10,000 Birds

JUNE 25, 2017

I was given my first real field guide to the birds of Europe by my parents, a guide beyond the species found at backyard feeders and city ponds. My childhood in the 1970s and 1980s was of course shaped by family, friends, playmobil ( very popular in Germany back then), and school but also to a certain extend by the Cold War.

Europe 100

Europe Birds Kazakhstan Russia 100

10,000 Birds

MAY 11, 2013

For some reason the Fringillidae, as the finch family is called if you want to be highfalutin, frequently tend toward pink. Both of our redpoll species, Common Redpolls and Hoary Redpolls , have nice pink coloration. It took a trip to Kazakhstan to see more pink finches. Not that I’m complaining!

Kazakhstan 168

Kazakhstan New York United States 2006 168

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 15, 2012

It was a heart-pounding scene straight out of Jurassic Park, an odd experience for a laid-back pursuit like birding. This bird represented only the second documented record of this species in Florida. This may sound mundane, but my Best Bird of the Year is a species we all know quite well in one form or another.

2012 179

2012 Birds Guatemala Florida 179