10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 19, 2017

Joe in Northwest Florida. Over an hour passed as we explored, marveling at the variety of ecosystems and associated species on this beautiful peninsula. Though we only had until noon that day, I definitely want to return (my constant refrain), especially during the height of migration!

Bald Eagle 100

Bald Eagle Mexico Florida Fish 100

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 23, 2011

For many birders a highlight of birding the southeastern United States, maybe even the definitive birding experience of the region, is taking in the great numbers and diversity of long-legged wading birds. It was all to easy to catch opportunities for inter-species interactions, like the one below consisting of four species of fish-eaters.

South Carolina 157

South Carolina Alligators Florida United States 157

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 26, 2014

There is one thing however that makes the Sunda Teal a rather highly desired species, and the name is a bit of a give-away: the species’ magic is in its range. No, definitely not the birding. Muara Angke – the place where you get to scan THIS for Black Bitterns and rails. Birds dabbling ducks Indonesia waterfowl'

New York City 165

New York City Los Angeles Timor Indonesia 165

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 19, 2012

On Saturday, 28 January, while I was at the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival, Doug Gochfeld and I made our way to central Florida for most of a day’s birding, looking for the specialty species of that region. One target species down, though barely, and one to go! But we were not quite done with Three Lakes.

Wildlife 169

Wildlife North Carolina Woodpeckers Florida 169

10,000 Birds

MARCH 31, 2014

We assembled at nine in the morning in a small parking lot outside the naval base in Key West, Florida. The weeks leading up to spring break had been a whirlwind, and the days before the trip mostly spent driving and exploring Florida. If birds don’t want to be handled, then they definitely didn’t want to be weighed.

Birds 218

Birds Florida Groups Breeding 218

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2016

A little longer than its predecessor (by eight pages to be exact), the East Coast guide is your handy dandy, pocket-sized, all-in-one guide to the seabirds, marine mammals, sea turtles, fish, and other creatures you are likely to encounter on pelagics or whale watching trips, from Bar Harbor, Maine to Ponce de Leon Inlet, Florida.

Pennsylvania 189

Pennsylvania Texas Whales Whaling 189

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2015

The Refuge is now home to nearly 200 species of birds, over 50 species of mammals, 25 species of reptiles and amphibians, and a wide variety of insects, fish and plants. Ever since, our staff has been working hard to turn the land back to a more natural state within the floodplain of the Tualatin River basin. v=sk_5pt9OTLA.

Fish 155

Fish Wildlife Hunting Game 155

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2011

By age 2 she could identify over 10 species of birds in our Johannesburg, South Africa, yard by call alone. Astounding because she picked up birding before she could speak and surprising because this ability was definitely not inherited from anyone in my family, myself included. And perhaps 20 others by sight.

Birds 279

Birds Game Wildlife Family 279

10,000 Birds

APRIL 17, 2012

Oil begins to wash up on the beaches throughout May and June of 2010 May 6, 2010 Oil washes ashore on the Chandeleur Islands off the Louisiana coast, an important nesting and breeding area for many bird species. June 4, 2010 Oil washes up on barrier islands and beaches from Louisiana to Florida. In my eyes, the future is crystal clear.

2010 268

2010 Louisiana 2012 2011 268

Animal Person

NOVEMBER 21, 2010

It has entertaining stories, includes animals people care about because they like them (and also addresses that concept), and it describes how the numbers of various species decreased to the point of being classified as "endangered" or worse. It's a great primer on extinction and conservation for the layperson.

Polar Bears 100

Polar Bears California Condor Bald Eagle Lions 100

Animal Person

JANUARY 6, 2010

Riddle me this: If you're in camp #3, do you think it's bad to pursue personhood for individual species, or is it just something you're not going to spend your time on because of the various problems with the process (e.g., which animals and why, what characteristic/s and whose definition of them, just to name a few)?

