10,000 Birds

JUNE 1, 2021

Audubon guides to birds have been around since 1946. The first guide bearing the National Audubon Society imprint was Audubon Bird Guide; Eastern Land Birds , written by Richard Hooper Pough, and illustrated by Don Eckelberry. Plate 28 from Audubon Bird Guide, Eastern Land Birds, by Richard H. Knopf, 1994/97.

North America 278

North America America Birds California Condor 278

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

There are advantages to being a “Pelican Partner” for International Bird Rescue ! First, you get to tour one of their California centers , you get a special opportunity to see a Pelican getting its final medical exam and numbered leg band, plus you get the honor of releasing one, or in my case, two of their rehabilitated pelicans!

Bird Rescue 190

Bird Rescue Pelicans Rescue Birds 190

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2021

There was a time when I thought each bird species had its own individual song. Then I found out that there was this vocalization called a ‘call,’ so I thought each bird species had its own individual song (but just the males) and individual call. Bird communication is a complex and evolving science.

North America 278

North America Research Birds Groups 278

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2019

During the decade, I submitted 1,219 checklists and observed 555 bird species, all in the U.S. I started eBirding about the same time I started birding, and I made an early executive decision (a very good one) that any pre-eBird observations simply did not count. Birding trips to Florida , New Mexico , and Texas are obvious too.

Puerto Rico 143

Puerto Rico Virgin Islands Michigan Washington 143

10,000 Birds

JULY 30, 2014

I bring this up not to boast (well, not much) but because I think that this approach to wildlife travel is somewhat neglected in birding circles. Read most accounts of how birders see birds outside their patch and one way or another, they’re tourists. Nothing forms bonds like rolling around in bird…uh… waste.

Uganda 160

Uganda Sharks Africa New Zealand 160

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 29, 2014

Many readers of 10,000 Birds are more than the casual birdwatcher…they are hopeless bird junkies. Truly depraved birding addicts. The question for the addict is, how does one keep birding fresh? Tired of birding the same polluted parks? Tired of birding the same polluted parks?

Birds 196

Birds Portland Oregon 2015 196

10,000 Birds

APRIL 3, 2018

Two reactions on hearing that Steve Howell and Brian Sullivan have written a guide entitled Peterson Guide to Bird Identification–in 12 Steps : (1) What? In other words, you don’t even observe the bird closely until Step 7, and that is to observe behavior. Another identification guide?, (2) Howell and Brian L.

Birds 136

Birds North America 2012 America 136

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 20, 2011

When climate changes, causing habitats to move, birds can get up and fly away to a new habitat, so really, they’ll be fine. I’ve been working on climate change lately (not causing it, but reading and writing about it) and birds have come up in a few places. Similar things happen to both fish and birds.

Penguins 193

Penguins Birds Cooking Fish 193

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2015

Black-throated Magpie-jays are common in Nayarit and are also regarded as endemic to Mexico – except for a small disputed population in southern California which most experts regard as originating from escaped captive birds. Our crew enlisted the support of the local huichol community to find the birds.

Mexico 161

Mexico Ecuador Peru Science 161

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 21, 2018

Readers of 10,000 Birds know that diversity is one of the great hallmarks of modern day birds. And, he literally wrote the book(s) on California birds. Grinnell and his students conducted surveys of birds in the Mohave Desert, starting in 1908 and running to 1947 (Grinnell died in 1940). More recently, Kelly J.

2018 101

2018 Science Humane Species 101

10,000 Birds

MAY 24, 2013

The Friends of the Marine Science Center sponsor several pelagic trips every year out of Ponce de Leon Inlet to explore the deep ocean waters around the Gulfstream in search of many of these pelagic species. Birds, like this Great Shearwater , are attracted to the chum slick set out by the ship’s crew.

Sea Turtles 162

Sea Turtles Florida Chile Dolphins 162

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 22, 2013

Hello my birding sons and daughters. Not since the advent of the field guide (thanks Roger) have we seen such rapid change in the world of birding. 1) Rare bird reporting has come a long way. I saw the bird the next day, where it was reported to other birders via text messages, cellular phone calls, and more listserv messages.

