10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 9, 2013

The purpose of the trip was nothing to do with birds, it was to get some badly needed rest and relaxation. Mt Bruce, since you ask, is the Department of Conservation’s premier endangered bird breeding centre. Kiwi, New Zealand icons par excellence , are rather endangered. So what was going on? It goes like this.

New Zealand 168

New Zealand Raised Endangered Species Rats 168

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 29, 2014

The disease had killed a tourist like ourselves. The bacteria that laid me low earlier this year is a zoonosis, causing problems for New Zealand’s endemic seals as well as visitors to Borneo. A sobering thought, but it would be dangerous to read too much into that. This lake is close to the cave.

Humane 170

Humane Animal Africa Ukraine 170

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 30, 2013

After a successful morning’s birding and a very fine lunch, Peter and I made our way to our next site, Bang Poo. In fact the area where the pier hit the mangroves was crammed with birds, including Pied Fantails, a very vocal Oriental Magpie Robin, Green Herons and Little Egrets. This piece follows on from Part One.

Thailand 108

Thailand New Zealand Family Bats 108

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2012

These were the sounds I heard as I walked around a small pond in Amherst, Massachusetts last week, looking for dragonflies, listening for birds. If you’ve been to the Amazonian rainforest on a birding tour, then you have probably seen the brilliant colors of the tiny Poison dart frogs, the deep brilliant reds and blues and yellows.

Reptiles 207

Reptiles Madagascar Family New York City 207

10,000 Birds

JULY 11, 2012

This is a very serious business here in New Zealand. New Zealand has been the recipient of a higher than average number of introduced species, in particular a range of mammals from elk to mice. The initial solution in New Zealand was to move species to islands where mammals hadn’t reached.

Animal Rights 270

Animal Rights Rights New Zealand Animal 270

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 26, 2011

Where one to draw up one of those lists of “top ten x to see before to die”, a formula that is perhaps a morbid way to phrase quite a jolly question, and you were to examine which ten birds you had to see in life, I would imagine the question would divide people endlessly. Just ten birds out of ten thousand?

New Zealand 213

New Zealand Parrots Sanctuary Family 213

10,000 Birds

APRIL 10, 2013

I have raved on and on about how Kaikoura is the best place in the world to see albatrosses , but the once sleepy seaside town is not actually famous for these magnificent birds. What put this once small fishing town on the map was not birds but mammals, specifically whales and dolphins. And people do go to see them.

Whales 237

Whales Whaling Albatross New Zealand 237

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 14, 2015

The species was in the news because some scientists had finally managed (or bothered – it’s much the same thing) to locate the population high in the mountains of the Solomon Islands, and catch and photograph one. New Zealand Bitterns. I’m not going to rehash the arguments for scientific collecting here.

Collecting 256

Collecting Solomon Islands New Zealand Fiji 256

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2014

The magnificent history and diversity of birds on Earth came into sharper focus this month with the publication of 28 new scientific papers in Science and other journals. One of the central papers, Whole-genome analyses resolve early branches in the tree of life of modern birds (Jarvis et al. Open Jarvis et al.’s

Family 279

Family Birds Parrots 2014 279

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 21, 2013

I often like to poke fun at how dangerous the wildlife of Australia is, as ever since the giant man-eating Haast’s Eagle went extinct the land life on New Zealand has been mostly harmless. But the thing is, while the animals may not want to kill you, it sometimes feels as if the land itself does. Only time will tell.

New Zealand 182

New Zealand Vanuatu Australia Hawaii 182

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2012

The number of individual birds and mammals alone that are affected by these factors are countless; and when you consider fish, reptiles and amphibians, it is hard to comprehend the magnitude of life that gets wiped out around the world (and certainly including the U.S.) There is nothing abstract or controversial about this.

Animal Rights Movement 243

Animal Rights Movement Animal Rights Rights Wildlife 243

4 The Love Of Animals

MARCH 17, 2011

I also watched a red fox bury her mate after a cougar had killed him. After publishing my stories I got emails from people all over the world who had seen similar behavior in various birds and mammals. On a beach in New Zealand, a dolphin came to the rescue of two pygmy sperm whales stranded behind a sand bar.

Emotional 100

Emotional Animal Whales Whaling 100

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 13, 2014

It’s when we lost the mammoths, the sabre-tooth cats, the giant ground sloths, the elephant birds, the marsupial lions, and other iconic giants. We’ve lost perhaps 200 birds that we know of since 1500. Australia’s extinct and threatened bird species. A Remembrance of Birds Past: The Lost Bird Project.

Marsupials 191

Marsupials Costa Rica Elephants Cuba 191

10,000 Birds

MAY 6, 2018

Tom’s odyssey continued through New Zealand and passes on to Australia. April’s number are below; 11 countries were visited by 9 beats; Australia, USA, UK, India, Serbia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Brazil, New Zealand and Argentina. New Zealand Scaup – Aythya novaeseelandiae.

