10,000 Birds

JANUARY 1, 2013

Perhaps the biggest big year of 2012 was in Australia. As of 15 December he had seen 744 species and it is unclear if that was his final total or if he added more since. Josh Vandermeulen set the Ontario Big Year record with 344 species, breaking the record of 338, set by Glen Coady in 1996.

2012 163

2012 South Dakota Costa Rica Houston 163

10,000 Birds

JULY 23, 2014

There are the endemics, which are odd in their own way, and then there introduced species, which are so varied in their type and origin that you get the feeling you’ve arrived at the aftermath of a small zoo that escaped. What is surprising is quite how many species did end up here, and how economically unimportant they were.

New Zealand 162

New Zealand Possums Rabbits Ferrets 162

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2012

The third species I saw was an Atherton endemic (of which there are a few knocking about) Macleay’s Honeyeater , a striking spotted honeyeater that was easy to watch on the bird baths near the dining area. I’ve been a fan of this particular peculiar Australian mammal my entire life, and more than any bird I wanted to see it here.

Possums 173

Possums Guinea Marsupials Rats 173

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

This makes it a particularly exciting time in New Zealand as the Rugby World Cup begins in two days, and the competition is being held right here in New Zealand (I would imagine they might be more excited if they hadn’t just lost two matches to Australia and South Africa, their big rivals in the Tri-Nations).

New Zealand 157

New Zealand Penguins Sanctuary Birds 157

4 The Love Of Animals

MARCH 17, 2011

It’s not surprising that animals—especially, but not only, mammals—share many emotions with us because we also share brain structures—located in the limbic system—that are the seat of our emotions. After publishing my stories I got emails from people all over the world who had seen similar behavior in various birds and mammals.

Emotional 100

Emotional Animal Whales Whaling 100