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

DECEMBER 19, 2012

On the way I managed to sneak in a manic day of birding in and around the capital of Thailand, Bangkok. Bang Pra is a reservoir and no-hunting area to the south east of Bangkok. Both are common, really common, and both are essentially indistinguishable in non-breeding plumage. Next we drove to the local bird breeding centre.

Thailand 153

Thailand New Zealand Terrapins Asia 153

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 1, 2014

Insofar as they relate to other bird families, they are perhaps closest to the thornbills, another family that is mostly Australian but reaches as far as Thailand and Fiji. Outside the breeding season they may tarvel in large flocks looking for outbreaks of these bugs. That isn’t to say it’s easy, however.

Australia 170

Australia Fiji Hunters Family 170