10,000 Birds

AUGUST 11, 2017

Some of you have been counting on federal funding or habitat protection that now looks shaky; some of you have mates who never made it back from migration; some of you just can’t catch enough fish. They want an authentic nature experience, but a relatable authentic nature experience. But I thought you guys would!

Bald Eagle 100

Bald Eagle Belize Iowa Eggs 100

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

Larry starts us off right with an owl that makes birders drool: I was able to see and photograph many great birds in 2014 but my Best Bird of the Year would have to be the Great Gray Owl , the largest Strix in North America. Larry’s BBOTY – Great Gray Owl. What was yours? Maybe I should not say that….who

2014 197

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 197

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). We worship birds, we hunt birds, we protect birds, and, yes, we eat birds.

Birds 224

Birds Egypt Family Eagles 224

10,000 Birds

JULY 11, 2018

Now, dont get me wrong, there have been some nice birds, and locations in between, but these two experiences are just so hard to put out of my mind. The show stopper was his Eagle-owl. He also had nearly twenty other species there to show, with Harris Hawks, Peregrine Flacons and a pair o f Golden Eagles , just to name a few.

Puffins 100

Puffins Wildlife Reserve 2003 Farming 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2011

This country boasts over 1,000 bird species, vast wildernesses, a superb network of protected areas, the greatest concentration of large game and predators on the planet, excellent lodges and friendly people. It’s a great place to look for roosting raptors including Bateleur , Martial Eagle and numerous species of vulture.

Tanzania 228

Tanzania Africa Stud Leopards 228

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

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. All words and images by Chris Townend of Wise Birding Holidays a.

Ghana 181

Ghana Guinea Birds Eagles 181

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

NOVEMBER 4, 2014

The leopards place their kill in a tree, protecting it from poaching by other predators. 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 254

South Africa Africa Leopards Penguins 254

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2015

Danum Valley is a conservancy that protects a large area of lowland rainforest in Sabah in northeastern Borneo. Two highlights of the walk back were a bright green Greater Green Leafbird and a Lesser Fish Eagle following the road above our heads. Oh, there were Buffy Fish-owls. Black-and-yellow Broadbill. 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 150

Ireland Birds Groups Falcons 150