10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 24, 2022

Yes, we do have warm, tropical weather and a fancy assortment of resident and wintering species. Nor is there any trudging through snow in search of extra hardy species or visits to feeders with the hope of finding a grackle or Red-winged Blackbird that failed to fly south. These were some of the highlights. The Count Meeting.

Costa Rica 254

Costa Rica Eagles Species Blackbirds 254

10,000 Birds

JUNE 8, 2022

This gave us several chances to experience them at various stages of growth. It may seem like a grown bird, but the rufous tips on the wing coverts of this Cocoa Thrush tell us it is still in its first year of life. Back in Trinidad, both Spectacled Thrush and Cocoa Thrush would nest in our backyard. Wise creatures.

Trinidad 147

Trinidad Emotional Breeding Cats 147

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

I’m sure many of you have had similar experiences. I’m wondering as I write if you are shaking your head, uneasy that all these FACTS will interfere with your love of observing owls, an experience that easily borders on the mystical for some of us. But what do we know beyond these commonly seen and heard behaviors?

Owls 224

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 224

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 26, 2019

The Shoebill serves as the symbol of the magnificent wildlife experiences Uganda offers visitors, which may seem a bit odd. That honor goes to the Gray-crowned Crane , a very sexy species in its own right. Having finally seen this iconic species, I can assure you that the experience wildly exceeds expectations.

Uganda 276

Uganda Africa Birds Penguins 276

10,000 Birds

MARCH 29, 2021

Now this is not the first time Facebook has or is being used to showcase beautiful pictures of birds, to allow conversations between birders and to highlight the location of uncommon or rare bird species. Obviously the winner for each year has taken pictures of the greatest variety of bird species within the zone in the calendar year.

Birds 264

Birds 2020 Australia Species 264

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2023

It is home to four diverse forest ecosystems (deciduous, mixed, boreal, and lowlands), experiences seasonal weather systems ranging from cold dry Arctic winters to humid, thunder-storm filled summers, and, according to the latest official checklist, hosts four professional sports teams with bird names.* state and Canadian provinces.

North America 224

North America Birds Owls America 224

10,000 Birds

MARCH 10, 2021

Lesser Roadrunner and White-tipped Dove : Perhaps, dear reader, I should have started with a beautiful song to motivate you. And while the the gully-loving White-tipped Dove is a bird that is almost never seen, you had better know its ubiquitous song if you’re going to go birding in Michoacán.

Trinidad 191

Trinidad Emotional Transported Mexico 191

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2022

After securing our passage, I patiently waited for this once-in-a-lifetime experience to a place we have never been and lacked any knowledge of, we were in for a complete surprise. Marion has a fascinating history with invasive species. Salvin’s Prion.

South Africa 264

South Africa Mice Albatross Africa 264

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 3, 2021

Chacachacare (pronounced shaka-shaka-reh ) is the westernmost of the Bocas islands off the northwestern tip of Trinidad. But I was set to virtually present about birding in T&T and suddenly the dearth of images and experience from the northwest corner of Trinidad became apparent. Northern Scrub Flycatcher.

Trinidad 185

Trinidad Netherlands Columbus Whales 185

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

It feels good to start a post with some truly attractive birds – such as two species of broadbills. Strangely, there do not seem to be many papers on this species. In one paper , you can find fascinating sentences such as “The new species is most similar to D.

Birds 226

Birds Sri Lanka Taiwan Cats 226

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 5, 2021

Dragonflies and Damselflies of Costa Rica: A Field Guide covers 113 damselfly species and 170 dragonfly species, a total of 283 species. Wait–that adds up to 290 species, but the book only covers 283. .* Wait–that adds up to 290 species, but the book only covers 283. Paulson, William A.

Costa Rica 263

Costa Rica North America Family America 263

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2022

With nine years of experience using it and birding with beginning birders, I would like to update that opinion. This is, in a way, no surprise since it was designed by birders who have used their own experiences in the field to determine what warbler seekers really need. This is a guide for all birders. But, then, aha!

United States 229

United States North America Species 2013 229

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2020

As I walked around to the tip of the point the numbers of gannets kept increasing and I saw that they were continuing to come around the point and into the harbor. It was an invigorating experience and an example of my favorite kind of birding, that of the spectacle. The main thing is the number of gannets! Deno’s Wonder Wheel!

