10,000 Birds

MAY 10, 2017

This is a bird blog, and my beat is New Zealand, so let me talk about a fish I saw in Australia. On Nigaloo Reef in Western Australia, where I took these pictures, there were lots of them. Note the beaked mouth, used for hunting invetebrates. And to finish, one more, probably another species but closely related.

Costa Rica 100

Costa Rica Porcupines Fish New Zealand 100

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 2, 2019

When we returned to Tucson, from the Bahamas, I was approaching a milestone number, 1300 bird species, and drove myself hard, climbing, hiking, searching, and driving all over the state of Arizona looking for those last eight birds. Matt was working on his own US Big Year, and wanted to join me for the hunt. Australia Total: 242.

Costa Rica 128

Costa Rica Tucson South Africa Bahamas 128

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

This is “the deep cradle of Western ornithology: the birthplace of bird study,” he tells us as he writes about gazing at the 8,000-year old depictions of “flamingos, herons, raptors, avocets and many other species” (p. With Birkhead, you never know what’s going to come next.

Dissection 209

Dissection Birds Research Europe 209

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 22, 2022

Colorful bills and heads seem quite popular among Letaba’s bird species – see the African Jacana (blue and black) … … the Striated Heron (yellow and blue) … … and the Yellow-billed Stork (yellow and red). The Latin species name vermiculatus (worm-like) refers to the markings on the upperparts.

Zimbabwe 147

Zimbabwe Birds South Africa Benin 147

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 17, 2012

His passion for wildlife and traveling has led him all over the world, from the Amazon to Australia and even Madagascar. ” James states, “I am so excited for the premiere of Aerial Assassins and to introduce the world to the Harris’s Hawk , a species that has become popular among birders and others over the past two decades.”

South Africa 271

South Africa Madagascar Wolves Lions 271

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

The species ranges widely across the Pacific, as its scientific name suggests, from the Revillagigedo Islands off Mexico to the Japanese Bonin Islands to New South Wales in Australia. But it also occurs in the Indian Ocean, from Aldabra near Madagascar to Western Australia.

Albatross 168

Albatross Madagascar Breeders Mexico 168

10,000 Birds

JUNE 4, 2014

We lose a handful of species, mostly waders flying across the whole Pacific but also a cuckoo flying just half of it. Otherwise they escape to the Pacific islands or Australia for winter sun, or finally they drink beer or wine and dream of summer until summer comes. A few South Island birds spend the winter on North Island.

New Zealand 140

New Zealand Australia Albatross Pigs 140

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 11, 2022

The area is used as a hunting ground for large raptors including the White-bellied Sea-Eagle and Brahminy Kite. In recent years there have been Pied Oystercatchers attempting to breed along the shores of Roebuck Bay. By coincidence the return of the migratory shorebirds is at the same time as the Pied Oystercatchers breed here.

Breeding 147

Breeding Family Hunting Eagles 147

10,000 Birds

MARCH 31, 2011

The Short-eared Owl has an enormous range, occurring on every continent except for Australia and Antarctica. Because of the range and population BirdLife International lists Asio flammeus as a Species of Least Concern.

Owls 145

Owls New York City New York Rodents 145

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 30, 2011

Not that I don’t enjoy seeing new species myself, it’s just that they are an easy target and I am nothing if not lazy and mean spirited. I got my first Emus ( Dromaius novaehollandiae ), family Casuariidae, in West Australia back in 2000. I often poke fun at listers I perceive as being more interested in ticks than birds.

Family 162

Family Wombats Uganda Fiji 162

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 23, 2011

More importantly the airport in Nadi (pronounced Nandi) on the main island of Viti Levu is a major air hub and frequent stop on flights between the United States and Australia or New Zealand. The species replaces the common Wattled Honeyeater that can be found across the rest of Fiji’s islands, as well as the rest of Polynesia.

