10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2022

It is hard to imagine any birder not liking woodpeckers – they are the “motherhood and apple pie” of the avian world. The Bearded Woodpecker (Mkuze, South Africa) does not really look any more bearded than many other woodpeckers. It is the most widespread woodpecker in Africa, claims the HBW.

Woodpeckers 256

Woodpeckers South Africa China Singapore 256

10,000 Birds

JUNE 23, 2022

The Blue Whistling Thrush is presumably named for its loud human-like whistling, and possibly for being blue. While it is listed as Least Concern, it is rare in China – the range map in the HBW barely touches Chinese territory. I am ok with the microfalcon but do not quite get the “bluish” (caerulescens) part.

Birds 147

Birds Myanmar China Chicago 147

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2023

I also only managed to see rather common bird species at Shennongjia, a nature reserve in Hubei province, China. In the past, Great Spotted Woodpeckers mostly lived off renting out their old apartments to other species. Fortunately for the Great Spotted Woodpecke r living in Shennongjia, this has not happened here yet.

China 194

China Birds Eggs Woodpeckers 194

10,000 Birds

MAY 15, 2023

I visited Tengchong in late 2020 and wrote about it – but I also went there earlier, in 2017, and this post shows some photos I took during that trip, along with the usual comments that seem to be much more about ridiculing my fellow humans (especially ornithologists and the like) than providing useful information on birds.

China 207

China 2017 Birds Indonesia 207

10,000 Birds

JUNE 3, 2014

Female Imperial Woodpecker in flight, Mexico, a still from recently found film made by William Rhein, p. Eskimo Curlew, Passenger Pigeon, Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Bachman’s Warbler, Carolina Parakeet—these are names that echo mightily through birding histories and even some recent field guides. The photographs were never published.

Animal 270

Animal Mammals Hawaii Dolphins 270

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 25, 2021

Or the Asian Barred Owlet (Hangzhou, China) – though I am happy this allows me to include some owl photos into this post. When birdwatching together, my friend Steve once pointed out that we saw the only two bird species starting with the word Amur on the same day (at Tianmushan, China, by the way). What a sad lot we are.

South Africa 345

South Africa China Nevada Africa 345

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 10, 2022

While it is laudable to point out the plight of homeless woodpeckers, this is hardly the right subject for an upbeat bird photo contest. That is an easy trick – capture a bird in a seemingly human pose, just to attract sympathy for the bird. Notes on bird species and locations shown: Amur Paradise Flycatcher (Nanhui, China).

China 245

China India South Africa Homelessness 245