10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 5, 2018

This is a water reclamation plant, so the water is not quite as sweet as the name might suggest, but it certainly is a magnet for a lot of bird species. Deborah and I had a wonderful morning, and found 39 species. I spent quite a bit more time in the area this time and was able to see a total of 55 species.

Tucson 125

Tucson Arizona Blackbirds Texas 125

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 31, 2018

Now that we have “settled” in Tucson, Arizona, or at least this is where the 5th Wheel is for the time being, it has been nice to be able to spread out a bit. Now that we have been in sunny, dry Arizona, it has rained 5 of the last seven days. By the time we left there four hours later, I checked off, seven total hummingbird species.

Tucson 113

Tucson Costa Rica Arizona Woodpeckers 113

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2019

In a check of the eBird hotspot list for Santa Rita Lodge, it shows a life list there of 170 species, and approaching 13,000 check lists submitted. A few of the other highlights while I sat there include this Rufous Crowned Sparrow. Most days you will get a good look at the Arizona Woodpecker. Quite a few Lesser Goldfinches.

Arizona 139

Arizona Woodpeckers Turkey Sparrows 139

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 6, 2022

we learn) that are home to coveted boreal species, breeding wood-warblers, and two species of Grouse. There are 461 species on the Maine checklist. This field guide covers 265 species, the ones most likely to be seen–residential and migratory, almost all nesting birds, many wintering birds.

Los Angeles 199

Los Angeles Birds District of Columbia Parrots 199

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 23, 2012

Common species like Lesser Goldinch , White-winged Dove , and Verdin quickly gave way to more rarified fare. The attraction of Southeastern Arizona in summer stems from the presence of certain highly range-restricted species. Where else can you see something like that?! I believe there’s a life lesson to be learned here.

Tucson 154

Tucson Arizona North America Sparrows 154

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Many Nearctic species and families reach their southern terminus in the Northern Central American Highlands, such as Common Raven , Red Crossbill , Steller’s Jay , and even Brown Creeper. Alex also masterfully worked another tricky species into view for us during that first afternoon, Ruddy Crake (a close relative of the Black Rail ).

Honduras 217

Honduras Costa Rica El Salvador Arizona 217

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 23, 2016

Instead, they are summer visitors, moving up to Colorado in the warm months to breed before returning to wintering grounds in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico. During the summer breeding months, Lark Bunting males – a sparrow species – are jet black, their white wings contrasting beautifully with the dark bodies.

Colorado 102

Colorado Legislature North America New Mexico 102

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 1, 2022

8 of them sent 153 lists, noting 645 species of bird across 7 countries (Mexico, UK, USA, Serbia, Australia, Costa Rica, Colombia). It has not resulted in extraordinary numbers of sightings personally, but the beats have been busy on their respective patches and have sent me their lists to collate. The year list finishes at 1628.

Sparrows 235

Sparrows Woodpeckers Parrots Owls 235

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 25, 2015

These arid hills, cloaked in a mosaic of deciduous scrub and desert vegetation, form a northern outpost for several Neotropical species while also harboring several key endemics and southwestern Nearctic species. Think Arizona meets Costa Rica with a Mexican twist.

Mexico 194

Mexico Costa Rica Arizona Birds 194

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 24, 2018

We are now headed to Tucson, Arizona, where we will park the 5th wheel for an extended amount of time, possibly as long as March 1st. The Audubon’s Paton’s Hummingbird Center sounds like it is really amazing, and the Sonora-Arizona Desert Museum, and its surround grounds looking to be another great spot, and this is just the beginning!

New Mexico 113

New Mexico Mexico Tucson Costa Rica 113

10,000 Birds

MARCH 5, 2016

I wonder how the birds cope with it but suppose that the dry forest species are more adapted to this fact of dry season life than the birds of the rain on the other side of the country. Olive Sparrow, Rufous-capped Warbler, Banded Wrens, Olivaceous Woodcreeper , and several flycatchers all made it into the list along with several migrants.

Costa Rica 115

Costa Rica Birds Arizona Texas 115

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2013

Corey did just this in this 2011 posting about Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus in New York State. The core of the book are the Species Accounts, 190 accounts by 52 authors, some names that readers will easily recognize, others birders and ornithologists well-known in Pennsylvania. The second page is the map page.

