10,000 Birds

JUNE 24, 2013

Our time on the island was spent looking at birds, exploring, picnicking, throwing rocks in the water, and admiring a very cooperative Santa Cruz Island Fox. Then the birds showed. Sooty Shearwaters and a Western Gull fly back the aftermath of a Humpback Whale breaching. Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae.

Whaling 151

Whaling Whales Dolphins California 151

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2015

Birds of California , the new volume in the ABA series, arrived the day I returned. Every bird book seems to be about the west coast this month!) Offshore Sea Life ID Guide: West Coast is designed to be a quick, handy resource for use on whale watching and one-day pelagic trips. That’s 22 Marine Mammal species and 43 Seabirds.

Dolphins 162

Dolphins Whaling Whales Porpoises 162

10,000 Birds

APRIL 23, 2013

The boat-trip over to the island is far from uneventful and the pelagic birding is very rewarding. Northern Humpback Whales visit the waters surrounding Isla Isabel every year to mate and its not unusual to see dozens of these cetaceans breaching and whacking their tales on the ocean surface. If you like boobies (no giggles please!),

Whaling 264

Whaling Whales Sharks Marine Life 264

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 14, 2019

It was the sixth year in a row of the Queens County Bird Club Big Sit, my favorite event of the year. As always, I was the first to the platform and in the light northwest wind and under a full moon I sipped my coffee and willed birds to make some noise so I could start checking off species. and Lincoln’s Sparrow.

Pelicans 133

Pelicans New York Birds Whaling 133

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 13, 2022

Additionally, there are still a few regularly-occurring Pacific pelagic species that I have never seen. The boat is called the Legacy and it is an 80 foot whale watching vessel that generally seats 115, but takes about 70 for birding trips. If I saw that bird, I did not appreciate it, so it is not on my list.

San Diego 147

San Diego Los Angeles Cooking North Carolina 147

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 3, 2014

As New Zealand’s beat writer I think I’ve done an okay job of discussing the birding of an entirely different island for most of the year, so it’s only fair that I keep that winning streak going by talking about my target for the trip. It’s a species that has bedeviled and bewitched me over the years.

Sharks 174

Sharks Leopards Whaling Whales 174

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 21, 2016

The Ross Sea is the most productive stretch of water in the Southern Ocean, teeming with large predatory fish, whales, seals, penguins and other animals that form the last intact marine ecosystem on Earth. There are 11 species of birds that breed in the Ross Sea region. Enough History – Back to the Future. And the Mammals.

Penguins 176

Penguins Russia Whaling Whales 176

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2011

The risk of bird or turtle nests being crushed by vehicles above the high tide mark is a possibility, but of course it is hard to police these rules. These birds are often seen fishing along the shores, but do attack shorebirds and they are very wary of them. I quickly took a couple of photos and retreated.

Whaling 258

Whaling Whales Birds Turtles 258

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2013

Usually, it’s “Bird eating fish” but here we have a case of a “Bird-eating fish.” It has also found its way to Japan where it is considered to be an invasive species. So, the modal catfish is a fish that hunts from below, can take large prey, and occasionally eats a bird.

Fish 206

Fish Birds Whaling Whales 206

10,000 Birds

JUNE 5, 2016

The other day, Redgannet, when sharing the 10,000 Birds combined bird list for 2016 , mentioned that I had made some sort of notable contribution by submitting 25 checklists in one day. The reasons for this protocol are as unique as this unique type of birding. That sounds exciting, like there’s some sort of story there.

Whaling 100

Whaling Whales North Carolina Mammals 100

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 16, 2020

I am shocked to be writing this post already, and doubly shocked that I’ve seen six new species for Queens since I guessed what my next five Queens birds would be just eight months ago, back in March. It’s been a good year for birding in Queens! Fortunately, there are birds to help. I’ll make it three!

New York City 152

New York City Birds New York Blackbirds 152

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2023

Because, let’s face it, when you get off that plane and look at those severe volcanic landscapes and then find yourself face to face with one of the islands’ four mockingbird species, you’re not going to think, “Oh, look, lava and a mockingbird.” There are changes in where to find the birds.

