10,000 Birds

APRIL 3, 2023

Its mood is not helped by the ambiguous review on eBird: “Although not actually pale, this brownish songbird is one of the plainer thrushes in its range” The Latin species name of the Dusky Thrush is eunomos (I guess that is Greek, but whatever) – meaning well-ordered. One page is dedicated to the Long-tailed Shrike.

Birds 197

Birds Blackbirds Indonesia Bhutan 197

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2019

There are always stray cattle to watch out for, but we prefer to minimize the risk of hitting animals by leaving on road trips until a couple of hours after sunrise. Cockatoo Creek had stopped flowing many months ago, but the water that remained was a good water source for the cattle in the area and also the birdlife.

Cattle 188

Cattle Stray Australia Birds 188

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 15, 2020

Cattle Egret. And of course, there are all kinds of insects, spiders, dragonflies, caterpillars, etc. Cuckoo species (common?): Little Egret: There is a shrimp farm by the seaside. Very easy work. Similar to the Chinese, birds do not seem to mind eating frogs and toads. Brown Shrike. Black-winged Kite: Yes, it is a tail.

Fish 194

Fish Rodents China Vegetarian 194

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 27, 2015

Like my two previous visits I spent one day that I didn’t have to lead any field trips doing a run through central Florida looking for some of the specialty species of the region. On my previous trips I was successful on each and every species except for the crane. The first farm on the left, where all the cattle are?

Cattle 197

Cattle Florida Bald Eagle Endangered Species 197

10,000 Birds

MAY 14, 2013

It has no avian endemic species (only one subspecies), and its most spectacular birds like Venezuelan Troupial and Fiery-Topaz Hummingbird can be found in greater numbers across a narrow strait in mainland South America, where you can pick up an additional 400-500 species besides. Of course not. Not that I can blame them.

Cattle 157

Cattle South America Florida Colorado 157

10,000 Birds

JUNE 9, 2022

This is also why you very rarely find a photo of a giraffe on top of one of these posts – the other reason of course being that a giraffe photo would be relatively pointless in a birding blog. While 6 local species utilized these artificial nests, the Chinese Grosbeak did not, preferring its own construction.

Singapore 147

Singapore Mountain Goats Birds Giraffes 147

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 26, 2019

That honor goes to the Gray-crowned Crane , a very sexy species in its own right. Of course, we did, soaking in that slate blue beauty long enough to observe a successful hunt and more of its rangy, awkward flight. Having finally seen this iconic species, I can assure you that the experience wildly exceeds expectations.

Uganda 263

Uganda Africa Birds Penguins 263

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2020

Having observed the Cattle Egret in breeding plumage at the Derby Poo Ponds on June 19th we found ourselves at Windjana Gorge first thing the following morning. Sometimes everything appears normal, but of course it is far from normal. Green-backed Gerygones were calling and it is a species we always seek out when we visit.

2020 262

2020 Australia Cattle Groups 262

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 25, 2018

Of course there are plenty of Red-tailed Hawks ( Buteo jamaicensis ) around. This refuge offers such a wide variety of species, that I wrote a post awhile back showing several species of wading birds in the same location on the auto tour route. This juvenile was photographed on the auto tour route at Colusa NWR.

Wildlife 101

Wildlife Sacramento Bald Eagle Falcons 101

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2013

federal level, and a Species of Special Concern in California. (For The combined efforts of conservationists and sustainability-minded farmers, however, are helping to save the species. Of course, the best solution would be for the birds to avoid nesting in farmland at all.

Blackbirds 186

Blackbirds California Cattle Farming 186

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2012

Have you ever enjoyed one of those brilliant birding expeditions, the outing where every target species takes its cue with machine precision? Of course we’ve all experienced the excruciating opposite of such an excursion, but when waves of new birds practically clamor for attention in quick succession, the feeling is exhilarating.

Trinidad 178

Trinidad Birds Fast Food Cattle 178

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2015

Its great diversity of habitats hosts an incredible bird count of over 900 species, including Africa’s 2nd highest list of endemics and near-endemics (after South Africa). Ethiopia, a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa, has firmly established itself as one of Africa’s top birding destinations. Yellow-billed Stork.

