10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

In front of us, the river is two miles wide… and it is paved with birds: smaller groups of Greater White-fronted and Greylag Geese , numerous Mute Swans and Mallards , plus Eurasian Teals , Gadwalls , Common Pochards , a few Ferruginous and Tufted Ducks , Common Goldeneyes and several Smews. A goose hunt sounds like a WWII battle.

Geese 170

Geese Hunting Boars Birds 170

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 17, 2019

The Christmas Bird Count was the answer. The IWC census starts from mid-January following the logic that it is the period when the birds have reached their wintering grounds and are rather static, so the chance of double-counting the same flock is minimal. But it is so frustrating to pass the birds by without IDing them!

Geese 140

Geese Serbia Birds Estonia 140

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 13, 2014

We birders are very particular about the birds that we count. We can count introduced species that have met the criteria of the “Bird Police” for the area to which they are introduced. There are lots of birds we can’t count. There are lots of birds we can’t count. We can’t count caged birds.

Chickens 193

Chickens Florida Feral Species 193

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 24, 2015

Though I have been birding for a few years now, I had only birded west of the Mississippi once before my recent trip to Austin, Texas. Given how far west I found myself, I was hoping for at least a handful of new birds. As we walked, I noticed two unique birds on the power lines. Monk Parakeet.

Austin 108

Austin Texas Birds Non Human 108

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2014

” But the Feral Pigeon has much about it that should be admired. They are survivors, able to exist in urban centers, farm fields, and almost anywhere in between. It is, after all, a bird. Even the piebald birds are beautiful. Of course, this isn’t the only time we here at 10,000 Birds have defended the pigeon.

Rats 171

Rats Feral Farming Collecting 171

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2019

Birds are singing and migrating, freshets are running, and trees are budding – yes, it’s time for all those things. And given what these birds have been through, this caution is certainly warranted. At last, it’s spring in the northern half of the world. What’s in a name?

North America 113

North America Vermont America Farming 113

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 13, 2013

The species must be listed as a separate, full species by both of the most widely used ornithological bird lists, Sibley/Monroe and Clements. And lastly, I felt it important to consider this final question when deciding on the remotest endemic birds: How likely is it that the species can wander outside of its normal range?

Birds 199

Birds South Africa South America Feral Cats 199