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Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in Pennsylvania: A Review by an Atlas Novice

10,000 Birds

A breeding bird atlas is a special kind of book. For ornithologists, it is the documentation of a multi-year project designed to record the distribution and abundance of birds in a specific area (in North America, usually a state or a province), utilizing a mapping method involving blocks and grids.

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Learning the Birds: A Book Review

10,000 Birds

Although Henslow’s had been reliably found in nearby Sharon Springs for many years, the last documented sighting was in 2008, and the sighting startled longtime birders, waking them up to the fact that breeding sites in the state were rapidly being lost. In July 2011 a Henslow’s Sparrow was found in Ames, N.Y.,

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Birding a monastery: Zhaga, Western Sichuan

10,000 Birds

My extensive birding experience allows me to be very confident that the bird below is a Rosefinch. In the non-breeding season, Common Merganser all look pretty much like females. Not a bad look though – more attractive than the male breeding plumage, I think. It is indeed rufous-ish.

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Birds of Belize & Birds of Costa Rica: A Field Guide Review Doubleheader

10,000 Birds

Steve Howell has spent decades of experience in the field studying the birds of Belize, Costa Rica, and especially Mexico. Appendix A lists “Rare Migrants and Vagrants,” 81 species, including birds for which there are no documented records, but which are listed in the literature or eBird. For context, the IOC version 13.1

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Shearwater Chase in Costa Rica

10,000 Birds

There was even that outside, enticing chance of documenting something new for Costa Rica. Also known as the Fairy Tern, this species breeds on Cocos Island and is very rarely seen from pelagic trips in Costa Rica. Most photos in this post were taken by Diego Quesada of Birding Experiences.

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Birding Adventure in Mexico Part II: Durango Highway

10,000 Birds

These striking and inquisitive jays were perhaps the bird of the trip for me, and we took our time to soak in the experience of encountering these wonderful birds. This poorly documented swallow is a breeding endemic to these high mountains. A little further along the road, we stopped at a stake-out for Sinaloa Martin.

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What Is An Ornithologist?

10,000 Birds

In one document, I was referred to as a “self-taught ornithologist.” As the company has been introducing me to the rest of the staff and clients, a description of my talents caught my attention. ” I am not an ornithologist. I’ve never claimed to be one. Count me as one of the many who signed up for that.

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