10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

Note: By the time this gets posted, Hurricane Newton will have passed right thru La Paz, packing 100+ MPH winds. There was a juvenile Gray Thrasher in the bushes right nest to the open air dining area. I am posting this on Monday night, as I do not expect to have power or internet service by this time tomorrow. Sunday was my birthday.

California 100

California Rights Groups Family 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

Brown Boobies ( Sula leucogaster ), Islas Coronado, Baja California © David J. That larger clade is in turn sister to a clade containing the four remaining totipalmate bird families, which do still seem to be related, and which needed a new order name once pelicans were removed. And, the birds are awesome.

2011 158

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea Birds 158

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 28, 2012

This post is old news to those who pay attention to what I say on Facebook but I am still pleased as punch to point out that I have finally reached the 500-bird milestone in the American Birding Association area (basically North America north of Mexico). How did I finally reach this lofty peak? Binoculars up into the dark and wet and YES!

San Marino 109

San Marino Los Angeles Birds Laws 109

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 5, 2019

The chapter on “Capturing Bird Behavior” (my favorite) gives detailed examples of behavior cues and sound cues to look and listen for in anticipation of interesting preening, courtship, and family behavior. Each illustration (and, there are many) is captioned with equipment used and camera settings.

Birds 202

Birds Ethics 2019 Experience 202

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2022

He lamented that he had barely been able to travel during the year — only one trip from New York to California, poor boy — and then went on to give an impressive list of vagrants and first-of-state birds. But it wasn’t until 2021 that I figured out where they are most common: right around our church! In my garden!

Mexico 246

Mexico Birds Virginia Barn Owls 246

10,000 Birds

JULY 13, 2022

As I mentioned last week, upon my return last month from California, where I had birded a couple of hours each day, I was ready for a bit of a break. Then, to my right, I saw an enormous flowering agave plant. They are also from the family responsible for mezcal and tequila. Oh, no, I didn’t stop birding entirely.

Mexico 147

Mexico California Woodpeckers Sparrows 147

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

It actually makes a lot of sense, the geographic features of the isthmus between North America (including Mexico, because Mexico is part of North America) and South America cut across political lines, as do birds. Text is on the left, plates are on the right. One field guide, seven countries. The picture gets complicated.

America 214

America El Salvador Costa Rica Honduras 214

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 4, 2018

You could say that the right-brain, the part of the brain that is intuitive and creative, goes first, and the left-brain, where the logic resides, comes in second to refine and substantiate the initial impression. The process doesn’t totally ignore plumage. From the Laughing Gull species account. Range Maps.

North America 212

North America America El Salvador Nicaragua 212

10,000 Birds

JUNE 5, 2019

One of the advantages of Morelia as a birding/tourist destination is that we receive direct flights from Houston on United, Dallas/Fort Worth on American, and Los Angeles, Oakland, San Jose (California), and Chicago/Midway on the Mexican carrier Volaris. And go ahead, bring the family. Come bird Morelia.

Birds 182

Birds San Jose Los Angeles Fort Worth 182

10,000 Birds

MAY 15, 2011

I had spent several holidays with my family in the USA in the 1980′s and then worked in Maine during the summer of 1985-beware the poison ivy and the snapping turtles! We spent almost 4 months crossing the USA and had an amazing time, although it was not the right time of year for Wood-Warblers.

South Africa 160

South Africa United States Austin Alligators 160

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 15, 2012

This bird spent the 2011-2012 winter at Colusa National Wildlife Refuge in northern California, migrated someplace exotic and distant in February, and returned to the same pond at the beginning of this month. And, the best thing was that it did not require tapes, just the right habitat and good ears and patience.

2012 164

2012 Birds Guatemala Florida 164