10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2014

We are lucky enough here in Broome to have a pair of Barking Owls that have chosen to roost in town. Over the years there have been Barking Owls observed in the Town Beach area and the Courthouse gardens and we have heard them “barking” at home as well. Barking Owls. Barking Owls -puffed out throat!

Owls 168

Owls Australia Hunting Species 168

10,000 Birds

APRIL 26, 2024

I’ve been a regular visitor to the island of Cyprus for over 25 years, making around a dozen trips during this period, every one in search of birds. I made my most recent visit earlier this month, arriving with my three birding companions, Martin, Mike and Chris, on a warm spring evening.

Cyprus 224

Cyprus Breeders Falcons Hunters 224

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 24, 2014

There are birds more prized by North American birders than the Great Gray Owl , but not many*. Like many cold-weather creatures, the Great Gray Owl can to some extent trade altitude for latitude. Like many cold-weather creatures, the Great Gray Owl can to some extent trade altitude for latitude. We went beyond.

Owls 233

Owls Minnesota Montana 2014 233

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 2, 2024

Bird Day is a lovely, little jewel of a book. The idea is to portray one bird for each hour of the day in words and art, presenting the diversity, beauty, and wonder of avian life. Angell’s black-and-white illustrations bring sparks of energy and visual clarity to the fascinating bird behaviors described by Huber.

Chicago 187

Chicago Barn Owls Penguins New Zealand 187

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 14, 2021

Valentine’s Day on a Sunday delivers the perfect weekend for everyone who identifies as both a bird lover and a lovebird. I thought for sure that Wild Turkeys on the wing would be the highlight of my birding weekend, but that we before I came upon a Barred Owl in broad daylight perched on a power line in Alma, NY.

Lovebirds 218

Lovebirds 2015 2013 Turkey 218

10,000 Birds

JUNE 5, 2012

Birding’s Holy Grails. For many birders, the Pel’s Fishing Owl roosts in a lofty position on just such a list. For many birders, the Pel’s Fishing Owl roosts in a lofty position on just such a list. One of the most highly desirable birds in the world, the Pel’s Fishing Owl is a true phantom.

Owls 252

Owls Fish Botswana Barn Owls 252

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 18, 2021

In Belgrade, Serbia, winter months offer surprisingly good birding possibilities. And that harsher, mountainous climate attracts some northern guests to overwinter, as well as birds that come down from Serbian mountains to spend the winter in somewhat lower and more hospitable areas, such as Avala. Photo Miroslav Mares.

Serbia 302

Serbia Birds Woodpeckers Ducks 302

10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2013

I had an interesting email come in this winter: “I have been photographing birds for the past 8 years and have been confronted by numerous “Rude Birders.” ” My question that I hope you can help me with is what would be considered a safe distance to photograph Northern Saw-what Owls? Six feet from a saw-whet?

Owls 267

Owls Barn Owls Agenda Zoos 267

10,000 Birds

APRIL 17, 2015

Owls are among the birds with the greatest power to fascinate non-birders, for good and ill. One such person is Scott Rashid, who early in his tome The Great Horned Owl: An In-Depth Study recounts his own first owl sighting at the age of sixteen. Reviews book review Great Horned Owl owls' I don’t know.

Owls 179

Owls Colorado Wounded Rabbits 179

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2020

Just yesterday I learned that the Barn Owl ( Tyto alba ) is the only breeding bird found in New York that has been documented nesting in every month of the year. This bit of trivia was given in an article in my local bird club’s monthly newsletter about the ongoing breeding bird atlas in New York State. The post Z.

2017 243

2017 Barn Owls Rodents Owls 243

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2020

Though I traveled to NYC this weekend, Ivy and I nailed down our best bird before I left; a Short-eared Owl has been hunting at a local park not 10 minutes from our house, which makes for the easiest owl sighting we’ve snagged in a long time! What was your best bird of the weekend? How about you?