Fiji 166

Fiji Solomon Islands Parrots Los Angeles 166

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2011

Mostly the ducks were Red-breasted Merganser and Greater Scaup , the two most prevalent species on the pond, but there were a few other birds mixed in as well. 7 Responses to “Duck Migration&# Clare and Grant-Broome Western Australia Mar 14th, 2011 at 7:57 pm Migration is just great! Duck MigrationSandhill Crane Hunt in Kentucky?!Avian

Ducks 168

Ducks 2011 Jamaica New York 168

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

” Writing about owls means writing about roughly 250 species (I counted 245 on the 2022 Clements spreadsheet, but I might have missed a few, and we all know that each classification system is different). These are behaviors that are most likely to vary across species and topics that make for compelling stories.

Owls 200

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 200

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 15, 2021

Surrounded by coral reefs filled with fish, sea turtles of three species plus the common visits of Manta Rays: it is a pretty exciting place for anyone who likes to skin dive. The most common two species here are the Black Noddy – a kind of tern and the Bridled Tern. Each entry will offer new species, new colour and new delights.

Sea Turtles 241

Sea Turtles Birds Marine Life Fish 241

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

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 29, 2023

In my younger days I always kept year lists: my best ever year was 1986, when I topped the 1,000 mark thanks to trips to Australia, Kenya and various European destinations. My British total was a mere 172 species – not bad, but not very good. Every one of my 171 species was a bird that I found myself.

Estonia 216

Estonia Portugal Greece Barn Owls 216

10,000 Birds

JULY 2, 2021

As my opening word suggests; the Sunshine Coast is located in Australia as the attached Google map illustrates. Today, in addition to views of most of the resident species, we also managed views of a regular but uncommon migrant that will be familiar to some, perhaps many, US birders – a Wandering Tattler. One is pictured below.

Australia 246

Australia North America Cooking Fish 246

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 16, 2018

In Australia we often observe Peregrine Falcons and they are the subspecies Falco peregrinus macropus. Usually when we observe Peregrine Falcons they are hunting shorebirds around the Broome coastline and you don’t always get a chance to see all of their characteristics.

Falcons 113

Falcons Australia 2016 Investigation 113

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2022

So the fourth allowed me to get a few images of a few common species – low hanging fruit in the words of some. Little Egrets [below] were hunting close by and there was a sole Intermediate Egret at the other end of the swamp. Not too bad a morning and the first 25 species photographed.

Birds 206

Birds Ducks Hunting Species 206

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 13, 2014

We nature lovers, celebrants of life in all its exquisite multiformity, feel more keenly than most the loss of even the most undifferentiated species. The prehistoric extinctions most famously include the megafaunal assemblages of Europe, the Americas, Australia and Madagascar. Australia’s extinct and threatened bird species.

Marsupials 165

Marsupials Costa Rica Elephants Cuba 165

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 1, 2014

Couas and koels are both cuckoos, saw-wings are swallows and logrunners are an odd unique thing from Australia who’s only relative is the charmingly named Chowchilla). I’d never heard of them until 2005 when I saw some in the Botanical Gardens of Canberra in Australia. What, exactly, is a pardalote? A Spotted Pardalote !

Australia 170

Australia Fiji Hunters Family 170

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 14, 2012

The wonderful family Meropidae contains 27 dazzling species, of which Africa is endowed with no less than 20 species, the balance occurring across Asia and with one as far afield as Australia. We have both resident and migratory species, and this post will briefly discuss each of the 20 species of African bee-eaters.

Africa 262

Africa Gabon South Africa Uganda 262

10,000 Birds

MAY 14, 2018

5 new species in the first hour, with a Olive-backed Sunbird, Helmeted Friarbird , a Varied Triller, White-breasted Cuckoo-shrike and the Australasian Figbird, and we hadn’t even got out of the park yet! At the end of the day, 38 species were found, of which 19 species were new to the year list as well as lifers!

2000 100

2000 Rights Turkey Parrots 100

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2017

Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago covers 1,417 species, 601 endemics, 98 vagrants, 8 introduced and 18 undescribed species. Only one bird species has become extinct (Javan Lapwing), but many others are endangered, with some considered close to extinction (not surprising in an area with species restricted to one or two small islands).

