10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 5, 2019

The full title of this exceptional book by Marie Read is Mastering Bird Photography: The Art, Craft, and Technique of Photographing Birds and Their Behavior. It is a finely worded encapsulation of both the book’s content and the reason why I feel like I’ve finally found the right bird photography guide, one that teaches basic technical skills, describes diverse, professional ways to approach the ‘capture’ of an avian image, but which also urges birders and photographers to go beyond the classic

Birds 198

Birds Ethics 2019 Experience 198

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2019

Recently, I moved to a new place in Costa Rica. As is usual for a birder moving to a new place, I couldn’t wait to see what the new yard would bring. Although it was nothing like going from New York to California or even Buffalo, New York to North Carolina, a change of location, however slight, can bring new birds especially in Costa Rica. Around here, the small changes tend to be amplified by differences in elevation, microhabitats, and urbanization.

Costa Rica 179

Costa Rica Barn Owls Stray Dog Blackbirds 179

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 3, 2019

Remember way back to last year when a team named for a bird won the Super Bowl? With no avian-themed organizations representing, the Patriots won yet again. Maybe next year… This weekend, I braved the soul-searing chill of the polar vortex to track down Canvasbacks palling around with other ducks in the open water of the Irondequoit Bay channel.

2019 114

2019 Suffering Birds Ducks 114

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 8, 2019

Only a few days ago this week, we passed the midpoint of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s more than halfway over now, but there’s undoubtedly plenty more cold weather to come. Time for another bottle of red wine to get us through to spring. Our wine this week is a Cabernet Sauvignon from Tussock Jumper Wines. There’s a King Penguin ( Aptenodytes patagonicus ) on the label, a very first appearance for the Spheniscidae family here at Birds and Booze.

2017 113

2017 Penguins Argentina Chile 113

Speaker: Steve Romanco

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10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2019

Are you the sort of birder who takes comfort in the thought that you might find new species within driving distance of your home? Or are you the kind of completist who is driven to distraction by the knowledge of unseen species in your general vicinity? I definitely fall into the former category, willing to cache new birds away like an Acorn Woodpecker stores oak nuts.

2019 113

2019 ALA Birds Woodpeckers 113

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 3, 2019

Over the years we have encountered many Great Bowerbird bowers. They vary in construction and there is also a wide variation in the items that they collect. Traditionally the Great Bowerbirds collect mostly white and green items, but this varies by location. At Keep River National Park the Great Bowerbird bower was almost entirely white bones and it was nowhere near human habitation.

Collecting 113

Collecting Horses Humane Experience 113