10,000 Birds

MAY 21, 2020

When choosing the top birding area of Serbia for a weekend visit, head for lowlands, Deliblato Sands and Labudovo Okno complex with 250 bird species. If you have 5-7 days, combine these two zones, adding wetlands around the village of Baranda (220 species). Long-eared Owls of Kikinda. Serbia – the big picture. Birding overview.

Serbia 317

Serbia Sanctuary Birds Bosnia 317

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

I challenge that false notion and welcome those to visit Anhinga Trail in late winter and see one of the great wildlife spectacles of Florida. A late winter dawn at Anhinga Trail is truly a feast for the senses if one arrives under the cover of night and waits patiently for the sun to rise.

Wildlife 130

Wildlife Florida Miami Alligators 130

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 8, 2022

I was surprised that this species is named for its vocalization – which sounds like laughter. For example, the Diamond Dove is the world’s second-smallest species of the columbidae order ( source ). The Latin species name haematonotus (“blood-backed”) sounds a bit more exciting but not necessarily more accurate.

Australia 147

Australia Birds Parrots Ostriches 147

10,000 Birds

MARCH 12, 2019

The striking Golden-cheeked Warbler nests only in the hills of central Texas near Austin but a substantial part of those breeding grounds have leveled in favor of development. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) declared the Golden-cheeked Warbler “ endangered ” under the Endangered Species Act. On December 27, 1990 , the U.S.

Austin 174

Austin Texas Endangered Species Birds 174

10,000 Birds

JULY 9, 2015

Further down the road, we reach a derelict building with a large veranda hidden among the trees – an abandoned hunting lodge (if I were in a situation to invest, I would choose to upgrade this into a luxury wildlife lodge). Birds included common species such as Black Drongos , Jungle Babblers and a Hoopoe.

Tigers 239

Tigers Dogs India Snow Leopard 239

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2012

I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for owls. Wander through my front door and glance upwards and you’ll find at least two watching you, a Tawny Owl and a Barn Owl , both sadly gathered as roadkills. Above our fireplace is a large painting of a Barn Owl.

Barn Owls 181

Barn Owls Finland Owls Portugal 181

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 30, 2021

On the breeding grounds of the north, a small bird flies into the night, takes a bearing for the south, gains altitude and flies onward. Jose’s deep knowledge of rainforest wildlife and ecology is reflected in his detailed paintings of Spectacled Owls, Ornate Hawk-Eagles , and other jungle wildlife.

Costa Rica 258

Costa Rica Investigation Shelters Illinois 258

10,000 Birds

JULY 2, 2014

The Wildlife Conservation Stamp Project was one of the sponsors of the festival which was hosted by the Klamath Bird Observatory. One of the major draws to the festival was viewing the Great Gray Owl, but that is for another post altogether. Click on photos for full sized images.

North America 199

North America Oregon Birds Owls 199

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. What the Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds is a joyous, fascinating read. I don’t think so.

Owls 213

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 213

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 22, 2015

The wildlife was what we expected. The birds were not as plentiful because we were there during the tail end of the summer when most species had already flown south. Although they were not there in late September, I now know where Whimbrels, Surfbirds, and Wandering Tatlers breed. Northern Hawk-Owl. Alaska was incredible.

Alaska 157

Alaska South America Penguins Owls 157

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. Madagascar, however, has had more than its fair share of extinct or lost species and Madagascar Pochard was firmly on this list. The mythical Red Owl on a day roost at Lake Bemanevika.

Madagascar 240

Madagascar Lemurs 2006 Owls 240

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

Set in an abandoned oil refinery where wildlife is slowly regaining control save for the desperate attempts of golfers to retain all eighteen holes, industrial ghosts loom over rolling freshwater lakes bordered by fifty foot tall trees. The subtle white edging to the gape of this bird indicates it is near breeding time. Striated Heron.

Trinidad 205

Trinidad Birds Parrots Falcons 205

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 189

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 189

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 6, 2016

Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Northern Central America covers 827 species, including resident, migratory, and common vagrant birds. This means, amongst other things, that Nightjars and Potoos are still between owls and trogons and not following cuckoos, which really seems more appropriate to me.).

El Salvador 233

El Salvador America Costa Rica Honduras 233

10,000 Birds

JULY 30, 2014

Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, CA. Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge offers a fine show of raptors and waterfowl, Modoc National Wildlife Refuge has reliable Trumpeter Swans in winter, and the Warner Mountains are home to Cordilleran Flycatcher in spring and summer. Northeastern California. Convict Lake, CA. The Sierras.

California 200

California San Diego Birds Oakland 200

10,000 Birds

MAY 2, 2023

Flight Paths traces the history of migratory research in nine chapters, starting with the earliest attempts to track birds, bird banding/ringing (which she traces back to Audubon), and ending with ‘community science’ projects such as Breeding Bird Surveys and eBird. Geological Survey.