Pennsylvania 231

Pennsylvania Breeding Birds Sparrows 231

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 29, 2013

Where the skilled spotter finds needles in haystacks and picks out rarities from more plentiful species. Having never birded west of Arizona, there were many bird experiences I was looking forward to, but chief among those was the opportunity to get offshore aboard the Grande to see what was hiding beyond that blue horizon.

San Diego 160

San Diego Los Angeles California North America 160

10,000 Birds

JULY 30, 2014

the same few states always come to mind first…Alaska, Arizona, Texas, and Florida. Other specialties include Bobolink , Sandhill Crane , Black Tern , Pinyon Jay , Juniper Titmouse , Bohemian Waxwing (rare) , Northern Shrike , Black-backed Woodpecker and American Tree Sparrow. That’s where everyone goes, and for good reason.

California 200

California San Diego Birds Oakland 200

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2011

In the right season, with a little luck, we often find it, and sometimes it perches high and long enough that we can admire its scimitar of a bill, its stern face pattern, and even the patch of rusty red on the undertail that gives the species its English and its scientific names. I had no idea I should have been embarrassed.

2011 140

2011 Tucson Arizona Deer 140

10,000 Birds

JUNE 14, 2011

I’ve recently returned from a filming trip in Arizona where I have been working on a production for National Geographic on Harris’s (Harris) Hawks. Dirt hawking is a form of falconry that involves hunting rabbits and other small game with Harris Hawks (other hawk species also qualify).

League Against Cruel Sports 270

League Against Cruel Sports Rabbits Falcons Hunting 270

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 2, 2019

172 lists were shared and 1004 species were seen, both records for October, so well done beats! Fox Sparrow – Passerella iliaca. Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark – Eremopterix leucotis. Southern Gray-headed Sparrow – Passer diffusus. Stripe-headed Sparrow – Peucaea ruficauda. has reached 54.

2019 116

2019 China Battery Jamaica 116

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

… Matthew Anderson [of Audubon] said proponents of colonies are putting the interests of one invasive species — cats — over the hundreds of other native ones that are their prey. And she has a North American bird book that has so far taught her how to recognize a sparrow. In Yuma, Arizona, they don’t take no prisoners.

Feral Cats 211

Feral Cats Feral Cats Minneapolis 211

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2019

beats have still managed to share 82 checklists and accounted for 737 species. Orange-billed Sparrow – Arremon aurantiirostris. Song Sparrow – Melospiza melodia. House Sparrow – Passer domesticus. Black-striped Sparrow – Arremonops conirostris. Seaside Sparrow – Ammospiza maritima.

2019 120

2019 Jamaica Eggs Woodpeckers 120

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2019

In publishing the most current thinking, eBird have become the month’s biggest contributor to the life list, expanding it by 7 brand new species and pushing it to 3774. 7 species were added to the life list in the time-honoured fashion of actually identifying the birds in the field. I just live for this stuff! 11 Aug 2019.

2019 117

2019 Arizona Ghana Tucson 117

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 7, 2020

They submitted 124 checklists for 671 species of bird. In particular 272 species were noted from 14 checklists submitted on October 17th, eBird’s October Big Day. 11 Fox Sparrow – Passerella iliaca. 17 Orange-billed Sparrow – Arremon aurantiirostris. 117 Black-chested Sparrow – Peucaea humeralis.

2020 129

2020 Sparrows Woodpeckers Parrots 129

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2015

The warm, sunny climate beckons a wide variety of passerines, raptors, and shorebirds to spend the winter, inflating the species diversity to the extent that Miami-Dade can go toe-to-toe with counties in Texas and Arizona during this season. Song Sparrow is a genuine rarity in Miami-Dade. Clay-colored Sparrow: 1.

Miami 167

Miami 2015 United States Birds 167

10,000 Birds

APRIL 4, 2023

Gulls and sparrows are tough but manageable; Empids may require DNA analysis (as it actually did in the case of the non-vocalizing Western Flycatcher seen in Central Park, NYC in November 2015). That’s 18 species in one book. This is more than a collection of species accounts.

Los Angeles 214

Los Angeles North America America Species 214

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 13, 2018

As of mid-October 2018, the Collaborative had submitted more than 1,700 checklists and observed 618 species in the United States. The heat map is revealing: Unsurprisingly for a site founded and run by two New Yorkers (one of whom literally wrote the book on birding New York), the Empire State boasts the highest number of species (316).

