10,000 Birds

JANUARY 8, 2020

And while all three of our common Egrets ( Great , Snowy , and Cattle ) are to be seen everywhere you look, only the American White Pelicans are as common as the Shovelers and Pintails. Now, January 1st birding is not about finding rareties; it’s about racking up the numbers. Northern Shovelers , when I scare them.

Mexico 140

Mexico South America Ducks Groups 140

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 15, 2015

“The estuary and the delta of the River Kalamas form the most important wetland of northwest Greece”, so the “ Birding in Greece ” guidebook claims for the area where I am heading, a bit late since I overslept this morning. Yet, beside a few Little and one Great Egret , a raft of Eurasian Coots , no birds. It is getting a bit hot.

Greece 228

Greece Dogs Pelicans Fish 228

10,000 Birds

APRIL 7, 2015

I only had a few days in California while visiting my brother at Berkeley, but we couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to visit one of the most famous birding sites in the country: Point Reyes National Seashore. Add those life mammals to the life birds I already expected to see, and I was practically vibrating with excitement.

Seals 181

Seals Elephants Whales Whaling 181

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 28, 2013

Unlike other birds that drink one sip at the time and raise their heads to swallow, pigeons and sandgrouses drink like asses, lowering their beaks into the water and taking as much as they like. Rao Travel, and the post-conference bird tour by Arpit Deomurari. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis. Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus.

India 218

India Birds Eagles Boars 218

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 203

Houston Texas Sanctuary Sparrows 203

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 14, 2013

Grey Hypocolius is a Holy Grail of Middle Eastern birding. Part of its attraction lies in it being a monotypic bird in the family Hypocoliidae – there are no other bird species in its genus and family. No, birds are way too smart for that stupid trick. But I have never seen any bird with anything like it!

India 213

India Iran Pakistan Afghanistan 213

10,000 Birds

JULY 3, 2021

Insects were held back by weird spring weather, but now the warmth returns and the birds are feasting on the late stirring bugs. June saw 8 beats get their birding boots on and share 90 checklists for your pleasure. Flaming June is busting out all over. Between them, they found 389 species in 5 countries.

Woodpeckers 239

Woodpeckers Sparrows Ducks Niger 239

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 20, 2018

The pressure is on if you can only get certain species during the first month of the year but if you just want to add any old birds to the year list, everything is fresh! Since I’m in no big hurry to reach any number of species in 2018, my year birding is going to be a fresh one hopefully touched with a good dose of Zen.

Costa Rica 150

Costa Rica Birds Parrots Woodpeckers 150

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 7, 2021

It’s a wonder that any of the beats managed to get out and wave their binoculars at birds this July. Heatwaves, floods, lockdown, football and Olympics. Yet, 79 checklists were submitted by 8 beats, accounting for 366 species in 5 countries. Yet, 79 checklists were submitted by 8 beats, accounting for 366 species in 5 countries.

Sparrows 236

Sparrows Woodpeckers Ducks Blackbirds 236

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 4, 2021

…we bird, bird, bird, bird, bird, bird, bird in the marsh the whole day thru. My birding list for November totals 15 species. 147 American White Pelican – Pelecanus erythrorhynchos. 156 Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis. 156 Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis.

Sparrows 197

Sparrows Woodpeckers Parrots Costa Rica 197

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 31, 2018

Let the full time birding begin. While we have a bit of a deadline to get to Seattle, approximately 3000 miles north of here, we plan on making each driving day a short one, with a stop in some of the Baja’s best birding hotspots. let’s go find some birds! Now that work problem is out of the way….let’s

Ducks 115

Ducks Blackbirds Sparrows California 115

10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2019

Common Nightingales were singing, a squadron of Dalmatian Pelicans was in the air and everything was exactly where it should be, including myself. At mid-day, we took a boat tour of the heronries and the pelican islands with Nikos. Dalmatian Pelican © Dusanka Stokovic-Simic. In that count, my wife and I passed for locals.

Greece 190

Greece Pelicans Buffalo Fish 190

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2021

They birded 7 countries during August and recorded 542 species. They have been waiting for the natural imperative that calls them outside and now the leash has been loosened. I hope that you have made it out too. Stay vigilant and safe. 10 of the beats have submitted 124 checklists which are collated below for your perusal.

