10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Go Cardinals, Ravens, Falcons, Eagles, and Seahawks! If you’ve blogged about your weekend experience, you should include a link in your comment. No matter how many months they’ve been away, their presence triggers tremendous excitement, inspiring rapt attention from coast to coast. What was your best bird of the weekend?

2016 100

2016 New York Falcons Birds 100

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

Fruska Gora National Park with British journalist Mike Unwin who later described the experience: “The road passed through a region of short-grass steppe on the lower slopes of the ridge, where we spotted several Sousliks scampering for their burrows. But no eagles appeared; or at least none that I was prepared to tick.

Serbia 248

Serbia 2004 Eagles Chickens 248

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

The best birds of my weekend were Seahawks, Eagles, Falcons, Cardinals, And Ravens. There was the White Ibis in New Jersey , the Caspian Tern , the Buff-bellied Sandpiper , another White Ibis , this one in New York’s Orange County, a Bald Eagle , and a host of other birds.

Bald Eagle 167

Bald Eagle New Jersey 2011 New York 167

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2024

They can be challenging to identify, especially if you haven’t seen one before, though with experience they are not really so difficult. The kestrel colony is valued by the city of Seville: in recent years renovation work on the roof of the cathedral was suspended during the falcons’ breeding season.

Falcons 195

Falcons Spain Europe 2012 195

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2012

I, of course, was focused mainly on Eagles, Falcons, and Seahawks this weekend. If you’ve blogged about your weekend experience, you should include a link in your comment. I’m looking forward to hearing about some astounding avifauna on the move. What was your best bird of the weekend?

2012 164

2012 Falcons Birds Farming 164

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 18, 2018

Lesser White-fronted Goose and Greater Spotted Eagle came to mind, but what else? I counted them very roughly, but I do have a lot of experience estimating flocks. I am scoping Great Cormorants roosting in their colony in the (now dry) flooded forest, there is one… eagle to the right of them. One done, three more to go.

Greece 181

Greece 2017 Pelicans Geese 181

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 8, 2014

Early this September I made that pilgrimage planning to be there when Africa-bound vultures, buzzards and eagles are on the move. People asked me what target birds I had in mind, but really I had very few; I’m not a list-ticker and my goal was to experience the raptor migration. They provided my ideal accommodation. Griffon Vulture.

Spain 169

Spain Ostriches Africa Canada 169

10,000 Birds

MAY 21, 2013

Speaking of hawks, two talented and extremely knowledgeable falconers, Marie Gaspari Crawford and Chloe Bowen, shared with us their birds and their experiences. The place was lousy with Swainson’s Hawks , and we may even have spotted a distant Golden Eagle. Even from the window of a van, the American Avocet is a stunner.

Nevada 171

Nevada Birds Barn Owls Cows 171

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2012

The original organization of chapters on Buteos, Accipiters, Falcons, Kites, Northern Harrier, Eagles and Vultures, and Osprey has been kept, with additional chapters on Crested Caracara, Southwestern Buteos and Kin, Florida Specialties, Regional Specialties. Yes, I saw the bird and it was incredible.)

North America 223

North America Bald Eagle Birds Eagles 223

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 13, 2016

At the same time, a Peregrine Falcon flies across the valley. Our guides were researchers from Callisto, patient and always smiling Yannis Tsanakis (above) and Maria Petridou with her infectious laugh and stories of her Sun Bear and Jaguar research experiences. Short-toed Snake-Eagle – Circaetus gallicus.

Bears 269

Bears Greece Europe Slovenia 269

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2019

Finches, for example, are “especially prone to nomadism,” and Falcons, as many experienced birders know, are more closely related to parrots and songbirds than to hawks and eagles. Floyd’s writing style draws the reader in, including us in his experiences and observations, making the personal communal.

Birds 115

Birds North America Breeding America 115

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 8, 2013

However, the great birding experience that is Sani starts lower down. Other specials include Large-billed Lark, Gray-winged Francolin, Sentinel Rock-Thrush, Sickle-winged Chat, Yellow Canary (at the very eastern edge of its range) and, if you are very lucky, a roosting Cape Eagle-Owl. Photo by Adam Riley.

