10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2015

Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe today announced as part of Great Outdoors Month the agency is proposing to expand fishing and hunting opportunities on 21 refuges throughout the National Wildlife Refuge System. National wildlife refuges provide premier outdoor recreational opportunities across the Nation.

Fish 143

Fish Wildlife Hunting Game 143

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 12, 2019

Most of the estuaries of Puget Sound in Washington State have been developed, but one of the few that remain is the Nisqually River Delta, which was protected as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1974. Nisqually NWR is a major staging area for migratory birds , a wintering area for many ducks and geese, and a breeding area for numerous songbirds.

Washington 229

Washington Portland Birds Geese 229

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 146

Nebraska Dissection Geese Ducks 146

10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2014

My Dark-eyed Juncos are trilling in preparation to retreat to quieter breeding grounds, the Black-Capped Chickadees sing their two notes, and the Song Sparrows absolutely will not shut up. Snow Geese overgrazing their breeding grounds, displacing other Arctic-breeding species and setting themselves up for a fall.

Geese 177

Geese Montana Breeding Pelicans 177

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2011

home about advertise archives birds conservation contact galleries links reviews subscribe Browse: Home / Birds / Ring-billed Gulls in Breeding Plumage Ring-billed Gulls in Breeding Plumage By Corey • March 8, 2011 • 3 comments Tweet Share It should come as no surprise to readers of 10,000 Birds that I do not love gulls.

Breeding 145

Breeding 2011 Deer New York 145

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 116

Factory Ducks North Dakota Nebraska 116

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 152

Geese South Dakota Sacramento Arkansas 152

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 12, 2011

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. www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfSk54WICQ8

South Dakota 181

South Dakota Jordan Sacramento North America 181

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 162

New York Honduras Jamaica Geese 162

10,000 Birds

APRIL 10, 2013

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. About 3 billion of North America’s landbirds, 26 million of its waterfowl, and 7 million of its shorebirds breed here. National Wildlife Federation. Sierra Club.

Obama 241

Obama 2008 United States Industry 241

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 177

Geese Russia Breeding Unwanted 177

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 13, 2018

I was also notified of a study of Brant behavior that is being done collectively by wildlife agencies from New Jersey, New York, and Canada. For all I know, my report of this bird might be the first indication that the bird survived the round trip migration to and from the breeding grounds.

New Jersey 116

New Jersey New York Science Canada 116

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

JANUARY 11, 2014

And, as appears to be the case in most cities in Finland, wildlife and nature is only steps away! One of many signs in the park aimed at educating about wildlife. You can take in views of waterfowl including Eurasian Wigeon , Barnacle Geese , Trumpeter Swan , and a plethora of ducks and gulls. White Wagtail in Helsinki.

Finland 163

Finland Estonia Birds Europe 163

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. It breeds on the Chatham Islands and some of the islands south of New Zealand, as well as Gough and Tristan da Cunha in the Atlantic.

New Zealand 185

New Zealand Vet Collecting Geese 185

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 211

Ireland Turtles Geese Farming 211

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

JANUARY 7, 2013

I went to the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival in Titusville, Florida. May – Migration’s Peak and Breeding Begins. I also spent a bunch of time on the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and, as usual, managed to see some birds on workdays. What happened at the end of January? Florida Scrub Jay ?

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. Make up your mind, Ringer! The proposal from U.S.

2011 151

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea Birds 151

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2023

As the Hooded Cranes know that I am a consultant, they sometimes ask me whether they should forage together with geese or preferably seek areas in which geese are not present. Seek geese in meadows and mudflats, but avoid them in paddy fields ( source ). I am giving them the typical consultant answer: It depends.

Birds 147

Birds Geese Fish Industry 147

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

Kirtland’s Warbler is a classic niche species; they breed in only very specific conditions, which occur in only a very specific area. Fish and Wildlife Service. this species breeds. Fortunately, there were still a handful of immature birds alive at sea, and a few years later they were back on Toroshima breeding again.

Albatross 199

Albatross Endangered Species Geese Alaska 199

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 196

Sacramento Geese North America Wildlife 196

10,000 Birds

JULY 30, 2018

Stilt Sandpipers were around in numbers and still sporting a nice percentage of breeding plumage. There are swallows and terns, raptors and geese, ducks and gulls. Short-billed Dowitcher numbers were down from my visit two weeks ago but there were still plenty to see. Of course, shorebirds are only part of the draw on the East Pond.

Jamaica 101

Jamaica Wildlife Birds Geese 101

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 241

2011 Kentucky Tennessee Hunting 241

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2018

Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed downlisting it from “endangered” to “threatened.”. In particular, a captive-breeding program (1960-2011) likely saved the species from imminent extinction (2,800 were released) and expanded the range of the species to islands where they had been extirpated.

Endangered Species 101

Endangered Species Species Hawaii 2018 101

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Ferruginous Hawks breed in the grasslands of eastern Montana, but they are rare in the mountains and in winter, so this bird was certainly a surprise. We concluded the days by unsuccessfully scanning a golf course flock of Canada Geese for Cackling Geese , then returned to Missoula chilly but triumphant.

Bald Eagle 170

Bald Eagle Falcons Geese Montana 170

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 31, 2020

Glengoyne’s understated logo shows a simple silhouette of two standing geese facing one another, rendered either in silver or gold depending on the bottling – a nod to the distillery’s name, which means “the valley of the geese” in Gaelic. Gäss ( Geese ) (1922) by Swedish painter Bruno Liljefors (1860-1939).

Geese 154

Geese Ireland Branding 2016 154

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. 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. Take a look at the link below.

2011 177

2011 Deer India New York 177

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 205

Alaska United States Puffins Wildlife 205

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. Black-capped Chickadees , Song Sparrows , and Dark-eyed Juncos start testing their breeding songs as well, though they have a longer wait before things get serious.

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 173

New Zealand Birds Thailand Falcons 173

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 115

Ducks North America Geese Hunters 115