Science 189

Science Illinois Investigation Research 189

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2015

— and link that to something abut the Great Grey Owl and my BFF Analiese Miller who is an amazing, emerging, photographer who has recently trained her 300mm Cannon F4 lens on the birds (including the Great Grey) at Sax Zim. Birds Cassin''s Auk crows Great Grey Owl Mass Death research' You see, it is all connected.

Science 151

Science Iraq Research Birds 151

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 8, 2014

I was chatting with Gordon about this and we discussed how drones could be a safer way to get photos of birds or document birds for breeding surveys, but he was quick to point out, “You and I already have an idea of what a safe distance would be to test that out with an active bald eagle nest. Here’s a guy harassing Osprey.

Bald Eagle 195

Bald Eagle Mississippi Eagles Ducks 195

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 135

Colorado North Dakota Montana Owls 135

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 191

Florida South Africa 2011 Africa 191

10,000 Birds

MARCH 9, 2011

The little stiff-tails are almost year-round at Jamaica Bay though almost all leave to breed in the summer and in the depths of winter, when the ponds are almost completely frozen, they tend to head for open water. I can see why you thought you had found a new breed with this one. Do you think it is the female? The proposal from U.S.

Ducks 152

Ducks 2011 Jamaica Deer 152

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

MARCH 4, 2011

Among these white-headed/dark-winged gulls formerly lumped into the genus Larus , there were 18+ recognized species the last time I checked, sharing similarities that make telling them apart for the amateur birdwatcher very difficult. 1998), then the proper name for this species is L. fuscus – should be separated as species.

2011 157

2011 Cyprus Deer Species 157

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2011

Birders who have been to California might be familiar with the latter two, indeed we would be close to the Poor Knights Islands later in the day, the site of the only breeding colony of Buller’s Shearwaters in the whole world. The final large petrel species is another gadfly petrel, albeit a much larger one than the Cook’s Petrel.

New Zealand 175

New Zealand Albatross 2011 Cooking 175

10,000 Birds

JULY 16, 2012

I was delighted by the invitation and spent hours going through my photos, printing them out, imagining fifteen 4-year olds entranced by egrets, herons, and Burrowing Owls. Jake’s favorite before-bedtime book when he was just a bit younger was Owl Babies by Martin Waddell, a picture book I had picked up at a nature center.

Birds 214

Birds Owls Switzerland Lions 214

10,000 Birds

JULY 11, 2018

While there were way less Puffins than any of the other species, they are still so much fun to see. Red Kites were considerted a Threatened Species starting in the early ‘80s, and a nation wide program was started to re-introduce them around the UK. The show stopper was his Eagle-owl. Total Scotland Species – 105.

Puffins 100

Puffins Wildlife Reserve 2003 Farming 100

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. When I first saw it I thought it might be a snowy or a barn owl because it was almost white.

2011 155

2011 New York Deer Birds 155

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 153

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea Birds 153

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

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 168

Birds Rats Breeding 2012 168

10,000 Birds

JULY 21, 2014

There is another area of the Queens County CBC where a team will also likely see Monk Parakeets , Myipsitta monachus , but I am seriously determined to count that bird for my area, Coastal Flushing, a section of northeast Queens, New York, that includes Whitestone, home of one of the loudest invasive bird species in the U.S.

Chicago 201

Chicago New York City New York Illinois 201

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2011

They breed across Canada and Alaska’s boreal forest near ponds and lakes, using nest holes made by woodpeckers, almost exclusively flickers. Because of is huge range and large and growing population it is classified as a Species of Least Concern , great news for those who like to feel the gaze of the Bufflehead upon them.

2011 150

2011 Ducks Deer New York 150

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

But some species remain elusive when they shouldn’t be. Even a big trip to Canada, though it turned up many other delightful species ( Boreal Owl , anyone?) Fish and Wildlife Service. Wood Stork and White Pelican. Orchard Oriole and Prothonotary Warbler. When I went back the next day, they were still there.

Pythons 184

Pythons Litter Montana 2006 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. John from A DC Birding Blog , and Patrick from The Hawk Owl’s Nest at Jamaica Bay at 8 AM Saturday morning for some birding.

New York 164

New York Honduras Jamaica Geese 164

10,000 Birds

MARCH 10, 2011

The vast majority of Baltimore Orioles that breed in North America return to the tropics between Mexico and northern South America for the cold half of the year. A trip to the coastal plain may net you up to seven species of warblers, from the omnipresent Yellow-rumps to Chats and Cape Mays. Instead I saw a flash of orange.

North Carolina 140

North Carolina 2011 St. Louis Baltimore 140

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2021

Here are some of the questions that were running through my mind as I read Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World’s Largest Owl : (a) Is ornithological research always this dangerous? (b) The fish owl is Jonathan Slaght’s grail and also, more prosaically, his dissertation topic.

Owls 136

Owls Russia Fish Research 136

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 145

Ireland Birds Groups Falcons 145