Lesotho 169

Lesotho Africa Birds Rats 169

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 6, 2022

And of course, two raptors that are a part of North American birding history: the Great Black Hawk of Portland and the Steller’s Sea-eagle of Boothbay Harbor and other local areas. ( Some birds are put next to each other to aid in the identification process, for example, falcons follow hawks.

Los Angeles 195

Los Angeles Birds District of Columbia Parrots 195

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 30, 2012

Standing at the hawkwatch at Kiptopeke State Park, as I did for a significant amount of by visit to Virginia, was a humbling experience, not just for the word-class birding raptor watching but for the enormous numbers of passerines passing overhead at any moment.

Virginia 144

Virginia North Carolina DC Louisiana 144

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2016

Not only did it fly in but it attacked a Bald Eagle! The Bald Eagle was flying upside-down with talons up trying to ward off the small white falcon! Brian Laben had a wonderful experience seeing this rarity in upstate New York (or, is that mid-state? Within 15 minutes the Gyrfalcon flew in. Or a sequel.)

New York 100

New York Bald Eagle Birds New York City 100

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2020

These are included as part of the summary and are maintained in the list, despite objections by some purists, to give the full, rich experience as enjoyed by your lucky, lucky beats. Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla). Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus). Domestic goose sp.

2020 152

2020 Sparrows Niger Woodpeckers 152

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2015

Recent publicity about these remarkable tribes has resulted in tourists wanting to experience this wild land and its attractions for themselves. Other quality birds seen in the park that morning included the endemic Wattled Ibis, Banded Snake Eagle , migrant Pallid Harriers, Nubian Woodpecker and Brown Babbler.

Ethiopia 241

Ethiopia Sudan Leopards Birds 241

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

The experience, the place, and the bird combine to make this my BBOTY. But at any rate, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that was just incomparable; I hope I never repeat it, but was glad to have had it happen, just to enjoy the amazing encounter and horror movie–type buzz. Carlos’s BBOTY – the Nicobar Pigeon.

2014 188

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 188

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

This spot has achieved quite a bit of fame as part of the staging area for hawks, eagles and vultures planning to soar south across the Straits of Gibraltar every September. Short-toed Snake-Eagles were consistently the most abundant, with Booted Eagles taking second place. Booted Eagle. And so did the soaring birds.

Spain 147

Spain Birds Mexico Eagles 147

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 4, 2016

There are 28 chapters—“Waders,” “Large Waterside Birds,” “Owls and nightjars,” “Birds of prey” (pulling together vultures, hawks and falcons), “Aerial feeders” (swifts, swallows, martins), etc.—plus So, how do you find the species account for Kestrel if falcons are not placed between woodpeckers and parakeet?

Ireland 143

Ireland Birds Groups Falcons 143

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 24, 2022

Raptors to look for in this reserve are Golden Eagle and Short-toed Snake Eagle , European Honey-buzzard and Peregrine Falcon. The commonest owls are Eurasian Scops Owl and Tawny Owl , while rare ones include Ural Owl and Eurasian Eagle Owl. About 120 species have been recorded so far.

Serbia 260

Serbia Woodpeckers Owls Eagles 260

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 23, 2016

This year, visiting Niagara Falls until January 6th gave me the chance to experience a bit of both latitudes. Bald Eagle – Halieetus leucocephalus; Niagara county, 2-Jan. Collared Forest-Falcon – Micrastur semitorquatus; El Rodeo, 9-Jan. Laughing Falcon – Herpetotheres cachinnans; El Rodeo, 9-Jan.

Costa Rica 101

Costa Rica 2016 San Antonio Sparrows 101

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 3, 2023

My book of choice for this time of year is Jerry Liguori’s Hawks At A Distance: Identification of Migrant Raptors, a brilliant tutorial on how to recognize raptors by shape and flight style, distilling years of experience and expertise into 216 pages. Which guide worked best for you?

2011 100

2011 North America 2005 Eagles 100

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 16, 2013

After over a year of planning and preparation (and after a quick trip to the Pantanal and Chapada dos Guimaraes), I finally arrived at Cristalino Jungle Lodge on the afternoon of August 1st, 2013 to begin my nearly three month long guiding experience here. My personal favorite sighting was of a Harpy Eagle from Tower I.

