10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

How much do you know about owls? I’ve been fortunate to encounter many owls in my birding life, sometimes because I’m looking for them, sometimes happily by happenstance. I’m sure many of you have had similar experiences. This isn’t a rhetorical question, think about it. I don’t think so.

Owls 203

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 203

10,000 Birds

APRIL 9, 2017

If you haven’t yet embraced the theory or practice of birthday birds, I recommend that, next time your special day rolls around, you make it a point to pursue a seasonally appropriate species you don’t regularly see. My birthday bird this weekend ranks high on my list of special sightings: Northern Saw-whet Owl !

Los Angeles 100

Los Angeles 2017 Coyotes Birds 100

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2019

So, for example, Essay #15, “Individual Variation,” uses Herring Gulls to introduce the concept that one species, even one species at a specific age, can vary widely in appearance. The Checklist is more than a taxonomic listing of species and chapter number and title; it also contains useful notes on each bird family.

Birds 114

Birds North America Breeding America 114

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

MARCH 10, 2021

(The White-tipped Dove is actually called, in Spanish, the Paloma Arroyera , or “Gully Dove” And sorry, I have yet to get a photo of this shy species. Like most of the species on this list, this tiny highland bird prefers to make its presence know by singing, rather than by being seen. You do want to see it.

Trinidad 175

Trinidad Emotional Transported Mexico 175

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 8, 2011

Paging through a fieldguide, it’s always with a sense of dismay and sadness that I come across reference to an extinct species. Islands, for various reasons, experience more extinctions than continents (with Africa being the only continent not suffering a bird extinction!). The mythical Red Owl on a day roost at Lake Bemanevika.

Madagascar 233

Madagascar Lemurs 2006 Owls 233

10,000 Birds

JUNE 9, 2022

After writing this last sentence, I looked up the species in the HBW and found the sentence “Song poorly documented” in the appropriate section, while with regard to calls, the description is that “call is a two-note raspy nasal ‘ryeeh-reh’”.

Singapore 147

Singapore Mountain Goats Birds Giraffes 147

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 6, 2022

we learn) that are home to coveted boreal species, breeding wood-warblers, and two species of Grouse. There are 461 species on the Maine checklist. This field guide covers 265 species, the ones most likely to be seen–residential and migratory, almost all nesting birds, many wintering birds.

Los Angeles 188

Los Angeles Birds District of Columbia Parrots 188

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? I also blogged about that dreamy day.

2014 184

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 184

10,000 Birds

MAY 26, 2011

Views like this offer specialty niches for many high-altitude species. These White-tailed Ptarmigan are without a doubt one of the most sought-after species in Colorado. 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.

Colorado 134

Colorado North Dakota Montana Owls 134

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

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 127

Wildlife Florida Miami Alligators 127

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2016

All species are from the ABA area, and all groups must meet at least one of these criteria: (1) the group “represented a good opportunity to build core birding skills,” (2) the authors thought it was a group that needed “a refreshed treatment,” (3) the authors were intrigued by the group and wanted to present it using their unique format.

Birds 189

Birds Groups 2015 North America 189

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. While there were way less Puffins than any of the other species, they are still so much fun to see. The show stopper was his Eagle-owl. Total Scotland Species – 105.

Puffins 100

Puffins Wildlife Reserve 2003 Farming 100

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2012

I even managed to shoot a video with hands trembling of excitement, probably a first of the species. 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.

2012 133

2012 Ghana Ireland Birds 133

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.

Birds 165

Birds Rats Breeding 2012 165

10,000 Birds

JUNE 27, 2011

Even the most barren habitat shelters enough stealthy, confusing, downright frustrating species to scare off newbies. Every season presents its specialty species in the full flower of their availability, diversity, and beauty. Too many steps in a process can seem daunting, so always keep it as simple as possible.

Birds 197

Birds United States 2006 Breeders 197

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. The dam was very full and there were numerous species of birds present. Tawny Frogmouth before it changes shape!

