10,000 Birds

MAY 18, 2020

May delivers one of those amazing times of the year when we’re too busy looking at birds to sit around talking about them. A weekend that included well north of a hundred species is a difficult weekend for which to decide what is the Best Bird of the Weekend and Corey had that enviable task this weekend. How about you?

2020 352

2020 Jamaica New York Birds 352

10,000 Birds

JUNE 8, 2019

Growing up birding in Western New York was also a time when the old woods of the Niagara Gorge were punctuated with the songs of hidden Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos and the lazy notes of Eastern Wood-Pewees. Thanks to guiding, I have identified around 620 species six months into the year and Mary has a list of more than 530.

Costa Rica 200

Costa Rica Species Birds New York 200

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 21, 2021

When it comes to tropical birding, field guides regularly deal with well over a 1000 birds and tend to be on the hefty side. Travel guides are mostly lighter, but this “where to watch birds guide” is truly lightweight and traveller friendly. Each site gets from 2 to 5 pages (but mostly 3-4).

Kenya 262

Kenya Africa South Africa Penguins 262

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

10,000 Birds is running a series of articles by and about tour guides, tour companies, eco-lodges, and other birding travel organizations. We want to help the birding tourism industry come back strong from the COVID pandemic. We work hard to provide the richest and most rewarding experience of the Neotropics.

Guatemala 249

Guatemala El Salvador Belize Honduras 249

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 1, 2024

Personally, I wish the species the best of luck in this endeavor. (Of Then again, why would anyone name a bird after a botanist, let alone one I only just made up right now? However, the fact that there are 30 subspecies seems to indicate that the species has a slightly overblown estimation of its own importance.

Birds 192

Birds Research Science Europe 192

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 9, 2021

I added yet another new Monroe County bird in the form of a Stilt Sandpiper this weekend, which is the only way this species earns my Best Bird honors. Corey is enjoying life visiting relatives in southern California and has seen a bunch of birds he hasn’t seen awhile. What was your best bird of the weekend?

Birds 264

Birds California Raised Wildlife 264

10,000 Birds

MAY 23, 2023

I recently asked ChatGPT some questions about the best birding locations in the United States and the results were decidedly mixed. Here are the queries and the ChatGPT responses are below: What is birding? What is a “nemesis bird” in birding? What is a “big year” in birding?

United States 147

United States North America Birds America 147

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 26, 2019

Not all birds are created equal. These are the kinds of birds even those barely cognizant of nature recognize, appreciate, and aspire to. These are the kinds of birds even those barely cognizant of nature recognize, appreciate, and aspire to. Central Africa has one of those birds. Lesser Striped Swallow.

Uganda 264

Uganda Africa Birds Penguins 264

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 2, 2021

Collins Birds of the World is “ a must for the travelling birder ,” as the BBC Wildlife Magazine reviewer has put it. When I moved to Botswana, to learn my birds I got myself the thickest local field guide. It is not a concept for a total beginner, more of a reminder to someone with some experience.

Birds 247

Birds Botswana Africa Ecuador 247

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2024

The chapter titles of Feather Trails: A Journey of Discovery Among Endangered Birds represent both ends of the spectrum: “A World Full of Poisons,” “Malaria,” “Forest Intruders,” “Lead Shock,” “Shot.” Conservation. It’s not easy. This is the most intense, tragic section.

California Condor 179

California Condor Falcons California Birds 179

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 4, 2015

As I always do on the way home, following a short visit to the San Francisco Bay Area, I take in at least one of the National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) found in the Sacramento Valley. California is blessed with 51 NWRs and Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), second only to North Dakota with 77. Click on photos for full sized images.

Wildlife 158

Wildlife San Francisco Sacramento North Dakota 158

10,000 Birds

MARCH 29, 2021

Currently he is the convenor for Birdlife Australia in his local area and, as that suggests, he loves sharing his passion for birds and all wildlife through outings and bird walks. Currently Ken continues to dream of overseas birding tours but will settle for ones down under. First the listing part.

