10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2014

’s bird family tree in a new tab and follow along as you read. Sister to this group is the Strisores : the “night birds” (excluding owls), swifts, and hummingbirds. In 2008, Nick Sly published a review of Hackett et al. titled Avian relationships – What do we know? Open Jarvis et al.’s Jarvis et al.

Family 279

Family Birds Parrots 2014 279

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 5, 2014

These consist of Red-crowned Crane , Blakiston’s Fish-Owl , and Steller’s Sea-Eagle – all among the most massive and spectacular representatives of their families. Several more hours of driving on icy roads took us to Washi-no-yado, a traditional Japanese B&B near Rausu, the ‘place to be’ for Blakiston’s Fish-Owl.

Japan 182

Japan Massachusetts Birds Eagles 182

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2014

As I explained to my nephews when they were younger, “The Burrowing Owls don’t think we’re their friends. People on one side of the rope, owls on the other.” Substitute Snowy Owl here if you’d like the modern version). It’s relatively easy to classify birds into family groups based on physical characteristics.

Birds 220

Birds Egypt Family Eagles 220

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2016

I was waiting at the entrance gate for everyone in our group to gather, when I remembered that someone had told me about nesting owls at the Taj. Luckily, I didn’t have to look hard to find the Dusky Eagle-Owl’s nest. It was a big owl. Soon, it was time to leave the Taj Mahal. And this is what we saw.

India 189

India Tigers Birds Owls 189

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. ( I’ve missed this information, especially when I travel to Los Angeles to visit my daughter and her family.

Los Angeles 205

Los Angeles Birds District of Columbia Parrots 205

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. I’ve never been on an “owl prowl” before, and was thrilled that the one we joined turned up the promised quarry, and then some. Barn Owl babies peering out from their box!

Nevada 178

Nevada Birds Barn Owls Cows 178

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2017

The flash of white in the tail and the sheer size of the bird made me think Bald Eagle and when I put my binoculars up I was correct. This is awesome,” he said as the eagle dropped to the water and grabbed a fish, “I’ve never seen anything like this.” I explained and offered my binoculars for him to take a look.

St. Louis 100

St. Louis Cooking Bald Eagle Birds 100

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 3, 2017

I started the year in Florida, traveled to India with the ABA in February, combined family and birding in an August trip to California, and in-between saw very good birds in New York and New Jersey. 1) Dusky Eagle-Owl. It was a good birding year. Many sad and unfortunate things occurred in 2016, but the birding was good.

2016 112

2016 India Ducks Birds 112

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2019

A birder needs access to large areas of mature forest that also offer up chances at seeing glittering flocks of tanagers, checking out the tail bobbing behavior of cool antbirds, and glassing a hawk-eagle or two. This is what a Black Hawk-Eagle shape looks like. Ornate Hawk-Eagle. Yellow-naped Parrot. Bare-necked Umbrellabird.

Costa Rica 203

Costa Rica Panama Birds Eagles 203

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 179

Costa Rica Eagles Birds 179

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2011

For 9 months of the year, this great, bellowing herd can be found in the Serengeti and watching the long lines of grunting wildebeest moving across the plains is truly a remarkable experience. It’s a great place to look for roosting raptors including Bateleur , Martial Eagle and numerous species of vulture.

Tanzania 224

Tanzania Africa Stud Leopards 224

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. They portray the nesting cycles of Mallard, Red-tailed Hawk, and American Robin, illustrating the various ways in which birds create families. How are they different?

2020 264

2020 Birds Groups North America 264

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2013

I haven’t done any surveys, but I would bet my binoculars that images and stories of hawks attract more attention and adoration from birders and the average person on the street than any other bird family. Families do not hike up mountains to sit all day on pointy rocks to watch woodpeckers. It’s a Bald Eagle, a hawk.

North America 218

North America Bald Eagle Falcons Owls 218

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2019

Essay #158, “Things Birders Do: Big Years,” starts with the writer’s observation of a Barn Owl and then defines a Big Year, surprisingly celebrating it as opportunities for solitary introspection. 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. A family of endangered Wattled Cranes might be a highlight of the lower sections of the Sani Pass road, by Adam Riley. Buff-streaked Chats and Cape Rock-Thrushes sing from boulder tops, and family huddles of Ground Woodpeckers emit their rather gull-like shrieks.

Lesotho 175

Lesotho Africa Birds Rats 175

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2011

Moved by an unseasonable bout of optimism, I went owl-chasing this weekend and actually encountered what has been a true nemesis bird for me: Northern Saw-whet Owl ! Moved by an unseasonable bout of optimism, I went owl-chasing this weekend and actually encountered what has been a true nemesis bird for me: Northern Saw-whet Owl !

2011 133

2011 Deer Birds Owls 133

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2015

Two highlights of the walk back were a bright green Greater Green Leafbird and a Lesser Fish Eagle following the road above our heads. Fulvettas are also babblers, and the family, or families, are very well represented here – we also heard Short-tailed Babblers and Chestnut-backed Scimitar-babblers. Did I mention them?

Lemurs 159

Lemurs Family Rhinoceros Fish 159

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 Britain’s Birds is organized in a very loose taxonomic order, with priority given to grouping together birds that are perceived as similar.

Ireland 148

Ireland Birds Groups Falcons 148