10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 21, 2014

From a birder’s perspective however, this is both a shame and a blessing, as I will show below based on my observations of the species on the island of Java in November. The prinias are a group of around 25 Old World warbler species found in Africa and Asia. The Brown Prinia is an Asian species with a very peculiar range.

Burma 161

Burma Laos Birds Indonesia 161

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2019

I like observing them, reading about them, grappling with species and subspecies identification, and even—on a good day—talking about sparrow taxonomy. Peterson Reference Guide to Sparrows of North America covers 61 species of the New World sparrow family Passerellidae that breed in Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico.

North America 148

North America Sparrows America United States 148

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2013

The smellier the better, particularly as, unusually for birds, many species can boast a robust sense of smell. In any case, our hang-ups with vultures clearly stem from our own issues rather than any inherently bizarre trait of the species themselves. Vultures famously feed on carrion. Dead things. millions years ago.

California Condor 181

California Condor Turkey North America Jordan 181

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 5, 2020

Knowing that there are reserves with long lists of 600 or more species, I set my threshold at more than 600 birds… and found only a few such hotspots. In early November 2020, there were 15 countries with more than 1000 species eBirded so far. Other than that, there are barely a few hotspots with over 500 species.

Asia 272

Asia Malaysia Papua New Guinea Thailand 272

10,000 Birds

JUNE 7, 2022

It’s a unique bird, even its scientific name is wonderful, so it’s not surprising that Gerard Gorman, Woodpecker Expert Supreme, has written a book all about the species. But they are woodpeckers: the genus Jynx of the subfamily Jynginae of the Picidae family. They are beautiful, but in a different way.

Woodpeckers 234

Woodpeckers Hungary Thailand 2014 234

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 19, 2012

On the way I managed to sneak in a manic day of birding in and around the capital of Thailand, Bangkok. The flowerpecker, an attractive species, was actually responsible for Peter becoming a birder in the first place! Our next species was decidedly uncommon, a Black-headed Ibis circled overhead for a minute before flying off.

Thailand 153

Thailand New Zealand Terrapins Asia 153

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 1, 2014

There were two species there, even, of a type I had never heard of. Pardalotes are actually their own family, and a family entirely endemic to Australia. Insofar as they relate to other bird families, they are perhaps closest to the thornbills, another family that is mostly Australian but reaches as far as Thailand and Fiji.

Australia 171

Australia Fiji Hunters Family 171

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2012

It’s my fantasy and it’s yours: Quit the job, say good-bye to the family, and bird. And, to give his dream year a little more oomph, he created a grand once-in-a-lifetime goal: to track down and see every pitta species in the world in one year. Dale Forbes wrote that there are Only 5 pairs Gurney’s Pitta left in Thailand last June.

Hunters 193

Hunters Sri Lanka Asia Solomon Islands 193

10,000 Birds

MARCH 25, 2024

Interestingly, these juveniles look more similar to another species, the Pale-billed Parrotbill, than the adult babblers – and they sometimes are part of the same flock. If you want to see how this species builds its nest, see here.) These roads are much less of a hindrance for the Pin-striped Tit-babbler , a mid-story bird.

Burma 191

Burma Birds Vietnam Laos 191

10,000 Birds

MAY 22, 2013

I’ll be splitting my time between my family, diving and a spot of birding. I’ve written before about how Sydney is a great place to bird, and I’m hoping to add a few good species of bird to my year list, even a few lifers. Current management plans for this species thankfully take this into account.

Thailand 167

Thailand Penguins Australia Africa 167

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2021

I would be away from my family for a time and my visiting in-laws from Tasmania….Perhaps I already had Nordmann’s on my life list from a single sighting of two birds in coastal Thailand back in 1995. To underline the mystery of this species in 2019 a Nordmann nest was discovered; the first in 40 years! The arguments against?

Australia 264

Australia 2019 Thailand Russia 264

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2023

Not a cover species The Black Kite is not actually black, but of course, misleading bird names are not exactly rare. No surprise then that the species is listed as Vulnerable. But then, sanity (or maybe respect for you, the reader) prevailed. Fortunately, they are quite common in Shanghai. It is also called Chinese Bulbul.

Birds 130

Birds Iraq China Ireland 130

10,000 Birds

MARCH 5, 2024

I don’t remember where I first learned about Elizabeth Gould–possibly when I was birding Doi Angkhang, Thailand and saw a stunning little bird named Mrs. Gould’s Sunbird–but I have been fascinated by her story and her art for the past five years. and died 15 August 1841.

Australia 188

Australia Birds Europe Collecting 188

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 14, 2022

As usual, birds seem to like these off-the-way places best – eBird lists 337 species based on a little more than just 100 checklists. While the HBW describes the bulbul family as “often rather plain”, I find them usually quite attractive, though in an understated way that may not appeal to the flashiness-seeking HBW authors.

Birds 173

Birds Woodpeckers Kangaroos Madagascar 173

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 10, 2011

So, inspired by a similar article on road birding in Thailand, I present road birding in New Zealand. 5) Paradise Shelduck Paradise Shelduck female ( Tadorna variegata ) This species has striking differences between the sexes, with the female sporting bright white head and the male a black one. Feral Turkey are also quite common.

New Zealand 175

New Zealand Birds Thailand Falcons 175

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2014

In many ways that seems to be the pattern, as the major holiday breaks for New Zealand are over December and January; the year before I started in tropical Queensland and ended in Thailand and the UK. Species are listed by family according to the order eBird spits them out to me in. Indigo Flycatcher.

2014 150

2014 New Zealand Singapore Rhinoceros 150