2006 255

2006 Tortoises Sea Lions Sea Turtles 255

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 8, 2019

I was poking around my eBird checklists recently and came across one from one of my more intriguing days birding. Like many birders, I’ve had “patches” where I routinely go birding. Patch birding is rewarding because the birds become familiar, as do the changes across the seasons. There is satisfaction in the everyday.

San Francisco 131

San Francisco Portland Whaling Whales 131

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2013

She contributes regularly to Ontario Nature , reviews books for Birding, and also blogs about her misadventures in bird identification while offering trenchant analysis of avian coiffures on her own blog Birds and Words. This is Julia’s first contribution to 10,000 Birds. Happy puffins. Murres and Kittiwakes.

Puffins 181

Puffins Whaling Whales Bald Eagle 181

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 28, 2014

Especially if you can fit in some birding? But others actually do some birding, and they paved the way for this Great Ornithologist to do a little bit on a recent vacation to Todos Santos. Of course, the town also boasts some very fun birding. What better way to start the year than with a visit to Mexico?

California 225

California San Jose Birds Mexico 225

10,000 Birds

MARCH 7, 2012

As pigeons go it is very large, measuring up to 50 cm, and it is one of two species of pigeon endemic to New Zealand. Unlike the rare Parea the Kereru is a relatively common species as does particularly well around Wellington, where they are often seen flying round in search of fruit and leaves.

New Zealand 179

New Zealand Whaling Whales Collecting 179

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 23, 2013

Some of those mysterious creatures were birds. The most obvious place that cryptozoology and ornithology overlap is in the area of Lazarus taxa and would-be Lazarus taxa — the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Eskimo Curlew, Pink-headed Duck , and the like — birds that no one doubts existed once, whether or not they exist today.

Birds 160

Birds Apes Woodpeckers Primates 160

10,000 Birds

APRIL 25, 2013

Today we take a brief reprieve from birder commentary to talk actual birds, specifically those of Santa Cruz Island, where my lowly-esteemed colleague Seagull Steve is currently doing field work on some of the nearshore seabirds there. The fundamental question is, where is it? is concerned.

California 166

California Birds Sea Lions Whaling 166

10,000 Birds

JUNE 16, 2011

Most of the time when we think of birds, we think of the things that make them birds, and not the things that make them dinosaurs. You’ll hear people tell you that birds are dinosaurs, and that is supposed to blow you away and make you go all gaga about birds and evolution. are convenient secondary uses.

Birds 270

Birds Primates Marsupials Whaling 270

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2011

You should know by now that there are a good number of birds that spend an appreciable amount of time underwater. And then there are the crazy-awesome Dippers and one should not forget the great diving birds like Gannets and Albatrosses. See, with a little bit of imagination, even a scuba diver can find birds all over the place.

Thailand 195

Thailand Sharks Dolphins Fish 195

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 1, 2011

This place is such an epic birding location that one cannot possibly do the city and its surrounds justice in one post. These birds, and their closely-related counterparts, the Drakensberg Rockjumper, constantly find themselves on the most-wanted list of pretty much every visiting birder. And rightly so. But by George is it worth it!

South Africa 246

South Africa Penguins Birds Africa 246

10,000 Birds

JULY 30, 2014

I bring this up not to boast (well, not much) but because I think that this approach to wildlife travel is somewhat neglected in birding circles. Read most accounts of how birders see birds outside their patch and one way or another, they’re tourists. Nothing forms bonds like rolling around in bird…uh… waste.

Uganda 161

Uganda Africa New Zealand Sharks 161

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2012

Africa has more than its fair share of storks, with 8 of the world’s 19 species gracing the continent. Furthermore we have another very special stork-like bird, the regal Shoebill , previously known as the Whale-headed Stork but now placed in its own family.

Africa 242

Africa Tanzania South Africa Uganda 242

10,000 Birds

APRIL 17, 2013

I will never tire of banging Kaikoura’s drum as the best place in the world to see albatrosses, and since albatrosses are the among the best birds in the world it amazes me that none of you have made it out here yet (actually, some of you have, per some of the comments, but Corey hasn’t). As you can see the birds are really close!

