10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2021

Migratory Lark Sparrows were everywhere. Our first stop, at the reservoir surrounded by temperate thorn fores, a lone Least Grebe was present, as was a Belted Kingfisher whose presence I had predicted. A large flock of Violet-green Swallows eventually turned up, descending in waves to strike the waters of the reservoir. (I

Laws 210

Laws Mexico Bears Turkey 210

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 27, 2021

This is common with life-threatening situations and expected; any ancient ancestors who would have not paid heed to close calls would have likely been quickly and savagely selected from the gene pool (just trying to pet the Short-faced Bear again…). These smart looking birds are tropical sparrows.

Costa Rica 230

Costa Rica Birds Farming Litter 230

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 28, 2018

Now, bear in mind, I just left Costa Rica, where seeing a trogon is really nice, but not all that uncommon, so I don’t believe I was as awed as the occasion called for. I was hoping to see the Rufous-crowned Sparrow , and the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher. There was also a couple of these awesome Bridled Titmouse’s.

Tucson 161

Tucson Arizona Costa Rica Birds 161

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 2, 2019

Fox Sparrow – Passerella iliaca. Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark – Eremopterix leucotis. Southern Gray-headed Sparrow – Passer diffusus. Stripe-headed Sparrow – Peucaea ruficauda. Olive Sparrow – Arremonops rufivirgatus. Rufous-collared Sparrow – Zonotrichia capensis.

2019 118

2019 China Battery Jamaica 118

10,000 Birds

JUNE 10, 2020

Also, my all-too-abundant House Sparrows have learned to pull thin, flexible strips off of my bananas’ leaves, which they use to weave their nests. Unfortunately, they are all House Sparrows. And it bears for more than half the year! Hummingbirds, and, especially, Orioles love to get nectar from banana flowers!

Birds 157

Birds Woodpeckers Madagascar Nashville 157

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 4, 2014

Our campsite was gorgeous North Lake State Park in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York, where the air is crisp, the forests are largely intact, and the bears force you to be careful about leaving food out when you go to sleep. That’s right, I, along with my family and some really good friends, was camping.

New York 175

New York Cooking Chipmunks Owls 175

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 12, 2016

Not only did I see that little, straw-colored sparrow that had migrated from the remote wetlands of Ontario, I shared the unique experience with people who would rather explore the real world than say mean things on social media.

Birds 157

Birds Costa Rica Chickens Goats 157

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 1, 2015

whose occupants have already left for Africa, but a clump of elaborate closed nests of Spanish Sparrows hang underneath it. Checking the birds on the stork’s nest, I found both House and Spanish Sparrows. Finally, a large White Stork’s nest (at 850 m a.s.l!) At the end of the causeway and up Mt. Maps and guides.

Greece 252

Greece Pelicans Geese Breeding 252

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 25, 2018

I haven’t seen any bear markings here, okay, the truth is I wasn’t really looking for scratches, but the national Brown Bear range map says that we are passing through permanently occupied part of the range. But once it lands, it melts into shadows, becoming a broken tree branch and a bird no more.

Serbia 120

Serbia Woodpeckers Birds Bears 120

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2015

I still know my audience - this is primarily a blog read by birders in North America, who see the term “squirrel” as little more than a synonym for house sparrow, starling, pest and cholera. But bear with me for a second: this post presents a different context for a different squirrel.

Squirrels 162

Squirrels North America Germany Europe 162

10,000 Birds

JUNE 3, 2015

Having never birded Cape Henlopen State Park before I was kind of unsure as to the best place to go, so after entering the park on Sunday morning I pulled over to get my bearings and to figure out what route through the park I should take. Seaside Sparrows were incredibly abundant in the saltmarsh west of Gordon Pond. It was great!

Delaware 177

Delaware New York Birds North Carolina 177

10,000 Birds

APRIL 4, 2017

The Zapata Swamp, Ciénaga de Zapata , is of course known for the three birds that bear it’s name: the Zapata Rail, the Zapata Wren, and the Zapata Sparrow. We also got nice views of the Zapata Sparrow, one of three subspecies in Cuba, but I am going to leave that for another time.

Cuba 170

Cuba Birds 2015 Bahamas 170

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2019

Escaped partridges, quail, and pheasants are never as abundant or harmful as the much-maligned big three invasives – Rock Pigeons , European Starlings , and House Sparrows. And because of the resemblance they bear to their New World cousins in the family Phasianidae , they even look the part of an “authentic” wild bird in North America.