Dolphins 100

Dolphins Animal Rights Rights Animal 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 7, 2011

We were driving up to northwestern Michigan from our homes in Ohio (me) and West ByGod Virginia (Geoff) in search of a bird species that would be a lifer for both of us: the Bohemian Waxwing. “Definitely!&# I was on a birding quest trip with my friend Geoff Heeter. That’s a story for another time. he concurs.

2011 244

2011 Birds Michigan Ohio 244

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 13, 2013

Well that depends on several factors, the most important of which are the definitions of the terms “remote” and “endemic” My subjective thoughts on remoteness are that the term should be defined by two factors: 1. Does the word define a species within country terms, regional terms etc?

Birds 248

Birds South Africa South America Feral Cats 248

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2016

Upon arrival, I was surprised to see that the bird had a single, very long (perhaps 14”) tail feather – definitely not a tern. She verified the bird’s identity and told me that the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Shores, Florida was one of the few places equipped to handle this species.

Connecticut 189

Connecticut Florida Wildlife Rehabilitation Delaware 189

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 29, 2020

It happens to every birder and it may take a while but eventually, every person who strives to see different species of birds comes across that one warbler, that particular shorebird or bunting or crossbill that they really, honestly, should have seen. Unlike many other ducks, this species was stealth in action.

Costa Rica 264

Costa Rica Ducks Birds Laws 264

4 The Love Of Animals

MARCH 17, 2011

By definition, it’s a feeling that one tries to hide. Stories about animals rescuing members of their own and other species, including humans, abound. They show how individuals of different species display compassion and empathy for those in need. An Embarrassed Chimpanzee: I didn’t do that! Photo by Ginger Me.

Emotional 100

Emotional Animal Whales Whaling 100

10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2012

Although designed as a field guide, it is a hefty book, 376 pages long, covering 336 species. Many species are dimorphic, with females looking different from males. Many species also differ with age. And, there are some odonate species that include andromorphs, females which look like the males. Yes, 675 photographs.

United States 250

United States Costa Rica Massachusetts North America 250

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2016

And, the whole question of subspecies, which in the Northeast tends to focus on the Cackling Goose, but which I’m sure is a topic of fascination with other waterfowl species in all other parts of the world. The publicity material says 84 species, but I counted and recounted, and I only see 83.

North America 188

North America Asia Europe America 188

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2011

One such controversial bird is the Veraguan Mango , a small hummingbird species that was, until very recently, believed to be a Panamanian endemic. Veraguan Mango by Carlos Bethancourt Although the Neotropical region supports fewer bird families than Africa, there are considerably more bird species here than anywhere else on earth.

Panama 249

Panama Costa Rica 2011 Cleveland 249

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 7, 2021

Decades later, Richard Pough’s Audubon Bird Guide, Eastern Land Birds (I happily own the 1948 edition) included nest and egg descriptions for each species as well. And photographs of feathers in the species accounts, which surprised me. Text retrieved from the Hathitrust Digital Library. The first is accomplished well.

Eggs 264

Eggs Birds United States Sparrows 264

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 15, 2012

Southern Cassowary with chicks by Duncan Wright Carlos Sanchez was particularly appreciative of a new bird for him in Florida. This bird represented only the second documented record of this species in Florida. Definitely one of the highlights of my birding career! However, he went far afield to find a more familiar fowl.

2012 191

2012 Birds Guatemala Florida 191

10,000 Birds

MAY 26, 2013

It was really cute, they even spelled out the definition of anthropomorphism. And there’s the possibility of 30 endemic species, not to mention what cool thing might zip up over the Mexican border. Space Coast Birding and Nature Festival in Florida is another good time—Florida. In January.

Rabbits 260

Rabbits Detroit Florida Minnesota 260

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 28, 2015

During my previous five trips to Indonesia, I only heard but never caught a glimpse of three species. Now my tally stands at four species seen and a fifth heard-only. The African or Angola Pitta is the holy grail of the Southern African birder and definitely the “most-wanted” bird in our region. This is so unfair.

2015 189

2015 Costa Rica Birds Sparrows 189