10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2019

Essay #158, “Things Birders Do: Big Years,” starts with the writer’s observation of a Barn Owl and then defines a Big Year, surprisingly celebrating it as opportunities for solitary introspection. Floyd’s writing style draws the reader in, including us in his experiences and observations, making the personal communal.

Birds 115

Birds North America Breeding America 115

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 19, 2020

This region is so far from the northern breeding grounds that there are no migratory corridors to show. uncommon), as well as when it breeds in the region. I particularly like the albatrosses and owls, shrikes and boubous. and having them in your pocket makes a huge difference in your birding experience.

Africa 264

Africa South Africa Swaziland Lesotho 264

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 10, 2015

And, not surprisingly, the breeding birds present were largely the same species as last year which was not a problem at all! Common Ravens “kworked” from the trees, a Hermit Thrush sang from across the lake early Sunday morning, and Barred Owls woke us with a wonderful duet on Saturday night. It’s about birds!

Birds 162

Birds New York Family Sparrows 162

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 4, 2014

And one that I have written about before when I was pleased to find Blackburnian Warblers like the one above breeding.). We spent our evenings cooking, playing cards, enjoying adult beverages, and listening to Barred Owls duets. In other words, it is an awesome place. We spent our days swimming, hiking, playing, and relaxing.

New York 175

New York Cooking Chipmunks Owls 175

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 238

Madagascar Lemurs 2006 Owls 238

10,000 Birds

MARCH 10, 2021

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls will also sometimes do so.). You truly cannot experience the Gray-barred Wren without hearing the raucous calls shared among group members of this highly-social species. But it is a favorite of mine for one reason: it is one bird that will happily dialog with me if I whistle its song.

Trinidad 181

Trinidad Emotional Transported Mexico 181

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

Larry starts us off right with an owl that makes birders drool: I was able to see and photograph many great birds in 2014 but my Best Bird of the Year would have to be the Great Gray Owl , the largest Strix in North America. Larry’s BBOTY – Great Gray Owl. What was yours? Maybe I should not say that….who

2014 188

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 188

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2011

Being winter, this bird is in non-breeding plumage with more brown upper parts and lacking the white face it acquires in its aternate (breeding) plumage. Forgotten Owls When Is A Tanager A Spindalis? Share Your Thoughts « Soccer Player Kicks Owl on Field? It was foraging in breast deep water. Beautiful bird.

Wildlife 155

Wildlife 2011 Sacramento Jordan 155

10,000 Birds

MAY 26, 2011

In the summer, they can be found in their transitional breeding plumage (shades of gray and brown) all over the tundra feeding on localized forbs and willow plants. I learned early and often when I moved to Colorado that a birder will have to up their physical ante to experience some of these birds.

Colorado 135

Colorado North Dakota Montana Owls 135

10,000 Birds

MAY 15, 2012

Few experiences birding get me more excited than adding a new bird to my Queens list. Sadly, it did not stick around to breed though I thought that it might. Snowy Owl - 04 February 2012 – A bird that was long overdue and one that I had predicted on my previous list but not on the most recent.

Connecticut 171

Connecticut 2011 2012 Jamaica 171

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

Along the trail, the barking duets of Barred Owl and whistled trills of Eastern Screech-Owl slowly diminish and give way to the wailing rattles of Limpkin and raspy notes of King Rail as sunrise draws closer. Suddenly, the entire trail system comes alive as birds begin their day.

Wildlife 130

Wildlife Florida Alligators Miami 130

10,000 Birds

JUNE 9, 2022

. … Nest dismantling by the Hair-crested Drongo may be an adaptive behavior to increase fitness by reducing risk of future predation and competition for nest sites in the following breeding season” ( source ). In conclusion, an experience that will put me off buying anything from that company ever. ” ( source ).

Singapore 147

Singapore Mountain Goats Birds Giraffes 147

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 1, 2013

The story of the cahow, a “Lazurus species” that was thought to be extinct for over 300 years and then discovered to be breeding on a tiny remote island in Bermuda, is part of modern birding legend. In 1951, there were 18 breeding pairs of cahows discovered on three tiny islands. These are magical experiences.

Birds 167

Birds Rats Breeding 2012 167

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2012

I think my official Best Bird of 2012, though, was (finally, finally seeing) the Burrowing Owl. Burrowing Owl Tai Haku liked Mike’s choice of a chicken in our original post but decided to do him one better. I have chronicled the experience on my blog. What exquisite taste! I kept missing them for years.

2012 133

2012 Ghana Ireland Birds 133

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 6, 2022

we learn) that are home to coveted boreal species, breeding wood-warblers, and two species of Grouse. Its purpose, chief editor Mickey Long tells us, “is to provide useful information for birders of all skill and experience levels” (p.

Los Angeles 196

Los Angeles Birds District of Columbia Parrots 196

10,000 Birds

JUNE 27, 2011

Unless you’re a big fan of your local breeding birds, you’ll find that this is the most boring time of the birding year. You’ll enjoy your earliest experiences of birding best if you allow the pros to do the heavy lifting for you: Let them find the birds and, more important, identify the birds for you.

Birds 200

Birds United States 2006 Breeders 200

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

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. We got there mid-afternoon and I had a great time photographing Reddish Egrets and Tri-colored Herons feeding—my main reason for going there.

2011 230

2011 Eagles Bald Eagle Owls 230

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2016

There are no warblers here or small shorebirds or raptors, excepting Accipiters and Screech-Owls. Light blue boxes give brief facts on breeding age, strategy and lifespan. Mentorship is an essential part of the birding experience, and it needs to be encouraged. It is an intriguing choice of species. Authors George L.

