10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2022

” are the big questions at the heart of Vagrancy in Birds by Alexander Lees and James Gilroy, an impressive, fascinating book about what ornithologists and wildlife biologists have found out about avian vagrancy so far and their theories explaining this phenomenon. But it’s a very fluid definition, as the book makes very clear.

Birds 260

Birds Compassion Eagles Science 260

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2022

This spurred her to pursue a career in environmental education and wildlife nature tourism as a park ranger in Texas and as the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail Coordinator with Florida Fish and Wildlife. Marion has a fascinating history with invasive species. Salvin’s Prion.

South Africa 263

South Africa Mice Albatross Africa 263

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 28, 2011

And it looks even better in my hands while I dream about a visit to regions of Brazil I had scarcely heard of before being provided with a review copy of the first volume of the Wildlife Conservation Society Birds of Brazil.* Each family of birds has a short introductory paragraph and most genera get a sentence or two of description.

Brazil 203

Brazil Wildlife 2011 Birds 203

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2021

Even so, he still knew many species and always yearned to learn about the wildlife he encountered. Groups them by family too and by their shape” His extra long arm extended and passed me that precious book. One such surprising experience happened with grouse. “Check it out!”

Costa Rica 264

Costa Rica Chickens Pennsylvania Litter 264

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

Lees and Gilroy delineate vagrancy status and trends for every bird family worldwide, highlighting examples, synthesizing research, and framing it all with their own thoughts and conclusions. The guide covers 265 of Maine’s 461 bird species: common nesting species, common migrants, and wintering birds.

Sri Lanka 228

Sri Lanka Malaysia Birds Suriname 228

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2015

Actually, signs that winter won’t release its icy grip so readily are also apparent… my traditional Easter family hike was canceled on account of snow. Corey had quite a few species to choose from this weekend but decided that his Best Bird of the Weekend was the simple Tree Swallow. Spring is here! How about you?

2015 184

2015 Jamaica New York Birds 184

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2019

I saw 863 species of birds, bringing my life list to 1,820. I also spent a week in northwestern Costa Rica on a family vacation, a long weekend in Barbados, a week in Georgia, and two week-plus-long trips to visit relatives in southern California. How can I narrow down the eight-hundred-sixty-three species to ten?

2019 139

2019 Barbados Uganda Costa Rica 139

10,000 Birds

MAY 17, 2015

He yelled a relatively unintelligible explanation as he ran to the car, abandoning his family, and sped to Jamaica Bay where he parked and ran out to the breach of the West Pond where he relied upon the kindness of other birders, who let him use their scopes while he got his breath back. How about you? What was your best bird of the weekend?

2015 162

2015 Jamaica Canada Abandon 162

10,000 Birds

APRIL 12, 2022

So armed with some knowledge from the “ Access Considerations for Birding Locations ” page on the Birdability website and some research, I twice visited the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge near Portland, Oregon with accessibility in mind. It is an eye-opening experience to view a familiar place from a new perspective.

Portland 193

Portland Oregon Laws Experience 193

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 20, 2016

In the days leading up to the Expo we’ve been touring the small East African nation, primarily visiting the big national parks in the south and west of the country looking for birds and other amazing wildlife. In the relatively brief period, my group had something on the order of 450 species. I, personally, had around 430.

Uganda 162

Uganda Africa Squirrels Tanzania 162

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

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

JUNE 12, 2012

Namibia is politically stable and a safe country to visit offering spectacular scenery, untouched wildernesses, vast game reserves, superb wildlife and fascinating cultural experiences. Over 700 bird species occur in Namibia, many of them range-restricted and highly desirable southern arid zone species.

Namibia 252

Namibia Angola Lovebirds South Africa 252

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 11, 2017

At the end of October, my family flew to Florida for a multi-day road trip aimed at the beautiful springs. Water quality was good that day, and we could perfectly see the waving eelgrass, the freshwater fish species, the adorable turtles. How to describe these underwater avian species? An Anhinga dries its wings.

Florida 100

Florida Fish Turtles Shelters 100

10,000 Birds

JULY 30, 2014

This time I’ll be working with Wildlife ACT in Zululand, helping that NGO monitor wildlife in a range of reserves and parks in the east of South Africa. I bring this up not to boast (well, not much) but because I think that this approach to wildlife travel is somewhat neglected in birding circles.

Uganda 161

Uganda Sharks Africa New Zealand 161

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2015

.* So, it’s a good thing that Ediciones Nuevos Mundo, the publishing arm of The Friendship Association, published Endemic Birds of Cuba: A Comprehensive Guide by Nils Navarro, Cuban wildlife artist and naturalist , earlier this year. Navarro’s exceptional drawings illustrate the species accounts. Forty-eight species.

Cuba 232

Cuba Birds United States 2000 232

4 The Love Of Animals

DECEMBER 20, 2013

On November 30, SeaWorld Orlando welcomed the first chick to hatch at Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin, the all-new attraction featuring a colony of more than 250 penguins from four species – king, Adelie, gentoo and rockhopper. penguins wildlife' Guests may get a rare glimpse of the king chick during feedings.