New York 211

New York Fish New York City Experience 211

10,000 Birds

MARCH 4, 2020

Particularly off the north-eastern tip of the cigar-shaped island (Tobago’s phonetic similarity to “tobacco” is no coincidence) where the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea come to a sometimes less-than-amicable junction. By late March, hordes of Laughing Gulls and multiple species of pelagic terns gather for their turn.

Fish 229

Fish Rights Species Birds 229

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 20, 2024

Phoebe Snetsinger was an American birder who first passed the 8,000 species mark. Before leaving the safety of the car I heeded the park’s advice and checked for animal tracks belonging to any biting, gnawing, mauling, trampling, stabbing or disembowelling species. Having learned from my Namibian experience I walked away briskly.

Mozambique 231

Mozambique Birds Ghana Namibia 231

10,000 Birds

APRIL 18, 2024

I would be fascinating to know how many species of birds it was pointed at during its time with me, but it must have been well over 1,000. It proved strong enough to take the many knocks and falls that a hard-used scope experiences during its lifetime. Plenty of practice ensured that I could usually find my bird very quickly.

Estonia 212

Estonia Poland India Pelicans 212

10,000 Birds

MAY 10, 2020

It starts in late July when shorebirds from the Arctic Tundra, Great Plains, and New England beaches amass at beaches, agricultural areas, and mere rain puddles throughout the tip of the peninsula. For me, these birds add a bit of mystique and mystery to the overall experience. They especially like live oaks.

Florida 261

Florida Miami Birds Falcons 261

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 4, 2018

And, there are 300+ species of birds in this breathtaking region of the northern Rockies. This added to the whole birds of prey experience in Big Sky country. In addition to the 300+ bird species, there are 1,300 species of flora, nearly 50 mammalian species, and eight species (and subspecies) of trout in the streams.

Montana 164

Montana Bald Eagle Birds Bears 164

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 4, 2015

One species I can always count on at Colusa NWR is the Black-crowned Night-Heron ( Nycticorax nycticorax ), which boasts a large resident population. There had to be at least 100 or more, and when I got closer, I was excited to find several Cattle Egrets ( Bubulcus ibis ), a species of which a decent photograph had always eluded me.

Wildlife 159

Wildlife San Francisco Sacramento North Dakota 159

10,000 Birds

APRIL 3, 2018

Of the 300 hummingbird species across the globe, North America only sees fewer than two dozen of them. Then, I learned that over 400 species of birds have been identified in and around these islands. With a bit of luck the Texas Gulf just might have several of our favorite hummingbird species. So let’s plan that trip, shall we?

Texas 187

Texas North America Alaska America 187

10,000 Birds

APRIL 24, 2014

The famed Neotropical biologist John Terborgh, confirmed, through long term bird studies, what earlier naturalists suspected; the tropical rainforest is highly diverse, but species occur in very low densities. In fact many are never occupied by any of these species. The birds I mention above hold static and small territories.

Birds 173

Birds South America Peru Experience 173

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 13, 2020

Will the threatened species make it through if there are no birding tourists to make those birds and their habitats valuable to local people just the way they are (as opposed to tropical timber)? What will be left of birding tourism? I was trying to find that answer for a while and it turned into a very annoying experience.

Uganda 257

Uganda Bolivia Ecuador Indonesia 257

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 23, 2015

I had racked up only twenty-odd species, all of which I’d have to be blindfolded to not see if I spent a year in New York City. I was not tremendously optimistic as I returned to Forest Park for a second shot at the Northern Saw-whet Owl that our beloved host Corey had tipped me off to back at the beginning of January.

New York City 156

New York City Squirrels New York Owls 156

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 23, 2023

Intimately linked to mature forest on a single island, the species – by this logic alone – faces an uphill battle. Both species face the same threats, but the Red-necked Parrot has proven to be more adaptable in terms of habitat and food; as it can often be found making use of agricultural land to feed on citrus.

Dominica 130

Dominica Parrots Groups Rights 130

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2016

And so, I turn to Better Birding: Tips, Tools & Concepts for the Field , the new book by George L. It is an intriguing choice of species. These are extremely detailed, covering distribution, behavior, and plumage by age and gender (when relevant) and comparisons with other species in and external to the group.