Albatross 166

Albatross New Zealand Seals Fur 166

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 13, 2013

Whereas much pelagic birding involves arduous trips out to continental shelves with nothing but gulls on the way, you pretty much start hitting albatrosses a few minutes out of the little harbour and they keep coming for the duration of the trip. This lovely bird is Westland Petrel. The secret to Kaikoura’s bounty is twofold.

Albatross 187

Albatross New Zealand Dolphins Whaling 187

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 9, 2016

So, last time I promised to write about some of the other birding spots around Cape Town in South Africa. If you aren’t the one driving it’s worth keeping an eye out for Southern Right Whales wintering in the bay (the road is rather to twisty to be looking if you’re driving). Then a rockjumper! Can you see it?

South Africa 124

South Africa Penguins Africa Whaling 124

10,000 Birds

JUNE 29, 2013

Joseph Chiera is a Masters student in Animal Behavior and Conservation at Hunter College in NYC and a “somewhat newbie” to birding. After taking an ornithology course last year, he was hooked and spends most of his free time birding or reading birding blogs. Of course, birding was on the itinerary!

Iceland 192

Iceland Puffins Europe Birds 192

4 The Love Of Animals

MARCH 17, 2011

Elephants, whales, hippopotamuses, giraffes, and alligators use low-frequency sounds to communicate over long distances, often miles; and bats, dolphins, whales, frogs, and various rodents use high-frequency sounds to find food, communicate with others, and navigate. A Grateful Whale. Empathy Among Elephants.

Emotional 100

Emotional Animal Whaling Whales 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2012

Birding has been an all-consuming interest for Patrick Cardwell since boyhood days spent in a wildlife-rich environment. In this epic post, Patrick depicts just how dynamic the pelagic birding is off Cape Point in South Africa.

Albatross 184

Albatross Penguins Dolphins Whaling 184

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 18, 2014

We talked about past trips, birds we wanted to see, and birders who were not on board the boat. There were three birds I really wanted to see. White-faced Storm-Petrel – This is the bird that most of the boat was hoping to see. And, of course, there were more outlandish birds for which we hoped. And what birds!

New York 179

New York Sea Turtles Albatross Whaling 179

10,000 Birds

JUNE 16, 2014

Last October Daisy, Desi, and I, joined by my parents, had a grand ol’ time whale-watching aboard the American Princess. Not a rarity by any stretch but the first bird I can recall Desi identifying based on physical field marks, as opposed to the sound that it made. We tried following the bait fish. After all, we saw dolphins!

Whaling 155

Whaling Whales Dolphins New York City 155

10,000 Birds

JUNE 24, 2012

One of the really great things about living in the Arctic, and loving to watch and photograph birds, is that you can bird in the middle of the night if you so desire. I know you can bird in dark in New York and Newcastle, Weyburn and Walla Walla. I’m talking about full on, need sunglasses, no need for high ISO, birding.

Bald Eagle 172

Bald Eagle Breeding Raised Whaling 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 247

Madagascar Mammals Lemurs Seychelles 247

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2016

I remember, several times while motionlessly surveying birds, I found myself being investigated by Striped Field Mice , who would dare to come to sniff me. Europe: The sun is scorching the area, and the birds are nowhere to be seen. No, birds are way too smart for that stupid trick. My first ever Balkan Egyptian Vultures!

Wildlife 182

Wildlife Tigers Asia Europe 182

10,000 Birds

JUNE 14, 2011

If the state of North Carolina is known for one thing in the greater birding world, it’s what goes on off of its central coast. The Outer Banks, that skinny string of barrier islands that juts perilously into the Atlantic like a wayward elbow out a car window, is a phenomenal spot for birding by its own accord. On land, that is.

North Carolina 160

North Carolina North America Fish America 160

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 156

Dolphins New Zealand Sharks Albatross 156

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

If there is one thing that Kiwis care about, it’s birds. No, wait, not birds. One thing visitors love to see in New Zealand is Kiwi, the national (sort of) bird, and they also enjoy seeing some of the other birds the place has to offer. At sea there are also New Zealand Sea Lions and Southern Right Whales.

New Zealand 157

New Zealand Penguins Sanctuary Birds 157