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Fur and Fangs rather than Feathers and Beaks

10,000 Birds

On my 21-day Kenyan safaris we reckoned to find around 600 species of birds and around 60 mammals, both impressive totals. In 2023 I attempted to keep a year list of mammal encounters: the list barely exceeded 20 species, while it became complicated by seeing bats and voles that I was unable to name specifically.

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Flock to Marion

10,000 Birds

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.

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Enjoying the Orange Peril

10,000 Birds

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. Perhaps it’s a basic human desire to dress things up.)

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Birding the Drakensberg, South Africa

10,000 Birds

In fact, this is probably a species that has substantially expanded its original range through the pet shop route and the resulting escapees. In fact, it seems to be one of the species employed by past ornithologists to establish their own monument in the shape of a subspecies. A challenge for young birders, maybe.

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Montezuma Winery: Red Wing

10,000 Birds

It’s often said that the native wild grape varieties of the New World– of the species Vitis riparia , Vitis labrusca , Vitis aestivalis , and Vitis rupestris – are ill-suited to winemaking in the European tradition. Even though they’re from my home state, I really don’t have much experience with Finger Lakes wines.

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The Geladas of Ethiopia

10,000 Birds

This was the local name meaning “ugly” used for these primates by the people of the Gonder area in northern Ethiopia when the German naturalist Rüppell “discovered” this species for science in the 1830’s. Males sport a larger heart-shaped bare batch encircled by pale fur, that shows off their dominance status. Photo by Adam Riley.

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Offshore Sea Life ID Guide: West Coast–A Book Review

10,000 Birds

But, I did take many photos, and used the book, in spurts during the trip and more closely afterward, to identify three seabird species, two expected (Sooty and Black-vented Shearwaters) and one a surprise. It does not include near-shore, coastal species, like Brown Pelican, Elegant Tern, and Harbor Seal.

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