10,000 Birds

MAY 25, 2020

Those of us in the United States are celebrating Memorial Day Weekend, normally a time to gather with friends and family for barbecues, beach outings, and other fun group activities. Perhaps for those of us in the northeastern United States the number of birds this weekend has been a bit of a disappoint though. How about you?

2020 158

2020 United States Breeders Birds 158

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2021

Birding in the Caribbean is about islands, beautiful beaches, extra special endemics, rum, and smiles. It could also be much more, maybe less, it all depends on how you want to rock an international birding trip. Go to Costa Rica and you will be looking at other birds but you can still get in some Caribbean slope birding.

Costa Rica 263

Costa Rica Puerto Rico Birds Owls 263

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 15, 2020

In the era of digital cameras and social media, images of birds are easy to come by. Even photos of the rarest of birds can be found, even heart-wrenching images of bird species that are no longer with us. In Costa Rica, lately, I have been enjoying the class and elegance of bird poster art produced by CaraCara.

Costa Rica 264

Costa Rica Birds Species Woodpeckers 264

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 26, 2022

Yesterday morning was simply one of those incredibly eventful birding sessions, about which I may expound upon in parts within the coming weeks. From genuine rarities to undocumented polymorphism – the magic of birding was truly in full swing. A concrete wall halving one of the ponds was a popular rest spot for several birds.

Elephants 264

Elephants Ducks Humane Family 264

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 216

Sri Lanka Malaysia Birds Suriname 216

10,000 Birds

MARCH 29, 2015

That was the first thing we–our New Jersey Audubon group of 11 birders, led by Scott Barnes–noted as we exited the airport. This photo is actually of a TK seen a few days later, but it was at our favorite birding gas station pit stop that we also stopped at on our first day. There was no snow. And lots of greenery.

Honduras 242

Honduras Birds Costa Rica Groups 242

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 12, 2024

Memorable encounters with Mammals: Part I Most birdwatchers enjoy seeing mammals, but the trouble with mammals is that they tend to be much more challenging to see than birds. I remember the guide on my first Kenyan birding safari remarking that “birding groups always see far more mammals than those who come just to see animals.

Fur 176

Fur Bulgaria Otters Estonia 176

10,000 Birds

JULY 28, 2019

Those of us north of the Equator should be enjoying our summer weekends no matter how boring the birding might be. Better, though, is finding a way to raise the quality of your bird sightings and enjoyment of them. Somehow, we managed to flip the script on that by spotting all kinds of birds that the whole group could enjoy.

2019 119

2019 Birds California Raised 119

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 22, 2022

It is near a river, attracting some birds that like to eat wet food. As the national bird of Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, the African Fish Eagle is usually very busy whenever it stays in these countries, giving speeches, opening shopping centers, etc. The birds I asked about this pretended not to be related to anyone though.

Zimbabwe 147

Zimbabwe Birds South Africa Benin 147

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 2, 2021

This shouldn’t have to be stated, especially in a book on bird evolution by an evolutionary biologist with a Ph.D. How Birds Evolve: What Science Reveals about Their Origin, Lives, and Diversity by Douglas J. Futuyma is a synthesis of theory and research about evolution and birds. that’s three birds).

Science 204

Science Albatross Research Birds 204

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2022

If you are plugged into the birding community, you’ve probably seen photos of this errant eagle, normally found in Russia and Asia but now be-bopping around the United States and Canada. Birding has become a family affair for my relatives. What an incredible way to end the 2021 birding year. Photo: Gwenne Oberg.

Eagles 211

Eagles Russia Massachusetts United States 211

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 27, 2015

I would lay odds that we birders geek out to all manner of natural phenomena at a higher rate than almost any other group. Corey’s Best Bird of the Weekend was one of the several Black Vultures that went overhead during a family hike to Anthony’s Nose in the Hudson Valley. What was your best bird of the weekend?

2015 160

2015 Bears New York Birds 160

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

JANUARY 1, 2020

Back in 2013, as I was gradually getting back into birding, I found myself trying to ID a tiny bird that had visited my garden. (It Adorable birds, but that’s another story.) Last week, I went birding with Jonathan, one of my chat friends. They were also believed to be part of the Wood Warbler family.

Mexico 243

Mexico United States 2019 2013 243

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 7, 2019

Watching birds, birding, is inexorably tied to autonomous motivation. Maybe that’s why birders just might be obsessive about it or at least, very much into the hobby, the birding way of life. We get serious about quality optics and spend hours studying field guides about birds because we really really want to.

Costa Rica 195

Costa Rica Cooking Birds Chickens 195

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 4, 2013

I know that families in the United States are already fretting/anticipating September’s arrival. Corey’s Best Bird of the Weekend was a Least Tern that flew over his apartment, only the second he ever saw from the comfort of his balcony. My best birds were Eastern Kingbirds , which usually catch my attention in summer.

2013 169

2013 United States Birds Family 169

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.

North Dakota 134

North Dakota Birds Sparrows Blackbirds 134

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2019

This last year of the twenty-teens was a monumental birding year for me. I saw 863 species of birds, bringing my life list to 1,820. I birded Uganda, which was my first time on the continent of Africa. Such travel brings a lot of birds and the 863 species I saw this year is the most species I have ever seen.

2019 137

2019 Barbados Uganda Costa Rica 137

10,000 Birds

JUNE 12, 2012

Namibia is politically stable and a safe country to visit offering spectacular scenery, untouched wildernesses, vast game reserves, superb wildlife and fascinating cultural experiences. Over 700 bird species occur in Namibia, many of them range-restricted and highly desirable southern arid zone species.

