10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2022

So, the next blog post on Shanghai birds may turn out to be a lot more interesting, though of course with regard to bird migration, May is more interesting than June … As I am unlikely to see a live gannet any time soon, I might as well point you to the song “Nigel the gannet” by The Burning Hell now.

Birds 147

Birds Sparrows China Abandon 147

10,000 Birds

MAY 12, 2022

One of those ornithologists is Jonathan Vargas, with whom I went birding on the first Monday of this month of May. Snowy Plovers also breed half an hour north of my home, so we have those in common. Jonathan also works as a birding guide up in Baja California, if anyone is interested.). That’s me on the right.

San Diego 242

San Diego Turtles Mexico Sparrows 242

10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2022

It stops those thousands of migrating birds flying across the Gulf of Mexico and directs them right onto the trees, fields, sanctuaries, beaches along the Bolivar Peninsula, where they hopefully find food and fresh water. And us, the birders who travel here from March to May to worship the birds as they seek to survive.

Houston 201

Houston Texas Sanctuary Sparrows 201

10,000 Birds

MAY 20, 2020

That still leaves 11 Warblers that breed in Michoacán. Like the Common Yellowthroat , the Yellow Warbler breeds no further south than the central Mexican highlands. I must admit that I had the idea the Grace’s Warbler , common in our pine forests, were also at the southern edge of their breeding range here.

Mexico 328

Mexico Honduras South America America 328

10,000 Birds

JULY 8, 2020

One of the ways I could describe the unique mix of birds I can see here in southwestern Mexico, would be to divide our species into five categories. These are birds that are more related with the far north, but that somehow have resident populations here in Michoacán, farther south than Puerto Vallarta or Cancun.

Mexico 185

Mexico Birds Honduras United States 185

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2018

If you like birds on posts, if seeing “little brown jobs” posing nicely in the distance as you drive or walk along a dirt road only to have it fly away as you approach makes you deliriously happy, then North Dakota is the place for you. I wanted to see prairie birds and I wanted to experience a new state. Scott Barnes, N.J.

North Dakota 134

North Dakota Birds Sparrows Blackbirds 134

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 22, 2019

Today`s post is a continuation of last week`s – an introduction to Shanghai`s 20 most commonly seen birds. Start with Eurasian Tree Sparrow , an unlikely high-ranked target for anybody watching birds in Shanghai. The Little Grebe is the default bird on Shanghai`s many ponds.

Latvia 121

Latvia Birds Sparrows Abandon 121

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 26, 2020

It was when I searched for migrant birds on gorgeous days of September, usually near the Niagara Gorge, sometimes while fishing for salmon in the powerful green waters. It was also when October came with cool weather and bunches of White-throated Sparrows, shy Hermit Thrushes. Eastern Kingbirds Form Flocks.

Costa Rica 312

Costa Rica West Virginia New York South America 312

10,000 Birds

JUNE 24, 2018

Ready for some contrarian birding commentary? The end of June may be superior in many ways to other times of year, or at least that’s what millions of schoolkids are thinking right about now. But no week is so good that we at 10,000 Birds can’t improve it. What was your best bird of the weekend? How about you?

2018 100

2018 Sparrows Birds Breeding 100

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 6, 2022

At the end of 2022, let us celebrate the local field guide, a sub-genre that many of us feared would die, the victim of technology, development, and globalization, but which still shines bright, fewer in number but brilliant in quality, thanks to birders and birding organizations that believe in knowing your patch and your state.

Los Angeles 186

Los Angeles Birds District of Columbia Parrots 186

10,000 Birds

JUNE 14, 2018

Most birders, attuned as they are to the rhythms of the natural world, probably noticed when migration ended and bird breeding began in their areas. I’m still recovering from last week’s veritable banquet of birding in Honduras, which I’ll be writing about soon. Lucky, right? How about you?

Honduras 100

Honduras 2018 Mexico Birds 100

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 6, 2024

And if you like birding, it’s a good place to spend time before or after meetings and explore. Late autumn 2022, I decided flying in a day early to do some weekend birding. It was David’s first time birding. Now it was a bit lighter, diurnal birds became vocal. A weekday would be better for timid birds.

