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. She uses both sources well.

Birds 167

Birds Rats Breeding 2012 167

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2011

Corey encountered a bunch of winners, but 24 Common Redpolls at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, in almost the exact same spot he saw them a couple of years ago, feeding on birch inflorescence by the East Pond, were easily his best birds of the weekend. However, I’ll bestow that honor upon my first local Common Grackles of spring.

2011 154

2011 New York Deer Birds 154

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

The species are taxonomically divided into two families: Tytonidae, Barn-Owls, and Strigidae, Owls, encompassed in one order, Strigiformes. The chapters on courtship and breeding and roosting and migration are the longest, which isn’t surprising. It’s a lot of work. This is a great summer read.

Owls 209

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 209

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2023

I tried to get a better idea of what exactly the definition of cuckoo-dove is but am still not very clear about it – Wikipedia only offers the rather formal definition “any of several species of bird in the genera Macropygia , Reinwardtoena, and Turacoena of the pigeon family.” But I may well be wrong.

Birds 147

Birds Geese Fish Industry 147

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2011

of Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Jon Gassett has indicated that if enough people write in protest, the proposed hunting season–due to start this December– will be reconsidered. Hunting is on a steady downturn, and nonconsumptive wildlife pursuits are on a tremendous upswing. We can fight them back in Kentucky, too.

2011 245

2011 Kentucky Tennessee Hunting 245

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

MARCH 20, 2011

Another 170 are in captivity, many of them breeding stock for reintroduction efforts. Fish and Wildlife Service tells states when they may propose a hunting season on cranes, and has ultimate jurisdiction over whether the states get their seasons. There are 400 whooping cranes left in the wild, 100 of them in the eastern population.

2011 242

2011 Hunting Kentucky Hunters 242

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 1, 2022

The big book (2017 edition, let’s call it the ABG ) covers 747 breeding residents or regular migrants, 29 introduced species, and 160 vagrants, a total of 936 species (I’m assuming the revised edition includes a few birds that were missed because of the cutoff point, I don’t have it in hand). I’d love to know more.

Australia 237

Australia Birds 2017 Groups 237

10,000 Birds

APRIL 15, 2015

These strange birds are two species in their own family; White-necked or Yellow-headed, endemic to the Upper Guinea forests and Grey-necked or Red-headed, restricted to Lower Guinea forests. However they will not and cannot breed, and once these individual’s natural lifespans are over, these bird populations will be lost forever.

Ghana 191

Ghana Hunters Guinea Gambia 191

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

I strongly suspect that the rate of attrition on this Loon family is inversely proportionate to the abundance of ducklings in the bay. Because Loons’ coastal wintering habitats can be severely impacted by oil spills and other human activities, this information has important implications for wildlife managers.

Humane 205

Humane Eagles Investigation Research 205

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 3, 2013

I knew I would not be seeing the bird in its rosy-breasted breeding plumage, but somehow seeing the bird in all its forms helped crystallize its appearance in my head. Crossley has wisely positioned his series as an educational resource, to be used as much at home as in the field. I studied it. Sadly, I still did not see the bird.

Ireland 171

Ireland 2013 Breeders Ducks 171

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 7, 2017

This is how, I think, the “Crossley technique” works best—coverage of specific bird families that pose identification challenges to birders at all levels of skill. And Hybrids: Waterfowl tend to hybridize to a greater degree than most other bird families, and the guide does an excellent job of covering hybrids.

Ducks 117

Ducks North America Geese Hunters 117