10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 26, 2019

That honor goes to the Gray-crowned Crane , a very sexy species in its own right. Of course, we did, soaking in that slate blue beauty long enough to observe a successful hunt and more of its rangy, awkward flight. Unfortunately, the world cares little for weavers, no matter how rare or range-restricted. The mighty Shoebill.

Uganda 262

Uganda Africa Birds Penguins 262

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

Yet, one other hunting attempt in the same area I do remember. A female Mallard was running on the water right out of the thickets, flapping its wing frantically. The next memorable hunt came from winter 2006/07. It took place eight years later, in November 2004 by the bank of the Veliko Ratno Island.

Serbia 247

Serbia 2004 Eagles Chickens 247

10,000 Birds

MAY 28, 2015

They got the message right. And that is why the hides are where they are, not to admire the scenery (or shoot at it – hunting is prohibited in the reserve and the ban is enforced). km long bird path leading to the Palic 2 hide – ignore the confusing arrows pointing left, the path goes over the dyke at the right hand side).

Serbia 243

Serbia Birds Spain Hungary 243

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

His musings on falconry in Medieval times begin with the Bayeux Tapestry, which tells the story of the Norman Conquest and is full of birds, including hawks and falcons on the wrists of the main contenders. The drawing on the left is from 1714, the one on the right is the result of Birkhead’s own dissection.

Dissection 219

Dissection Birds Research Europe 219

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 21, 2015

I have 10,000 Birds contributor Adam Riley to thank for telling me I had to add it to my list, and a quick bit of research showed that he was right on. One thing you must do is hire a local guide, as while you can hunt for yourself you’ll see a hell of a lot more with one. And watching this from above was a Lanner Falcon.

South Africa 145

South Africa Africa Falcons Family 145

10,000 Birds

JULY 27, 2012

The maintenance man declared that his father was a falconer, and that he would take her home so he could care for her. On the other, she sounded like she might have a respiratory infection, I didn’t have the right drug on hand, and I was scared to death that I might go down in history as the killer of the birdie Methuselah.

Rabbits 237

Rabbits New Jersey Neglecting North America 237

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 9, 2017

This morning, they have seen some 10,000 Broad-winged Hawks , mixed up with two dozen Swainson’s Hawks , several Mississippi Kites and one or two King Vultures , Swallow-tailed and Double-toothed Kites , Merlins and Peregrine Falcons. Or a mammal. Or even those pooie reptiles.

Costa Rica 138

Costa Rica Reptiles Farming Mississippi 138

10,000 Birds

JUNE 22, 2011

He was so excited when I described what I had and came right up to meet me. Great horneds are known as the “Tiger of the Woods&# because they’ll hunt anything and they are good at it, but they are slow and stealthy. He’s one of the managers of the specimen collection and loves a good dead bird mystery.

Bats 204

Bats Dissection Owls Minnesota 204

10,000 Birds

MARCH 5, 2013

When you think about it, this is pretty remarkable; even with all the excellent bird photographers available, it must have taken hundreds of hours to locate good quality photographs in which the bird looks towards the right. King Eider to the left, Common Eider to the right. Swainson’s Thrush opposite Gray-cheeked Thrush.

Birds 158

Birds North America Groups Falcons 158

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

Larry starts us off right with an owl that makes birders drool: I was able to see and photograph many great birds in 2014 but my Best Bird of the Year would have to be the Great Gray Owl , the largest Strix in North America. This spectacular montane vulture reminds me more of a giant falcon as it cleaves the air on long wings.

2014 188

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 188

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

This makes it a particularly exciting time in New Zealand as the Rugby World Cup begins in two days, and the competition is being held right here in New Zealand (I would imagine they might be more excited if they hadn’t just lost two matches to Australia and South Africa, their big rivals in the Tri-Nations).

New Zealand 157

New Zealand Penguins Sanctuary Birds 157

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2013

And when you think about it, that seems right. Vulture Hunts Down and Ravages Sea Turtles – Dale Forbes, 10,000 Birds. Once you get past the baldness and the predilection for corpses, you have to admit that the vultures, any of them but some more than others, are impressive birds. Hooded Vultures , photo by Adam Riley.

California Condor 180

California Condor Turkey North America Jordan 180

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2015

Early morning is of course birding prime time and a pre-breakfast stroll around our lodge produced sightings of the lovely Orange-bellied Parrot , which we tracked down to a nesting hole right next to the restaurant. Splashes of color were added by cryptic Bruce’s Green Pigeons and more raucous Abyssinian and Lilac-breasted rollers.

Ethiopia 241

Ethiopia Sudan Leopards Birds 241

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 30, 2021

We sailed right into a group of more than a dozen Hoatzins (cover photo, by Tyler Ficker) with their orange mohawks and blue facial skin. Because of that, the bird has a manure-like odour and is only hunted by humans for food in times of dire need” [ Source ]. Later, we would be seeing dolphins every day.

