10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

How much do you know about owls? I’ve been fortunate to encounter many owls in my birding life, sometimes because I’m looking for them, sometimes happily by happenstance. I’m sure many of you have had similar experiences. This isn’t a rhetorical question, think about it. I don’t think so.

Owls 213

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 213

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2019

I saw 863 species of birds, bringing my life list to 1,820. Such travel brings a lot of birds and the 863 species I saw this year is the most species I have ever seen. How can I narrow down the eight-hundred-sixty-three species to ten? How can I, by listing only ten, call eight-hundred-fifty-three species not worthy?

2019 139

2019 Barbados Uganda Costa Rica 139

10,000 Birds

APRIL 23, 2014

In fact, it’s hard to think of a wildlife watching activity I’m more conflicted about, other than perhaps alomost industrial levels of diving in fragile reefs (or the remains thereof). On the one hand it can be an outstanding opportunity to see wildlife you usually don’t, and if done carefully it doesn’t do any harm.

Badgers 154

Badgers Wildlife Reptiles Monkeys 154

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 29, 2012

I’ll admit that I rarely reach 20 bird species a day, especially this time of year. This weekend, however, I needed to take my mind off all those gaudy birds Corey was scoping down at the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival. Plus, the time was finally right for me to savor a local slice of that southern Snowy Owl invasion.

2012 163

2012 Birds Medical Owls 163

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 8, 2011

Paging through a fieldguide, it’s always with a sense of dismay and sadness that I come across reference to an extinct species. Islands, for various reasons, experience more extinctions than continents (with Africa being the only continent not suffering a bird extinction!). The mythical Red Owl on a day roost at Lake Bemanevika.

Madagascar 240

Madagascar Lemurs 2006 Owls 240

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

Larry starts us off right with an owl that makes birders drool: I was able to see and photograph many great birds in 2014 but my Best Bird of the Year would have to be the Great Gray Owl , the largest Strix in North America. Larry’s BBOTY – Great Gray Owl. What was yours? I also blogged about that dreamy day.

2014 189

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 189

10,000 Birds

MARCH 29, 2015

Excellent 10,000 Birds posts have been written about Pico Bonito and Honduras by Corey and Carlos , so I’m going to focus on some of my most memorable experiences. We saw a smaller member of the potoo family, Northern Potoo , Nyctibius jamaicensis , at Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge, boating and birding the Salado River.

Honduras 250

Honduras Birds Costa Rica Groups 250

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 12, 2014

The Lodge at Pico Bonito is an inviting, idyllic place for relaxation as well as for enjoying wildlife. 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. Photo by James Adams.

Honduras 163

Honduras Monkeys Birds America 163

10,000 Birds

APRIL 4, 2014

Among birders, wildlife photographers, and nature enthusiasts, it is renowned for its incredible concentrations of birds at the end of the dry season. During this time, the fish trapped in the shrinking pools of water attract hordes of herons, egrets, storks, and other wetland species. I must mention one thing.

Brazil 165

Brazil Birds Blackbirds Paraguay 165

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2011

By age 2 she could identify over 10 species of birds in our Johannesburg, South Africa, yard by call alone. Publications like Ranger Rick and National Geographic Kids can also satisfy their curiosity through their kid-friendly articles on birds and wildlife. They also have some great apps specially designed for kids like the Owl app.

Birds 278

Birds Game Wildlife Family 278

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2011

Mostly the ducks were Red-breasted Merganser and Greater Scaup , the two most prevalent species on the pond, but there were a few other birds mixed in as well. Either way, it was a heck of a sight and another example of why Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is the best place in New York City to see amazing wildlife spectacles.

Ducks 171

Ducks 2011 Jamaica New York 171

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2012

I even managed to shoot a video with hands trembling of excitement, probably a first of the species. I think my official Best Bird of 2012, though, was (finally, finally seeing) the Burrowing Owl. Burrowing Owl Tai Haku liked Mike’s choice of a chicken in our original post but decided to do him one better.