Indonesia 121

Indonesia Brunei Birds Malaysia 121

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 8, 2012

The most common species are two types of honeyeater, the New Holland Honeyeater , a small black white and yellow species, and the larger Little Wattlebird. This noisy species is often heard throughout the park. The other common small species is the Red-browed Firetail , a compact but very attractive finch.

Protection 158

Protection Species Australia Shelters 158

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

Another example of its staggering wealth is the fact that the 22,000 hectare Table Mountain National Park situated within the city of Cape Town has more plant species than the whole of the British Isles or New Zealand! An indication of its floral wealth is that this region covers a mere 0.5%

South Africa 224

South Africa Africa New Zealand Asia 224

10,000 Birds

JUNE 28, 2015

The quarry was being used as a training ground for a family of five Brown Falcons and they were amazing to watch as they used the quarry walls to hunt. The water won’t be there for much longer and all of the water-reliant species will soon have to find another source. An almost dry quarry. White-faced Heron.

Birds 157

Birds Zebras Falcons Hunting 157

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 19, 2020

I always approach the bridge slowly to see what bird species are below and around the area. Foxes were introduced to Australia in 1855 for hunting and have established themselves far and wide. Once I find a few active species I watch and wait. Pacific Black Ducks. Tiger Snake. White-throated Treecreeper.

Fox 152

Fox Feral Ducks Horses 152

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 3, 2014

Royal National Park, south of Sydney in Australia, is one such place. For being in the country less than two hours (being an Aussie citizen really speeds up Australia’s usually slow immigration processes), its a great place to start. Alas this was not to be, and this species remains one of my nemesis birds.

Australia 171

Australia Ducks Parrots New Zealand 171

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 9, 2017

What I knew of Austria was very little: The Sound of Music, mountains and skiing, Vienna, Hitler’s birthplace, Krampus, good beer, and often confused with Australia. Perhaps most exciting was a Northern Goshawk that we spotted hunting along the river a couple of times.

Austria 100

Austria Europe Birds United States 100

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2017

It was hunting season and the men appeared to be mostly targeting the Eurasian Wigeon. There is also a book available regarding the amazing birds that have been recorded on Holy Island and it adds up to 330 species and they are still counting! This almost seems more dangerous than Australia and all of our deadly creatures!

Seals 100

Seals Geese 2017 Ducks 100

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. It also has a call that reminded me of the alarm call of the Saddleback , a Kiwi bird. Not sure how it learnt that one!

Possums 170

Possums Guinea Marsupials Rats 170

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 18, 2012

They are one of the most attractive of Australia’s parrots, and one of the most common, benefiting from the planting of attractive flowering shrubs. Pairs of these a are common sight on open grassy areas in Australia. The Willie Wagtail ( Rhipidura leucophrys ) is actually a terrestrial fantail.

New Zealand 170

New Zealand Ducks Australia Japan 170

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2021

Down here in Australia one can be a birder for a long time without experiencing a proper twitch. This was the first record for my home state of Queensland, indeed a first record for anywhere in Australia away from the north west area of Western Australia. Nordmann’s Greenshank on the Cairns Esplanade [Adrian Walsh].

Australia 264

Australia 2019 Thailand Russia 264

10,000 Birds

MARCH 9, 2011

Like Kapiti the island is an offshore refuge for many species extinct on the mainland, with a lot of the work being done by the voluntary Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi. On my first visit to the island a few years ago I even found one hunting for sandhoppers and other assorted treats in the washed up seaweed on the beach.

New Zealand 147

New Zealand 2011 Deer Cats 147

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 30, 2020

are up next, with a wonderful Australian species: It is very hard to choose a Best Bird of the Year any year. Later in the year we were able to travel around the north of Western Australia. This weird little skulking waterfowl is a species I had hoped to chance upon in various places for quite some time. Clare (and Grant!)

2020 221

2020 Birds Germany Costa Rica 221

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2017

In Australia it is winter in July, but the weather is as perfect as you could hope for in the north of the country with daytime temperatures around 30c/86f and the night-time temperatures being around 20c/68f and rarely a cloud in the sky. Sunsets got later and we enjoyed many a beautiful evening in the bush as you can see in the above photo.

Australia 100

Australia Kangaroos Cattle Reptiles 100