2020 162

2020 United States Jamaica Birds 162

10,000 Birds

JULY 12, 2023

All fades under the blinding lights of new backyard birds, however. Regular readers will be well aware that I am a huge fan of sitting at home, sipping coffee, and birding. The benefits of long-term observation of the same birds have fertilized my psyche in ways I never thought possible.

Trinidad 236

Trinidad Barn Owls Owls Reptiles 236

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 24, 2013

An Imposing Great Gray Owl, by Carlos Sanchez. Great Gray Owl , Northern Hawk Owl , Snowy Owl – this trinity captures the imagination of most birders with their imposing presence, unique adaptations, and beauty as among the most desired species of bird to see in the world.

Minnesota 191

Minnesota Owls Bald Eagle Hoarding 191

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 21, 2013

Sunday morning dawned clear and cool, perfect weather in which to find some owls. Sunrise found me in a car with Rich Kelly and Seth Ausubel, on our way to Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx where we would be joined by Bob Dieterich and Gene Herskovics for an owl prowl. One owl down, two to go! We still needed Barred Owl !

Owls 170

Owls Skunks Hunting New York City 170

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 8, 2023

By Martin Garwood Martin has been interested in birds from an early age and has traveled extensively in pursuit of different species. But then again, it seemed such a shame to be driving past a really excellent bird reserve on my way home from working nearby, and not paying it a visit, however brief. It was a male Kestrel.

Shelters 226

Shelters Cattle Wildlife Hunting 226

10,000 Birds

APRIL 22, 2022

It is reasonable to assume that you – you reader of this blog – howevermuch you may have interest in the starnose mole, the common octopus, and other of Higgins’ zoological examples — you like birds best of all. Now, we know that owl hearing is extraordinarily acute, able to perceive the faintest rustlings of a vole under heavy snow.

Humane 246

Humane New York Owls Hunting 246

10,000 Birds

APRIL 14, 2023

Miriam Darlington determined to take on an owl quest, to immerse herself in their world, as she says, and also to find out how they are immersed in ours – to “look into the mythology, kinship, otherness and mystery that wild owls offer.”

Barn Owls 113

Barn Owls Owls Serbia Finland 113

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2015

Here are some things I’ve learned from the Peterson Reference Guide to Owls of North America and the Caribbean by Scott Weidensaul: The Burrowing Owl is the only North American owl species where the male is larger than the female, albeit, only slightly larger. There are distinct differences between Eastern Screech-Owl morphs.

North America 229

North America Owls America Dominican Republic 229

10,000 Birds

MARCH 27, 2017

”) that we drive up to the Adirondacks so I could finally connect with a Great Gray Owl. With much trepidation I told her the owl was in Keene, about four-and-a-half hours away and I could call my folks and see if they would put us up for the night at their house, half-way back from the long-range twitch.

New York 101

New York Owls Beavers Puerto Rico 101

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 25, 2020

Having been penned in our house for the last month (and more), the last time we have been out birding seems like a distant memory. I was ardently working to finish a years-long project on the birds of T&T so those last few weeks have not been bird-less by any means. A tree that is loved by birds is also loved by the birder.

Trinidad 263

Trinidad Hunting Venezuela Woodpeckers 263

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 4, 2012

Western Screech-Owl ( Megascops kennicottii ) photos by Larry Jordan It’s been an interesting winter in my neck of the woods. Personally, I’m waiting for the irruption of Snowy Owls to reach northern California! Once the Jays moved on, the owl closed its eyes and went back to sleep, seemingly unconcerned with our presence.

Owls 182

Owls California Jordan Sparrows 182

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2020

In Costa Rica, our July birding news usually consists of interesting sightings during the mid-summer tours. Which tours saw the most roosting owls? This odd nocturnal creature is around the same size as a Barred Owl. Of course, unless you live on Venus, we all know that this year is far from normal and so is the birding news.

Costa Rica 221

Costa Rica Birds Thailand Family 221

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

This was actually the place where the late Richard ffrench spent much of his time as a music teacher, amassing countless observations of birds that would later form the basis of one of the essential birding guides for Trinidad and Tobago. The subtle white edging to the gape of this bird indicates it is near breeding time.