Ethiopia 242

Ethiopia Sudan Leopards Game 242

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2019

For many grassland species, our vast expanses of tilled and plowed fields, orchards and vineyards, pastures and rangeland offer an abundance of convenient food and shelter – and some bolder birds even wander indoors to find these things in our barns and stables. For most of history, beer has thrived in agrarian settings, too.

Vermont 119

Vermont Belgium Farming Europe 119

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 24, 2012

Now, seeing Sociable Lapwing , a species that is critically endangered and thought to number roughly 11,000 individuals, would be a treat any day but to see several pairs on their breeding grounds? Above is the area where the three pairs we observed were nesting which we were told was rather typical for the species.

Kazakhstan 128

Kazakhstan Cows 2009 Endangered Species 128

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 29, 2016

The proximity of both slopes also facilitates seeing a lot of different species in a short span because the montane barrier has resulted in differences in terms of species and habitats. This small antbird species is common in Panama to Ecuador but rare in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica 165

Costa Rica San Jose Panama Birds 165

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2022

Of course, on Chongming, the Chinese Pond Heron is very common. Unfortunately, in the science of language, this does not sound particularly raunchy but rather like a rational decision: “A rare species such as the Chinese Pond Heron might choose heterospecific mates rather than abandoning all chances of reproduction.”

Birds 162

Birds South Korea Japan Abandon 162

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2018

We saw sparrows–a total of 14 species–and we saw many other great prairie birds, and we often saw them perched on posts. Upland Sandpipers were seen almost daily, on posts, in tall grass, in trees, and, of course, flying away from us. . I wanted to see prairie birds and I wanted to experience a new state.

North Dakota 139

North Dakota Birds Sparrows Blackbirds 139

10,000 Birds

JULY 17, 2012

The population of parrotlets they studied was located on one of the many huge hatos (cattle ranches) in the Venezuelan llanos, a vast swath of flat flooded savannah in the central third of the country that drains into the Rio Orinoco. Over the course of the next several days, these pin feathers emerge and – poof!

Eggs 268

Eggs Venezuela Porcupines 2008 268

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 4, 2020

Of course the water will have been evaporating daily, but it was more than appreciated by the local bird-life. The main bird species around the quarry were Zebra Finch , Painted Finch , Spinifex Pigeons , Crested Pigeons , Peaceful Doves and Diamond Doves. Water remaining in the quarry this year. A bush full of Zebra Finch .

2020 292

2020 Zebras Birds 2016 292

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 23, 2017

None of these birds are rarities, and would never be considered a species to get all twitter-pated about. The real shock came, when at the last minute, I realized that they were not Greater Egrets , nor the smaller Snowy Egrets , but Cattle Egrets – Bubulcus ibis. I mean not like Corey’s Jabiru , for gosh sakes!

Cattle 100

Cattle Mexico Cows Game 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 30, 2017

1,712 species, 12% of which are endemics. News flash–I just received the trip report from Carlos, and the tally is 419 species recorded, of which 16 were heard only; plus Ian and I saw an additional species before the tour started, courtesy of Paulo Boute. And, of course, Pat sees Jabiru every year in Costa Rica.

Brazil 150

Brazil Birds Los Angeles Tigers 150

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 27, 2022

The higher ground under the fence offered refuge to Black-winged Stilt , Red-kneed Dotterels , Common Greenshank , Marsh Sandpipers , Sharp-tailed Sandpipers , Red-capped Plovers and of course more ducks! They were busy feeding around the cattle water trough that the cattle can’t get to unless they want wet hooves!

Barn Owls 186

Barn Owls Cattle Ducks Reptiles 186

10,000 Birds

MAY 10, 2012

Other species I was looking forward to as possibilities included Anhingas , Magnificent Frigatebirds , and seeing as the sun was supposed to shine, some raptors soaring. Other species I was looking forward to as possibilities included Anhingas , Magnificent Frigatebirds , and seeing as the sun was supposed to shine, some raptors soaring.

Honduras 158

Honduras Wildlife Monkeys Transported 158

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 13, 2012

The New Jersey Bird Records Committee (NJBRC) documents 465 species of natural origin. Used in conjunction with the species distribution maps, this is a helpful feature in evaluating field observations. That Cattle Egret I found in Somerset County, August 2009? There are, sadly, entries for extinct species.

New Jersey 191

New Jersey Birds 2009 Bald Eagle 191

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

The very first thing we notice about this large member of the Galliformes is that there is a wild version and a domestic version, and although the two are rather different, they are both given the same species name, Meleagris gallopavo. This is not entirely unknown among domestic animals, but many domesticates have no living wild version.

