10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2024

This is not a birding trip; we are trying to deal with many logistical life issues that have accumulated over the past several years. But will I bird? My only other experience with an Audubon Club field trip anywhere, on a cold October morning in the American Midwest, was frankly kind of a bust. Of course I will!

San Francisco 203

San Francisco California Woodpeckers Experience 203

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 18, 2020

Daily walks with my kid in the baby jogger helped me build up endurance and lulled him to sleep, so one sunny afternoon I brought along my binoculars for my first experience birding with a baby. And yet, birds flock to the abundant food sources here. Canada Geese honked in the distance, while Turkey Vultures swirled overhead.

Birds 175

Birds Florida Geese Turkey 175

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 2, 2022

Do birds use odors and a sense of smell to communicate with each other? The Secret Perfume of Birds: Uncovering the Science of Avian Scent focuses on this last question, but you might find yourself fascinated by the first two, which come early in the book but linger on in the imagination as author Danielle J. ” (p.

Science 220

Science Research Birds Turkey 220

10,000 Birds

JUNE 21, 2020

It better be, because with limited travel in the next couple of months, bird lists are going to look mighty spare. My kids humored me with a fun Father’s Day hike, but my best bird was spotted en route in the form of a roadside Wild Turkey (not to be confused with a Roadside Hawk ). What was your best bird of the weekend?

2020 160

2020 Turkey Birds Experience 160

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 23, 2024

There’s something wonderfully primeval about the Northern Bald Ibis: it has the look of a bird that really ought to be extinct. The fact that it’s not is quite surprising, as this curious bird has come very close to the brink. Nesting is now confined to Morocco, irregularly in Boghari in Algeria and in Birecik, Turkey.” (The

Morocco 223

Morocco Austria Algeria Germany 223

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 18, 2021

In common with so many other volcanoes, Poas also houses farms, people, and forests full of birds. Eastern Meadowlarks, cowbirds, grackles , and a few other birds are at peace with the cows but for most birds on Poas, the forest is where life is living large. Just like it sounds, birding in place is watching birds from one spot.

Costa Rica 259

Costa Rica Birds Cows Hunters 259

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2023

It is home to four diverse forest ecosystems (deciduous, mixed, boreal, and lowlands), experiences seasonal weather systems ranging from cold dry Arctic winters to humid, thunder-storm filled summers, and, according to the latest official checklist, hosts four professional sports teams with bird names.* state and Canadian provinces.

North America 210

North America Birds Owls America 210

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 7, 2021

The adult males sport that look; a bird created with crayons and an imaginative mind. The female isn’t quite so unreal but is still a cool little bird in her own right. She also makes a mark with her small size, one of the smallest birds in Costa Rica. A Garden Planted for Birds.

Costa Rica 264

Costa Rica San Jose Birds Farming 264

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

September migration is a fine time to appreciate birds on the wing, so fine that many of you may have missed many of our Extinction Week posts. My Best Bird of the Weekend was a turkey, actually several Wild Turkeys. While I see turkeys intermittently all year long, these birds really look best in autumn sunlight.

2014 170

2014 Turkey Birds Experience 170

10,000 Birds

APRIL 7, 2019

The first weekend of the fourth month of the year unites us all with exceptional birding opportunities. I found myself in fine company on the hawk watch platform at Braddock Bay, where streaming flocks of Turkey Vultures were infiltrated by a variety of hawk species. What was your best bird of the weekend? How about you?

2019 114

2019 Turkey Birds Experience 114

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 14, 2018

Migratory months are made for Big Days, Big Sits, and generally Big birding hauls. What was your best bird of the weekend? Tell us in the comments section about the rarest, loveliest, or most fascinating bird you observed. If you’ve blogged about your weekend experience, you should include a link in your comment.

2018 113

2018 Turkey Falcons Birds 113

10,000 Birds

MARCH 17, 2019

Patrick’s Day, did you stop to wonder why so few birds wear green plumage? Does anyone know why we don’t have more truly green birds? Of course, a green bird wouldn’t fare well in these parts, where the trees are still leafless and rimed with frost. Either of the two is easily his Best Bird of the Weekend.

