10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

If, someday, you make your way to Morelia, and ask for me to show you some of our best birds, I will surely do my best to accomodate you. In the case of most of these wonderful bird species, I probably know where they are most likely to be found. The Aztec Thrush is a beautiful bird, with bold dark/light plumage patterns.

2017 209

2017 2019 Nashville 2018 209

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2022

It may seem like an unnecessarily recurring theme in my posts about birding within Trinidad & Tobago, but the more I write on the subject the more it becomes apparent that the number three must have some significance, somewhere. Its inaccessibility has led to it not being birded often. Broad-winged Hawk. Slowly, we continued.

Trinidad 244

Trinidad Birds Tigers Groups 244

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 26, 2022

This year, it seems I wrote one post on birding in Shanghai each month – and I am still not even sure anyone is interested in these. Probably the most interesting bird this month was a Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher showing up in the Shanghai Botanical Garden. I know – sexism is very common in the birding world.

Finland 147

Finland Birds 2016 McDonalds 147

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 9, 2023

That comes at a price – the HBW describes the species as “stocky and fairly sluggish” and – with a critical undertone – continues to state that the species is “generally less agile in flight than are most flycatchers”. Why the Latin species name is cyaniventer (meaning having a dark blue belly) remains a mystery to me though.

China 147

China Hunting Birds illegal 147

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2024

Sixteen species that have been recorded in the United States are covered: six Myiarchus flycatchers and ten Kingbird ( Tyrannus ) flycatchers. As with the first volume, I was surprised to see the inclusion of a species that has only been seen in the U.S. Introductory Material Sixteen species, 190 pages.

Los Angeles 176

Los Angeles North America Species America 176

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 8, 2019

These hurricanes prompted a personal interest in the impact of hurricanes on birds, so I did some research, which ultimately led to an article in the April 2018 issue of Birding magazine. Immediately after hurricanes, surviving birds appear to wander in an effort to find any remaining food supplies and habitat.

Puerto Rico 254

Puerto Rico 2017 2018 Virgin Islands 254

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 30, 2021

Have you ever birded a place so young that birds still have no names ? … – part 2 – Once I finish this writing, with a strange mix of emotions I will put the Lynx field guide Birds of Colombia to the bookshelf for the first time, more than half a year after I received it. Adult males reach an average length of 2.32

Dolphins 260

Dolphins Colombia Otters Birds 260

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2022

To be precise, “Birding Shanghai from June 10 to June 30, 2022” – but that is even less of an exciting title than the one above. The reason for this post only covering the period from June 10 being that an earlier post, “Revenge Birding”, was about the first 9 days of June. You should try it too.

Birds 184

Birds Sparrows Protection Humane 184

10,000 Birds

JUNE 22, 2023

In June 2023, I again went to Balangshan, a mountain about 3 hour’s drive from Sichuan’s capital Chengdu – and again with Alpinebirding , fortunately no longer for them to partly deal with confusing covid restrictions but only to help me find birds that I am too incompetent a birder to find on my own. Evidence-based!

Birds 130

Birds China Science Research 130

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022

This is the last post covering my time birding the Kruger Park in November 2018. A study on the diet of the African Harrier-Hawk starts rather pompously: “Feeding is an indispensable activity in the life of birds. I guess blushing is easier if you have a bald face like this species. No clue what it is though.

South Africa 147

South Africa Niger Birds Mice 147

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 19, 2022

Over the past couple of weeks I have spent some time exploring this section of my home island and have come to realize its tremendous potential in terms of birding. There aren’t many places in the world where one can observe rainforest-dependent species against the stunning blue backdrop of the ocean. Collared Trogon.

Trinidad 263

Trinidad Woodpeckers Bats Venezuela 263

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2020

In Costa Rica, our July birding news usually consists of interesting sightings during the mid-summer tours. These and other important birding related questions come to mind and during a normal July, I would be personally and actively helping answer them. Which tours saw the most roosting owls?

Costa Rica 211

Costa Rica Birds Thailand Family 211

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2021

You may have heard the news that resonated throughout the international birding circuit some months ago – in case you missed it you can read my gloss-over here. New locations are going to yield new birds, such as this Sooty Grassquit. The post Keeping the Faith appeared first on 10,000 Birds. We got you.

