10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2013

Leaving from the harbour on boats were tours to swim with one of New Zealand’s most endangered mammal species, the Hector’s Dolphin. This is one of the smallest dolphin species in the world, not much bigger than the common Harbour Porpoise Americans might be familiar with. It wasn’t long before we saw them, either.

Dolphins 172

Dolphins New Zealand Sharks Albatross 172

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 7, 2021

When you bird afar and wander wide, you carry a field guide to the birds of the region you are exploring, a pair of binoculars, likely a camera, perhaps a spotting scope and a tripod too, plus clothing, medicines, toiletries, electronics, money and documents… Did you notice the missing item? Yet, those bird guides are hefty.

Madagascar 264

Madagascar Mammals Lemurs Seychelles 264

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 29, 2011

Before my trip to Washington the only species of puffin I had ever seen in the wild was the puffin of the Atlantic Ocean, the appropriately named Atlantic Puffin. The first obstacle was getting to the general range of the species, which is the west coast from northern California to Alaska and across to Russia.* I love puffins.

Washington 197

Washington Protection Puffins Rhinoceros 197

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

The descriptions of the territory’s birds, seals, whales, introduced mammals, invertebrates, and plants are written within the framework of the conversationist, so it is more than a field guide, it is a record of endangered wildlife and the efforts being made to protect it. Who can resist penguins and whales?

Georgia 183

Georgia Penguins Wildlife Whales 183

10,000 Birds

JULY 16, 2013

The birdlife in the Cape is nothing short of spectacular, with a healthy dose of charismatic endemic species. Over 40 species of South African endemics can be found in the Cape – Cape Sugarbirds, Cape Rockjumpers, Orange-breasted Sunbirds to name but a few. An African Penguin peers protectively around its fluffy chick.

Penguins 249

Penguins South Africa Africa Sharks 249

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 18, 2013

After checking with a docent to make sure that the bird wasn’t a hazard to the collection I watched it for some time – I even tried to take its picture, but the lighting was less than optimal and the camera in my phone somewhat potato-like. But in the end, being dead doesn’t protect an animal from mortality.

Elephants 166

Elephants Mammals Buffalo Gorillas 166

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2011

Nice. ((** all names have been changed to protect identities and have been substituted with (almost) randomly chosen substitutes suitable for a family of Alpine Accentors.)) Happy birding, Dale Forbes Tags: accentors , Alpine Accentor , Birds , features , polygynandry • Have you seen the cool 10,000 Birds t-shirts?

2011 235

2011 Breeders Breeding Deer 235

10,000 Birds

JUNE 22, 2011

There is a very distinctive smell found on seabird colonies, where thousands upon thousands of birds come to breed and, coincidentally, deposit large quantities of waste. Arriving at the colony the head lights go off and we move into position below the birds (trying not to fall over the cliffs and into the sea) coordinating everyone by radio.

Breeding 218

Breeding Stray Seals Whales 218

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 4, 2012

It is also a fantastic place to watch birds, and to get an introduction to birding in Australia. Plenty of parks and forests have been protected even as the city grew. Even in the most built up parts of the CBD the most commonly seen bird after the pigeon and myna is the native Australian White Ibis.

Australia 176

Australia Albatross Birds Pelicans 176

10,000 Birds

JUNE 15, 2011

I mentioned last week, while talking about rails and the Pacific, that Tonga is not a particularly birdy birding destination. A combination of extinctions and proximity to Fiji means that a trip to that island group would net you pretty much all the same birds plus a whole raft of others.

Tonga 193

Tonga Fiji New Zealand Parrots 193

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2011

These sorts of tests have been done in many species and it has always been assumed (hoped), that what they found in the little white cages at the back of the zoology department had some wonderful relevance to what happened in the real world. • Explore These Related Posts I spy Osprey Counting Birds: Will Microphones Replace Nets?

Cats 171

Cats 2011 Costa Rica Deer 171

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 5, 2016

To get out to the deep water we have to cruise for hours which necessitates leaving late in the evening, trying to sleep on an uncomfortable, moving boat, and waking up in the predawn hours to spend not-enough-time amid amazing birds before suffering through the long, boring ride through the “dead zone” back to shore.

Whales 137

Whales Whaling Albatross Dolphins 137