San Diego 168

San Diego California Condor California Bald Eagle 168

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 27, 2013

Sagebrush and Bell’s Sparrows are the birds to talk about. The last thing you want to do is ignore certain subspecies just because you’ve seen another one; in other words, skip looking for a Northern Fulmar off Maine just because you’ve seen them off California. Photographed off Hatteras, NC.

San Francisco 172

San Francisco Fox Sparrows California 172

10,000 Birds

MARCH 29, 2017

When I was just a wee’ lad, in my formative birding years, I was introduced to the plight of the Western Snowy Plover. A bird, which thru the years took on a mystical component. There is little doubt about the serious nature of the threat to this bird.

Oregon 102

Oregon Defenders Of Wildlife Endangered Species Mexico 102

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 9, 2013

Follow his adventures at Greg and Birds. I’m not at all sure what his goal is other than seeing lots of birds but Canada is a big country so I bet he succeeds! Greg Cantrell is doing a New Jersey Big Year, hoping for 300 species, and raising funds for the New Jersey Audubon Citizen Science program.

2013 191

2013 New Jersey Los Angeles North Carolina 191

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

The American Birding Association celebrates its fiftieth anniversary this year and one aspect of its celebration was a reprint of the first issue of the publication now known as Birding. Thus, at that time, birding information was scarce and local, distributed, if at all, by individuals or rudimentary networks of birders.

UCLA 125

UCLA North America Los Angeles America 125

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2012

There are probably more identification guides about raptors than there are for any other bird group. This is a second edition that has been rewritten, updated, and re-invented, and it will doubtlessly become the hawk identification bible of our birding era. Yes, I saw the bird and it was incredible.)

North America 215

North America Bald Eagle Birds Eagles 215

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2013

And so, when Salvador Ramirez left, there were feral goats on the island of San Clemente, the southernmost of the Channel Islands off the coast of California. And so, the local subspecies of Bewick’s wren, a bird described in 1908 a “very common on all parts of the island,” was gone by the 1940’s, its habitat converted into goat flesh.

Goats 159

Goats Bald Eagle Fox Feral 159

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 10, 2015

(Photo by the California Forestry Association). The Condor has just published research quantifying significant population declines in Washington, Oregon, and northern California. It’s hard to be a Northern Spotted Owl , inhabiting old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest.

Owls 100

Owls Oregon Washington California 100

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2012

I spent the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in the usual post-hurricane activities—looking for storm birds, making sure my loved ones were o.k., trying to grasp the enormity of what had just happened, and reading this book, The Feathery Tribe: Robert Ridgway and the Modern Study of Birds by Daniel Lewis. And, draw birds.

Collecting 145

Collecting Illinois United States Science 145

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2015

So, Scott Weidensaul comes to this Reference Guide with three important qualifications–expertise, the ability to explain complex scientific ideas in friendly, accessible language, and a passion for birds and research. Start making those Bird Books Wanted lists. December is approaching fast. by Scott Weidensaul.

North America 214

North America Owls America Dominican Republic 214

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2020

They looked out their windows and across their patios and up from their apartment terraces and saw–birds. This is a delightful book, large (8-1/2 by 11 inches), filled with Sibley’s distinctive artwork and an organized potpourri of research-based stories about the science behind bird’s lives.

2020 262

2020 Birds Groups North America 262

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 6, 2024

Empire Penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) are the largest living penguin species, almost four feet tall (taller when they stretch), and the least likely to be seen on birding or nature trips. They are excellent science writers, patiently explaining the physiological processes involved in deep diving in penguins, seals, and human.

Penguins 151

Penguins Seals Leopards Research 151

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 4, 2020

I Love Birds!: 52 Ways to Wonder, Wander, and Explore Birds with Kids. Her children’s books–which include the charming Mama Build a Little Nest , other picture books, and chapter books–evince an easy familiarity with birds, their science and birding ethics. How many birds do you see?

Los Angeles 262

Los Angeles 2019 Birds 2014 262

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 22, 2013

And now we enter into a family of birds more or less unknown to non-birders. To know a grebe is to take your bird awareness to another level. To cast your eyes to the cattails on the edges of the pond or the raft of birds at the lake’s center and to know what you are likely to find. Not enough for you?