2012 133

2012 Ghana Ireland Birds 133

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2018

We spent two blissful days exploring both the waders and wildlife of Lake Yojoa and the tropical splendor of PANACAM Lodge. Since he first started walking his property, he’s located a slew of species so exciting that birders are starting to turn up at his doorstep. In this case, Vermiculated Screech Owls ! Maradiaga.

Honduras 139

Honduras Birds Farming America 139

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2011

Getting to know the subtleties in differences between closely related species takes years of dedication and practice. Thirdly, many species of shorebirds display such vast differences in their summer and winter plumages that it is always interesting to note how some birds in the same flock are in contrasting stages of plumage.

Florida 191

Florida South Africa 2011 Africa 191

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2011

The countryside too is full of signature European species like European Bee-eaters, European Rollers and Great-spotted Cuckoos … Within a shortish drive of the lodge is an unusual birding spot called Pulo do Lobo or The wolf’s Leap. This is worthwhile to pick up some rocky terrain species and the scenery is stunning.

Portugal 173

Portugal 2011 Deer Birds 173

10,000 Birds

JULY 11, 2018

Now, dont get me wrong, there have been some nice birds, and locations in between, but these two experiences are just so hard to put out of my mind. While there were way less Puffins than any of the other species, they are still so much fun to see. The show stopper was his Eagle-owl. Total Scotland Species – 105.

Puffins 100

Puffins Wildlife Reserve 2003 Farming 100

10,000 Birds

MAY 26, 2011

Views like this offer specialty niches for many high-altitude species. These White-tailed Ptarmigan are without a doubt one of the most sought-after species in Colorado. I learned early and often when I moved to Colorado that a birder will have to up their physical ante to experience some of these birds.

Colorado 135

Colorado North Dakota Montana Owls 135

10,000 Birds

MARCH 22, 2011

In fact Punta Cana is a shining example of how large hotels can conduct their operations in a sustainable manner whilst contributing significantly to the preservation of birds, wildlife and habitats. Fish & Wildlife comes in response to a lawsuit brought by the Center for Biological Diversity. The proposal from U.S.

Dominican Republic 186

Dominican Republic 2011 Deer Birds 186

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2014

As I explained to my nephews when they were younger, “The Burrowing Owls don’t think we’re their friends. People on one side of the rope, owls on the other.” Substitute Snowy Owl here if you’d like the modern version). The beautiful Bee-eater family, with its 26 species, is covered in a little less than two pages.

Birds 215

Birds Egypt Family Eagles 215

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2011

Corey encountered a bunch of winners, but 24 Common Redpolls at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, in almost the exact same spot he saw them a couple of years ago, feeding on birch inflorescence by the East Pond, were easily his best birds of the weekend. If you’ve blogged about your weekend experience, you should include a link in your comment.

2011 155

2011 New York Deer Birds 155

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 23, 2011

Costa Rica enjoys an international reputation as an iconic birding location, bursting with epic Neotropical species and breathtaking natural attractions. Over 144 different bird species have been spotted on the grounds, including crackers like Lesser Ground-Cuckoo and Spectacled Owl.

Costa Rica 171

Costa Rica San Jose Sanctuary Protection 171

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2016

Both are declining species who have attracted the attention of birders and conservationists, and both are hanging on, showing the remarkable spirit that I think characterizes New Yorkers throughout the state. Neither is Gyrfalcon, and I’m hoping we will see much more of both species so Corey will have to write an expanded 2nd edition.

New York 100

New York Bald Eagle Birds New York City 100

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 15, 2011

All twitchers will experience it at some stage or another. For those that might not fully comprehend, the birding slang-term to “dip” or to “dip out on” a bird is to go looking for a particular species and not find it. Anita still makes impolite noises when the name of this species comes up.

Norway 232

Norway Delaware Pennsylvania Philadelphia 232

10,000 Birds

JUNE 7, 2012

It’s the warbler that is often the last unchecked species on birders’ life lists and, whether you list or not, for most of us observing it is a once in a lifetime experience. Fish and Wildlife Service endangered species list. The warbler is on the road to being delisted from the Endangered Species List.