Woodpeckers 193

Woodpeckers Sparrows Blackbirds California 193

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2021

Wherever you might be birding, please stay safe and keep those around you safe too. 174 American White Pelican – Pelecanus erythrorhynchos. 175 Brown Pelican – Pelecanus occidentalis. 184 Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis. Wherever you might be birding, please stay safe and keep those around you safe too.

Woodpeckers 227

Woodpeckers Sparrows Blackbirds Ducks 227

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2020

8 countries were birded by 11 beats and I am delighted to include Faraaz and Trinidad and Tobago in those stats. 10,000 Birds has yet to take a stance on the developing situation between mainland China and Hong Kong. Brown Pelican – Pelecanus occidentalis. Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis.

2020 153

2020 Blackbirds Sparrows Woodpeckers 153

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2021

251 Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis. 371 American White Pelican – Pelecanus erythrorhynchos. 449 Brown Pelican – Pelecanus occidentalis. 251 Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis. To ring the changes the list has been through the “newest first” filter. 3 Muscovy Duck – Cairina moschata.

Woodpeckers 197

Woodpeckers Sparrows Parrots Blackbirds 197

10,000 Birds

MARCH 30, 2024

My previous post on birding here has received some criticism – apparently I was too harsh on the place. True to my own recipe I would arrive a day or two early to go birding. I’d go with Mexican birding buddy Mau, guided by Kingfisher Birding who also provided the bird pictures. The birds warmed us too.

Ducks 150

Ducks Emotional Cattle Owls 150

10,000 Birds

APRIL 3, 2021

Checklists came in from 7 countries (USA, UK, Serbia, China, Mexico, Costa Rica and Australia) and brought the year list for 2021 so far to 1143. Checklists came in from 7 countries (USA, UK, Serbia, China, Mexico, Costa Rica and Australia) and brought the year list for 2021 so far to 1143.

Sparrows 155

Sparrows Woodpeckers Blackbirds Ducks 155

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 19, 2019

A new year begins and last year’s bird list gets archived. It’s a fresh start, a time when we can start counting once again to see how many birds we can find over the next 12 months. To surpass a challenging number of species, the planning, the conniving for major birding should have begun back in the past, in 2018.

Costa Rica 113

Costa Rica 2019 Parrots Woodpeckers 113

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2021

191 Brown Pelican – Pelecanus occidentalis. 201 Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis. 191 Brown Pelican – Pelecanus occidentalis. 201 Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis. The year list to date is 1015 species and 7 have been added to the life list ( 4059 ) from Costa Rica, China and Trinidad and Tobago.

Woodpeckers 177

Woodpeckers Sparrows Ducks Parrots 177

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2015

For many in the birding community, Miami is a destination meant only for ticking off ABA-countable exotics such as Spot-breasted Oriole or Red-whiskered Bulbul. It was truly heart-warming to see the local birding community participate with so much enthusiasm and fervor. This bird was a life bird for him! Gadwall: 3.

Miami 165

Miami 2015 United States Birds 165

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 4, 2020

They contributed 150 lists accounting for 1032 species and more than 36,000 individual birds. Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve. Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve. Bare-faced Go-away-bird – Corythaixoides personatus. Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve. The life list was pumped a further 27 sp up to 3953.

2019 162

2019 Chile Texas Sanctuary 162

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 29, 2016

The trip was not a birding trip except that I am a birder and every trip involving me becomes a birding trip. In the time we spent on Culebra I saw 49 species of birds, not bad for an island outside of the wintering grounds for most neotropical migrants and only measuring eleven miles square.

Puerto Rico 106

Puerto Rico Birds Sea Turtles Chickens 106

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 30, 2015

The first 25 kilometres of the Gibb River Road from the east is good bitumen, enabling those without four-wheel drives to visit some of the gorges, but there is a warning straight away that it is unfenced cattle country and everything roams free. The start of the Gibb River Road from the east. Masked Finch. White-faced Heron.

Birds 151

Birds Australia Cattle Pelicans 151

10,000 Birds

MAY 22, 2022

This whole area floods during the wet season and water remains throughout the year most years and attracts a lot of bird-life. It is worth having your windows open as you drive slowly in and check all of the many boab trees for bird-life. All of the surrounding trees, especially if they are in flower, offer a great variety of birds.

Geese 191

Geese Ducks Breeding 2015 191

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2019

The trend at this time of year is a downturn in shared lists and birds reported, nevertheless, 12 (is this a record?) Our two newest contributors have shared from Mexico and China, bringing the countries birded this month (also including; Costa Rica, Greece, Serbia, USA, UK, India, UAE and New Zealand) to 10. Laguna Lagarto Lodge.