Birds 190

Birds Groups 2015 North America 190

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 10, 2022

For this reason, the species is evaluated as Vulnerable.” The Rufous-tailed Robin used to be called Swinhoe’s Robin but apparently, somebody decided that there were already too many bird species (6, according to the HBW) named after him. The Latin species name, however, is still elegans. And it is still justified.

Birds 208

Birds China Eggs Owls 208

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

There is much to enjoy and appreciate here and I only wish I could have tested out some of these species accounts in pelagic waters before writing about them (sadly, the 10,000 Birds pelagic to Antarctica was canceled this year). SCOPE & SPECIES ORGANIZATION. It covers 434 species across 9 orders and 18 families of birds.

Albatross 279

Albatross Penguins Family Groups 279

10,000 Birds

JUNE 29, 2013

We boarded the 8:40 pm red-eye from JFK to Reykjavik on May 28; the intention was to sleep on the plane but with the excitement of travel and possibilities swirling around my head I didn’t sleep a wink (*tip – Iceland Air offers free stopovers for up to seven days as you travel from the US to Europe! Patience, thus, is key.

Iceland 197

Iceland Puffins Europe Birds 197

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 30, 2018

A car also doubles as a good hide – many species will not respond to it (from personal experience, not just birds, but otters too). I know that I learned some of these tips from some South African book that I read 19 years ago when I lived there. They are especially suitable for open terrains and larger birds.

Birds 194

Birds Otters Turtles Owls 194

10,000 Birds

JULY 9, 2019

Getting to actually see four species, in the last two weeks, and to hear two more is almost unheard of in my experience. Last week, a good friend, Dan Weisz gave me a tip on the location of a family of Burrowing Owls that were extremely easy to access. Here is a shot of that Northern Pygmy Owl, from Madera Canyon.

Owls 161

Owls Arizona Tucson South Africa 161

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 18, 2020

The prospect of identifying a certain number of species in a given amount of time pushes us to pay more attention to birds no matter what the circumstances (although I suggest keeping the exclamations about species identifications to yourself during such solemn situations as funerals, graduations, and watching episodes of The Sopranos).

Costa Rica 263

Costa Rica 2020 Morals Farming 263

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 28, 2020

The hapless Sooty Tern ( Onychoprion fuscatus ) is the classic hurricane bird, but other pelagic species are entrained in storms and blown ashore as well, like Bridled Terns ( Onychoprion anaethetus ), White-tailed Tropicbirds ( Phaethon lepturus ), and Magnificent Frigatebirds ( Fregata magnificens ).

India 174

India Squirrels North America America 174

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2015

Unbroken corridors connecting Finca Luna Nueva to outstanding habitat like the 50,000 acre Children’s Eternal Rainforest also help attract rare deep forest species like White-fronted Nunbird. In fact, over just two days on the property, we saw 114 stellar species (including a ton of wood-warblers) and heard a lot more.

Costa Rica 250

Costa Rica Birds Farming 2014 250

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 27, 2018

This is why the Yellow Warblers and Baltimore Orioles of summer don’t linger to experience October 31st, and even late fall migrants like kinglets and sparrows move to slightly warmer regions. It was tough to pick out just one tanager species, many are downright stunning. Green Honeycreeper. Is it green? Is it blue? Pygmy-Owls.

Costa Rica 172

Costa Rica Bats Birds Falcons 172

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 169

Parrots Brazil Mauritius Dominica 169

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 8, 2014

Lower m[andible] straight, upper m[andible] compressed, rather curved & slightly notched atthe tip. Tail short, 12 equal f[eathe]rs, rounded at the tips. Not only that, but another species of starling was already called Calornis inornata.). Rats did it in, as they did so many species. Most species go extinct.

Killing 170

Killing Rats Cooking Norway 170

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2019

Born in a different era, when bird photography was difficult, I gave many advice how to write the basic info, but the strangest thing to novices today turned out to be the advice on sketching the unknown species. Still, besides documenting rare species, forms, or odd individuals (e.g. Why should I sketch it, I am lousy at that.

Birds 144

Birds Costa Rica Greece Colombia 144