2018 100

2018 Australia Los Angeles Albatross 100

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

I’ve decided to get into the bird tour business. Get up early, point at lots of birds, go back to the hotel for celebratory wine. If any birds give trouble just make up an answer, then say it with confidence. Guaranteed to produce birds you’ve never seen before or your money back! I mean, how hard could it be?

New Zealand 236

New Zealand Ducks Australia Mountain Goats 236

10,000 Birds

JUNE 2, 2018

May by numbers looked like this; 11 beats shared 194 lists and ticked 943 birds between us. The collaborative profile has been boosted by 2 new American states, adding Tennessee and Arkansas to the coloured patches across the map of the USA. New Zealand Scaup – Aythya novaeseelandiae. Western Australia. 01 Jan 2018.

2018 100

2018 Australia Los Angeles Albatross 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2018

It’s September and time for birds to start their southerly journeys. Please remember to give migrating birds the space that they need. Jason hoisted his colours in Kansas and claimed the state for 10,000 Birds. In an unusual turnaround during September, more birds were seen in USA than in Costa Rica. 23 May 2018.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Los Angeles 113

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2018

The two most prolific contributors, Pat and Tom, have been sharing their birding space in Costa Rica. The beats have now contributed more checklists than birds. During October, 7 countries (Costa Rica, Australia, USA, India, Hong Kong, UK, Serbia) were birded by 11 beats who shared 135 checklists and noted 697 species.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Sparrows 113

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2019

Best wishes to you all for 2019, keep safe and keep birding. New Zealand Scaup – Aythya novaeseelandiae. New Zealand Grebe – Poliocephalus rufopectus. New Zealand Pigeon – Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae. Gray Go-away-bird – Corythaixoides concolor. Alphabetic Taxonomic.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Sparrows 113

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2018

They birded 6 countries; USA, UK, Costa Rica, Serbia, Australia, and Mexico. New Zealand Scaup – Aythya novaeseelandiae. New Zealand Grebe – Poliocephalus rufopectus. New Zealand Pigeon – Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae. Gray Go-away-bird – Corythaixoides concolor. Lake Ngatu.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Sparrows 113

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 4, 2018

The UK has been birded clean by Tom as he ends his Little Big Year (Part 1). Jason broke new ground in Alaska, adding Marbled Murrulet and bringing the Upper 1 to 1. 9 beats visited 8 countries, submitting 102 checklists along the way, accounting for 609 birds. Gray Go-away-bird – Corythaixoides concolor.

2018 104

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Los Angeles 104

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2018

10 countries were birded by 9 beats and 892 species were noted from 144 checklists. New Zealand Scaup – Aythya novaeseelandiae. New Zealand Grebe – Poliocephalus rufopectus. New Zealand King Shag – Phalacrocorax carunculatus. Who is going to tell the clans? Does Mel Gibson know?

2018 100

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Los Angeles 100

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

I start today with an update from last week, were I spoke about New Zealand’s muted reaction to the official shortlist of tea towels… I’m sorry, flags , that have been picked as part of a longwinded and dull process to not pick a new flag. Cons – the Kiwis have a dumb flightless bird as their emblem too.

Australia 199

Australia Chickens Birds Seals 199

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 27, 2013

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the rest of 10,000 Birds. I’m not just saying this to be an annoying gadfly on the backside of the birding and general wildlife community, although this is certainly a fringe benefit. You protect an entire ecosystem that holds 350 bird species. You do a lot of good.

Lions 205

Lions Killing Hunting Hunters 205

10,000 Birds

APRIL 7, 2015

She’s produced seven photographic books about the Galapagos Islands and books on the Andes, Antarctica, and New Zealand (her current home). Its title in the Great Britain and New Zealand editions is Penguins: Their World, Their Ways, a better title in my opinion.). It is not an essential purchase. ISBN: 9780691162997.

Penguins 234

Penguins New Zealand South Africa Albatross 234

10,000 Birds

APRIL 1, 2013

Although they aren’t as prominent there are people working on plans to bring back extinct species of birds. One of these projects and plans is unique, partially because of the iconic story behind the bird’s extinction, but also because the completely different approach the scientist behind it is taking.

Feral Cats 230

Feral Cats Eggs Cats Feral 230

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

Is it wrong of me to go birding to get away from the kids now that they are at home all day? Happy birding if you suddenly find yourself single. 458 birds were seen by 7 beats in 8 countries. 458 birds were seen by 7 beats in 8 countries. A new country, Ireland, was added to bring the total countries list to 48.

2018 100

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Los Angeles 100