Michigan 230

Michigan Bahamas Endangered Species Research 230

10,000 Birds

MARCH 17, 2011

Turkeys, 3 or 4 species of woodpeckers, all kinds of song birds grace our view constantly. Jochen the swallows have arrived at NYC at Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge too. Stop by our blog for some nice shots and share the experience!! Almost time for hummers to make there appearance. As I said, we are blessed.

2011 150

2011 Deer Birds South Dakota 150

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

Frigatebirds (Fregatidae) Five species of frigatebird ply the planet’s tropical skies and seas. Ringer Cormorants and Shags (Phalacrocoracidae) Cormorants are more speciose than other families in the order; 30-40 species range widely on every continent and many islands. Corey Mar 12th, 2011 at 8:29 pm Now wait just one second.

2011 153

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea Birds 153

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 145

Ireland Birds Groups Falcons 145

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 1, 2013

The story of the cahow, a “Lazurus species” that was thought to be extinct for over 300 years and then discovered to be breeding on a tiny remote island in Bermuda, is part of modern birding legend. These are magical experiences. Ultimately, the story always comes back to the cahows, whose population grows slowly.

Birds 168

Birds Rats Breeding 2012 168

10,000 Birds

APRIL 6, 2021

The book is organized into ten chapters, framed by a Prologue and Epilogue focused on Weidensaul’s banding experience in Denali National Park. His participant observations connect to his own research experiences, providing history and perspective. Author Scott Weidensaul and a Snow Owl.

Cyprus 253

Cyprus Slaughter Slaughtered Research 253

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2015

That’s a threatened habitat, and one much sought after by wildlife enthusiasts. There wasn’t much around, and aside from a lifer Yellow-bellied Bulbul the two most impressive species were heard not seen – a Blue-headed Pitta an a Banded Kingfisher. Oh, there were Buffy Fish-owls. A female Crested Fireback.

Lemurs 158

Lemurs Family Rhinoceros Fish 158

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2024

I was high and happy, not from “420” drugs but from the altitude and the anticipation of seeing woodpeckers and owls I had never seen before. After a pleasant morning with ducks, crisp snow and sunshine, we followed the wildlife trail on our way out. My hosts could confidently tick off the species on their life list.

Denver 150

Denver Colorado Ducks Mules 150

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 30, 2013

Many years of experience have been lost. There have been 221 species recorded on the count, including goodies like Gyrfalcon , King Rail , Western Tanager , Ash-throated Flycatcher , Sedge Wren and Black-throated Gray Warbler. This is pretty impressive for the cold northeastern United States.

Birds 163

Birds New York City New York New Jersey 163

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2020

Penguins are cartoons, emoticons, animated films, children’s books (though owls really take first place here), sports teams, a book publisher, and a Batman villain (a rare example of penguin negativity, though Burgess Meredith did bring an endearing attitude to his 1960’s TV portrayal). © Otto Plantema, used with permission.

Penguins 278

Penguins Georgia New Zealand Albatross 278

10,000 Birds

MARCH 12, 2011

As part of the Wildlife Conservation Society Birds of Brazil giveaway we asked readers of 10,000 Birds to name the bird in Brazil that they would like to see more than any other species. What follows are the responses that readers offered, a veritable aviary of sought after species.

Brazil 206

Brazil 2011 Birds Wildlife 206

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

Covering 1,261 species with data and taxonomy current up to August 2017, the field guide is an exciting achievement. And, then there are the more familiar birds–Wood-warblers, sandpipers, hawks–some species migrants, some species with a wide range. Can you guess which of the species cited above are endemic?

America 213

America El Salvador Costa Rica Honduras 213

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2018

My own trip was not an intensive birding experience, and August is clearly not the most productive month. I chalked up 132 species in a pretty relaxed eight days, during which birds shared the agenda with culture. With 154 eBirded species, the Beljarica shares the 4th place on the list. eBird bar chart. #4 eBird bar chart. #2

Serbia 159

Serbia Birds Bulgaria Farming 159

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2013

My best bird of the year is based on the sighting rather than the species. Hornbills are spectacular under any circumstances, but when a pair lands in a bush beside you at eye-level and begin mutual preening , it makes for a spectacular experience. Only trouble is, which of the seven species I saw this year do I pick?

2013 167

2013 Birds Costa Rica India 167