North America 113

North America Vermont America Farming 113

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 28, 2014

They do bear some resemblance to Sage Thrashers , but have a much heavier, more sickle-shaped bill. Gray Thrashers are not as conspicuous as the hummingbirds, but should not be difficult to find in the right places. The thrashers are very fond of native desert scrub and thorn forest and are not afraid to perch out in the open.

California 227

California San Jose Birds Mexico 227

10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2016

Am I willing to give up the field guide which bears the mud and dirt of so many falls on so many birding trips? It gets very confusing when I’m trying to look at subspecies descriptions in multiple field guides (“Slate-Colored Fox Sparrow” in Sibley West, for example, is “Western Slate-colored Group” in Stokes West).

North America 167

North America 2003 Birds America 167

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 2, 2014

Probably much more of a serious threat than the bear scat we occasionally spied or the threat of poodle-bush rash. A Spotted-Towhee and a Thick-billed Fox Sparrow lurked in the bushes (another Catherine spot). Still, the fact that California is currently experiencing a serious drought was cause for concern.

Los Angeles 172

Los Angeles Woodpeckers California Birds 172

10,000 Birds

MAY 6, 2011

You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.

United States 191

United States Bald Eagle Eagles Seals 191

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2014

Beside birds, in this park you stand a chance of spotting the Eurasian Lynx , Brown Bear and Gray Wolf ! Well, do you really? On your way back, you may try to explore the Lower Gorge and Mt. GPS coordinates of the Forgotten Road. The Dobra turn off from the main road: 44°37’45.92″N, 21°57’34.96″E.

Serbia 193

Serbia Turtles Birds Eagles 193

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2012

The numbers we have wintering in Britain are certainly bearing that out. Now had I been trying to show them a warbler or a sparrow or something rarer (but smaller) I’m pretty sure that I wouldn’t have had the same enthusiasm. Every bit of rough grassland seems to have one or two in temporary residence.

Barn Owls 184

Barn Owls Finland Owls Portugal 184

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 23, 2011

As you read this, I am riding my trusty Grizzly Bear through the backcountry of Yellowstone National Park, helping my colleague Seagull Steve find some new birds. Birding by bear is by far the best way to view the park, although it seems to terrify the hoofed animals. Good day to you, my fine fellow birders. 9) Watch your language!

Grizzly Bear 169

Grizzly Bear North Dakota Downers Bears 169

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 23, 2016

Coming from Niagara Falls, New York, it also means freezing, bitter cold, watching for imaginary Polar Bears while pretending to walk through an Arctic landscape, and looking for owls. White-eared Ground-Sparrow – Melozone leucotis; Home, 12-Jan. Olive Sparrow – Arremonops rufivirgatus; El Rodeo, 9-Jan.

Costa Rica 101

Costa Rica 2016 San Antonio Sparrows 101

10,000 Birds

JUNE 7, 2019

To birders, the search for raptors perched at the very tops of telephone poles, or for neatly arranged rows of sparrows or buntings sitting on the low-slung lines draped between them is one of the chief joys of any drive through the country. There is an undeniable appeal to the sight of a bird sitting on a wire.

United States 118

United States Game North America New York City 118

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2011

Even the ones that bear the same plumage as their progenitors, however, can usually be distinguished by their larger bulk. Like manky mallards, ganky geese display remarkable variety due to both the methodical manipulations of breeders and the variable volatility of the more natural kind of breeding.

Geese 145

Geese 2011 Deer New York 145

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2013

My Red-bellied Woodpecker takes over the Classic feeder daily during the winter several times a day, except for the day a Chipping Sparrow just refused to leave. When placed correctly, these feeders are squirrel-free, though, as the Squirrel Buster brochure makes clear, they can still be attacked by raccoons and bears.

Squirrels 182

Squirrels Birds Factory Raccoons 182

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 3, 2018

Crows, Ravens, Clark’s Nutcrackers, White-crowned Sparrows and assorted waterfowl were all still present, but that was about it. This can cause up to 20 minute waits, which I put to good use, tracking down this nice shot of a White-crowned Sparrow. You know, the Bison, Elk, Bears and Wolves.

