10,000 Birds

MARCH 19, 2022

Bird names say much about human perception, they can also give us insight into the people who invented names for official bird descriptions. This high elevation pewee only occurs in the mountains of Costa Rica and a smidgeon of western Panama. Sunbittern also works because what else could that bizarre and ancient bird be called?

Costa Rica 278

Costa Rica Pennsylvania South America Panama 278

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

The first is that the illustrations by Dale Dyer are based, and largely seem to be the same, as the illustrations for his previous guide Birds of Central America: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama (co-authored with Andrew Vallely, PUP, 2018). Fantasy is the key word here. Doing this work takes time!

Costa Rica 246

Costa Rica Belize El Salvador Birds 246

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 24, 2018

Those of us who chase rare birds for our counties, states, or other human-made geographical distinctions watch birds for more reasons than the twitch. A few other birds also showed, highlights including a tree full of screeching Mealy Parrots but other birding experiences par excellence were waiting in the wings.

Costa Rica 213

Costa Rica Species San Jose Birds 213

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

I got to see a beautiful female and owlet on a trip to a secret nest location near Howard Prairie Lake (human-made nest structures have enhanced local breeding for these huge owls whose nest success is boosted to 83% on artificial platforms vs. 66% at natural sites). The experience, the place, and the bird combine to make this my BBOTY.

2014 227

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 227

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 4, 2020

This includes current research (up to about 2016, but mostly earlier) on how climate change and human change are affecting the birds’ ecology and behavior. Two sobering chapters on “Conservation” and “Climate Change” end the text section of the book, followed by a 36-page Bibliography and a detailed Index.

Research 207

Research Birds Hoarding Sweden 207

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2015

To research this book, he traveled extensively to see as many woodpeckers as he could; this field experience was supplemented with museum research and consultations with other experts, plus a library of print material ranging from field guides to scientific papers.

Woodpeckers 264

Woodpeckers 2002 Europe Research 264