10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 15, 2021

My first visit there, in June of 2014, was short and apparently just good enough to make me want to go back again, with a mere 12 species seen. My visit the next month produced 20 species; but many of them were great ones! Like many birds, this sea-level bird in California is a very high-altitude bird down here.

2014 184

2014 California Mexico Rights 184

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 10, 2016

The Vermilion Flycatcher ( Pyrocephalus rubinus ) is usually found near the US – Mexican border but we were fortunate this year to find an adult male in northern California! The female of the species is beautiful in her own right but only the male had been seen here. Click on photos for full sized images.

California 107

California Sacramento Wildlife Groups 107

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2020

I do have a vague memory of the last Barn Owl report in my home county of Albany dating to the Carter administration (before my birth), so I’m not holding out much hope for finding a nest of this species around here anytime soon. Alexander Brown , a California label whose proprietor is the country musician Zac Brown.

2017 228

2017 Barn Owls Rodents Owls 228

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 26, 2018

At last count, there are 25 species of birds named for U.S. But only two states have more than one bird named for them: Hawaii and California, with nine and seven extant and eponymous species, respectively. My first California Quail in California, at Point Reyes National Seashore in October 2017.

2015 113

2015 San Diego Family California Condor 113

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 12, 2022

Less momentous, though just as exciting for me, were my outings during a brief trip to northern California. Also, I had found my first viable acorns for 2022 on a previous outing, and hoped to find acorns from other species in this particular oak-rich forest. (I Perhaps it was right. Which explains the name. Oh well…

Sparrows 147

Sparrows California Woodpeckers Species 147

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2019

During the decade, I submitted 1,219 checklists and observed 555 bird species, all in the U.S. After an initial period when all species are new, the lifers begin to follow a pattern. Thus, I can pinpoint my first pelagic trip, as it added 13 new species. and Canada. It can be viewed in many ways (e.g.,

Puerto Rico 145

Puerto Rico Virgin Islands Michigan Washington 145

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 12, 2021

At more than 15 million acres, California is the only other state with more than 5 million acres of wilderness. Of course, as places that are largely “untrammeled by man,” wilderness areas also have birds ( 591 species according to one study ) for birders willing to leave roads and infrastructure behind.

Puerto Rico 246

Puerto Rico Alaska Protection Research 246

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 12, 2022

White-tailed Kite in action- a classic airport species in Costa Rica. Turf farms in wooded regions are wide open oases for grasspipers and other species adapted to natural lawns. These are the three main species that urge us to scan a grassy field with puddles in September and October. Odd habitats attract odd birds.

Costa Rica 162

Costa Rica Ecuador North America Peru 162

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2019

I saw 863 species of birds, bringing my life list to 1,820. I also spent a week in northwestern Costa Rica on a family vacation, a long weekend in Barbados, a week in Georgia, and two week-plus-long trips to visit relatives in southern California. How can I narrow down the eight-hundred-sixty-three species to ten?

2019 138

2019 Barbados Uganda Costa Rica 138

10,000 Birds

MAY 12, 2022

Jonathan also works as a birding guide up in Baja California, if anyone is interested.). With 85 species in 6 hours, I’d like to think it was well repaid. That’s me on the right. His main project is monitoring the Snowy Plover population there. In case you were wondering. Feast your eyes.

San Diego 245

San Diego Turtles Mexico Sparrows 245

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 8, 2017

Breeding bird surveys appears to show the resplendent Allen’s Hummingbird (like Corey’s capture, above) in decline—but not in Southern California, where examination of eBird data reveals that members of a residential population appear to be faring much better than their migrating brethren. (To sports championships ).

Massachusetts 100

Massachusetts Eggs Falcons Rights 100

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 6, 2022

we learn) that are home to coveted boreal species, breeding wood-warblers, and two species of Grouse. There are 461 species on the Maine checklist. This field guide covers 265 species, the ones most likely to be seen–residential and migratory, almost all nesting birds, many wintering birds.

Los Angeles 189

Los Angeles Birds District of Columbia Parrots 189

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 16, 2020

In late July, I travelled a half hour north of Morelia to Lake Cuitzeo (kweet-SAY-oh) to see if our two inevitable first migratory species from up north, Baird’s Sandpiper and Wilson’s Phalarope, had begun arriving. At that point, neither species was yet present, and there wasn’t much of a lake, either. So trusting.

