10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2016

Africa: Two more shadows in the spotlight, two of the most endangered carnivores of the sub-Saharan Africa are coming along the road, toward us: African Painted Dogs (Wild Dogs). I already have a history of searches for this species. We are observing a Dhole, also called Asiatic or Indian Wild Dog.

Wildlife 172

Wildlife Tigers Asia Europe 172

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2013

She has lived in Maine, California, France, New York, and currently makes her home in Virginia Beach Always bringing her camera along, Erika is building her life-list by trying to check off at least one new species each week in her field guide. Hopping almost right next to me, I later identified it as the Boat-tailed Grackle !

Florida 160

Florida DC Washington Birds 160

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 5, 2013

As the story goes, way back in the late 19th Century and organization called the American Acclimitazation Society was working hard to introduce every one of the 600 species of birds mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays to North America. The AAS released some hundred European Starlings into Central Park in 1890 and 1891.

India 155

India Stray Dog United States Stray 155

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 16, 2012

Already I had dodged the pack of wild dogs (seriously), spotted a flock of American Pipits , sorted through a huge flock of Snow Geese , and flushed four Eastern Meadowlarks and a Wilson’s Snipe. Then, while walking along a phragmite-lined ditch, a small sparrow flushed, flew a few feet, and dropped back down.

Sparrows 139

Sparrows Dogs Rights New York 139

10,000 Birds

MARCH 20, 2011

And, if you don’t get Eastern Phoebe or if they winter, what species do you use as your sure sign that spring has arrived? my dog is named Phoebe so I see her everyday — all day. Corey Mar 20th, 2011 at 9:20 pm I should have mentioned that Larry thinks that Tree Swallows signal spring …who is right?

2011 174

2011 Deer New York Philadelphia 174

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

So right now I’m feeling pretty good about Eurasian Collared-doves. 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. Wicked, right? Hat-tip to Stella.

Montana 132

Montana 2011 New York Bahamas 132

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 20, 2018

Each one was followed up by a litany of dog barks, some high in pitch, others low, far-carrying woofs. The pressure is on if you can only get certain species during the first month of the year but if you just want to add any old birds to the year list, everything is fresh! I want to help her reach that goal.

Costa Rica 148

Costa Rica Birds Parrots Woodpeckers 148

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2011

The most common species we see are the Stoke’s Sea Snake Astrotia stokesii , Dubois’ Sea Snake Aipysurus duboisii and the Olive Sea Snake Aipysurus laevis. The dog tracks did not lead to any birds, but the wounded snake had a Brahminy Kite on it until I came along on my bike and took a photo. Wicked, right?

Australia 149

Australia 2011 Sharks Deer 149

10,000 Birds

JULY 14, 2021

Unfortunately, the Cañada’s ease of access also makes it accessible to many other people, who use it to jog, walk their dogs, and ride mountain bikes. But it does offer plenty of the endemics and other species that make our area distinctive, and many of them were waiting for me on this latest visit. Blue Mockingbird.

Mexico 214

Mexico Sparrows United States Virginia 214

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 24, 2014

In honor of fall, and of the Chipping Sparrow that just smacked itself (thankfully not too hard) against my balcony window, here’s a blast from the past: Oct. There’s a movement at the corner of my eye, and an off-leash dog bounds towards me (not an issue you have to deal with on pelagics much.) Like right now, for instance.

San Diego 171

San Diego Sparrows Breeders 2009 171

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 11, 2021

The Housemartins were another UK band with good tunes and the heart at the right (left) place – to quote from “Get up off on our knees” : “Don’t shoot someone tomorrow that you can shoot today” Two Asian Housemartins , one in the house (a true housemartin), one outside (Balangshan, China).

South Africa 215

South Africa China Germany Birds 215

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 25, 2011

Unless you are nothing but the lowly diehard lister, for which you should feel much shame and embarrassment for, birders and biologists alike frequently want to understand birds on a deeper level than how to identify the age, sex and species of a certain individual. What seeds does a Baird’s Sparrow eat?

Emotional 198

Emotional Science Birds Mammals 198

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2019

This year the big prize must go to Tom who has pushed himself, right to the wire to acheive a magnificent score for a self-funded, wife-organised, wife-sponsored Little Big Year , accounting for 57% of the total. Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark – Eremopterix nigriceps. Marathon Prairie Dog Town. Labudovo Okno NR–Kli?evac,

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Sparrows 113

10,000 Birds

MARCH 4, 2024

The scientific species name venustulus means lovely, charming. Right, unless you are a stranger attacked by a male conspecific. For example, eBird says that “adults [are] overall pale grayish with black cap and back” Then again, it is called Black-crowned, so the color must be black, right?

Raccoons 130

Raccoons Birds Fox Turtles 130

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2012

As it turns out, a useful tool for the amateur phenologist is a dog. Dogs LOVE routine, they love walking the same routes and looking at the same vistas and sniffing the same trees day after day at the same time without fail (if you fail, they will let you know.)

Bald Eagle 156

Bald Eagle Montana Owls Dogs 156

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 29, 2021

I may still develop this idea, but I’ll advance the information that the only species on his list that I commonly see here are, in order of prevalence, the Yellow-rumped , Wilson’s , Townsend’s , Black-and-White , and MacGillivray’s Warblers. A hand-painted sign told not to enter with a dog.

Los Angeles 184

Los Angeles San Francisco Costa Rica Birds 184

10,000 Birds

MARCH 5, 2011

Orlando is so rich in roadside and overhead birds that I kept a list of species seen from the car which ran to 30+ on the first morning and included a Bald Eagle nonchalantly sitting on a street lamp by a Target store. Wicked, right? This is not good habitat for a Redgannet ; I had to get out of line. Hat-tip to Stella.

2011 116

2011 Alligators Florida Deer 116