10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2022

I should have known that birding High Island meant I would be 20 minutes away from a place where hundreds of thousands of shorebirds and waterbirds rest, feed, breed, and generally have a good time. I love American Avocets and I rarely see them in such marvelous breeding plumage, so I was in heaven. Clapper Rail. Back to the Flats.

Houston 201

Houston Texas Sanctuary Sparrows 201

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2018

It is a fascinating world of swampy forests of willow and poplar, inhabited by Black Storks , White-tailed Eagles , Eastern Olivaceous and Icterine Warblers (above), among more than 200 other species. What I have always missed there and what I still miss is to experience presence of the European Beaver.

Beavers 116

Beavers Serbia Eagles Hungary 116

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

In the non-breeding season, male Baya Weavers sometimes enter the basket-making trade, often with considerable success. Meanwhile, the females seem to have a much more relaxing life, at least in this early stage of the breeding season. You can see why here. My cats refuse to even try Fiery Minivets.

Birds 202

Birds Sri Lanka Taiwan Cats 202

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 10, 2015

In the Old World, Horned (Slavonian) Grebe breeds in a wide belt stretching from Scandinavia to Kamchatka and it spends winters along sea coasts, from Japan to China and from Norway to France, plus the Adriatic and the Black Sea (west and east of the Balkans, respectively). Which costed me a lifer.

Serbia 158

Serbia Norway France Japan 158

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2019

Finches, for example, are “especially prone to nomadism,” and Falcons, as many experienced birders know, are more closely related to parrots and songbirds than to hawks and eagles. Floyd’s writing style draws the reader in, including us in his experiences and observations, making the personal communal.

Birds 114

Birds North America Breeding America 114

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 8, 2011

Islands, for various reasons, experience more extinctions than continents (with Africa being the only continent not suffering a bird extinction!). Then rumors leaked out that at this same site the mythical Red Owl could easily be seen, Madagascar Serpent Eagle was breeding and other rare birds and lemurs abounded.

Madagascar 231

Madagascar Lemurs 2006 Owls 231

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 1, 2011

Breeding groups typically occupy territories of around 8 hectares and consist of a breeding pair and one or two helpers. Another highlight is the eyrie of a pair of Verreaux’s or Black Eagles , one of the handsomest eagles on the planet! And then there are the Ground Woodpeckers !

South Africa 236

South Africa Penguins Birds Africa 236

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 22, 2011

Tara Tanaka described the experience of digiscoping this spoonbill as such: Tara Tanaka : Merritt Island NWR was the last stop on a 10-day Florida birding trip last winter. Yueh Yun Lin’s flying White-tailed Sea Eagle is a wonderful image, but the raptor enthusiast in me sees much more than great exposure and composition.

2011 222

2011 Eagles Bald Eagle Owls 222

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 22, 2022

As the national bird of Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, the African Fish Eagle is usually very busy whenever it stays in these countries, giving speeches, opening shopping centers, etc. Letaba is a largish rest camp in the North central part of the park. It is near a river, attracting some birds that like to eat wet food.

Zimbabwe 147

Zimbabwe Birds South Africa Benin 147

10,000 Birds

JULY 9, 2019

Getting to actually see four species, in the last two weeks, and to hear two more is almost unheard of in my experience. A little less than a mile away, there is a spot where a nice population of Burrowing Owls, have been relocated in hopes of starting a new breeding population. This is a look at the man-made burrow openings.

Owls 144

Owls Arizona Tucson South Africa 144

10,000 Birds

JULY 11, 2018

Now, dont get me wrong, there have been some nice birds, and locations in between, but these two experiences are just so hard to put out of my mind. What started as a small group of birds, with the hope they would make it on their own, is now a very strong breeding population. The show stopper was his Eagle-owl.

Puffins 100

Puffins Wildlife Reserve 2003 Farming 100

10,000 Birds

JUNE 29, 2013

Being technically outside the summer tourism season, one can enjoy the somewhat less expensive travel and hotel costs, less crowded venues, great weather and nearly endless daylight—and of course many birds migrating and beginning the breeding/nesting season! I can hardly begin to describe the surreal experience that unfolded before me.

Iceland 182

Iceland Puffins Europe Birds 182

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2012

Sometimes they have to protect their catches from piratic African Fish Eagles who swoop down as soon as they that see a Saddle-bill has successfully caught a fish. During breeding season, their white plumage turns a delicate pink color, a lovely sight indeed. They also prey on frogs and crabs.