2019 114

2019 Asia Turkey Parrots 114

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2017

I was so crippled with envy over Corey’s current Neotropical sojourn (with a few family commitments thrown in) that I could barely bring myself to look at birds at all. What was your best bird of the weekend? Tell us in the comments section about the rarest, loveliest, or most fascinating bird you observed. How about you?

Guatemala 100

Guatemala 2017 Turkey Birds 100

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

One good thing about birding during a pandemic–the forced restrictions on place and time translate into more time to observe what birds do. Bird behavior–endlessly fascinating, but so much still hidden and unknown. Extreme behaviors also push scientists to look at birds in new ways.

Research 222

Research Birds Science Costa Rica 222

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 21, 2018

Asking for a friend… Though I was unable to mount any sustained outdoor activity this weekend, I couldn’t help but notice a few Turkey Vultures tipping and teetering about. It was an incredibly easy twitch with the only downer being the bird’s tendency to stay deep in the reeds. Still, a state bird is always awesome!

2018 125

2018 Downers New York Birds 125

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 6, 2013

Second, even if we do, we have discovered through bitter experience that jewelry can either be snatched or, like very small guns, used against us. asked Marge Gibson, when I asked a group of bird rehabbers about their bling experiences. Earrings are toast with my Wood Duck and Wild Turkeys. Oh my, where do I start?”

Bald Eagle 221

Bald Eagle Wildlife Rehabilitation Vet Birds 221

10,000 Birds

MARCH 4, 2020

That trip was to take my wife and I to Turkey, Jordan, and southern Spain, with stopovers near Paris. My one sighting of the little-known Sinaloa Martin outside of summer had occurred on a 29th of February, and I hoped to repeat that experience. Three years of my experience shows that they most certainly do. (On

Species 159

Species Mexico Jordan Turkey 159

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 22, 2016

Do you ever have those moments when you’re supposed to be paying attention to something serious, but you’re immeasurably distracted by the bird species around you? For me, that experience encompassed an entire trip to Picayune Strand. There was only one problem: THERE WERE SO MANY BIRDS.

Birds 133

Birds Turkey Florida Experience 133

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2013

Now that Thanksgiving is over, we can ease up on the turkey talk. I do regret that I saw no Wild Turkeys this weekend, only subdued, succulently prepared ones. Corey had way too many birds to choose from for his Best Bird of the Weekend, with exactly 100 species for the four-day weeekend. Birding best bird weekend'

2013 154

2013 Turkey New York Owls 154

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 25, 2015

Well, it’s official… no MLB team named for a bird is going to the World Series. The Blue Jays gave their all, but we now need to turn our avian-inspired athletic interest to the NFL, where at least a couple of football teams with bird totems are worth watching! What was your best bird of the weekend? How about you?

2015 151

2015 Turkey Birds Woodpeckers 151

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2014

When I saw a Turkey Vulture soaring serenely over the frozen tundra of Rochester last month, I took the sighting as an example of how confused, in a potentially fatal way, some birds can get. Still, the poor bird may be in for some frigid nights ere warm weather settles in. What was your best bird of the weekend?

2014 183

2014 Geese Jamaica Turkey 183

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 19, 2017

Most of my blogs for 10000 Birds fall into the”trips” category. I go somewhere new, I’m excited about the experience, I write about it. where you bird the most. Through frequent visits, you time the changing seasons by the alterations of bird activity. For me, my current home turf is a 2.5

Birds 100

Birds Turkey Woodpeckers Florida 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2017

April is here, carrying with it the first waves of birds you may not have seen in a while. As for me, I’m just glad Turkey Vultures are back to Western NY. As for me, I’m just glad Turkey Vultures are back to Western NY. What was your best bird of the weekend? How about you?

2017 101

2017 Turkey Owls Birds 101

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 13, 2013

The long Columbus Day weekend still sails on here in the United States, so if you haven’t found a worthy bird to report for the weekend yet, you may still have time… This weekend also marks the point in the year where I stop taking Turkey Vultures for granted, which made me enjoy the many spotted soaring overhead.

Columbus 157

Columbus 2013 United States Turkey 157

10,000 Birds

MARCH 27, 2016

Maybe this whole comparison falls apart upon closer scrutiny, but these are still fine days to be looking at birds! I enjoyed observing Wild Turkeys , clearly feeling bolder on Easter than Thanksgiving, foraging openly along the Palisades Parkway. What was your best bird of the weekend? How about you?