Trinidad 262

Trinidad Woodpeckers Investigation Birds 262

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 24, 2022

Rather, during autumn migration, it first flies to east Siberia, then turns south across eastern China, and finally turns west (source: Birds of Two Worlds: The Ecology and Evolution of Migration). Other fun things that researchers have done with Siberian Rubythroats include investigating their response to light of different wavelengths.

Russia 213

Russia Asia Philippines Taiwan 213

10,000 Birds

JULY 15, 2015

I was told when I first started blogging here at 10,000 Birds that I was never to use the short form, “10K.” ” But here I’m using it because someone ELSE used it … the Bird 10K project is an effort to do the whole DNA thing they do on groups of species on the whole mess of 10K (or more) birds.

Birds 228

Birds Research Groups Investigation 228

10,000 Birds

MAY 17, 2023

When one of my friends sent me a message for ID, he let me know that by his estimate there were at least 25 birds in this patch of forest. Naturally, I had to investigate. Something was attracting all these birds, and keeping them here. Suffice to say it wasn’t a day for photography, but the birding was excellent.

Trinidad 147

Trinidad Squirrels Investigation Bears 147

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 17, 2023

David Tomlinson The recent announcement by the American Ornithological Society that it intends to replace names of all birds named after people has caused quite a stir here in the UK. I have a fascinating little reference book called Whose Bird? Collecting birds was clearly a dangerous pastime. We don’t need any more.

Falcons 221

Falcons Collecting 2003 Wounded 221

10,000 Birds

MAY 2, 2023

Flight Paths is a splendid but risky title for a book about bird migration. It could easily be mistaken for a book about aviation or space navigation or even a flight simulator game if you don’t read the long, adjective-filled subtitle: How a Passionate and Quirky Group of Pioneering Scientists Solved the Mystery of Bird Migration.

Science 186

Science Illinois Investigation Research 186

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2014

Germany is underrated as a birding destination. We have, for instance, very beautiful birds, like European Bee-eater , Blue Tit , and Kingfisher. Then of course, we have amazing birds such as Wallcreeper , Hoopoe , and Black Woodpecker. Then of course, we have amazing birds such as Wallcreeper , Hoopoe , and Black Woodpecker.

Germany 245

Germany Birds 2000 South America 245

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 30, 2021

Migrant birds make an incredibly perilous journey, twice per year. On the breeding grounds of the north, a small bird flies into the night, takes a bearing for the south, gains altitude and flies onward. During this incredible DIY survival trip, patches of light tempt the small bird to a lethal, unnatural end.

Costa Rica 256

Costa Rica Investigation Shelters Illinois 256

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2022

In 2007 I was working in a university building that was just begging for bird feeders. This was where I set up my bird feeders, just one at first, then expanding as everyone expressed delight in seeing the Carolina Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Downy Woodpeckers. There were no dead birds for weeks. I hoped it was an anomaly.

New York City 253

New York City Birds Illinois Science 253

10,000 Birds

JUNE 9, 2021

Which is why the past two weeks’ outings have been more about native plant propagation than finding new species. This week, I spent half my “birding” time picking up conifer saplings from a government reforestation nursery. And, for only the second time this year, this excusion yielded no FOY species. (Of

Owls 165

Owls Investigation Mexico Collecting 165

10,000 Birds

JUNE 16, 2021

They also remind me why I love birding in Michoacán. I would love to know how the order spread across these regions, since that spread must have involved either crossing oceans or the frigid regions that these birds avoid. Honesty requires that I confess to having seen none of these species. Those are good numbers.

Mexico 182

Mexico Indonesia North America Arizona 182

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 6, 2021

For birders who have visited T&T in the past, the livestock station has always been a staple site for several key species that would be fairly difficult elsewhere. Overzealous might be a word appropriate to describe me on a birding morning – arriving there well before sunrise. Safe to say no species was left behind!

Trinidad 264

Trinidad Livestock Groups Eagles 264

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2020

As I have commented on more than one occasion, I have used this pandemic season as motivation to try out a number of new, less populated birding sites. Several of these sites have turned out to be keepers, and have added significantly to my understanding of my region’s avian species and populations. NAB (Not A Bird) warning!

