10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 20, 2018

One of my favorite bird species living by my house is the Juniper Titmouse. Although the Juniper Titmouse is not officially a threatened species, its numbers have been declining due to loss of habitat. But a Bewick’s Wren did build a nest, which it promptly abandoned before laying any eggs. Others had more luck.

2017 146

2017 New Mexico Groups Abandon 146

10,000 Birds

JUNE 1, 2021

Pough “with illustrations in color of every species” by Don Eckelberry, Doubleday, 1946. If you remember that the first edition of Sibley was published with “National Audubon Society” on the cover, raise your hand. The press material says it covers over 800 species, so you know I had to do a count.

North America 278

North America America Birds California Condor 278

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2016

This beautiful story is Tom’s first contribution to 10,000 Birds : My wife and I sailed our sailboat down from cold, rainy Seattle to warm, sunny La Paz, Mexico several years ago. Once the nest was done, she began sitting on it, preparing to lay her eggs. And, it is on this boat that I got to be a part of a great story.

San Diego 164

San Diego Seattle Eggs California 164

10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2024

Being a westerner — raised in California, and now living in western Mexico — I was perhaps most excited about the migratory birds that breed in eastern North America. And the Baltimore Oriole is an iconic eastern bird, which winters along Mexico’s east coast, but never in the west. Then, around 4:00 p.m.,

Mexico 185

Mexico Birds Raccoons Baltimore 185

10,000 Birds

MAY 30, 2019

Raised in and around the West Texas steppe country where temperatures reached 100 degrees with regularity, he began life as the Dust Bowl and Great Depression converged. His parents moved where opportunity beckoned, taking him from San Angelo, Texas, to Columbus, New Mexico, then to Dallas, and finally on to California.

Falcons 171

Falcons California Condor Alaska Texas 171

10,000 Birds

JUNE 3, 2020

I am only responding to my subjective impression of a single species’ appearance here; specifically, that of the Bronzed Cowbird. But when raised, they seem to have a sort of weird cape. In other words, they never raise their own young. In contrast, the Brown-headed Cowbird is a same-continent invasive species.

Birds 153

Birds Blackbirds Mexico Cattle 153