10,000 Birds

APRIL 22, 2024

When I last visited the town almost 10 years ago, it had a Wild West feel, and Wikipedia claims that it is “an important location for trade with Myanmar, in both legal and illegal goods and services” but it seemed pretty tame to me this time. Not a great situation given the chronic housing shortage in suitable environments.

Myanmar 196

Myanmar Sri Lanka Nepal Birds 196

10,000 Birds

JUNE 11, 2011

The Hyacinth Macaw is more than just another pretty face; these birds are social with strong family values. They like to fly in pairs or groups and in the evening they come together in big groups to roost in a favorite ‘dormitory’ tree. The Hyacinth Macaw doesn’t start a family until it is seven years old.

Protection 196

Protection Brazil Parrots Paraguay 196

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2015

birders have been able to visit Cuba as part of survey groups and cultural exchanges for years, but those trips have been few in number and not always easy to find. In addition to habitat loss, extreme weather, invasive species, hunting, and the illegal capture of birds for pet markets are major contributing factors.

Cuba 240

Cuba Birds United States 2000 240

10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2019

And unlike the protection of cormorants, which was perceived as a problem, protection of pelicans was welcomed by the local communities. Asian water buffaloes were brought to Greece by Ottoman Turks centuries ago and by now, they have developed into a separate race, the Greek buffalo, which is protected as an old domestic breed.

Greece 201

Greece Pelicans Buffalo Fish 201

10,000 Birds

APRIL 15, 2015

I was in contact with a group of birders for whom I arranged and guided an annual tour to Africa. Although this park was logged in the past, as a national park it is one of the few forests in Ghana that is really protected. . The rare Rufous Fishing Owl was one of the many species seen by the group here.

Ghana 202

Ghana Hunters Guinea Gambia 202

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 5, 2014

by Arthur Ransome, 1947, starts with an affectionate recollection of a children’s book, in which a group of kids identify and protect a possibly rare bird (Great Northern Diver?), It omits Audubon’s uneven business history, his bankruptcy, and the fact that Lucy, his wife, eventually had to support the family through teaching.

Collecting 173

Collecting Mauritius Egypt Cyprus 173