Africa 233

Africa Tanzania South Africa Uganda 233

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 6, 2022

we learn) that are home to coveted boreal species, breeding wood-warblers, and two species of Grouse. And of course, two raptors that are a part of North American birding history: the Great Black Hawk of Portland and the Steller’s Sea-eagle of Boothbay Harbor and other local areas. (

Los Angeles 186

Los Angeles Birds District of Columbia Parrots 186

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2015

Conversely, parts of the world that have traditionally been quite dry may experience more rainfall. Though they breed on the tundra, Pomarine Jaegers spend most of their lives at sea. If a seabird is trying to breed, if all the forage is too far from their nest, their nest is guaranteed to fail.

North America 209

North America Birds San Francisco Suffering 209

10,000 Birds

JULY 22, 2011

Such meditative birding is, for me, the heart of the experience. There was plenty of time to observe the scores of Spotted Sandpipers that seemed to be everywhere along the bank, peeping and flitting and bobbing in a post-breeding season riot of abundance. It relieves stress, helps me make decisions, and leaves me feeling refreshed.

Bald Eagle 167

Bald Eagle Rescue Dogs Cooking 167

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 19, 2011

I photographed this Guianan Cock-of-the-rock at a lek site near Surama, deep in the rainforest zone of Guyana, and my incredible experience with Andean Cock-of-the-rocks was at a display lek on the edge of the town of Jardin, in the coffee-belt of Colombia, both just incredible birds that make the heart soar with joy!

2011 176

2011 Birds South Korea North Dakota 176

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2024

They can be challenging to identify, especially if you haven’t seen one before, though with experience they are not really so difficult. On their breeding grounds in Spain, Lesser Kestrels are very much city birds, for 95% of the population nests in towns. Perhaps some females remain, too, but I didn’t see any.

Falcons 186

Falcons Spain Europe 2012 186

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 24, 2022

Above them, on limestone cliffs, Alpine Swift and Crag Martin breed. Raptors to look for in this reserve are Golden Eagle and Short-toed Snake Eagle , European Honey-buzzard and Peregrine Falcon. The commonest owls are Eurasian Scops Owl and Tawny Owl , while rare ones include Ural Owl and Eurasian Eagle Owl.

Serbia 256

Serbia Woodpeckers Owls Eagles 256

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

I’m sure many of you have had similar experiences. I’m wondering as I write if you are shaking your head, uneasy that all these FACTS will interfere with your love of observing owls, an experience that easily borders on the mystical for some of us. But what do we know beyond these commonly seen and heard behaviors?

Owls 200

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 200

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 4, 2014

to the ongoing conservation of breeding Lesser Flamingos at Kimberley’s Kamfers Dam to the Albatross Task Force, which works with fishermen to find solutions to seabird bycatch (birds caught in fishermen’s nets). Verreaux’s Eagle-Owls are amongst the heaviest and longest owls in the world.

South Africa 251

South Africa Africa Leopards Penguins 251

10,000 Birds

APRIL 12, 2011

We started out as a team with enthusiasm and knowledge, but little experience in book-making. reduce traffic casualties amongst Badgers , get the White-tailed Eagle back as a breeding bird, increase the number of protected plant species etc.). As for the books, that is a different matter.

Badgers 145

Badgers Ethics Africa Spain 145

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

I got to see a beautiful female and owlet on a trip to a secret nest location near Howard Prairie Lake (human-made nest structures have enhanced local breeding for these huge owls whose nest success is boosted to 83% on artificial platforms vs. 66% at natural sites). The experience, the place, and the bird combine to make this my BBOTY.

2014 183

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 183

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 4, 2016

The authors themselves–Rob Hume, Robert Still, Andy Swash, Hugh Harrop, and David Tipling–collectively have 100s of years of birding and photographic experience. The chapters, however, offer very good introductions to each bird group.

Ireland 140

Ireland Birds Groups Falcons 140

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2018

My own trip was not an intensive birding experience, and August is clearly not the most productive month. Black Stork and three pairs of White-tailed Eagles breed here. In some years, Spanish Sparrows were reported breeding inside White Storks nests in Sakule. “I would certainly recommend Serbia to visiting birders.