Birds 190

Birds Groups 2015 North America 190

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 182

2011 Birds South Korea North Dakota 182

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2011

This is an endemic breeding bird in North America and much is now being done by various federal and non-profit groups to ensure and foster its conservation. Piping plovers are always a treat to see, whether at their coastal or inland breeding grounds or whether at their southern wintering grounds. Wicked, right?

Florida 189

Florida South Africa 2011 Africa 189

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 17, 2016

The first impression you may get when you observe a Tawny Frogmouth is that it is some sort of Owl , because it can look similar. They breed after rain events and this was exactly the situation once again. It was nothing like the experience in September with literally hundreds of each species looking for water.

Shelters 100

Shelters Geese Australia 2010 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

Brown Pelicans , and the northernmost Brown Booby breeding colony on this side of the Pacific. Ringer Gannets and Boobies (Sulidae) Black-and-white gannets breed on the cold, rocky coasts of the northern and southern oceans. They can soar for hours, or plunge and twist after another bird with spectacular power and flair. Wicked, right?

2011 152

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea Birds 152

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2011

If you’ve blogged about your weekend experience, you should include a link in your comment. I had a beautifull view on 5 horned grebe here (one in breeding plumage), in Ann Arbor Michigan, for the 3 seconds it lasted, until I heard a huge “CRRACK&# , and I fell through the ice. What was your best bird of the weekend?

2011 154

2011 New York Deer Birds 154

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 253

South Africa Africa Leopards Penguins 253

10,000 Birds

APRIL 6, 2021

The book is organized into ten chapters, framed by a Prologue and Epilogue focused on Weidensaul’s banding experience in Denali National Park. His participant observations connect to his own research experiences, providing history and perspective. Author Scott Weidensaul and a Snow Owl.

Cyprus 251

Cyprus Slaughter Slaughtered Research 251

10,000 Birds

JUNE 7, 2012

A lovely looking and distinctive sounding bird (so they say, I sadly have not seen one…yet), the Kirtland’s Warbler can only be found during its breeding season in Jack Pine forests 5 to 20 years old in the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. At several points in recent history, Kirtland’s Warbler appeared to be on the verge of extinction.

Michigan 229

Michigan Bahamas Endangered Species Research 229

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 24, 2022

Above them, on limestone cliffs, Alpine Swift and Crag Martin breed. The commonest owls are Eurasian Scops Owl and Tawny Owl , while rare ones include Ural Owl and Eurasian Eagle Owl. Forest covers 70% of the area (hornbeam, beech and oak). About 120 species have been recorded so far.

Serbia 260

Serbia Woodpeckers Owls Eagles 260

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2012

In the following four chapters, Lovitch talks about “Birding by Habitat”, “Birding with Geography”, “Birding and Weather”, and “Birding at Night” (which is about reading radar and listening to nocturnal flight calls, not owling). The Habitat chapter is divided into “Bird Identification by Habitat” and “Bird Finding by Habitat”.

New Jersey 235

New Jersey Science United States Birds 235

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 4, 2016

There are 28 chapters—“Waders,” “Large Waterside Birds,” “Owls and nightjars,” “Birds of prey” (pulling together vultures, hawks and falcons), “Aerial feeders” (swifts, swallows, martins), etc.—plus Britain’s Birds is organized in a very loose taxonomic order, with priority given to grouping together birds that are perceived as similar.

Ireland 144

Ireland Birds Groups Falcons 144

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2020

Penguins are cartoons, emoticons, animated films, children’s books (though owls really take first place here), sports teams, a book publisher, and a Batman villain (a rare example of penguin negativity, though Burgess Meredith did bring an endearing attitude to his 1960’s TV portrayal). Press, 2011).

Penguins 278

Penguins Georgia New Zealand Albatross 278

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 1, 2012

The usual understanding of why irruptions of birds – from Red-breasted Nuthatches to Snowy Owls – occurs is that there is a shortage of food. Birders are delighted by Snowy Owls. Remember that friend of mine that saw 17 breeding pairs of Snowy Owls in a single valley? No lemmings left in the north?

United States 266

United States Owls Atlanta New York 266

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 157

Serbia Birds Bulgaria Farming 157

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 10, 2022

According to Wikipedia, “A l owl ife is a term for a person who is considered morally unacceptable by their community” The local Nanhui shrikes are well aware that the word “lowlife” has an owl hidden inside, and mark the appearance of owls in their territory with harsh protests. Not this one though.

Birds 197

Birds China Eggs Owls 197

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

The guide covers the all–1194 species in the Species Accounts, including 959 native breeding species, 219 Nearctic migrants, 8 breeding visiting species, and 5 introduced species. Of the native breeding species, 112 are endemic or “very nearly endemic.” (Can Can you guess which of the species cited above are endemic? .’

America 213

America El Salvador Costa Rica Honduras 213

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2013

Hornbills are spectacular under any circumstances, but when a pair lands in a bush beside you at eye-level and begin mutual preening , it makes for a spectacular experience. It was easily one of the best birding experiences I’ve ever had, even impressing my nonbirder fiance. You can read more about his experience here.

2013 167

2013 Birds Costa Rica India 167

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 3, 2017

1) Dusky Eagle-Owl. But the best was when we were gathering at the gatehouse to leave (many of us still taking Taj selfies) and a sister birder casually asked if I’d seen the Dusky Eagle-Owl. There is no experience comparable to birding a dump, and, I have to say, I have never experienced a dump like this one. 6) Garganey.

2016 110

2016 India Ducks Birds 110