Penguins 100

Penguins Transported Eggs Raised 100

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 15, 2017

If your CBC experience is anything like mine here in eastern New York, you’ll be counting an awful lot of crows. And I think it’s safe to say the other two North American crow species aren’t showing up in New York any time soon. It would make a fitting choice for this beer, but I suppose it’s best to leave the crowberries to the crows.

New York 124

New York Portland Washington Geese 124

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 23, 2013

Run along the same lines as the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, the site has had a large fence placed around it and the introduced mammals removed. Rare species, like North Island Brown Kiwi , have been reintroduced. This community based organisation has been working in rural Taranaki, near where I went up the mountain.

New Zealand 160

New Zealand Sanctuary Mammals Wildlife 160

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. Astounding because she picked up birding before she could speak and surprising because this ability was definitely not inherited from anyone in my family, myself included. And perhaps 20 others by sight. GAMES AND APPS.

Birds 278

Birds Game Wildlife Family 278

10,000 Birds

MAY 19, 2015

Turns out, Monday brought more than a little rain, and we got soaked as we explored the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge along the ocean. They formed their little clumps along the water, all the species mixed together until a walker approached too closely.

North Carolina 172

North Carolina Alligators Wildlife Woodpeckers 172

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2014

It’s relatively easy to classify birds into family groups based on physical characteristics. We view them as our enemies when they eat our crops and as an extension of our family when we see them at our feeders. Remarkably, there are 59 bird families that have very little cultural significance; these are listed in Appendix III.

Birds 215

Birds Egypt Family Eagles 215

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

Ackerman surrounds each individual story with background facts and studies on other birds who mimic, play, parasitize nests, engage in complex cognitive routines, parent in unusual ways–presenting a complex mosaic of avian behaviors amongst bird families and the scientific histories of trying to understand them.

Research 225

Research Birds Science Costa Rica 225

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2011

I was fortunate enough to spot the individual in this post at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge where it was foraging in bushes and small trees between four and fifteen off of the ground. The Cape May Warbler is considered a Species of Least Concern by Birdlife International because of its large range and large and stable population.

Tigers 158

Tigers United States Jamaica Pennsylvania 158

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Experiments in the field (the famed Asa Wright Nature Center veranda) involving Bananaquits and bananas came up with numbers ranging from 7 to 16, but a tanager always came along to interfere with Bananaquits’ noisy appreciation of their namesake fruit. (2) Which hummingbird was more beautiful—Tufted Coquette or Ruby-topaz Hummingbird? (3)

Trinidad 196

Trinidad Birds South America Research 196

10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2013

People ascribe near mythic status to the members of the family Delphinidae (and other related families). Even people with no other interest in wildlife, who couldn’t tell a sparrow from an ostrich (or even a dolphin from a fish) love dolphins. Which has always mystified me slightly. South Banks Peninsula.

Dolphins 155

Dolphins Sharks New Zealand Albatross 155

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

AUGUST 23, 2011

For many birders a highlight of birding the southeastern United States, maybe even the definitive birding experience of the region, is taking in the great numbers and diversity of long-legged wading birds. It was all to easy to catch opportunities for inter-species interactions, like the one below consisting of four species of fish-eaters.

South Carolina 157

South Carolina Alligators Florida United States 157

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

OCTOBER 23, 2011

Costa Rica enjoys an international reputation as an iconic birding location, bursting with epic Neotropical species and breathtaking natural attractions. Zamora Estate protects acres of unspoiled habitat within one of the fastest growing sections of San Jose, a holding that has sustained four generations of the Zamora family.

Costa Rica 171

Costa Rica San Jose Sanctuary Protection 171

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. But our adventurous group, led by Oliver Komar and Yobani A.

Honduras 139

Honduras Birds Farming America 139

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. An oversubscribed night drive didn’t help. A tick is a tick.

Lemurs 158

Lemurs Family Rhinoceros Fish 158

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

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

DECEMBER 11, 2012

Thankfully the days of visiting Africa purely for slaughtering its wildlife have mostly come to a merciful end, and safari operators have adopted the Big Five term to market tours that offer sightings of the fortunate remanants of Africa’s once teeming great herds.

Buffalo 204

Buffalo Rhinoceros Elephants Leopards 204

10,000 Birds

APRIL 18, 2011

Also, I somehow doubt that whether I am stuck at work or not really influences how everyone else experiences spring but this is my blog post so I can use whatever criteria I want to measure how well spring has gone. Spotting 57 species of birds in the couple of hours we put in to seeking out birds was never so ho-hum in my life.

New York City 164

New York City New York Walruses Birds 164

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

That larger clade is in turn sister to a clade containing the four remaining totipalmate bird families, which do still seem to be related, and which needed a new order name once pelicans were removed. But meanwhile, let’s look at the four avian families that comprise the brand new order Suliformes.

2011 153

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea Birds 153