10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2018

And, there is a fairy named Moth in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and a superhero named The Moth, appropriately from Dark Horse Comics, the poor cousin to the two big comic book companies. There are over 11,000 species of moths in North America. I have a hard enough time with the 1,103 bird species on the ABA Checklist.

North America 100

North America America Oklahoma Missouri 100

10,000 Birds

JULY 30, 2015

There are other species of migratory birds that have a breeding population in the Neotropics and a separate migratory population. This summer the opportunity presented itself in the form of a family trip to South Dakota and neighboring states. The goals were visiting Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Monument.

South Dakota 170

South Dakota South America North America America 170

10,000 Birds

APRIL 3, 2012

There’s a little hint of white in the malar and throat too, which would seem to be a problem for the species Black- chinned Sparrow. As the old saying goes, “when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras” This is not an easy bird, but it is expected. New Jersey mystery sparrow.

New Jersey 233

New Jersey North Carolina Sparrows Connecticut 233

10,000 Birds

MAY 15, 2011

This was a family outing so I was not to pay attention to the first option* but the latter two, to say nothing of the huge acreage of lawns and fields, which provided plenty of entertainment for Desi, who, at seventeen months, is more than willing to get into and explore everything, much like the Northern Mockingbird below.** Good question!

Geese 160

Geese Birds Horses New York 160

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 18, 2011

This has happened before, Archaeopteryx and the bird family tree have had an often tenuous relationship. The trait must then be identifiable as to whether or not it exists in a certain species. That’s what Archaeopteryx is. Recently, the news came out that beloved Archaeopteryx is not really a bird ancestor.

Mammals 257

Mammals Europe Groups Family 257

10,000 Birds

MAY 19, 2015

They formed their little clumps along the water, all the species mixed together until a walker approached too closely. The horse flies were also out in full force, and we scurried down the hot trail and back to the car in our efforts to escape. Shorebird cluster along the beach. Still, we were in for another birding surprise.

North Carolina 176

North Carolina Alligators Wildlife Woodpeckers 176

10,000 Birds

MARCH 22, 2011

The naming of the hornbill family is a bit farther fetched. Wikimedia Commons Bucerotidae is etymologically opaque to most birders, I’d venture, but when Rafinesque described the family almost two centuries ago, he had kine on his mind.

Cows 142

Cows Cattle 2011 Birds 142

10,000 Birds

MARCH 10, 2013

We saw several of the kingfisher family whilst on our trip, including Azure Kingfisher, Red-backed Kingfisher and Sacred Kingfisher. Sometimes they were with horses, but that’s OK! At the end of four weeks of camping and birding we had only had one day with no new bird species and we had 271 for Queensland.

Birds 151

Birds Cattle Litter 2012 151

Animal Person

NOVEMBER 1, 2010

He was adopted by the Masson family and was apparently the most loving dog all who met him had ever had the pleasure of being licked by. This includes horses, cats and cows. She's not capable of the kind of love that dogs and humans are capable of for one another--across species. And he details why.

Dogs 100

Dogs Pit Bulls Greyhounds Kennels 100