Birds 264

Birds 2020 Australia Species 264

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2020

Another month, another movement of the world’s birds from one point to the next. Corey enjoyed a morning walk on Saturday with three friends at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, where they spotted over fifty species between mosquitoes and biting flies. It was easily Corey’s Best Bird of the Weekend. How about you?

2020 165

2020 Pennsylvania Jamaica Birds 165

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 9, 2013

The general public is out and about, birds and animals are raising their young, and human/wildlife interaction is at its peak. A robot that feeds baby birds so I can take a nap,” wrote Jodi in Massachusetts. “A Why is there no state or federal money available to care for federally protected species? Summer is high season.

Wildlife 247

Wildlife Wildlife Rehabilitation Oklahoma New York 247

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 13, 2020

Will bird tour agencies, guides, eco-lodges survive? Will the threatened species make it through if there are no birding tourists to make those birds and their habitats valuable to local people just the way they are (as opposed to tropical timber)? What will be left of birding tourism? That is how I feel.

Uganda 250

Uganda Bolivia Ecuador Indonesia 250

10,000 Birds

JULY 19, 2021

July in New York City is generally an unpleasant experience. Not only that, but the birding is typically not great either. But this July has been magnificent for birds in Queens. I’ve already added two species to my burgeoning Queens life list , seen another for a second time ever, and the month is just over half over.

Jamaica 264

Jamaica Birds New York City New York 264

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 29, 2014

That will be the opening day of the 18th Annual Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival in Titusville, Florida. Who knows what great birds 2015 will bring? Like this past January, I will be leading field trips and spending the rest of my time birding. So, basically, I’ll be birding all the time.

2015 199

2015 Wildlife Florida Birds 199

10,000 Birds

MAY 16, 2021

I collected not one, not two, but a shocking three county birds this weekend and feel grateful for the best looks I’ve had at Marbled Godwit , Piping Plover , and Cerulean Warbler in ages. How can a goatsucker not be Best Bird of the Weekend? What was your best bird of the weekend? How about you?

Soreing 154

Soreing Jamaica Birds Collecting 154

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

This, 2022, has been a curious year for books about birds and birding. Dragan]: Europe’s Birds: An Identification Guide , by Hume, Still, Swash, and Harrop is a photographic guide. The artwork of “Europe’s Birds” is dazzling, the text condensed and comprehensive, and the layout and design are without peer.

Sri Lanka 228

Sri Lanka Malaysia Birds Suriname 228

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 12, 2020

If you read my last post, you will know that my last three weekly outings were not overly productive, as far as birds are concerned. But any birder can tell you that a bad day birding is better than a good day almost anywhere else. For me, that has a lot to do with all the beautiful places I get to be, while looking for birds.

Turkey 261

Turkey Birds Elephants Eggs 261

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

I’ve been fortunate to encounter many owls in my birding life, sometimes because I’m looking for them, sometimes happily by happenstance. I’m sure many of you have had similar experiences. What the Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds is a joyous, fascinating read.

Owls 213

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 213

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2015

Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe today announced as part of Great Outdoors Month the agency is proposing to expand fishing and hunting opportunities on 21 refuges throughout the National Wildlife Refuge System. National wildlife refuges provide premier outdoor recreational opportunities across the Nation.

Fish 143

Fish Wildlife Hunting Game 143

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2022

Thank you, goddess of birding luck and text group people).* My inner self felt stuck in an area between disbelief and total joy and the voices near me were echoing this state of mind: “Oh My God,” “I never thought I would see this bird,” “Look at that bill!” “How did that bird get here?”

Birds 260

Birds Compassion Eagles Science 260

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 5, 2019

In birding circles, certain stretches of road or trail attain mythical status, eliciting knowing smiles and satisfied grins when mentioned. Aficionados of American birding know all too well the wonders of Panama’s Pipeline Road. But this type of singular experience can be enjoyed in the Old World as well.

Uganda 211

Uganda Africa Monkeys Birds 211

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 21, 2014

The 18th Annual Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival is less than a month away and while we don’t have snow down yet here in New York City I am pretty sick of cold weather and could use some warmth and Florida sunshine! Last year we had an amazing array of great birds and also were lucky enough to see an otter up close.