Ducks 249

Ducks 2020 Eggs California 249

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 28, 2019

In addition to spotting exciting new species in Florida, including the rare Snail Kite, travel across the country brought me into contact with birds in Oregon, California, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Alabama, and more. With my new job, I feel privileged to work towards protecting vulnerable species each and very day.

Bald Eagle 145

Bald Eagle Alabama Kansas Florida 145

10,000 Birds

APRIL 1, 2023

Oh yes, straight from California and very much twitchable, a first year Heerman’s was found in early March hanging out at the cruise ship dock. It’s a bird species I have expected for some time, an overdue bird if you will. Our own version of Gullmania began with the first documented sighting of a Heerman’s Gull.

Costa Rica 221

Costa Rica Factory Transported Fish 221

10,000 Birds

JUNE 1, 2021

Pough “with illustrations in color of every species” by Don Eckelberry, Doubleday, 1946. The National Audubon Society Birds of North America covers all species seen in mainland United States, Canada and Baja California. The press material says it covers over 800 species, so you know I had to do a count.

North America 278

North America America Birds California Condor 278

10,000 Birds

JULY 31, 2019

The Yellowthroat group is an odd collection of bird species. The one migratory species, aptly named the Common Yellowthroat , can be seen almost anywhere in North America. Both are marsh-dwelling species. But the remaining Yellowthroat species, all marsh-dwellers, live in extremely small ranges. See the difference?

Mexico 190

Mexico Bahamas South America Panama 190

10,000 Birds

APRIL 10, 2015

In February of 2013, I wrote a piece outlining my thoughts on which exotic bird species should be added to the American Bird Association (ABA) checklist. In 2014, the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee (FOSRC) voted to add this species to the Florida state list. They were right! They are excellent parents!

Los Angeles 154

Los Angeles Miami San Francisco Florida 154

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 18, 2019

Between our many residents and migratory species, birding in central Mexico is a joy. This photos, however, is from southern California. I find the concept of a “leg man” offensive, but when it comes to these two species, their legs are the only practical way to distinguish them (dark for the Western, yellow for the Least).

Mexico 138

Mexico United States North America Ethics 138

10,000 Birds

APRIL 16, 2022

With all the fish guts and pieces it wants, the dark-backed gull from California is probably happily lost and loving it. Robert Dean, artist and co-author of The Birds of Costa Rica responded right away saying that yes, with that large bill, he thought it must be a Pacific. Might a few occur appear in Costa Rica during migration?

Costa Rica 238

Costa Rica Fish Belize Nicaragua 238

10,000 Birds

MAY 21, 2019

I am originally from California, so it is easy for me to deal with a geography defined by a low coastal mountain range, a central valley, and a much higher inland range (in California, the Sierra Nevada). As a birder, I was eager to find the quickest ways to reach these species from my home.

Mexico 114

Mexico Birds Nevada Sparrows 114

Animal Ethics

AUGUST 15, 2012

The rights view is not opposed to efforts to save endangered species. If people are encouraged to believe that the harm done to animals matters morally only when these animals belong to endangered species, then these same people will be encouraged to regard the harm done to other animals as morally acceptable.

Endangered Species 40

Endangered Species Species Los Angeles Morals 40

10,000 Birds

JULY 3, 2019

For example, if I drive due east a half hour and then turn right, in another half-hour I drop from about 7,000 to 3,300 feet. But if I skip the right turn and continue east on the “Thousand Peaks (Mil Cumbres) Highway”, the same half-hour will take me up to an altitude of 10,000 feet.

Mexico 126

Mexico Washington Birds United States 126

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 28, 2014

Many gringos make their way to Baja California Sur every year, although the majority are probably heading to Cabo San Lucas to party and test the human limit of tequila endurance. Gray Thrashers are not as conspicuous as the hummingbirds, but should not be difficult to find in the right places. A male Belding’s Yellowthroat.

California 215

California San Jose Birds Mexico 215

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2020

Plus a few truly difficult species. Sure, it is an introduced species in Germany. I do not have a life list for those birds I saw in my youth, 45 years ago, in California. So seeing this beautiful (though common) European species was a special treat. Mandarin Ducks, Munich, Germany. But they were still Mandarin Ducks!

