10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 8, 2017

Nisqually Wildlife Refuge. Established in 1974 to protect the delta, which is formed where the fresh water of the Nisqually River meets to nutrient rich, tidal salt water of the Puget Sound. The last weekend of January found me in the frosty Pacific Northwest, meeting some long over due work and family obligations.

Wildlife 104

Wildlife Seattle Bald Eagle Geese 104

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 17, 2020

For a land that can lay claim to an abundance of such wonderful native wildlife, it’s peculiar that the national symbolism of Scotland is so populated by mythological creatures. While it has no official status – at least not yet – many Scots regard the Golden Eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos ) as their national avian mascot.

Eagles 158

Eagles Lions Hunting Lamb 158

10,000 Birds

APRIL 28, 2017

Instead it’s one you’re likely to turn to on coming home after a long day to find out a bit more about one of the species you spotted – or to consult before a trip to learn the little quirks of a target species. Birds of Prey: Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, and Vultures of North America by Pete Dunne with Kevin T.

North America 102

North America Falcons America Eagles 102

10,000 Birds

JULY 3, 2014

I was happy to read that the wood stork ( Mycteria Americana ), a bird near and dear to me, was down-sited from the status of endangered to threatened species. Fish and Wildlife Service is down-listing the wood stork from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). However, birds in the U.S. Photo: U.S.

North Carolina 192

North Carolina Bald Eagle South Carolina Florida 192

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2014

Seeing a wild Snow Leopard is every wildlife enthusiast’s dream, probably the ultimate and most elusive wildlife experience on the planet. This event was observed during a tour arranged and guided by INDRI – Ultimate Wildlife Tours www.indritours.com. The huge Argali, another species of wild sheep, also occur here.

Snow Leopard 279

Snow Leopard Leopards Hunting Sheep 279

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 28, 2019

In addition to spotting exciting new species in Florida, including the rare Snail Kite, travel across the country brought me into contact with birds in Oregon, California, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Alabama, and more. Marks National Wildlife Refuge replenished by naturalist spirit, but remained all I could manage.

Bald Eagle 144

Bald Eagle Alabama Kansas Florida 144

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 10, 2016

Nevertheless, only the most important news I did follow, those about the decision-making process on future sales of elephants and their ivory at a global wildlife summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, the first such meeting since 2013. We are facing a plague of poaching that is again decimating the species. One may say so.

Elephants 181

Elephants Botswana Zimbabwe Africa 181

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 27, 2015

But “Hawk”’s active ingredient, a deadly second-generation anticoagulant, bromadialone, has been implicated in the deaths of Red-tailed Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawks, Cooper’s Hawks, and other raptors : American Kestrels, Barn Owls, Golden Eagles, Great Horned Owls, and Turkey Vultures. Thanks for your concern for wildlife, Syngenta.).

Mountain Lions 257

Mountain Lions Rats Rodents Lions 257

10,000 Birds

JULY 25, 2013

The move, which seems limited to just California, is meant to protect endangered shorebirds which have become favorite meals of the raptors. Fish and Wildlife Service, which granted permits to rescuers who moved Peregrine chicks away from bridges, more precarious spots than cliffs or buildings for young just learning to fly.

California 180

California Endangered Species Falcons Jordan 180

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 16, 2014

eagles and vultures ) so we need to pay attention. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service , there are about 10 billion breeding birds in the US. A recent meta study ( The impact of free-ranging domestic cats on wildlife of the United States ) that applied strict inclusion criteria and some fancy statistics estimates that 2.4

Killing 274

Killing Cats Fish Birds 274

10,000 Birds

JULY 15, 2015

The park was created as much to protect the local communities from marauding elephants with a hatred of dangerous humans and a lack of interest in the differences between nations as it was to protect the elephants. The park did have a pack of African Wild Dogs, or Painted Wolves, the species I had gone to Africa to see.

South Africa 145

South Africa Elephants Africa Lions 145

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 28, 2018

This refuge came up as #4 on a recent list of the top 25 National Wildlife Refuges that were featured in a great story here by 10000 Birds own Jason Crotty. While most major estuaries in Washington state have been filled, dredged, or developed, Nisqually River’s has been set aside for wildlife.

Fox 122

Fox Washington Geese Sparrows 122

10,000 Birds

JULY 11, 2018

While there were way less Puffins than any of the other species, they are still so much fun to see. Red Kites were considerted a Threatened Species starting in the early ‘80s, and a nation wide program was started to re-introduce them around the UK. The show stopper was his Eagle-owl. Total Scotland Species – 105.

Puffins 100

Puffins Wildlife Reserve 2003 Farming 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 3, 2013

But, from the existing data, the authors have drawn a different conclusion – there is no proof that the breeding population ever existed, that the south of Africa was beyond the species range and that that all observations were of vagrant individuals. During my lifetime, this species was rare in my native Serbia, too.

Sudan 220

Sudan Macedonia Botswana Serbia 220

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 2, 2011

Harassed by the Ravens, it landed on a snag halfway up the cliff and hunched over its prize protectively. The Ravens – at least, I presume they were the same pair – swept into view again, this time engaged with a different foe – a juvenile Bald Eagle. I began to wish very much that I owned a working camera.