ALA 156

ALA Investigation Family Species 156

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 17, 2015

The bird is gone into the pines, about to land in some tree crown. Birding is either black or white – there are no gray tones. Then, I go birding. Above that steep section, a bird hanging in the air on a strong wind… Should I stop the car? Such a fascinating species. How old are they as a species?

Greece 224

Greece Falcons Madagascar Africa 224

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2014

The mated pair was passing through the area last fall as part of Operation Migration , an effort to restore a migrating population of the birds to the eastern United States. Authorities said the deaths occurred in November but delayed the announcement in order to conduct an investigation and assemble a reward for information.

Kentucky 225

Kentucky Killing Endangered Species United States 225

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 8, 2017

It is not always obvious which side of a bird-related conservation lawsuit is the right side. Audubon thought there should be some wild condors to serve as “guide birds” for condors that would eventually be released from the captive breeding program. As many birders know, the last wild California Condors were captured by the U.S.

California Condor 106

California Condor California District of Columbia Utah 106

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 22, 2015

Among the various birding walks I have made this week I have been back to Albert Park to see all of the Black Swans and other birds, with a detour to the coast at Port Phillip Bay. After almost 20 years of racing at Albert Park the birds no doubt have a plan! Martin species nest in a tunnel. Long-billed Corella.

Birds 167

Birds Pelicans Sparrows Ducks 167

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2020

Going birding is even more of a no-brainer now than before. Many moons ago, when I used to work in the (supposedly) booming petrochemical industry in Trinidad, most of my time was actually spent birding. I racked up a staggering number of life birds in the surprisingly rich surroundings during my four-odd years slaving for The Man.

Trinidad 216

Trinidad Battery Industry Bats 216

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 16, 2015

Our recent camping and birding adventure that took us along the remote Duncan Road saw us stopping at the Negri River for an extended period. The Negri River was still flowing, but not over the causeway and offered great birding due to the lack of water everywhere except at this water source. Freshwater crocodile.

Birds 154

Birds Australia Eagles Zebras 154

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 30, 2020

This spot had to be further investigated! And indeed, there were birds everywhere. Interestingly, this tree is a close relative of Morning Glories and Sweet Potatoes, with over 600 species making up their single genus. Clearly, I do not appreciate what birds appreciate.

Sparrows 178

Sparrows Investigation Mexico California 178

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

You get three or four books in one with Jonathan Meiburg’s A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World’s Smartest Birds of Prey. Meiburg doesn’t say it in so many words, but it’s almost as if he believes he and the birds are in telepathic converse. And it’s more than the sum of the parts.

Guyana 240

Guyana South America Washington DC 240

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 2, 2018

Happy Second Day of the New Year, 10,000 Birds friends! I came late to bird feeding. Jim Carpenter is the founder of Wild Birds Unlimited, the popular bird feeder and seed franchise. There is a lot of information out there about feeding birds—web pages, pamphlets from bird feed retail stores and Audubon centers.

Birds 172

Birds New York City Squirrels New York 172

10,000 Birds

MARCH 20, 2013

It’s that special time of year when birds begin to move north and people see a migrant during a snow storm and ask, “Can that bird survive??” As long as the birds can find some open water and reliable fish, they should be fine. And a lot of birds that you see in colder temperatures are able to survive it.

Minnesota 199

Minnesota Coyotes Nashville Birds 199

10,000 Birds

MAY 14, 2022

The macaws of the sandpiper clan, these long-billed, long-legged, loud calling birds are large and in charge. Better magnification is always preferred but there’s no need to investigate tiny toe palmations or miniscule feathered details on these magnificant mud probers. Most must surely fly high overhead or well offshore.

Costa Rica 246

Costa Rica Morals Rights Guatemala 246

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 5, 2012

As I mentioned last week we had a few days away birding and camping and I will tell you about some other places that are good to look for birds around the Derby area. This is great bird habitat and people are advised at the gate to not shoot them or anything else. It was most likely a dotterel’s print.

Birds 163

Birds 2000 Investigation Geese 163