Parrots 152

Parrots Woodpeckers Industry Fast Food 152

10,000 Birds

JUNE 11, 2017

June may be the gateway to summer in the Northern Hemisphere, but the birding still delivers the thrills of spring migration when you have access to the right birds’ breeding grounds. I visited Letchworth State Park this weekend, renowned for a ridiculous density of breeding wood warblers. How about you?

2017 101

2017 Louisiana Birds Breeding 101

10,000 Birds

APRIL 22, 2021

“Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago: Greater Sundas and Wallacea” by James A. kg could be, do keep in mind that this guide covers 4,400 km / 2,750 mi of the Earth’s circumference, or 11% of the length of the Equator, and describes 13% of global bird diversity. Eaton, Bas van Balen, Nick W. Brickle and Frank E. Rheindt is a big book.

Indonesia 263

Indonesia Timor Brunei Guinea 263

10,000 Birds

JUNE 12, 2014

Yes there are birding sites and there are birds – but hardly much info about them (beside Fat Birder ). Local birding sites are well known – among local birders. Nevertheless, describing where to bird is easy. And so, which dozen or so birds to choose as the Belgrade specialties? Black Stork – spring/summer.

Serbia 171

Serbia Eagles Birds Sparrows 171

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2011

home about advertise archives birds conservation contact galleries links reviews subscribe Browse: Home / Birds / Ring-billed Gulls in Breeding Plumage Ring-billed Gulls in Breeding Plumage By Corey • March 8, 2011 • 3 comments Tweet Share It should come as no surprise to readers of 10,000 Birds that I do not love gulls.

Breeding 145

Breeding 2011 Deer New York 145

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 29, 2014

I spent both mornings this weekend visiting local birding spots in Queens from the coast to the forested parks. I love birding in the fall because of the sheer number of birds that come through after breeding season and because with molting birds and juvenile birds things can sometimes get a bit challenging.

Birds 214

Birds Fish Sparrows Breeding 214

10,000 Birds

APRIL 7, 2021

This has added an extra layer of satisfaction to what is turning out to be a spectacular winter and spring of backyard birding. And, since I never just bird while at home, more species probably arrive there on any given day. Lincoln’s Sparrows are new this year, but every day at least five have been visiting my garden. (I

Nashville 156

Nashville Sparrows Virginia Rights 156

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 25, 2015

The Durango Highway is arguably one of North America’s great birding roads due to the great variety of habitats, the spectacular mountain scenery of the Sierra Madre Occidental, and the numerous Mexican endemics one can target. There are many dusty side roads in this area, many of which offer productive birding.

Mexico 186

Mexico Costa Rica Arizona Birds 186

10,000 Birds

APRIL 3, 2012

Last week a mystery bird from New Jersey rightly caused a fair bit of confusion among birders of the Garden State and beyond. The bird was a sparrow, that much was clear, but it didn’t seem to fit any of the easily boxes the other North American sparrows can be fairly easily sorted into. New Jersey mystery sparrow.

New Jersey 214

New Jersey North Carolina Sparrows Connecticut 214

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 4, 2014

That’s right, I, along with my family and some really good friends, was camping. And one that I have written about before when I was pleased to find Blackburnian Warblers like the one above breeding.). It was big, private, right next to the lake, and well-maintained.

New York 174

New York Cooking Chipmunks Owls 174

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 152

North America 2003 Birds America 152

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 14, 2014

In September, I had the fantastic opportunity to travel to an increasingly popular destination for birding: Honduras. Chris Lotz, the owner of the international bird tour company Birding Ecotours , invited me to join him on a familiarization trip that included several highland sites as well as Pico Bonito Lodge.

Honduras 207

Honduras Costa Rica El Salvador Arizona 207

10,000 Birds

APRIL 29, 2014

All we do is complain about the lack of migrating birds so far and in New York City if southeast winds are blowing we are nearly despondent because southeast winds mean that the birds are moving north but the easterly component of the winds keep usually keep the bulk of birds to our west.

New York 215

New York United States New York City Breeding 215

10,000 Birds

MARCH 20, 2012

For far too long there has been a bird that North American birders have mocked, derided, persecuted, hated, and, perhaps worse of all, ignored. It is a common bird, seen in cities, suburbs, and agricultural lands. It is accused of driving native species out and it has the protection of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act withheld from it.

