10,000 Birds

APRIL 9, 2019

A while back, I wrote about an under-appreciated part of the National Wildlife Refuge System : Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs). Although little-known, WPAs provide critical breeding, resting, and nesting habitat for millions of ducks, geese, and swans, as well as shorebirds and grassland species.

Nebraska 113

Nebraska Dissection Geese Ducks 113

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2017

Birders are familiar with the National Wildlife Refuge System, which consists of more than 550 units distributed through all fifty states. National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs), which are managed by the U.S. FWS calls WPAs the “Prairie Jewels of the National Wildlife Refuge System.”. Ding” Darling NWR in Florida.

Factory 117

Factory Ducks North Dakota Nebraska 117

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 21, 2011

Every autumn, tens of thousands of Snow Geese arrive in California’s Sacramento Valley following their long journey from the Canadian Arctic (click on photos for full sized images). Snow and Ross’s Geese winter there in the tens of thousands. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeCKWKGhgR8

Geese 153

Geese South Dakota Sacramento Arkansas 153

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 12, 2011

The male of the species has the upper portion of the head, back of neck, back and wings all glossy black. The male is the only Black-necked Stilt in the second segment of this video, along with several Greater White-fronted Geese, and the third bird that comes into view in the final segment that is larger than the other two birds.

South Dakota 184

South Dakota Jordan Sacramento North America 184

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2012

Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 15 March 2009 It was at about 1:30 AM on Saturday morning that I startled awake and found myself sitting in an empty subway car in an unfamiliar location. Needless to say, I was a bit groggy when I met up with them. It was great to see them back, and so many of them, after a winter devoid of honk-a-rees.

New York 163

New York Honduras Jamaica Geese 163

10,000 Birds

APRIL 10, 2013

Clicking on the map will take you to an explanation of this important biome, including its climate and its plant and animal species. More than 1 million birds, including tundra swans, snow geese and countless ducks, stop to rest and gather strength in these undisturbed wetlands each autumn. National Wildlife Federation.

Obama 245

Obama 2008 United States Industry 245

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 27, 2016

My first ever story for 10,000 Birds was about the wonderful city reserve of Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, here in Wellington, a city that has been my home for 9 years this week. Also in evidence were a lot of the usual suspects, Common Moorhens, Eurasian Coots, Tufted Ducks, Mute Swans, Canadian Geese and Mallards.

Geese 100

Geese New Zealand Germany Ducks 100

10,000 Birds

JULY 19, 2011

I’m not sure what the collective noun for a group of petrels is, but the vets and wildlife carers of New Zealand might be forgiven for thinking that it might be a wreck after this week. This is the largest species of prion and perhaps the one that best suits the alternative name whalebird. Not so broad-billed. Oh, there they are.

New Zealand 187

New Zealand Vet Collecting Geese 187

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 11, 2014

And, as appears to be the case in most cities in Finland, wildlife and nature is only steps away! Obviously many species of birds can be quite elusive, but this may be your best bet at getting you close to where you’ll need to be. One of many signs in the park aimed at educating about wildlife. White Wagtail in Helsinki.

Finland 165

Finland Estonia Birds Europe 165

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2024

Though these plovers are common on the North Norfolk coast, their nearest breeding grounds are far to the north. A few do breed in Europe, on the extreme north-east of European Russia. As the tide fell, it exposed sand banks that attracted small parties of garrulous Brent Geese. Pinkfooted Geese.

Geese 182

Geese Russia Breeding Unwanted 182

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2013

Seeing 525 species was nice, as was the fact that I birded in four countries, nine of the fifty states in the United States, and fifty-one counties. I want to reach 500 birds in the ABA, get my Queens list to 295, see a total of at least 500 species, and get my World Life List to 1,100. But how did I see so many species this year?

2012 143

2012 Czech Republic Hedgehogs Hungary 143

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

Brown Pelicans , and the northernmost Brown Booby breeding colony on this side of the Pacific. Other birds with webbed feet, including ducks and geese, have only three webbed toes; the hallux (which in birds is usually the “hind toe&# and in humans, the “big toe&# ) is free.

2011 152

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea Birds 152

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. On Sunday at Kissena Park I saw five species of sparrows. No time to take a picture.

2011 154

2011 New York Deer Birds 154

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 16, 2024

Counting the Birds I was in my teens when I undertook my first bird-survey: it was field work for the British Trust for Ornithology’s The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland. The breeding and wintering birds of Britain and Ireland. Published in 1976, The Atlas was, I believe, the very first work of its kind.

Ireland 217

Ireland Turtles Geese Farming 217

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

MAY 8, 2018

More than 50 years ago, the Hawaiian Goose (Nene) was one of the first birds listed under the Endangered Species Act, part of the inaugural “ Class of 1967 ”. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed downlisting it from “endangered” to “threatened.”. Due to substantial improvements in its population and its prospects, the U.S.

Endangered Species 101

Endangered Species Species Hawaii 2018 101

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

For mankind to snatch away a species’ very existence is wrong on so many levels that I can’t begin to explain them. However, despite our best efforts to wipe them off the face of the earth, some of the more vulnerable species have managed to hang on. Fish and Wildlife Service. this species breeds.

Albatross 203

Albatross Endangered Species Geese Alaska 203

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 14, 2015

The distribution of color morphs is unequal in the Snow Goose population, with the maximum number of blue-morph geese occurring in mid-continent breeding and wintering areas 1. I photographed these blue morph Snow Geese at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge where I saw quite a few, including this juvenile (below).

Sacramento 197

Sacramento Geese North America Wildlife 197

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

MARCH 6, 2011

Outside of the breeding season a few birds may join together in a loose flock if the feeding is good. Very interesting species. Share Your Thoughts « A long way from nowhere Domestic or Ganky Geese » To learn more about 10,000 Birds, Mike, Corey, or the many marvelous Beat Writers, please click here.

2011 181

2011 Deer India New York 181

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 9, 2018

Among these lands are some of the most productive avian breeding grounds in the United States. By designating more than 97 million acres for new parks and refuges, we are doubling the size of our National Park and Wildlife Refuge System. Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.

Alaska 209

Alaska United States Puffins Wildlife 209

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2012

Yes, it’s vital to leash your dog and teach him to be respectful of wildlife, but if you can manage that, he will make a phenologist out of you. There’s some excitement in putting up feeders and in discovering which species are gracing us with big invasions this year (2011, Montana: Snowy Owls ) but much of the time its a slog.

Bald Eagle 156

Bald Eagle Montana Owls Dogs 156

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 10, 2011

Many a birding trip starts with a longish drive from the airport to the first birding site with these common roadside birds being the first taste you get of a country’s wildlife, and I feel that many bird trip reports, interested mostly in mega-rarities, gloss over the amazing experience this first drive can give.

New Zealand 174

New Zealand Birds Thailand Falcons 174

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 7, 2017

The Crossley ID Guide: Waterfowl covers every residential, migrating, vagrant, exotic, and introduced swan, goose, dabbling and diving duck in North America (Canada and the United States): 62 Species Accounts on four swan species and one vagrant subspecies; 15 goose species; 46 duck species; plus accounts for hybrid geese, ducks and exotics.

Ducks 117

Ducks North America Geese Hunters 117