10,000 Birds

JANUARY 4, 2020

There are three species of crow-like cotingas with odd hairdos known as umbrellabirds, the Bare-necked Umbrellabird is the one that lives in Costa Rica. The bird foraged on fruit in the upper understory, moving the vegetation almost as much as a monkey does. These are some of mine: The umbrellabird. Three days, three hawk-eagles.

Costa Rica 198

Costa Rica 2019 San Jose Eagles 198

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 18, 2016

and dreaming of a place where the heat is moderate, beer snake-cold and birds innumerable… Let’s say, where the average annual maximum varies from 22 to 24 degrees Celsius / 72 to 75 Fahrenheit and where some 700+ bird species – 24 of them endemic – are waiting for an intrepid birder… Answer to the riddle?

Africa 136

Africa Uganda Gorillas Rwanda 136

10,000 Birds

JULY 30, 2014

My third trip was six months spend working on a monkey project in the jungles of Uganda. Volunteering provides a very different experience to tourism though. In Uganda I would often cross paths with Chimpanzees as they went about their lives and I went about mine (which was living with a troop of monkeys).

Uganda 162

Uganda Sharks Africa New Zealand 162

10,000 Birds

APRIL 23, 2014

Sometimes in a forest you’d be forgiven for thinking there was nothing but birds, monkeys and squirrels (and mosquitos, obviously), and then at night you start seeing civets, wallabies, and tarantulas. It was the perfect experience, the guide had astonishing eyes and found things we would have passed over if we had been alone.

Badgers 154

Badgers Wildlife Reptiles Monkeys 154

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 12, 2014

Lovely Cotinga is the flagship species at Pico Bonito, where it is perhaps easier to see than anywhere else within its range. More than 400 species have been recorded at the lodge to date. Central American Pygmy-Owl is another key species at the lodge. However, for me, there were birds to be seen. Photo by James Adams.

Honduras 163

Honduras Monkeys Birds America 163

10,000 Birds

JUNE 27, 2014

For one, they are remarkably diverse with a little over 380 species spread over every continent except Europe (only introduced) and Antarctica. Brazil, in particular, is the country with the largest number of parrot species in the world with approximately 84 species. Parrots captivate me more than any other bird family.

Parrots 168

Parrots Brazil Mauritius Dominica 168

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2017

The food was better than decent, which exceeds our experience of Panamanian cuisine at most other locations. In fact, we saw two species of monkey, our only sloths, lots of coatis, and my rarest ever mammal sighting—a Jaguarundi —right on site. Despite the golf course, this place host all manner of birds and mammals.

Panama 100

Panama 2017 Monkeys Family 100

10,000 Birds

JUNE 11, 2013

This was the local name meaning “ugly” used for these primates by the people of the Gonder area in northern Ethiopia when the German naturalist Rüppell “discovered” this species for science in the 1830’s. A harem male grooms one of his females. Photo by Adam Riley. Yawning male and a female showing off Gelada’s typical buttock pads.

Ethiopia 161

Ethiopia Primates Mammals Fur 161

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 20, 2013

Anyone considering a visit to Panti Forest should be enticed by the five different species that might be seen there. Plus, I saw awesome bats, bugs, butterflies, herps, pitcher plants, and four of the five possible monkey species: Dusky Leaf Monkey , Banded Leaf Monkey , Southern Pig-tailed Macaque , and Long-tailed Macaque.

Malaysia 179

Malaysia Singapore Monkeys Birds 179

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2015

Its great diversity of habitats hosts an incredible bird count of over 900 species, including Africa’s 2nd highest list of endemics and near-endemics (after South Africa). Recent publicity about these remarkable tribes has resulted in tourists wanting to experience this wild land and its attractions for themselves. Yellow-billed Stork.

Ethiopia 247

Ethiopia Sudan Leopards Birds 247

10,000 Birds

JUNE 26, 2018

Basically, this species is so dimwitted, it doesn’t know how to survive. Because, Pink Pigeons are not capable of doing the tasks required to create and bring up children of the species. Don’t these birds care about propagating their species? What happened to Thelma and Louise? I know, that’s harsh.

Mauritius 102

Mauritius Stud Zoos Eggs 102

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Even among our primate relatives, whoa are generally very smart, “Theory of Mind” is found in only a few species. Capuchin monkeys, macaques, Cotton Top Tamarins, Chimpanzees, and many other animals, including various birds, have been investigated and found to be unable to make inferences about HCAs.

Abandon 235

Abandon Abandoning Abandonment Research 235

10,000 Birds

MAY 4, 2017

My personal favorites are the images that show the relationships that are at the heart of this book–a Linneated Woodpecker perched opposite a bromeliad on an exposed tree, Azteca ants on a cecropia tree whose decaying parts provide food, and, a little distressingly, two Capuchin Monkeys feeding on a Toucan (thanks to James Adams).

South America 158

South America Ecuador Reptiles America 158

10,000 Birds

MARCH 7, 2014

Mai Po Nature Reserve : world famous locale for shorebirds, waterfowl, waders, and wetland birds; wintering grounds for certain endangered species. The combination of these scheduled and informal birding efforts culminated in an amazing 135 species seen, many of which were lifers for me! SPECIES LIST. Deep Bay mudflats panorama.

2014 222

2014 Eagles Asia Groups 222

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. Truly fantastic.

Ghana 179

Ghana Guinea Birds Eagles 179

10,000 Birds

MARCH 9, 2011

Like Kapiti the island is an offshore refuge for many species extinct on the mainland, with a lot of the work being done by the voluntary Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi. One species I really hoped to find on the trip was the Kokako. Saddleback ( Philesturnus carunculatus ) on the beach. A week spent on Kapiti only got us 3 of them!

New Zealand 149

New Zealand 2011 Deer Cats 149

4 The Love Of Animals

MARCH 17, 2011

Grief, friendship, gratitude, wonder, and other things we animals experience. Waterfall Dances: Do animals have spiritual experiences? Harvard University psychologist Marc Hauser observed what could be called embarrassment in a male rhesus monkey. by Marc Bekoff. He stood up and quickly looked around.

Emotional 100

Emotional Animal Whales Whaling 100