Sparrows 168

Sparrows Campaign 2010 America 168

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2020

One of these days, Jeopardy will feature a category called “Field Guides” and the first clue will be: “This landlocked South American country finally got its own bird field guide in 2016, but it wasn’t available in the United State until 2019.” Bolivia doesn’t come up much in discussions of birding travel.

Bolivia 168

Bolivia Birds Brazil Switzerland 168

10,000 Birds

APRIL 18, 2011

Of course, that is just my perspective and I have been known to think that birds that don’t show up until May are late if they aren’t here by mid-April. That means that as of right now the yardstick I am holding does not exist because there are no yard sticks that are zero long. That will be much better, right?

New York City 162

New York City New York Walruses Birds 162

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 1, 2015

The other day I was exploring a new area for the first time, birding the national park that I’ve watched only in BBC documentaries, the place famous for the largest Dalmatian Pelican colony in the world – more than 1300 pairs! Checking the birds on the stork’s nest, I found both House and Spanish Sparrows. Have you heard of it?

Greece 252

Greece Pelicans Geese Breeding 252

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 31, 2017

Bank Swallow) holes, among 60+ other bird species. However easy they might be, I was there so early and the sun was so low that their white undersides were bright-WHITE and I had to observe several birds in a row just to be sure. In the Bird Identification guide, it is deservedly described as an introvert.

Serbia 114

Serbia Breeding Woodpeckers Feral 114

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 ! The national park ranges some 100 km in length along the right bank of the Danube (the left bank is in Romania), where the river varies in width from 5 km / 3 mi to only 150 m / 500 ft and the mountains rise up to 800 m / 2600 ft a.s.l.

Serbia 182

Serbia Turtles Birds Eagles 182

10,000 Birds

MAY 15, 2014

Our bird guide, Georgos Spiridakis, is driving slowly along this dirt track, checking the mud all the time. The bird is not showing again, so we use the elimination system: the first and the last are way too different, and dealing with the other two, we ID it as a Lesser Spotted Eagle.

Greece 161

Greece Pelicans Breeding Buffalo 161

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 4, 2014

And Flamingos and Hornbills and a Secretarybird and birds with names like Hamerkop and Thick-knee and Eremomela (which I know is a scientific term, but which, when pronounced correctly, reminds me of a Yiddish term of endearment my grandmother used). And so, I went on the American Birding Association Safari to South Africa.

South Africa 251

South Africa Africa Leopards Penguins 251

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 23, 2012

Southern Florida offers many unique wintering birds, but perhaps none more so then the sparrows that call different parts of Florida their winter homes. Tom Dunkerton tipped me off to an area on the Black Merritt National Wildlife Refuge where some of my target birds can be seen. There are always good birds to be found.

Florida 166

Florida South Dakota Sparrows Wildlife 166

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 19, 2011

We here at 10,000 Birds thought this would be a perfect time to look back and figure out what each of us considered our Best Bird of the Year, just like we did last year. Not only did we not expect to see this seabird this far inland, it was a life bird for me! We would like you to join in!

2011 176

2011 Birds South Korea North Dakota 176

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2011

All the local avian characters have been extra-antsy despite the weather, all contending for best bird of the weekend. What was your best bird of the weekend? Tell us in the comments section about the rarest, loveliest, or most fascinating bird you observed. Where Are You Birding This First Weekend of March 2011?

2011 153

2011 New York Deer Birds 153

10,000 Birds

MAY 10, 2013

Chasing requires luck, persistence, and attention, but it does involve one advantage over regular birding – you know, not just what to expect, but more or less exactly what you are looking for. When I went back with my camera I could not find the bird again. Birding goldfinch vagrants' And I saw a Lesser Goldfinch.

California 156

California Sparrows Fish Wildlife 156

10,000 Birds

APRIL 9, 2012

female Pine Warbler at Bayonne Park, Bayonne, NJ – almost as bland as wood-warblers get With a large and increasing population spread over a wide area – it breeds across eastern Canada, the eastern United States, and into the Caribbean – BirdLife International considers the Pine Warbler a Species of Least Concern.

New Jersey 178

New Jersey New York United States Louisiana 178