10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2022

Or would be, had I encountered more of them – so far, I have seen only a very small share of the approximately 233 woodpecker species, and got decent photos of an even smaller number – not much more than 10% of all of them. So, writing a post about them is easy.

Woodpeckers 232

Woodpeckers South Africa China Singapore 232

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 24, 2015

I didn’t realize how many new species I would see within the city itself! It’s a strange experience looking up from a city street to gaze at birds native to South America; even more ironic considering humans drove the only native parrot/parakeet species, the Carolina Parakeet , to extinction.

Austin 110

Austin Texas Birds Non Human 110

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 8, 2011

” But the tanager brand is changing. Most of these birds are small, finch-like species with thick, conical bills for cracking seeds or eating insects. Odd little grassquits singing from power lines in South America’s great cities. These are neither sparrows, nor finches, but tanagers.

2003 212

2003 Sparrows Family South America 212

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Experiments in the field (the famed Asa Wright Nature Center veranda) involving Bananaquits and bananas came up with numbers ranging from 7 to 16, but a tanager always came along to interfere with Bananaquits’ noisy appreciation of their namesake fruit. (2) Which hummingbird was more beautiful—Tufted Coquette or Ruby-topaz Hummingbird? (3)

Trinidad 195

Trinidad Birds South America Research 195

10,000 Birds

MAY 15, 2011

I did not get to appreciate all that America had to offer for the birder until I returned with my husband, Grant, in 1989. Our first shopping trip when we arrived in Florida was to buy a field guide and that afternoon we thought we had a soft drink can sitting on a fence-you know the brand-no, it’s not that…it’s a cardinal!

South Africa 158

South Africa United States Austin Alligators 158