Rhode Island 114

Rhode Island United States West Virginia Puerto Rico 114

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 19, 2012

At the recent Swarovski Social Media Summit in Arizona, Nate proselytized passionately for the program that both manages your sightings and contributes them to science. His exhortations fell on deaf ears, but once he shared all of our Arizona lists with me, I was hooked! But Nate is an eBird fanatic.

Arizona 175

Arizona Belize Adoptable ALA 175

10,000 Birds

MARCH 20, 2019

Occasional spots of dense willows add additional cover for some species, while just a few yards away, you can find open, grassy areas, as well as patches of Ocotillo, and Prickly Pear Cactus. This area boasts a “life” list of species of 224, so I have quite a ways to go, with my paltry 47 species in 6 visits.

Florida 100

Florida Sparrows Mexico Fox 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 10, 2018

We have been feeling a push to get the 5th wheel down to Tucson, Arizona, which will be our home for the winter, and get prepped for another trip out of the US before the end of the year. The numbers are as follows: Little Big Year Species – 892. species – 224. We got to see several Bands of Wild Turkeys around the lake.

Colorado 113

Colorado Texas Trinidad Albuquerque 113

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 26, 2018

We also got an extra stop in Dallas, Texas (Hey wasn’t I just here) but again no birds could be added, unless I count the House Sparrow flying around inside the terminal. By the time we had ended our visit on the island, I had racked up a total of 58 birds species, with 27 of them new birds on the Little Big Year list.

Bahamas 126

Bahamas Costa Rica Abandon Abandoning 126

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 2, 2021

The year list ends on a provisional (some beats will be birding ’til the final whistle to try and salvage a ravaged year) 1803 species from 1602 checklists submitted by 12 beats from 16 countries. Imagine that, 13 lists per year where once there were only 12.

2020 218

2020 Sparrows Woodpeckers Ducks 218

10,000 Birds

MAY 4, 2019

April was a busy time for the beats with 10 of them contributing 164 lists to accumulate 744 species from 7 countries; Costa Rica, USA, Australia, Serbia, UK, Brazil and Barbados. White-throated Sparrow – Zonotrichia albicollis. Song Sparrow – Melospiza melodia. House Sparrow – Passer domesticus.

2019 113

2019 Australia Ghana Woodpeckers 113

10,000 Birds

APRIL 6, 2019

978 species were tallied this month from 163 checklists. Only 123 species appear on both sides of the life list. Arizona Woodpecker – Dryobates arizonae. Bajada Washington Trail, Tucson, Arizona, US (32.278, -111.199). West Treatment Plant Road, Marana, Arizona, US (32.466, -111.279). 01 Jan 2019.

2019 113

2019 Ghana Australia Woodpeckers 113

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2019

The engaged and generous beats ( 10 of them) have shared 188 checklists during January and have accounted for 859 species from 8 countries (USA, Australia, Costa Rica, Brazil, Argentina, UK, New Zealand and Serbia. Arizona Woodpecker – Dryobates arizonae. Rufous-winged Sparrow – Peucaea carpalis. 03 Jan 2019.

2019 113

2019 Australia Jamaica Sparrows 113

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. Mexican Whip-poor-will – Antrostomus arizonae. Arizona Woodpecker – Dryobates arizonae.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Sparrows 113

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2018

8 beats shared 126 checklists accounting for 704 species. Mexican Whip-poor-will – Antrostomus arizonae. Arizona Woodpecker – Dryobates arizonae. Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark – Eremopterix nigriceps. Stripe-headed Sparrow – Peucaea ruficauda. Chipping Sparrow – Spizella passerina.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Sparrows 113

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2018

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. Cassin’s Sparrow – Peucaea cassinii. Sagebrush Sparrow – Artemisiospiza nevadensis. LeConte’s Sparrow – Ammospiza leconteii.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Sparrows 113

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2018

They noted 598 species as a team, bringing the year total to 2118 and pushing the life list to 3555. Sagebrush Sparrow – Artemisiospiza nevadensis. LeConte’s Sparrow – Ammospiza leconteii. Baird’s Sparrow – Centronyx bairdii. Henslow’s Sparrow – Centronyx henslowii.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Los Angeles 113

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 2, 2017

They submitted 144 checklists, noting 628 species adding 72 to the year’s running total bringing it to 1890. Arizona Woodpecker – Picoides arizonae. Rufous-winged Sparrow – Peucaea carpalis. Stripe-headed Sparrow – Peucaea ruficauda. Botteri’s Sparrow – Peucaea botterii.

2017 100

2017 Australia Sanctuary Woodpeckers 100