10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2024

If you see a flock of kestrels in southern Europe, then the chances are that they will be Lessers, for the Common Kestrel never flocks, though occasionally in summer you will see a family hunting together. Watching flocks of these attractive little falcons feeding is aways a delightful sight.

Falcons 186

Falcons Spain Europe 2012 186

10,000 Birds

MARCH 30, 2011

Red-tailed Hawks and American Kestrels are a sure thing and Ferruginous Hawk, Merlin and Prairie Falcon can be found by the experienced observer. There was also a group of Bald Eagles ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus ) soaring nearby, including this juvenile, who seemed to be enjoying aerial maneuvers with its sibling.

Bald Eagle 162

Bald Eagle Leopards Turkey Eagles 162

10,000 Birds

MARCH 30, 2012

Like several of my favorite NWRs, this one was established as a haven for migratory birds, most notably waterfowl, during the bad old days when uncontrolled hunting and habitat loss had put the future of even species we now think of as common in doubt. As a result, early migration season is an excellent time to visit.

Wildlife 165

Wildlife Montana Geese Bald Eagle 165

10,000 Birds

JUNE 22, 2011

Many are familiar with dissecting owl pellets, but several birds will caste a pellet including hawks, eagles, gulls, herons and heck, I once witnessed a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher hack up a small one. For example, since eagles and hawks tend to rip their prey apart and have stronger digestive acids, their pellets look like wads of fur.

Bats 199

Bats Dissection Owls Minnesota 199

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2015

We were able to take a thoroughly enjoyable boat ride on Lake Chamo, whose shores teem with birds, including such typical African species as African Fish Eagle, Goliath Heron the world’s largest, Yellow-billed Stork and the incomparable Hamerkop , a species in its own family.

Ethiopia 235

Ethiopia Sudan Leopards Birds 235

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 8, 2013

Here, thousands of Amur Falcons hunt for insects during the southern summer, Wattled Cranes and Denham’s Bustards may be seen, impressive Long-tailed Widowbirds display over the grasslands and the waterbodies are a haven to many hundreds of waterbirds, including Maccoa and White-backed Ducks.

Lesotho 164

Lesotho Africa Birds Rats 164

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2013

The Cherokee nation called them “Peace Eagles” owing to the fact that they never killed a living thing – and also that they tended to show up in numbers after battled when peace treaties were being signed, though admittedly that may have been for a slightly more macabre reason. Hooded Vultures , photo by Adam Riley.

California Condor 175

California Condor Turkey North America Jordan 175

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

Later, Harry Fuller, President of the Klamath Bird Observatory, led us to an open meadow where we saw a pair of Great Gray Owls hunting in a meadow. This spectacular montane vulture reminds me more of a giant falcon as it cleaves the air on long wings. Larry’s BBOTY – Great Gray Owl.

2014 183

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 183

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 29, 2023

I always undertake a number of short timed surveys for the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust’s Big Farmland Bird Count in February, and though the counts didn’t add anything to the year list, they were memorable for finding big flocks of finches and buntings, while a daylight-hunting Barn Owl was a pleasing sight. Where had it bred?

Estonia 216

Estonia Portugal Greece Barn Owls 216

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 2, 2014

This third edition features 15 “entirely new” plates (Falcons, Doves, Whistlers, Swallows and Martins, Wren Babblers, Warblers, Thrushes, Shamas, Forktails, Sunbirds, Ground-Cuckoo) and 16 “upgraded” plates with additional or replacement drawings. (I do not have a copy of this book, but I was able to find sample plates on book dealer sites.)

Brunei 172

Brunei Birds Asia China 172

10,000 Birds

MAY 9, 2018

Wedge-tailed Eagles roam the skies, along with Brown Falcon, Black Kites , and Nankeen Kestrels. Speaking of Brown Falcons, here are a couple that were perched just outside Ulara. This Wedge-tailed Eagle was sitting along side one of the roads, eyeing a small road killed Kangaroo.

Australia 110

Australia Camels Kangaroos Hunting 110

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 13, 2014

Orange-breasted Falcon : Since there aren’t any specimens of this regal neotropical Falco from Costa Rica, we actually aren’t even sure if it used to live here. Hope for a vagrant comes in the form of an Orange-breasted Falcon sighting from west-central Panama.

Costa Rica 212

Costa Rica Species Panama Birds 212

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

Not only were they a common bird, they were a common bird nearshore; indigenous peoples hunted them up and down the coast. North American Peregrine Falcons have also enjoyed an impressive population rebound in recent years. With a six-figure population now, Cackling Geese are an abundant visitor the west coast and the Aleutians.

Albatross 198

Albatross Endangered Species Geese Alaska 198

10,000 Birds

MAY 22, 2022

A variety of raptors including White-bellied Sea-Eagles , Brown Falcons , Nankeen Kestrels , Brown Goshawks , Black-breasted Buzzards , Collared Sparrowhawks , Swamp Harriers , Black Kites and Whistling Kites visit the area. Magpie Geese , Whistling Kite and Cormorants at roost.

Geese 189

Geese Ducks Breeding 2015 189

10,000 Birds

JUNE 19, 2012

Although they share some affinities with typical raptors (building eagle-like nests and possessing hooked bills) Secretarybirds have many characteristics that warrant them to be placed in their own genus, Sagittarius. Watching them hunt is fascinating. Coursers, larks, korhaans and other dry country specialists abound here.

Botswana 214

Botswana Eagles Porcupines Hunting 214

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 175

North America Eagles Breeding Fish 175

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 262

2020 Birds Groups North America 262

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 166

Costa Rica Eagles Birds 166

10,000 Birds

MAY 14, 2017

Brown Falcons , a Brown Goshawk, Wedge-tailed Eagles and also a Nankeen Kestrel hunted in the general area of the pool and were seen regularly during the day. There were two young Whistling Kites in the nest this year, but on dusk they would stretch out and looked like they would soon be leaving the nest to explore the area.

Parrots 100

Parrots Zebras 2017 Ducks 100

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2011

More enjoyable was the arrival of an American Kestrel – not the Prairie Falcon I was hoping for, but it put on a good show and was easy to point out to the others in the car as it hovered for prey. Perhaps it was the promise of afterbirth that drew so many Black-billed Magpies to this side of the park.

Rattlesnake 163

Rattlesnake Bald Eagle Mules Mammals 163