Namibia 243

Namibia Angola Lovebirds South Africa 243

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

JULY 24, 2021

“Gamebirds” to some, cool, cryptic understory birds to the birding people, grouse crouch protected as unfettered winds sway the top of the tall prairie grass. Then there are the ones that live in PA , the state bird, “the grouse” that a great many non-birders are aware of, my Uncle Fred was one of them.

Costa Rica 264

Costa Rica Chickens Pennsylvania Litter 264

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 20, 2014

What happens when you visit one of the best birdwatching sites in the region with the highest number of endemic bird species in the Americas in the world’s birdiest country? The area is known for a military base, the legendary Montezuma Lodge, and a boatload of birds. This, of course, was a great boon for our group.

Colombia 260

Colombia Birds South America America 260

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

We all have them: families of birds that are maddeningly similar, forever leaving nagging doubts about our identifications. Birders throughout the Americas can experience the chalenges of Gull, Tern, New World Warbler, and Tyrant Flycatcher identification. New World Warblers in non-reproductive plumage. But you will not see it.

Mexico 136

Mexico Argentina Experience Experiments 136

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 261

South Africa Mice Albatross Africa 261

10,000 Birds

MAY 5, 2015

There is GISS and there is Birding by Impression and they are not the same. GISS—general impression, size, shape—is intuitive, the result of an unconscious cognitive process derived from experience in the field. Experienced birders can identify birds using GISS; all birders can identify birds if they adopt the BBI approach.

Birds 168

Birds New Jersey Science Groups 168

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2016

So, I birded India, land of Indian Peafowl , Saag Paneer (my favorite Indian dish) and Tigers. Neither are birds, but both involved a lot of birding.). Once we donned our booties and took the brief tour of the tomb, we climbed up to a terrace overlooking the Yamuna River and started birding in earnest.

India 187

India Tigers Birds Owls 187

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 10, 2019

Perhaps just once in a decade, the UK experiences an invasion of Painted Ladies , Vanessa ( Cynthia) cardui. Painted Ladies are part of the Aristocrat group of butterflies. The Aristocrat group is not a recognised classification group. as I have some from the family in my garden. Take that Monarchs!

Ireland 120

Ireland South America North America Groups 120

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 19, 2015

If an Efe person spent time living with a group associated with a trail, he* would learn about that trail as well. 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. Turns out this is true of Minnesotans as well. So remember.

Minnesota 176

Minnesota Detroit Birds Laws 176

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

Birding for the Curious: The Easiest Way for Anyone to Explore the Incredible World of Birds by Nate Swick brings birding back to its roots—a simple, joyous way to enjoy nature using our eyes, ears, hands (for sketching), and brain. There are now no excuses except a lack of curiosity. And, nobody wants to admit that.

Birds 262

Birds North Carolina North America Owls 262

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 12, 2017

Large picnic pavilions border one side, and while I was there the largest was commandeered by a family party. 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. Still, I wouldn’t be fully experiencing the park’s birding opportunities if I ignored the songbirds.

Florida 100

Florida Alligators Birds Deer 100

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 20, 2016

By the time this post publishes, I’ll be on an airplane heading back to the United States following a truly remarkable two week visit to Uganda as part of a group of western birders visiting there to promote the inaugural African Birding Expo. In the relatively brief period, my group had something on the order of 450 species.

Uganda 158

Uganda Africa Squirrels Tanzania 158

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2018

The birding around Lago de Yojoa in Honduras is frankly phenomenal, as I learned during a June 2018 birding junket organized by the Instituto Hondureño de Turismo. But our adventurous group, led by Oliver Komar and Yobani A. Bang, bang, bang… just like that, we had three killer birds offering stunning views.

Honduras 131

Honduras Birds Farming America 131

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 8, 2013

If there’s one group of birds that just won’t let you be miserable it would have to be the Grey-crowned Babbler. They are usually in a group and our garden regularly has a family group of eight visit it. If you have any experience with these birds then it makes perfect sense.

Australia 157

Australia Groups Family Experience 157

10,000 Birds

APRIL 12, 2022

A recent episode of the American Birding Podcast featured an interview with Virginia Rose (Founder and President) and Freya McGregor (Coordinator) of the non-profit Birdability. The mission of Birdability is to “share the joys of birding with people who have disabilities, and to ensure that birding is accessible to everybody.”

Portland 183

Portland Oregon Laws Experience 183

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2014

It took me a while to wrap my mind around the concept of Birds and People , Mark Cocker and David Tipling’s book that, in 592 pages, explores the intersection of just that—birds and us. Nor have I overlooked “sightings” of birds in movies mouthing other birds’ calls. I’m not sure why.

Birds 205

Birds Egypt Family Eagles 205

10,000 Birds

JUNE 5, 2014

I thought I would talk about our team’s performance in the World Birding Rally Challenge in Northern Peru and the side attractions along the route. Hugh made things easier on me, as now I will only talk about other nature and cultural sites along the route covered in the Northern Peru World Birding Rally Challenge.

Peru 184

Peru Birds Experience Experiments 184

10,000 Birds

APRIL 12, 2014

The Long-tailed Tit , Aegithalos Caudatus , is one of the most endearing of British birds. They are usually seen as a small, noisy flock or family group that passes quickly through feeding acrobatically like the true t**s as they go. Birding Long-tailed Tit' In Japan, it is represented by the A.c. japonicus race.

Japan 197

Japan Collecting Europe Groups 197