attention now?

Penguins 278

Penguins Georgia New Zealand Albatross 278

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 19, 2016

I opened the year in California and even though I flew out in the evening on New Year’s Day I did see some species out there that I would otherwise not have seen for the year. Winter birding around New York City was just so-so but I did add one species to my Queens list. Aaaarrrgghhhh!

2016 139

2016 Puerto Rico New York City New York 139

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2013

As 2013 draws to a close we here at 10,000 Birds thought that it would be a great idea if we, like we did in 2010 , 2011 , and 2012 , shared our Best Birds of the Year. We also want to know what YOUR Best Bird of the Year was. Now on to the Best Birds of the Year for those who write on 10,000 Birds! Sound good?

2013 168

2013 Birds Costa Rica India 168

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

This, I am told, is seawatching , a birding activity in which one stands in one place, sometimes for hours, and watches for birds of the sea and lake and river. It is acceptable to point out other sea creatures–dolphins or whales or dragonflies–but the main goal is the observation and identification of the birds.

Ducks 240

Ducks Groups Species North America 240

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 6, 2017

The Collegiate does define the word “ birder ” (“a person who birds”) and “ bird watcher ” (“a person who watches and identifies wild birds”). Of course, a “person who birds” begs the question of what “ bird ,” as a verb, means. That’s not all: bird words abound in the dictionary.

Albatross 106

Albatross Bears Ducks Bald Eagle 106

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.

2016 113

2016 India Ducks Birds 113

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 28, 2013

The North Shore of Sydney is, as I’ve often observed, a great place to watch birds. On my last visit, which lastes four days, I didn’t have much time to sneak away from family, but I did get to check out two new sites. As soon as I entered the forest from the road the din of these birds was almost deafening.

Albatross 152

Albatross Rats Belize New Zealand 152

10,000 Birds

MARCH 27, 2013

To celebrate, here are some shots of something not remotely albatross related, Arthur’s Pass. I’ve already written about the Kea, but they aren’t the only birds in Arthur’s Pass. Other forest birds include the Brown Creeper (no relation), the, Tomtit , Bellbirds and, oddly, Lesser Redpolls.

New Zealand 140

New Zealand Albatross Family Australia 140

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2012

Life is hard for baby birds, as the world is filled with reasons why they might not make it too adulthood. Starvation and predators make it hard to grow up, and birds have evolved a lot of strategies to give (at least some of) their chicks the best chance in life. Seabirds are one group of birds that go for the latter strategy.

Eggs 166

Eggs Puffins Breeding Raised 166

10,000 Birds

MAY 12, 2012

It was something like his fifth attempt at the bird. That made me wonder why someone would put so much energy into a species that is regular in New York and not a lifer. Birders are confused – is Anthony doing a big year or is he just a birding machine? Good reasons to stay local regardless of records and the like.

New York 179

New York Stray Vermont Marine Life 179

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 25, 2011

A profound and deep understanding of birds is hard to complain about. Despite the vacant look in the eye of a Rock Pigeon , birds are not stupid…they cannot afford to be, or else they wouldn’t be here now. And the ultimate question, the one we may never know the answer to… what is a bird thinking ?

Emotional 216

Emotional Science Birds Mammals 216

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 1, 2022

Australia has a lot of birds. The “ Working List of Australian Birds, v.4 4 ,” published by BirdLife Australia lists 2,016 birds, but that includes subspecies (add extinct, domestic, failed introduced & non-confirmed birds and you have 2,106). I recently visited Australia (Yay!) How did they do that?!”

Australia 253

Australia Birds 2017 Groups 253

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 187

North America America 2017 Birds 187

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

Some people read cookbooks though they have no intention of whipping up a mushroom risotto, some people read bird guide books, even when the likelihood of actually seeing the creatures in those guides is remote. SCOPE & SPECIES ORGANIZATION. It covers 434 species across 9 orders and 18 families of birds.

Albatross 279

Albatross Penguins Family Groups 279

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 4, 2021

Here are the picks of the 10,000 Birds reviewing team (Tristan, Donna, Dragan, Mike, Corey, Carrie, and Mark) for 2021 bird books and other things with high quality, uniqueness, and giftability. * There are lots of big, well-produced books with exquisite photos of birds from around the world. Tristan). ==.

Birds 246

Birds Colombia Collecting Bald Eagle 246

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

Are seabirds the last frontier of bird identification? They say so right here in the Preface of Oceanic Birds of The World: A Photo Guide —seabirds are “some of the most challenging of all birds to identify.” And, for many of these species, you need a boat that goes very far from shore, to extremely remote areas.

Albatross 167

Albatross North America Birds Groups 167

10,000 Birds

APRIL 20, 2011

This association belies the advanced and highly sophisticated adaptations the family has evolved for a life of wandering, hunting and, yes, piracy on the high seas. The etymological disconnect between the common name (Great) and the specific name ( minor ) is due to the species originally being described as Pelecanus minor , little pelican.

Albatross 162

Albatross Pelicans Family Hunting 162

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 247

North America Birds Species America 247

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

I’ve decided to get into the bird tour business. Get up early, point at lots of birds, go back to the hotel for celebratory wine. If any birds give trouble just make up an answer, then say it with confidence. Guaranteed to produce birds you’ve never seen before or your money back! I can’t lose.

New Zealand 211

New Zealand Ducks Australia Mountain Goats 211

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 5, 2016

To get out to the deep water we have to cruise for hours which necessitates leaving late in the evening, trying to sleep on an uncomfortable, moving boat, and waking up in the predawn hours to spend not-enough-time amid amazing birds before suffering through the long, boring ride through the “dead zone” back to shore.

Whales 113

Whales Whaling Albatross Dolphins 113

10,000 Birds

APRIL 7, 2015

Every section is excellent, Going from back to front, the Species Natural History section is where to go for answers to all your questions about penguins and then some. The introductory Penguin Who’s Who introduces each species visually. And that’s just the top section!

Penguins 209

Penguins New Zealand South Africa Albatross 209