Parrots 172

Parrots Brazil Eagles Birds 172

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2018

My own trip was not an intensive birding experience, and August is clearly not the most productive month. Black Stork and three pairs of White-tailed Eagles breed here. “I would certainly recommend Serbia to visiting birders. I chalked up 132 species in a pretty relaxed eight days, during which birds shared the agenda with culture.

Serbia 157

Serbia Birds Farming Bulgaria 157

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2011

Kirby Adams had a magical experience with his Best Bird of the Year and he blogged about it on his blog, Sharp Tern. The African Pygmy Falcon finally showed itself after years of being a nemesis bird I didn’t even know I had. Here, without further ado, are your Best Birds of 2011, in no particular order.

2011 161

2011 Birds Ohio North Dakota 161

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2014

Some of the most common breeding birds are White-tailed Eagles , Northern Fulmars , Black Guillemots , Common Eiders , Rock Ptarmigans , and Arctic Terns. One the most common breeding birds of Greenland is the White-tailed Eagle , also called the sea eagle, which primarily lives off cod and char, and more rarely live waterfowl or carrion.

North America 177

North America Eagles Breeding Fish 177

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2020

If you want to learn more about avian visual field, the essay cites two related essays in the book on Eagles and Meadowlarks (though there is a typo–it should be p. 167, Meadowlark line of sight–not p.67). copyright @2020 by David A llen Sibley. Three page spreads have a different format. (I

2020 264

2020 Birds Groups North America 264

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 15, 2018

We had persevered through four years at the top of Battery Harris Platform and could bring our experience to bear on the task of trying to record as many species as possible on a single day from that single spot. Sure enough, it was just to our north harrying a…wait, that’s a Bald Eagle ! Species number 81!

2018 198

2018 Bald Eagle Battery Birds 198

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2013

It’s a Bald Eagle, a hawk. The publication of this new title is again an occasion for excitement (how can you can you not get excited when looking at photographic layouts like the one of Bald Eagles shown above?) Families do not hike up mountains to sit all day on pointy rocks to watch woodpeckers. It’s hawks they pant and wait to see.

North America 211

North America Bald Eagle Falcons Owls 211

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

This is the story of Fox’s experiences on board the Achiever, the research vessel of the Raincoast Conservation Foundation. She is one of the best nature writers I’ve encountered in recent years, able to paint experiences with emotional immediacy. Northern Fulmar, image courtesy of Peter Hodum.

Fox 100

Fox Albatross Geese Bald Eagle 100

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2014

“New World” vultures (in scare quotes because they have fossil relatives from the Old World) and hawks (including Osprey and Secretarybird but, importantly, not falcons) are sister taxa and split off from other members of the Afroaves clade early on. Jarvis et al. Remaining Afroaves. Australaves: Songbirds and Their Kin.

Family 279

Family Birds Parrots 2014 279

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2015

With the easy-to-use platform offered by the Great Backyard Bird Count, birders of all ages and experience levels set out to find, tally, and document as many birds as possible within the boundaries of Miami-Dade. Bald Eagle: 6. Peregrine Falcon: 3. Glossy Ibis: 21. Roseate Spoonbill: 4. Black Vulture: 290. Osprey: 26.

Miami 166

Miami 2015 United States Birds 166

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 11, 2011

There are photographs of buteos soaring overhead and harriers gliding low, of eagles coming at you head-on and flying away with only the tail in focus, of falcons backlit and kites in shadows. ” I’m curious about your experiences with these guides or other hawk books (or apps) in the field.

Eagles 187

Eagles 2011 North America Utah 187

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2016

The birding at Eilat is so dynamic in so many ways, you can’t just use that easy “gen” to zip over and see a Bar-tailed Lark , that Greater Spotted Eagle that flew overhead, or even the Wryneck hanging out in Eilat’s very own Central Park. Lesser Spotted Eagle was also seen several times along with Steppe Eagle.

Costa Rica 173

Costa Rica Eagles Birds 173

10,000 Birds

APRIL 16, 2012

The Kakum Forest Canopy Walkway – a “must experience” for any serious birder As we moved across the first swaying walkway, the distinctive sound of a Rufous-sided Broadbill performing his mechanical whirring display flight could be heard below us.

Ghana 175

Ghana Guinea Birds Eagles 175