2016 100

2016 Eggs Chickens New York 100

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 18, 2020

And this doesn’t mean you are obsessed or a little bit too much into birds because keeping track of a year list actually comes with some side benefits. Yeah, many of us living the birding life do so anyways because we can’t help it. I strongly suggest the experience of sharing Turquoise-browed Motmots. Go birding!

Costa Rica 260

Costa Rica 2020 Morals Farming 260

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2015

Many weekends come and go without great birds, but during the Christmas Bird Count, most field ornithologists have reason to beat the bushes. Corey’s Best Bird of the Weekend was actually a bunch of birds, none of which he saw! What was your best bird of the weekend? How about you?

Bald Eagle 101

Bald Eagle 2015 Nashville Pelicans 101

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 3, 2019

What qualifies a bird to be included in the top-5? This version extended the list a bit and it turned out that almost every fourth bird was an one-monther. Somewhat unfairly, the second criterion was that I described the observation at 10,000 Birds. My first criterion was that I observed it only once during the year 2018.

2018 117

2018 Serbia Falcons Greece 117

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 23, 2011

And we still get to enjoy fall migrants knowing well that the birds of winter aren’t far away. Corey and I could both say that the best bird of the weekend was a mighty, mighty Cardinal , but that would be too easy. What was your best bird of the weekend? Good times!

2011 183

2011 United States Turkey Birds 183

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 12, 2017

I had a 250 mm lens on my camera, and was primed for birds as I left the party fun and bumping bass line behind. Tricolored and Little Blue Herons provided diversity, while an Osprey and group of circling Turkey Vultures were the only shapes that broke the constant blue of the sky. But this is why we love birding, right?

Florida 100

Florida Alligators Birds Deer 100

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2019

“Target birds” The term can foster excitement but is easily contentious. Aren’t all birds worth watching? There’s nothing wrong with appreciating and watching every bird but there’s also nothing wrong about going to great efforts to see lifers only found in dreams. Fiery-throated Hummingbird.

Costa Rica 202

Costa Rica Panama Birds Eagles 202

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

I don’t consider my little garden to be a terribly birdy patch, although years of observation have resulted in my seeing 59 species there (64, if you count the White-throated Swifts , Black and Turkey Vultures, Red-tailed Hawks and Common Ravens that may fly high overhead). The post My Mexican Birdbath appeared first on 10,000 Birds.

Nashville 167

Nashville 2015 Mexico Turkey 167

10,000 Birds

MAY 19, 2015

Birds are a subset of dinosaurs (See: Honey, I Shrunk the Dinosaurs. Prior to the extinction of all of the other dinosaurs, resulting from a cosmic impact event about 65 million years ago, the ancestors of modern birds were different from modern birds in many ways, but also similar in many ways. So how did beaks evolve?

Alligators 213

Alligators Chickens Research Birds 213

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 19, 2015

Most interesting is that one’s knowledge of important things like where to find food (or danger) was based on experience not on general principles. So an Efe off his trail, or another trail he knew about, was not much better than, say, me (after a couple of years gaining my own experience) at having a clue. And this is unusual.

Minnesota 179

Minnesota Detroit Birds Laws 179

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 28, 2017

Birds begin to filter down through this southern part of Central America by August but the biggest avian movement happens during the third and final weeks of October. Most of them fly on the Caribbean side, especially along the coast south of Limon, and that’s why I guided the Birding Club of Costa Rica down that way this past weekend.

Costa Rica 158

Costa Rica Birds Parrots Farming 158

10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2020

The week before I had tried to walk this trail with my parents and son in the baby jogger, but the constant need to veer off the pathway to avoid those less observant of CDC guidance made the experience more stressful than enjoyable. Overhead soared Purple Martin s, Turkey Vultures, and Anhingas.

Georgia 151

Georgia Transported Horses Fish 151

10,000 Birds

MAY 16, 2017

We spent a day on the beach, a morning on Turkey Creek, and took walks around the neighborhood. She is an expert identifier of marine invertebrates, sea grasses, and reef fish, but is just beginning to learn birds. Plus, I usually bird alone, so sharing the experience with a friend is that much better. ” I wondered.

Florida 100

Florida Fish 2013 Turkey 100