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The Joys of Urban Birding in SE Europe

10,000 Birds

Oh, the joys of urban birding… Add half a dozen Ferruginous Ducks (cover photo), two Whiskered and 40 Black Terns to the previous picture, plus an eagle, an immature White-tailed Eagle. At first, two large gulls are chasing it, then a pair of Common Ravens that have their nest nearby take over the bullying of a young bird.

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Urban birds, urban birding… is there a future?

10,000 Birds

White-tailed Eagles normally take flight silently, yet, while checking some Common Starlings and hoping for Rosy Starlings , I heard a few noisy wing-beats, enough to turn and see a young eagle flying with a wing tag. Hidden from my view, it stood on a nearby tree and if it weren’t for those clumsy beats, I wouldn’t have noticed it.

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Licking Clay: the Macaws of Tambopata, Peru

10,000 Birds

Found throughout South America in ever-dwindling numbers these extremely beautiful birds – threatened by habitat destruction and collection for the wild bird trade – are often difficult to see and hard to find. These threats are further exacerbated by the naturally low reproductive rates of these cavity-nesting birds.

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