Turkey 202

Turkey Columbus Spain Fowl 202

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2013

Of course, this raptor pattern baldness exists for a good reason, which is another of the distasteful aspects of vulturine biology. The smellier the better, particularly as, unusually for birds, many species can boast a robust sense of smell. Vultures famously feed on carrion. Dead things. Griffon Vulture , photo by Alan Tilmouth.

California Condor 181

California Condor Turkey North America Jordan 181

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

And reports of birds nesting – not owls, of course, those weirdo snow fetishists, but other birds nesting – light up my life. We remember starlings not skylarks, House Sparrows not Eurasian Tree Sparrows , Cattle Egrets not… well, whatever we’ve forgotten because it didn’t do as well as the Cattle Egrets.

Montana 134

Montana 2011 New York Bahamas 134

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2016

Then, we became birders again, noting Common Mynas and Eastern Cattle Egrets on the terraced lawns, Yellow-footed Pigeons, European-collared and Red-collared Doves in the trees bordering the garden squares. The species is crepuscular and nocturnal, but can sometimes be seen during the day. It was a big owl.

India 188

India Tigers Birds Owls 188

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 7, 2021

We have observed huge flocks of Galahs there on previous visits and other times there are more bird species, but only one or two of each species. Walking out onto the bridge we soon observed a good mixture of other bird species. Brolga had come into drink and there were all three species of Ibis present. Cattle Egret.

Cattle 267

Cattle Ducks Zebras Australia 267

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 16, 2022

Bad developments indeed, particularly as the White-backed Vulture was found to be a good avian biomonitor species – if it does badly, most likely the environment as a whole will do badly, too. I could immediately tell them it was an Egyptian Goose – an invasive species in Germany but not at Kruger. students comes in handy).

Elephants 147

Elephants Birds Congo Africa 147

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 13, 2014

Instead of going on about zip lines and other modern, adventure tourism attractions, the birding crowd talks about taking photos of Resplendent Quetzals , seeing dozens of hummingbird species, and the seemingly odd absence of raptors in Costa Rica but nope, we don’t really talk about extinction. Resplendence.

Costa Rica 218

Costa Rica Species Panama Birds 218

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 31, 2018

Here we will actually stop for a full day, as there is a 10,000 acre wetland refuge, which should hold several species of gulls, White-fronted Geese and Black Brant, just to name a few. As far as my year’s list, this last weekend netted me 6 more species, putting me at 127 species. Now that work problem is out of the way….let’s

Ducks 115

Ducks Blackbirds Sparrows California 115

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 19, 2014

The point is, of course, that whales are not cows. Whales emerge from within the larger group of mammals that includes cattle, deer, pigs, camels, with camels being the most deeply rooted. (So So pigs are camels, as you probably already suspected.)

Camels 199

Camels Whales Whaling Apes 199

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2020

7 beats contributed their sightings from 7 countries (Hong Kong, UK, China, USA, Serbia, Australia and, of course, Costa Rica). 149 checklists were submitted, accounting for 465 species. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis). The total for the year has been pushed to 1478 , whilst the life list has reached 4009. Great Egret (Ardea alba).

2020 152

2020 Sparrows Niger Woodpeckers 152

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

Over the course of the morning, I would see multiple Berylline Hummingbirds (shown above), Mexican Violetears , and Blue-throated Mountain Gems , and a newly arrived migratory Allen’s (or, just maybe, Rufous ) Hummingbird. This species loves to sing while high up in pine trees. Of course, not everything interesting is a bird.

2020 267

2020 Birds South America Reptiles 267

10,000 Birds

MARCH 19, 2011

Of course not! Of course, that was the easiest of the three because though the bird in the image is captive, a bird that was injured and can’t be returned to the wild, Bald Eagles do occur regularly and naturally in Queens.

Bald Eagle 113

Bald Eagle Zoos 2011 Parrots 113

10,000 Birds

JULY 26, 2015

This gravel road runs from south of Halls Creek to Alice Springs on a more direct route than the main highway, but of course is not accessible all year. This is cattle country and it is actually fenced, which many parts of the Kimberley are not and you pass through Ruby Plains and then Carranya station to reach the crater.

Camels 166

Camels Birds Cattle Zebras 166