Shelters 100

Shelters Geese Australia 2010 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2011

Getting to know the subtleties in differences between closely related species takes years of dedication and practice. Thirdly, many species of shorebirds display such vast differences in their summer and winter plumages that it is always interesting to note how some birds in the same flock are in contrasting stages of plumage.

Florida 185

Florida South Africa 2011 Africa 185

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

Brown Pelicans , and the northernmost Brown Booby breeding colony on this side of the Pacific. Frigatebirds (Fregatidae) Five species of frigatebird ply the planet’s tropical skies and seas. Ringer Gannets and Boobies (Sulidae) Black-and-white gannets breed on the cold, rocky coasts of the northern and southern oceans.

2011 151

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea Birds 151

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). We observed far fewer Lesser Flamingos, a near-threatened species. And then there were the Flamingos.

South Africa 252

South Africa Africa Leopards Penguins 252

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 19, 2011

It is my best bird because it is just such an incredible species, and looking at it made me realize that I had temporarily stopped to fully appreciate birds during the stressful last few years. This year I watched them from the day they arrived , until two chicks successfully hatched, the northernmost breeding record for the species.

2011 177

2011 Birds South Korea North Dakota 177

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. This species prefers swampy habitat and I don’t think the creek was appealing enough to keep it around.

2011 224

2011 Eagles Bald Eagle Owls 224

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. Fish and Wildlife Service endangered species list.

Michigan 223

Michigan Bahamas Endangered Species Research 223

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 4, 2016

Over 3,200 photographs have been used, most showing species in their habitats. There is also text, distribution maps, a dark red bar “warning” about similar looking rare species, and conservation symbols. So, how do you find the species account for Kestrel if falcons are not placed between woodpeckers and parakeet?

Ireland 141

Ireland Birds Groups Falcons 141

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

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. About 120 species have been recorded so far. About 180 species have been recorded so far.

Serbia 257

Serbia Woodpeckers Owls Eagles 257

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 246

Cyprus Slaughter Slaughtered Research 246

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). © Otto Plantema, used with permission.

Penguins 277

Penguins Georgia New Zealand Albatross 277

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

Covering 1,261 species with data and taxonomy current up to August 2017, the field guide is an exciting achievement. And, then there are the more familiar birds–Wood-warblers, sandpipers, hawks–some species migrants, some species with a wide range. Can you guess which of the species cited above are endemic?

America 212

America El Salvador Costa Rica Honduras 212

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.

Birds 192

Birds China Eggs Owls 192

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2018

My own trip was not an intensive birding experience, and August is clearly not the most productive month. I chalked up 132 species in a pretty relaxed eight days, during which birds shared the agenda with culture. With 154 eBirded species, the Beljarica shares the 4th place on the list. eBird bar chart. #4

Serbia 152

Serbia Birds Bulgaria Farming 152

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2013

My best bird of the year is based on the sighting rather than the species. 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. Only trouble is, which of the seven species I saw this year do I pick?

2013 167

2013 Birds Costa Rica India 167

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2015

The warm, sunny climate beckons a wide variety of passerines, raptors, and shorebirds to spend the winter, inflating the species diversity to the extent that Miami-Dade can go toe-to-toe with counties in Texas and Arizona during this season. We recorded 17 Short-tailed Hawks this past weekend, a winter specialty in Miami-Dade.

Miami 165

Miami 2015 United States Birds 165

10,000 Birds

MARCH 12, 2011

As part of the Wildlife Conservation Society Birds of Brazil giveaway we asked readers of 10,000 Birds to name the bird in Brazil that they would like to see more than any other species. What follows are the responses that readers offered, a veritable aviary of sought after species. It is a really neat bird that I have not seen before.

Brazil 199

Brazil 2011 Birds Wildlife 199

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 108

2016 India Ducks Birds 108

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 263

2020 Birds Groups North America 263