2019 119

2019 Jamaica Eggs Woodpeckers 119

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2019

During July, 11 beats birded 11 countries (USA, UK, Australia, Spain, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Japan, UAE, Mexico, China and Saudi Arabia) and submitted 82 checklists. American White Pelican – Pelecanus erythrorhynchos. Brown Pelican – Pelecanus occidentalis. Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis. 03 Jul 2019.

2019 118

2019 Sparrows Woodpeckers Idaho 118

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 21, 2016

Following on from last week’s post about Langi Crossing and all that it has to offer in the way of wildlife with an emphasis on crocodiles I thought I should now expand on the birds that you may encounter during a visit! Australian Pelicans. The female Black-necked Stork has a yellow eye.

Birds 100

Birds Pelicans Eagles Ducks 100

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 5, 2020

Mike complains of a dearth of birds in his BBOTW post for the last weekend of August and I am sure that many of us know exactly how he feels. “Birding Over Time” compares the number of species recorded over a month with that month from previous years. Those checklists contained 623 birds and brought the year list to 1676.

2020 150

2020 Sparrows Woodpeckers Blackbirds 150

10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2021

Here they are; 1 Little Tinamou – Crypturellus soui 2 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck – Dendrocygna autumnalis 3 Snow Goose – Anser caerulescens 4 Graylag Goose – Anser anser 5 Brant – Branta bernicla 6 Barnacle Goose – Branta leucopsis 7 Canada Goose – Branta canadensis 8 Mute Swan – Cygnus olor 9 Black (..)

Woodpeckers 152

Woodpeckers Sparrows Blackbirds Ducks 152

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2015

PELECANIDAE (PELICANS). Pink-backed Pelican ( Pelecanus rufescens ); Mkuze GR, South Africa, 30 January. Cattle Egret ( Bubulcus ibis ); Chobe NP, Botswana, 1 January. Grey Go-away-bird, or Grey Lourie ( Corythaixoides concolor ); Chobe NP, Botswana, 1 January. Birding 2015 year list Year List 2015'

2015 176

2015 South Africa Botswana Singapore 176

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 7, 2020

7 countries (Costa Rica, China, USA, UK, Mexico, New Zealand and Serbia) were birded by 11 beats during October. They submitted 124 checklists for 671 species of bird. 95 American White Pelican – Pelecanus erythrorhynchos. 198 Brown Pelican – Pelecanus occidentalis. 646 Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis.

2020 128

2020 Sparrows Woodpeckers Parrots 128

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 3, 2020

October’s birds are listed below; 1 Little Tinamou – Crypturellus soui. 203 Brown Pelican – Pelecanus occidentalis. 217 Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis. October’s birds are listed below; 1 Little Tinamou – Crypturellus soui. 203 Brown Pelican – Pelecanus occidentalis.

2020 282

2020 Sparrows Woodpeckers Blackbirds 282

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 2, 2019

14 countries were birded this month by 13 beats; a record participative effort! Lake Panic Bird Hide. Lake Panic Bird Hide. Lake Panic Bird Hide. Lake Panic Bird Hide. Gray Go-away-bird – Corythaixoides concolor. Brown Pelican – Pelecanus occidentalis. Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis.

2019 113

2019 China Battery Jamaica 113

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 8, 2017

When we had our camping/birding trip earlier this year we entered Queensland from the Northern Territory at the border near the small outback town of Camooweal. We chose to camp at the far end of Lake Canellan to be as far away from others as possible and to enjoy the bird-life in the area. Black-winged Stilt.

Ducks 100

Ducks Pigs Zebras Feral 100

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 6, 2021

The beats are famed for their inclusion on the nice side of the ledger and this month 9 of them shared 163 lists from 7 countries (Australia, Costa Rica, USA, UK, Serbia, China and Trinidad and Tobago) and accounted for 735 bird species. Mike doubled up with “smushed”, a new addition to the adjective list.

Sparrows 180

Sparrows Woodpeckers Ducks Parrots 180

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 1, 2020

10,000 Birds’s collaborative list has not been entered to feature here, but if we did we choose to press our advantage of having beats strategically placed around the world, we would currently be in second place. The year has started well with 10 new birds from India, China, Hawaii, Mexico and Costa Rica. Breezy Point Tip.

2020 156

2020 Wildlife Reserve Tigers Wildlife 156