10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2024

This was only my fourth encounter with the species (all on the east side). He should have visited my home last month, when both species were visiting my birdbath almost daily. He should have visited my home last month, when both species were visiting my birdbath almost daily. Two other birds, both residents, surprised us.

Mexico 205

Mexico Birds Raccoons Baltimore 205

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 12, 2022

In most years, that wouldn’t be all that special — the lake is normally where I can see the most species in a single day, so I usually go there first. These photos exaggerate the size difference between the two species, which is actually so minimal as to be almost useless for ID purposes.). Was it practicing?

Falcons 190

Falcons Abandon Abandoning Abandonment 190

10,000 Birds

JUNE 24, 2021

The fields near the Tiaozini mudflats look very much like a lunar landscape, but this does not seem to keep a number of species from breeding there, sometimes directly on dirt roads. The fourth species apparently breeding on these fields is Grey-headed Lapwing. The birding life. A somewhat older chick. Not this one.

Birds 225

Birds Uganda Breeding Rats 225

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 28, 2014

Among birds the Egyptian Vulture uses rocks to crack Ostrich eggs, the New Caledonian Crow and Woodpecker Finch (one of several Darwin Finches of the Galapagos Islands), uses sticks to extract grubs from inside a branch. This is similar to the fact that all birds, even first time breeders within a species build identical nests.

Fish 163

Fish Woodpeckers Ostriches Eggs 163

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2022

I have written about the interesting sex life of these jacanas a few times already (short version: female mates with male, lays a bunch of eggs for him to incubate and raise the chicks, leaves him, finds another male, repeat). Apparently, after a male first mates with a female, he throws out the first one or two eggs she lays in their nest.

Birds 147

Birds China Eggs Breeding 147

10,000 Birds

APRIL 8, 2012

My family took our annual post-Easter Egg hunt hike at Powder Mills Park, where I spied several gorgeous matched pairs of Wood Ducks along with lots of different woodpecker species. If you’ve blogged about your weekend experience, you should include a link in your comment. What was your best bird of the weekend?

2012 189

2012 Birds Eggs Hunting 189

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2019

While the jays did catch our attention by way of a smart crest and different shades of blue and gray punctuated by a black necklace and mascara, they were part of our common natural experience, their existence was taken for granted. Like crows and jays, they are social, vocal, intelligent, and omnivorous (including eating eggs and nestlings).

Costa Rica 182

Costa Rica Panama Eating Eggs South America 182