Bald Eagle 165

Bald Eagle Eagles Fish Bears 165

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2014

We worship birds, we hunt birds, we protect birds, and, yes, we eat birds. David Tipling, award-winning and widely published wildlife photographer, travelled the world during this period, photographing people interacting with birds, and sometimes, just birds. Eagles are national symbols of the U.S.,

Birds 207

Birds Egypt Family Eagles 207

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 4, 2016

Over 3,200 photographs have been used, most showing species in their habitats. There is also text, distribution maps, a dark red bar “warning” about similar looking rare species, and conservation symbols. So, how do you find the species account for Kestrel if falcons are not placed between woodpeckers and parakeet?

Ireland 141

Ireland Birds Groups Falcons 141

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 29, 2011

Before my trip to Washington the only species of puffin I had ever seen in the wild was the puffin of the Atlantic Ocean, the appropriately named Atlantic Puffin. The first obstacle was getting to the general range of the species, which is the west coast from northern California to Alaska and across to Russia.* I love puffins.

Washington 169

Washington Protection Puffins Rhinoceros 169

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

Finally, the Similan Islands are perhaps one of the most beautiful islands in the world and form a stunning backdrop to this species, one of the loveliest pigeons in the world. I was a bit sad, too, that we had annoyed the owl enough that it felt it had to strafe us … my normal MO is to avoid stressing out wildlife.

2014 184

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 184

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2015

Danum Valley is a conservancy that protects a large area of lowland rainforest in Sabah in northeastern Borneo. That’s a threatened habitat, and one much sought after by wildlife enthusiasts. Two highlights of the walk back were a bright green Greater Green Leafbird and a Lesser Fish Eagle following the road above our heads.

Lemurs 158

Lemurs Family Rhinoceros Fish 158

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2018

I chalked up 132 species in a pretty relaxed eight days, during which birds shared the agenda with culture. With 154 eBirded species almost single-handedly spotted by the UK expat Geoff Laight, the Paljuvi is the latest addition to the top-5 list. With 154 eBirded species, the Beljarica shares the 4th place on the list.

Serbia 152

Serbia Birds Bulgaria Farming 152

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2011

A question I am frequently asked by birders and wildlife enthusiasts is: “ if I only visit Africa once, where should I go ?” 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.

Tanzania 211

Tanzania Africa Stud Leopards 211

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 24, 2014

Add 315 bird species, 42 species of mammals – including Vulnerable Irrawaddy and Endangered Ganges River Dolphins , 61 amphibians and reptiles – including Estuarine Crocodile , at least 150 species of commercially important fish and 334 plant species to the picture. And tell me now – don’t you share my dream?

Bangladesh 182

Bangladesh Dolphins Cambodia Cooking 182

10,000 Birds

JUNE 13, 2017

The American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO) recently filed a lawsuit against the federal government arguing that a planned wind turbine near the famed birding hotspot of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge is illegal. miles from Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge” in an “area of documented bird concentration.”

Ohio 105

Ohio Endangered Species 2016 Birds 105

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2011

of Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Jon Gassett has indicated that if enough people write in protest, the proposed hunting season–due to start this December– will be reconsidered. Hunting is on a steady downturn, and nonconsumptive wildlife pursuits are on a tremendous upswing. We can fight them back in Kentucky, too.

2011 241

2011 Kentucky Tennessee Hunting 241

10,000 Birds

JULY 2, 2021

I am hoping that there is an appreciative audience here, willing to learn a little about down-under birds and wildlife. Today, in addition to views of most of the resident species, we also managed views of a regular but uncommon migrant that will be familiar to some, perhaps many, US birders – a Wandering Tattler.

Australia 248

Australia North America Cooking Fish 248

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2011

For Corey, this was a weekend without a single standout species but with many birds that were pretty darn neat. The Snow Geese at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge will soon be winging their way north, so he spent some quality time with them, his best birds of the weekend. Enjoy the details and proof here. The proposal from U.S.

2011 133

2011 Deer Birds Owls 133

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 9, 2018

Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recently decided that the Sonoran Desert population of Bald Eagle is not a listable taxon under the Endangered Species Act. Under ESA, the term “species” actually has three categories: (1) species, (2) subspecies, and (3) distinct population segments (DPS). What does that mean?

Bald Eagle 100

Bald Eagle Eagles Endangered Species 2017 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 15, 2015

Nineteen days later we had racked up an amazing list of 436 species, including some of Africa’s least known birds such as Congo Serpent Eagle , Yellow-footed Honeyguide , Tessmann’s Flycatcher , Yellow-bearded Greenbul , Black-collared Lovebird and much besides. We also knew we had discovered Africa’s next hot birding destination.

Ghana 189

Ghana Hunters Guinea Gambia 189

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2011

These sorts of tests have been done in many species and it has always been assumed (hoped), that what they found in the little white cages at the back of the zoology department had some wonderful relevance to what happened in the real world. Instead, those species that are neophobic tend to have either a naturally. Makes sense really.

Cats 147

Cats 2011 Costa Rica Deer 147

10,000 Birds

MARCH 5, 2011

Orlando is so rich in roadside and overhead birds that I kept a list of species seen from the car which ran to 30+ on the first morning and included a Bald Eagle nonchalantly sitting on a street lamp by a Target store. Fish & Wildlife comes in response to a lawsuit brought by the Center for Biological Diversity.

2011 116

2011 Alligators Florida Deer 116

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2011

Besides the American bison that the refuge was founded to protect, there are pronghorns, elk, bighorn sheep, mule and white-tailed deer, and black bears. To my disappointment the biggest and most visible species I saw was the introduced Common (Ring-necked) Pheasant , and my first lifer was the equally introduced Gray Partridge.

Rattlesnake 164

Rattlesnake Bald Eagle Mules Mammals 164