Trinidad 212

Trinidad Birds Parrots Falcons 212

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2021

When looking for birds in Costa Rica, the Central Valley isn’t the first place that comes to mind. Tongues and patches of green space host birds but most birders leave as soon as they can. Why linger when you can go where the birding is better? I can’t blame them, I would too.

Costa Rica 258

Costa Rica Sparrows Birds Rodents 258

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 9, 2018

For me, the colder weather will probably sting until I pick up my first Snowy Owl of the season. Since November isn’t the optimal time to go owl hunting in these parts, I’m going to try to find some fun winter finch action along the lakeshore this weekend. Corey will indulge in his regular coastal Queens birding.

2018 113

2018 Owls Birds Hunting 113

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 180

Geese Hunting Boars Birds 180

10,000 Birds

MARCH 31, 2011

At first we thought the bird was just going to keep flying to the east and away from us but instead it circled back over the marsh and flew around for awhile before settling back into what we assumed was its original roost. Oh, and Doug also managed to digi-bin some video. How cool is that?

Owls 145

Owls New York City New York Rodents 145

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 13, 2019

Owling on Christmas Bird Counts is a peculiar business. Some counters are unfailingly resolute in their dedication to this thankless graveyard shift of the birding world, marching headlong year after year into the bleak winter landscape in search of their heard-only, nocturnal quarry. And listen some more.

2017 139

2017 Owls Game California 139

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 9, 2016

Many of us picture owls in the sky, silently soaring, or perched atop tree branches or light poles as they sleep or keep an eye out for prey. However, on my first trip to Aruba I scanned the ground for a very special type of small owl, known for its terrestrial antics.

Prairie Dogs 101

Prairie Dogs Tortoises Owls South America 101

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

How much do you know about owls? I’ve been fortunate to encounter many owls in my birding life, sometimes because I’m looking for them, sometimes happily by happenstance. What the Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds is a joyous, fascinating read. I don’t think so.

Owls 219

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 219

10,000 Birds

MARCH 29, 2015

(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. Excellent 10,000 Birds posts have been written about Pico Bonito and Honduras by Corey and Carlos , so I’m going to focus on some of my most memorable experiences.

Honduras 254

Honduras Birds Costa Rica Groups 254

10,000 Birds

JUNE 14, 2011

Dirt hawking is a form of falconry that involves hunting rabbits and other small game with Harris Hawks (other hawk species also qualify). One of the primary reasons that these hawks make such excellent falconry birds is because they are one of only two raptor species (the other is the Galapagos Hawk ) that hunt cooperatively.

League Against Cruel Sports 270

League Against Cruel Sports Rabbits Falcons Hunting 270

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

The day before we headed south to Perth to circumnavigate Herdsman Lake and see the amazing bird-life there we did a short drive out of town at home in Broome. The road north was closed beyond a certain distance, but the road south remained open and always offers excellent birding opportunities when this happens.

Barn Owls 162

Barn Owls Seals Birds Cattle 162

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

2014 has been a good year for us at 10,000 Birds. We’ve traveled to lots of places, seen lots of great birds, and met lots of great birders. So, as we’ve done for the last several years we thought we would share our Best Birds of the Year with you. Below are our Best Birds of the Year. What was yours?

2014 193

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 193

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 203

Costa Rica Panama Birds Eagles 203

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2019

The toughest thing for me, as a local birder, was to choose the most attractive birds because those that attract my attention are generally all too common in the northwest of Europe, from where most visiting birders are coming. In no particular order, here they are: Where to watch the top-20 birds of Belgrade.

Serbia 250

Serbia Birds Woodpeckers Breeding 250

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 15, 2017

Many countries have private reserves and concessions, run for tourism or hunting, that provide outstanding wildlife watching opportunities. Southern White-faced Scops Owl or African Scops Owl? Brown-hooded Kingfishers hunt far from water. Spotted Eagle Owls are one of several owls that can be seen here.

Zimbabwe 100

Zimbabwe Botswana South Africa Endangered Species 100