10,000 Birds

JUNE 29, 2013

Being technically outside the summer tourism season, one can enjoy the somewhat less expensive travel and hotel costs, less crowded venues, great weather and nearly endless daylight—and of course many birds migrating and beginning the breeding/nesting season! There you will find more breeding terns, gulls and dozens of Graylag Geese.

Iceland 188

Iceland Puffins Europe Birds 188

Animal Ethics

APRIL 27, 2008

To the Editor: Re “ PETA’s Latest Tactic: $1 Million for Fake Meat ” (news article, April 21): The commercial development of meat from animal tissue won’t result in “fake meat” any more than cloning sheep results in fake sheep. coli bacteria or food additives. There is no happy ending for even the most humanely raised animal.

New York Times 40

New York Times New York Meat Sheep 40

Animal Ethics

MARCH 8, 2009

Suppose further that such blood is obtained without killing the animal and without causing the animal pain. Suppose there was a breed of sheep that became very ill when the sheep’s fleece was removed; they did not function normally. Suppose someone enjoys drinking the blood of cattle and hogs. KBJ: Ditto.

Vegetarian 40

Vegetarian Morals Suffering Vegan 40

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 26, 2011

On the islands that make their home, they are rock stars compared to parakeets that dig up storm-petrels to eat ( Antipodes Parakeet ), parrots that kill sheep in order to eat (the incomparable Kea ) and parrots that chew my guttering in the hope that it has turned edible since the last time they tried ( Kaka ).

New Zealand 181

New Zealand Parrots Sanctuary Family 181

10,000 Birds

JULY 11, 2012

But you can take solace in the results at the end of the breeding year, when loafing around the intertidal are a shiny new cohort of finely plumage grey youngsters, all ready to carry on Western Gull line into the future. Western Gull chick. It is without question an unpleasant way to die for any animal.

Animal Rights 262

Animal Rights Rights New Zealand Animal 262

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2013

The bulk of my lifers were on a trip to India in October/November but all the birds were surpassed by watching and photographing a Snow Leopard hunting and killing a Blue Sheep , so none of them are real contenders for BBOTY. Hence my birding travel (and blogging) has been curtail (but life much enriched!)

2013 167

2013 Birds Costa Rica India 167