Wyoming 106

Wyoming Wolves Grizzly Bear Mountain Goats 106

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2011

Or These Blasts From The Past Reason To Become A Bird Watcher #13: Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My! • Explore These Related Posts First Phoebe of 2011 Duck Migration Review of Gulf Crossing Cold Front Connecticut in Carolina (or how migrants surprise us).Or Join Mike in Jamaica!

2011 154

2011 Deer Fish New York 154

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 22, 2021

Four moments (and species) stand out in my own personal birding renaissance: I put an improvised birdbath in my yard to see if I can get the House Sparrows to stop munching on my lettuce plants, and a stunning Black-vented Oriole arrives to bathe. When it became too much to bear, I stayed away from Pino Real for 18 months.

Kansas 201

Kansas Wounded ALA Squirrels 201

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 15, 2018

We had persevered through four years at the top of Battery Harris Platform and could bring our experience to bear on the task of trying to record as many species as possible on a single day from that single spot. We were running low on birds we thought possible with House Sparrow and Downy Woodpecker being two of the easiest left.

2018 205

2018 Bald Eagle Battery Birds 205

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2011

The crowd of macaws is soon joined by parrots arriving as if on cue and bearing their colorfully named body parts: Yellow-crowned , Blue-headed , White-bellied , Orange-cheeked , and Mealy – followed by two species of parakeets – Dusky-headed and White-eyed.

Peru 255

Peru Parrots 2011 South America 255

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2023

before discovering that russet means “reddish-brown in color” Takes some of the mystery out of the Russet Sparrow , I am afraid. Finally, some more reading material as a reward to those who have gotten this far: “The Bear Who Let It Alone” by James Thurber.

China 178

China Birds Eggs Woodpeckers 178

10,000 Birds

JUNE 19, 2015

Cinereous Tit, Cinereous Bunting, and Cinereous Vulture all bear this standard, but perhaps the most popular cinereous bird on the internet is the Cinereous Mourner , with its clever and adorable chicks. Plus a lot of other sparrows and thrushes are also shades of brown that could be described as clay-colored, depending on the clay.

Blackbirds 162

Blackbirds Owls Sparrows Ducks 162

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 13, 2018

Some states have no species at all, not even a pigeon, crow, or sparrow: Hawaii , Utah , Nebraska , Oklahoma , Minnesota , Iowa , Wisconsin , Kentucky , West Virginia , Mississippi , Alabama , Connecticut , and Rhode Island. Even the nation’s capital has been ignored.

Rhode Island 114

Rhode Island United States West Virginia Puerto Rico 114

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

It bears mentioning that the name of the series doesn’t refer to the physical dimensions of the featured species, but the size of the tiny black-and-white illustrations of each bird.

Ducks 104

Ducks Houston Boston Fowl 104

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 6, 2017

There are also entries for “ albatross ,” “ dove ,” “ eagle ,” “ egret ,” “ flycatcher ,” “ gull ,” “ grebe ,” “ hummingbird ,” “ loon ,” “ murrelet ,” “ shearwater ,” “ sparrow ,” “ swallow ,” “ tern ,” “ thrush ,” “ woodpecker ,” “ wren ,” and so forth. Many individual species get an entry too, though they are generally not capitalized.

Albatross 105

Albatross Bears Ducks Bald Eagle 105

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2011

Might I assume that women typically bear fewer children, or fewer survive? Laurent Fournier Mar 17th, 2011 at 11:49 am Would the white throated sparrow qualify for this? Laurent, I cannot find anything on White-throated Sparrows being polygynandrous. In this case, they would be exhibiting polyandry. yes you, Dawn, coy.

2011 217

2011 Breeders Breeding Deer 217

10,000 Birds

MAY 16, 2018

Shakespeare was, supposedly , the reason starlings, house sparrows, and other non-native birds were introduced to North America. Ten thousand years ago, Thomas notes, house sparrows were unknown in Britain. By the time of Queen Elizabeth I, they were considered vermin, a bounty placed on their small heads. Anticosti, in the Gulf of St.

Humane 104

Humane Species North America Sparrows 104

10,000 Birds

MAY 4, 2019

White-throated Sparrow – Zonotrichia albicollis. Song Sparrow – Melospiza melodia. House Sparrow – Passer domesticus. Golden-crowned Sparrow – Zonotrichia atricapilla. Fox Sparrow – Passerella iliaca. Swamp Sparrow – Melospiza georgiana. Fort Tilden. 01 Jan 2019.

2019 113

2019 Australia Ghana Woodpeckers 113