10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2012

Furthermore we have another very special stork-like bird, the regal Shoebill , previously known as the Whale-headed Stork but now placed in its own family. It is quite a sight to experience hundreds of Abdim’s Stork dropping out of the skies from seemingly thin air, to gorge on burnt or fleeing insects and rodents.

Africa 233

Africa Tanzania South Africa Uganda 233

10,000 Birds

JUNE 29, 2011

There were lots of families with kids, and a van from a local old people’s home, a real cross section of society all intrigued by the visitor. And enjoy the experience as much as I enjoyed being with the plovers. I think all the serious birders must have gotten there the day before.

Penguins 163

Penguins New Zealand Zoos Birds 163

4 The Love Of Animals

MARCH 17, 2011

Grief, friendship, gratitude, wonder, and other things we animals experience. Chimpanzees and elephants grieve the loss of family and friends, and gorillas hold wakes for the dead. Donna Fernandes, president of the Buffalo Zoo, witnessed a wake for a female gorilla, Babs, who had died of cancer at Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo.

Emotional 100

Emotional Animal Whales Whaling 100

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 200

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 200

10,000 Birds

MARCH 27, 2020

Suzie wrote about her experiences as a bird rehabber in Flyaway: How A Wild Bird Rehabber Sought Adventure and Found Her Wings (2009) and used those experiences as the source for her fictional children’s book, Hawk Hill (1996). How much did you draw on your own experiences as a wildlife rehabber to tell Luna’s story? .

Wildlife Rehabilitation 246

Wildlife Rehabilitation Bald Eagle Eagles Wildlife 246

10,000 Birds

MARCH 12, 2011

While it’s no longer possible to see this regal macaw soar gracefully through the Brazilian skies, to be able to worship them—even from afar at one of the conservatories or zoos—would be a dream, at last, come true. I worked with a pair of motmots at a US zoo and fell in love with their vibrant colors and unique tails.

Brazil 197

Brazil 2011 Birds Wildlife 197

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2020

I should add that the Big Owls taking over NYC social and even hard print media, dominating conversations with my nonbirder friends and family, are not the only owls in the five boroughs, but like a musical, the closer you are to Broadway, the closer you are to fame and fortune (and maybe even a higher quality rodent for dinner, who knows?).

New York City 180

New York City Birds Owls Fox 180

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2019

While the jays did catch our attention by way of a smart crest and different shades of blue and gray punctuated by a black necklace and mascara, they were part of our common natural experience, their existence was taken for granted. Toucans were something else entirely and we couldn’t even see them at the local zoo.

Costa Rica 167

Costa Rica Panama Eating Eggs South America 167

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2017

Can a family-focused trip—even to one of the world’s most biodiverse countries—deliver enough opportunities for avian observation to satisfy this serious world birder? With enough planning, you can enjoy a family-friendly, bird-rich vacation in the Panama Canal zone. If you have kids, you’re probably as curious as I was.

Panama 100

Panama 2017 Monkeys Family 100

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 19, 2012

One interesting experience here was finding a baby terrapin on the road and picking it up to move it only for peter to call out a Common Iora , one of my two lifer families of the day. So the poor turtle got a bit of a shake around before I released him safely into a ditch.

Thailand 153

Thailand New Zealand Terrapins Asia 153

10,000 Birds

APRIL 7, 2015

They are software mascots, cartoon characters, animated film dancers, children’s book heroes, zoo celebrities, and documentary film stars. There is also a great deal of biological and ecological information encapsulated within De Roy’s experiences. That’s a lot of books about a bird family that cannot fly.

Penguins 191

Penguins New Zealand South Africa Albatross 191