Dolphins 260

Dolphins Colombia Otters Birds 260

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 2, 2014

There are two-page spreads with a list of birding sites, map coordinates, and bird descriptions on the left and full-page maps on the right, showing roads and routes linking the sites. Bookending these indexes, the back of the book features 11 guides to birding in the most bird-rich areas of the island.

Brunei 174

Brunei Birds Asia China 174

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 13, 2014

Must be a joke, right? Orange-breasted Falcon : Since there aren’t any specimens of this regal neotropical Falco from Costa Rica, we actually aren’t even sure if it used to live here. Hope for a vagrant comes in the form of an Orange-breasted Falcon sighting from west-central Panama. What a horror! What a disaster!

Costa Rica 217

Costa Rica Species Panama Birds 217

10,000 Birds

MAY 9, 2018

Wedge-tailed Eagles roam the skies, along with Brown Falcon, Black Kites , and Nankeen Kestrels. Speaking of Brown Falcons, here are a couple that were perched just outside Ulara. This Pied Butcherbird was right at the base to Ayres Rock. The third bird flew off just before I could get the shutter released.

Australia 113

Australia Camels Kangaroos Hunting 113

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 19, 2017

Although the Aplomado Falcon is on the list, it’s not resident and there are few records, most of which seem to pertain to juveniles that wander into the country at this time of year. In fact, right now, in all likelihood, there probably are a few Aplomados up that way hunting in some far off fields never visited by birders.

Costa Rica 100

Costa Rica San Jose Falcons Nicaragua 100

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 12, 2018

Once we were checked in, we headed straight out to begin our hunt. What did find right off the bat, was an amazing group of people, all willing to help out in so many ways. This bird was sitting right out in the sun when I first found it. Aplomado Falcon. Tom and Connie, and John Y. Here that Eastern Screech Owl.

Texas 129

Texas Tucson San Antonio Owls 129

10,000 Birds

MAY 22, 2022

This will change over time of course and once it rains again you would need to consider if you had the right vehicle to access the area. Dragonflies photobombing on the right as we approach. If they are hunting you will undoubtedly find out if there are Nankeen Night-herons in the area when they take off.

Geese 196

Geese Ducks Breeding 2015 196

10,000 Birds

JUNE 28, 2015

The quarry was being used as a training ground for a family of five Brown Falcons and they were amazing to watch as they used the quarry walls to hunt. The rock formations are spectacular and you walk right beneath some amazing formations on one side of the river and look across to the other side to equally spectacular rocks.

Birds 157

Birds Zebras Falcons Hunting 157

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2012

The birding was superb with Aplomado Falcons, White-tailed Hawks , a single Zone-tailed Hawk, Peregrine Falcons, migrating Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks , Harris’s Hawks, White-tailed Kites and good numbers of Crested Caracaras. Right at the lodge. He was gesturing like a madman. “Schmoking Ponies!”

Owls 148

Owls Texas Arizona Pigs 148

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

Not only were they a common bird, they were a common bird nearshore; indigenous peoples hunted them up and down the coast. North American Peregrine Falcons have also enjoyed an impressive population rebound in recent years. With a six-figure population now, Cackling Geese are an abundant visitor the west coast and the Aleutians.

Albatross 204

Albatross Endangered Species Geese Alaska 204

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2020

Each spread consists of a full-page painting of a bird or group of birds on the left and a combination of text and illustrations on the right. The essays are arranged in almost AOS taxonomic order, with changes made to lessen confusion for new birders–falcons are grouped with hawks, all water birds come before land birds, etc.

2020 264

2020 Birds Groups North America 264

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2013

This year produced the lowest lifer count since I started birding (just cracking 50 lifers compared to average of 500+ a year for the past 10 years) mostly due to the arrival of my son, William Falcon in April. Tragic, right? Hence my birding travel (and blogging) has been curtail (but life much enriched!)

2013 167

2013 Birds Costa Rica India 167

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2016

Looking like a blend of pigeon, grouse, and feathered marble cake, this fast flying species zips to the edge of a small sewage treatment pond in Eilat right at dusk pretty much every night. Yes, that really is a bird and it doesn’t have anything to do with a tiny country in Europe. And yes, the need is desperate.

Costa Rica 173

Costa Rica Eagles Birds 173

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2013

You could not leave the road due to the flooded land, but there was sufficient room to pull right over and observe the birdlife. The number and variety of raptors was impressive with Brown Falcons, Black Kites, Whistling Kites, Australian Hobbies, Nankeen Kestrels, Spotted Harriers, Swamp Harriers and Black-shouldered Kites easily observed.

Falcons 157

Falcons Ducks Raised Cattle 157