Jordan 187

Jordan Guatemala Birds South America 187

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 29, 2011

The first obstacle was getting to the general range of the species, which is the west coast from northern California to Alaska and across to Russia.* But then came the biggest obstacle of all… …would Daisy agree to a boat ride that had a bird as its goal? What were these obstacles and did I surmount them?

Washington 168

Washington Protection Puffins Rhinoceros 168

10,000 Birds

APRIL 4, 2023

The second thing to note is that this is an excellent and courageous book that tackles a group of birds whose field identification has stumped the most skilled birders. ” This builds and expands on a classic series of articles by Bret Whitney and Kenn Kaufman that appeared Birding magazine between 1985 and 1987.* known-identity).”**

Los Angeles 201

Los Angeles North America America Species 201

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2015

There are many charismatic endangered birds that capture people’s hearts and imaginations: the colossal California Condor , the evocative Red-crowned Crane , and the adorable Spoon-billed Sandpiper come to mind. This is a short series that brings attention to these incredible birds, and my various adventures to try and see them.

Ecuador 190

Ecuador California Condor Blackbirds Parrots 190

Animal Ethics

NOVEMBER 24, 2009

I hope that Mr. Steiner’s essay will result in people at least stopping for a moment, before carving the birds on their tables, and giving these ideas some serious critical thought. 22, 2009 The writer is professor emeritus at the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at California State University, Long Beach. Lawrence S.

New York Times 40

New York Times New York Vegan Vegetarian 40

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2012

Life is hard for baby birds, as the world is filled with reasons why they might not make it too adulthood. Starvation and predators make it hard to grow up, and birds have evolved a lot of strategies to give (at least some of) their chicks the best chance in life. Seabirds are one group of birds that go for the latter strategy.

Eggs 163

Eggs Puffins Breeding Raised 163

10,000 Birds

JUNE 22, 2011

There is a very distinctive smell found on seabird colonies, where thousands upon thousands of birds come to breed and, coincidentally, deposit large quantities of waste. Arriving at the colony the head lights go off and we move into position below the birds (trying not to fall over the cliffs and into the sea) coordinating everyone by radio.

Breeding 178

Breeding Stray Seals Whales 178

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 7, 2019

California Quail – Callipepla californica. Mark Hatfield Marine Science Center and Estuary Trail. Mark Hatfield Marine Science Center and Estuary Trail. Mark Hatfield Marine Science Center and Estuary Trail. California Gull – Larus californicus. California Gull – Larus californicus.

2019 137

2019 Farming Sparrows Charlotte 137

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2018

February birding can be tough. Mark Hatfield Marine Science Center and Estuary Trail. Mark Hatfield Marine Science Center and Estuary Trail. California Quail – Callipepla californica. Mark Hatfield Marine Science Center and Estuary Trail. Mark Hatfield Marine Science Center and Estuary Trail.

2018 100

2018 Australia Los Angeles Albatross 100

10,000 Birds

MAY 6, 2018

In fashion news this week… (since 10,000 Birds does not have, and is unlikely ever to have, a dedicated fashion section please feel free to use the comments section of this post) … according to the Sunday Times of London, next season’s must have colour is… dramatic pause… Khaki! 07 Jan 2018. 06 Jan 2018.

2018 100

2018 Australia Los Angeles Albatross 100

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 25, 2019

This year, on the 21st of December, 2019, Michoacán had its second Christmas Bird Count. Back when I rediscovered birding, about seven years ago, there didn’t seem to be anyone doing serious birding in my corner of Mexico. And… we have an annual Christmas Bird Count! But here we are in 2019. Not a Snowy Egret.

2019 142

2019 Birds Blackbirds Sparrows 142

10,000 Birds

JUNE 2, 2018

May by numbers looked like this; 11 beats shared 194 lists and ticked 943 birds between us. Mark Hatfield Marine Science Center and Estuary Trail. Mark Hatfield Marine Science Center and Estuary Trail. California Quail – Callipepla californica. Mark Hatfield Marine Science Center and Estuary Trail.

2018 100

2018 Australia Los Angeles Albatross 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2018

It’s September and time for birds to start their southerly journeys. Please remember to give migrating birds the space that they need. Jason hoisted his colours in Kansas and claimed the state for 10,000 Birds. In an unusual turnaround during September, more birds were seen in USA than in Costa Rica. 23 May 2018.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Los Angeles 113