Austria 145

Austria Spain 2019 Birds 145

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 29, 2013

I’ve spent a fair bit of time on the ocean on right side of North America. Where the skilled spotter finds needles in haystacks and picks out rarities from more plentiful species. It’s pass was brief and fortunate only for those few who happened to be in the right place at the right time.

San Diego 159

San Diego Los Angeles California North America 159

10,000 Birds

MARCH 25, 2020

Her narrator is Gabriel, 23, raised in Northern California by an American father and a Uruguayan mother. In the marshes of the estancia , he discovers what he comes to believe is a new species of rail – one of the “accidentals” of the title. Yes, that’s right – she adds an epilogue. Gabe agrees to come along.

Uruguay 152

Uruguay 2001 Bald Eagle Science 152

10,000 Birds

MARCH 23, 2016

That original installation (pictured above) was part of a series of 40 artificial burrows created at three separate locations, all made possible by a grant from Audubon California. This property is located in northern Butte County which is nearing the (dwindling) northern most historic range for this species in California.

Owls 101

Owls California 2010 Colorado 101

10,000 Birds

MAY 17, 2020

Kroodsma waited for years for the right opportunity to record its different songs, a “cascade of sweet and liquid notes,” one naturalist said, “like the spray of a waterfall and sunshine.”. He had long wondered, Kroodsma says, how many songs, exactly, the Canyon wren has in his repertoire. It’s not a field guide, as such. It’s a good life!

Virginia 237

Virginia Boston North America 2020 237

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 9, 2013

Two days ago I went on Facebook and queried some of my exhausted compatriots: if you could have one wish right now – anything in the world – what would it be? “I Self-cleaning pens, never-empty feed buckets,” wrote Angel in South Carolina and Zoe in California. “A wrote Veronica in California. “I High Technology.

Wildlife 243

Wildlife Wildlife Rehabilitation Oklahoma New York 243

10,000 Birds

MAY 17, 2017

In the 45 minutes we were on the property, we identified 19 species, two of which are endemics, and located my first ever nesting pair of Phainopeplas right there on the property. Nearly a dozen California Quail wandered about the property. California Quail. California Scrub Jay. Xanthus’s Hummingbird.

California 100

California Pelicans Turkey Eggs 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 30, 2019

Paul Lewis moved from California to Mexico 36 years ago. But then I moved to Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, which has almost no opportunities to see interesting species (except for a good population of burrowing owls). Of late it has become much harder to locate the Shrike-Vireo and a few other flagship species.

San Francisco 116

San Francisco Mexico Turkey California 116

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 9, 2015

There are many charismatic endangered birds that capture people’s hearts and imaginations: the colossal California Condor , the evocative Red-crowned Crane , and the adorable Spoon-billed Sandpiper come to mind. Regardless of their popularity, these species and the threatened ecosystems they inhabit are equally spectacular.

Brazil 209

Brazil California Condor Parrots Texas 209

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

First, you get to tour one of their California centers , you get a special opportunity to see a Pelican getting its final medical exam and numbered leg band, plus you get the honor of releasing one, or in my case, two of their rehabilitated pelicans! There are advantages to being a “Pelican Partner” for International Bird Rescue

Bird Rescue 192

Bird Rescue Pelicans Rescue Birds 192

10,000 Birds

JUNE 24, 2013

The one thing I really wanted to do on this most recent trip to southern California was visit Santa Cruz Island again. First off, Felonious Jive ‘s brother-in-ornithology, Seagull Steve , who you will remember from my trip to southern California back in December , came aboard the boat after a two-week stint doing field work.

Whales 150

Whales Whaling Dolphins California 150

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2019

Although it was nothing like going from New York to California or even Buffalo, New York to North Carolina, a change of location, however slight, can bring new birds especially in Costa Rica. Right at home. They shared the bushes with three of Costa Rica’s common flycatcher species, each nearly as vocal as the blackbirds.

Costa Rica 165

Costa Rica Barn Owls Stray Dog Blackbirds 165

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

Right, smack dad in the middle of Summer Lake Wildlife Refuge. Not another person for miles, and a pair of friendly, well, almost, Great Horned Owls living in the tree right above us. By the time we left, I had recorded one new Lifer, 12 New Year Birds, and a total of 76 species. Part of this loop goes right by the old barn.

Blackbirds 120

Blackbirds Mules Beavers Wildlife 120