Serbia 150

Serbia Birds Bulgaria Farming 150

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2014

There is a total of 235 different bird species in Greenland, most of them are migratory birds with approximately 60 species breeding within the land. Some of the most common breeding birds are White-tailed Eagles , Northern Fulmars , Black Guillemots , Common Eiders , Rock Ptarmigans , and Arctic Terns. Source: Shutterstock ).

North America 175

North America Eagles Breeding Fish 175

10,000 Birds

MAY 15, 2023

Unfortunately, the Ashy Drongos did not exactly do what he predicted that they would do – mob potential predators more frequently during the breeding season and mob the more dangerous predator (in this case, the Black Eagle) more intensely. If you do not want to be put in a cage, it presumably helps to be a bit aggressive.

China 176

China 2017 Birds Indonesia 176

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 3, 2017

1) Dusky Eagle-Owl. There’s a lot of good birding to be done at the Taj Mahal: Rose-Ringed Parakeets and Red-vented Bulbuls on the grounds; Painted Storks and Pied Avocets along the Yumana River, seen from the Taj terrace; Booted Eagles and Black Kites flying overhead. 2) Plum-headed Parakeet. 4) Small Pratincole. 6) Garganey.

2016 108

2016 India Ducks Birds 108

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2011

For 9 months of the year, this great, bellowing herd can be found in the Serengeti and watching the long lines of grunting wildebeest moving across the plains is truly a remarkable experience. It’s a great place to look for roosting raptors including Bateleur , Martial Eagle and numerous species of vulture.

Tanzania 209

Tanzania Africa Stud Leopards 209

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2020

So, curious about which birds nest in two places, I quickly found out that it’s Phainopepla, a western bird, a relief because I was concerned that it might have implications for my data collection for the NYS Breeding Bird Atlas. copyright @2020 by David A llen Sibley. The Portfolio of Birds is comprised of 87 2-page spreads.

2020 262

2020 Birds Groups North America 262

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

This is the story of Fox’s experiences on board the Achiever, the research vessel of the Raincoast Conservation Foundation. The species was seemingly killed off by feather hunters, but then, after years, reappeared at the site of one of the deserted breeding colonies, Torishima Island in Japan.

Fox 100

Fox Albatross Geese Bald Eagle 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 7, 2014

I read that the Peak was a great place for thrushes in winter; experience proved the veracity of that observation, but you’ll need to examine the underbrush closely. Hundreds massing at Mai Po, many coming into breeding plumage. 23 Crested Serpent-Eagle. 24 Greater Spotted Eagle. 9 Little Grebe. 4 in Starling Inlet.

2014 207

2014 Eagles Asia Groups 207

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2016

The birding at Eilat is so dynamic in so many ways, you can’t just use that easy “gen” to zip over and see a Bar-tailed Lark , that Greater Spotted Eagle that flew overhead, or even the Wryneck hanging out in Eilat’s very own Central Park. Lesser Spotted Eagle was also seen several times along with Steppe Eagle.

Costa Rica 166

Costa Rica Eagles Birds 166

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2015

With the easy-to-use platform offered by the Great Backyard Bird Count, birders of all ages and experience levels set out to find, tally, and document as many birds as possible within the boundaries of Miami-Dade. Although they breed on the west coast of Florida, Snowy Plover is a rare stray to this part of the state. Bald Eagle: 6.

Miami 165

Miami 2015 United States Birds 165

10,000 Birds

APRIL 19, 2012

And, in a tree off to the right in that direction, I noticed a mass of stuff that resembled a Bald Eagle’s nest as much as any mass of stuff ever could, but of course, it was not a bald eagle nest. Eagles like their nests a bit farther from roads than that. Eagles don’t like being near developed landscapes.

Eagles 173

Eagles Bald Eagle Coyotes Mississippi 173

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2013

It’s a Bald Eagle, a hawk. The publication of this new title is again an occasion for excitement (how can you can you not get excited when looking at photographic layouts like the one of Bald Eagles shown above?) Families do not hike up mountains to sit all day on pointy rocks to watch woodpeckers. It’s hawks they pant and wait to see.

North America 204

North America Bald Eagle Falcons Owls 204

10,000 Birds

MARCH 9, 2011

Let us for once judge a book by its cover, and take a thorough look at a Black-headed Gull in breeding plumage. And I haven’t even started to write about ageing them … What are your experiences, and what is the colour of the claws on your local gull species? The eagle owl is still sitting tight on the nest.

2011 158

2011 Birds Deer Europe 158