Wildlife 157

Wildlife 2015 Bald Eagle New York City 157

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 29, 2019

With hope, your memories of birding in 2019 will evoke wonder, excitement, and satisfaction for years and decades to come. This week offers the ideal opportunity to look back at your most recent wildlife watching adventures; next weekend, the game begins anew. What was your best bird of the weekend? How about you?

2019 138

2019 Nevada Turkey New York 138

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 7, 2021

When you bird afar and wander wide, you carry a field guide to the birds of the region you are exploring, a pair of binoculars, likely a camera, perhaps a spotting scope and a tripod too, plus clothing, medicines, toiletries, electronics, money and documents… Did you notice the missing item? Yet, those bird guides are hefty.

Madagascar 244

Madagascar Mammals Lemurs Seychelles 244

10,000 Birds

JULY 22, 2014

I new him because we enlisted his Dryfus Lion and one of his tigers to carry out experiments with bones (this is something archaeologists do). I find it astonishing that people argue of whether feral cats are bad for birds in North America. How many wild birds are eaten by either feral Cats or “outdoor Cats?”

Feral Cats 255

Feral Cats North America Feral Cats 255

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 28, 2011

And it looks even better in my hands while I dream about a visit to regions of Brazil I had scarcely heard of before being provided with a review copy of the first volume of the Wildlife Conservation Society Birds of Brazil.*

Brazil 203

Brazil Wildlife 2011 Birds 203

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2020

There are few bird names that will elicit great big smiles and Penguin is one of them. Other contenders are Kookaburra, Shoebill, and Umbrellabird, but people smile when they hear these names because they know a song or because they can’t believe these are real names of real birds. <pause> Do I have your attention now?

Penguins 278

Penguins Georgia New Zealand Albatross 278

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 9, 2019

An expanse of habitat as vast as Murchison Falls NP in Uganda, as excessively generous in beauty and biodiversity, permits endless ways to experience both its birds and animals. The Masindi Hotel holds the distinction of being the oldest and most historic hotel in Uganda and has some terrific birds on premises.

Uganda 188

Uganda Senegal Africa Game 188

10,000 Birds

MARCH 31, 2023

I mean that in a good way: By automatically showing one’s new year list each January 1st, and comparing it to one’s last several year lists, they always make me want to hit the ground running with as many species in my first week as I can manage. So up north I go, always hoping for a good harvest of year birds.

Blackbirds 147

Blackbirds 2020 Ducks Mexico 147

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 10, 2019

The 125 Best Bird Watching Sites in Southeast Asia, edited by Yong Ding Li & Low Bing Wen. And now I am holding the “The 125 Best Bird Watching Sites in Southeast Asia” – an expanded and fully updated second edition of “The 100 Best Birdwatching Sites in Southeast Asia”. That is about it – I do not know much more about this region.

Asia 227

Asia Laos Myanmar Indonesia 227

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2021

The survey also sought to identify “the key attributes important to birding experiences” and learn more about “decisions to participate in birdwatching and level of identity as birdwatcher.”. For example, the survey (of eBirders) found: “Nearly all respondents (99%) indicated they participate in birdwatching or birding.”.

Minnesota 264

Minnesota Research Pennsylvania Ohio 264

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2024

Of course, excellent opportunity to go birding with my friends Brad and Laura. My colleague Doug wrote me an email describing the whereabouts of these “rosy finches” and my wife had to manage my excitement with horse tranquilizer… What a fantastic little birds. This is a simple grey and black bird but I have always wanted to see one.

Denver 150

Denver Colorado Ducks Mules 150

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2022

Hannah Buschert was first exposed to birds and birding during a required ornithology course at Oregon State University and she quickly caught the birding bug. This is Hannah’s first contribution to 10,000 Birds. Hannah and Erik ready to see some birds! I love to go on cruises.

South Africa 263

South Africa Mice Albatross Africa 263

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 22, 2020

I was lucky to visit India several times, but as a keen birder I carried along only a bird book, and even upgraded it to a new edition between the trips. Despite depicting 540 species/56 families, it is a lightweight book of 173 pages, easy to pack and carry. Larger species, that is, excluding dolphins and whales.

Asia 177

Asia Mammals Sri Lanka Bhutan 177