10,000 Birds

MARCH 30, 2017

He has seen them before in Cape Town, but those were introduced and feral birds, while in the Balkans they are indigenous and – countable! Up the Jojkica riverbranch where one Common Kingfisher overtook us in low flight and one White-tailed Eagle was checking if the Spongebob may be a suitable-sized prey… and those heavy-bomber wingbeats.

Birds 152

Birds Namibia Greece Feral 152

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 13, 2016

By the last year of the war, the US increased its military aid to the Greek Government and introduced a new weapon: the first napalm attack after World War II took place right here! Short-toed Snake-Eagle – Circaetus gallicus. Feral Pigeon – Columba livia dom. Also, trekking poles proved useful.

Bears 271

Bears Greece Europe Slovenia 271

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 4, 2014

They range from the successful eradication of feral cats from Marion Island (hear that, Corey?) This immature Verreaux’s Eagle-owl was one of the first birds I saw at Kruger, on the introductory afternoon ride through the park. Verreaux’s Eagle-Owls are amongst the heaviest and longest owls in the world.

South Africa 255

South Africa Africa Leopards Penguins 255

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. I haven’t seen the whole video yet, but it looks promising.

2011 100

2011 North America 2005 Eagles 100

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 11, 2011

Sure, they’re beautiful and powerful, a reminder of the feral freedom of the skies. 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 confess, I don’t always love hawks.

Eagles 221

Eagles 2011 North America Utah 221