10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 14, 2019

As always, I was the first to the platform and in the light northwest wind and under a full moon I sipped my coffee and willed birds to make some noise so I could start checking off species. Eventually, an Eastern Towhee che-winked and I had my first species for the day. Using this trick we added Field Sparrow (new to the list!)

Pelicans 137

Pelicans New York Whales Whaling 137

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 21, 2015

For those who don’t know, Christmas Bird Count compilation dinners usually involve the compiler for the count, in this case me, going through each species on the checklist. Each group yells out the number of each species seen. The Lark Sparrow was found by our sweeper team of Cesar Castillo, Carrie Laben, and David Ringer.

Bald Eagle 103

Bald Eagle Birds Sparrows Pelicans 103

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 22, 2016

Despite my best efforts and despite seeing around 200 Canada Geese , I had no luck with the Specklebelly. I saw lots of Canada Geese – about 450 – but no Greater White-fronted Goose. What a marvelous sight my seventh goose (and 313th species) for Queens was! The morning wasn’t a total loss though.

Puerto Rico 125

Puerto Rico Geese Canada Porpoises 125

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2018

I submitted five checklists from four different locations yielding 44 species. Lema Ranch has several ponds and is always a great spot for waterfowl but I was surprised to find four Snow Geese on secluded pond! All in all, I tallied 44 species. Wild Turkeys were out in full display. Fun birding!

2018 100

2018 Bald Eagle Woodpeckers Turkey 100

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 18, 2016

Greylag Geese in front of Wild Bird Cafe. The islands in view from the Wild Bird Cafe offered fantastic views of the Greylag Geese , Eurasian Teal, Eurasian Wigeon , hundreds of Rock Doves , Common Moorhens and some spectacular views of Common Snipe. It was a three Swan species day! View from Wild Bird Cafe. Whooper Swan.

Geese 101

Geese Wildlife 2001 Woodpeckers 101

10,000 Birds

MAY 4, 2012

My spring has been pretty amazing so far with 146 species spotted since April 1 and Cerulean , Worm-eating , and Yellow-throated Warblers and a host of other species spotted before May even arrived, but the first couple of days in May have been even better. Queens, New York, May 2009 May is the month of migration in North America.

New York City 158

New York City New York 2009 Litter 158

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 8, 2017

Nearly 800 acres of wetlands and tidal flats provide diverse habitat for the local birds, as well as large numbers of migratory species, including thousands of ducks and geese. There were Song Sparrows, Spotted Towhees, American Robins , and of course the ever popular Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Wildlife 107

Wildlife Seattle Bald Eagle Geese 107

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 1, 2012

The Rose-ringed Parakeet’s European (=feral) range is surprisingly coherent for an introduced bird that is dependent on large metropolitan areas, and the species occurs in very decent numbers from UK’s London throughout the Netherland’s large cities all the way up along the Rhine to Germany’s Heidelberg.

Germany 251

Germany Netherlands Zoos Geese 251

10,000 Birds

MARCH 30, 2012

Like several of my favorite NWRs, this one was established as a haven for migratory birds, most notably waterfowl, during the bad old days when uncontrolled hunting and habitat loss had put the future of even species we now think of as common in doubt. A second pond held not only more of the same, but some American Coots and Canada Geese.

Wildlife 171

Wildlife Montana Geese Bald Eagle 171

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 15, 2018

The days for me to add to my Little Big Years species count are getting fewer and fewer, and with it, my budget. A pair Bald Eagles were doing fly-bys over our heads , and there were Belted Kingfishers, Canada Geese , A pair of Mallards, and three Great Blue Herons. Little Big Year species count: 834. US species count: 139.

Oregon 100

Oregon Bald Eagle Owls Groups 100

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

I had just a split-second glimpse of this species – my only second ever – yet immediately knew what is it, but I was driving through a snowbound countryside and had another car behind me, therefore I stopped a good 50 metres later to eBird it. House Sparrow – Passer domesticus. Eurasian Tree Sparrow – Passer montanus.

Owls 107

Owls Greece Serbia Woodpeckers 107

10,000 Birds

MAY 10, 2015

In the darkening evening and rain, I found the goose among a flock of golf course Canada Geese. It is my goal to track down species for my Piedmont eBird Challenge team, and county birds are secondary, but they come in twos. 10 minutes later I was on a Lincoln’s Sparrow. There are so many ways to get target birds.

2016 141

2016 North Carolina 2015 Raleigh 141

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 11, 2014

Obviously many species of birds can be quite elusive, but this may be your best bet at getting you close to where you’ll need to be. This book doesn’t aid in descriptions or checklists of species, but is more of an insider’s guide of where to go and what you might see. It’s a great place to spend the better part of a day!

Finland 173

Finland Estonia Birds Europe 173

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

Imagine waking up to the call of thousands of ducks, geese, and every kind of marsh bird you can imagine. By the time we left, I had recorded one new Lifer, 12 New Year Birds, and a total of 76 species. This Savannah Sparrow was one of many that flitted around the gravel on the trails and roadways. US species – 175.

Blackbirds 123

Blackbirds Mules Beavers Wildlife 123

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 22, 2014

The second is to get an accurate account of species recorded, numbers of individuals seen, and effort exerted to record those birds. Fortunately, this year’s QCCBC had great, mild weather, a record fifty-three participants, and we tied our record for number of species seen with 124.

2005 154

2005 Birds Blackbirds Branding 154

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 8, 2017

Ducks and geese certainly make up the bulk of the observations. Gulls, pelicans, oystercatchers, and a few sparrows. Now I have a fairly healthy list of birds that I have found with bands, both in field observations. as well in my photographs. I have over 200 waterfowl that I have recorded those shiny bands on.

Bolivia 100

Bolivia Ecuador Peru Washington 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2014

It was the height of baby season, I was insanely overworked and underslept, and I did not – I repeat, did not – do waterbirds, except for mallards and Canada geese and wood ducks and swans etc. We once took in seven tiny brown whatsis, and just figured they must be House Sparrows ,” wrote Donna Osburn. Could you tell me what he is?”.

Wildlife 255

Wildlife Wildlife Rehabilitation Falcons Pit Bulls 255

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 31, 2018

Here we will actually stop for a full day, as there is a 10,000 acre wetland refuge, which should hold several species of gulls, White-fronted Geese and Black Brant, just to name a few. As far as my year’s list, this last weekend netted me 6 more species, putting me at 127 species.

Ducks 116

Ducks Blackbirds Sparrows California 116

10,000 Birds

APRIL 30, 2015

A quick check of the Collins 2 (I think American birders know this book as the “Birds of Europe”, but here, some branding mastermind has interconnected the company’s name and the book title) revealed that we are facing two Siberian Greylag Geese (race rubrirostris ). Should I add, this is my best sighting of this uncommon species – ever!

Greece 252

Greece Woodpeckers Eagles Birds 252

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 17, 2017

In early August this year, I saw 77 species here (69 on the lake, plus 8 more in the surrounding areas) but barely more than a thousand individuals. At first I dismissed them for some hybrid geese, until I recognized their JIZZ. Spring (migrants and breeding species) and winter (wintering waterbirds). Eurasian Spoonbills.

Greece 198

Greece Killing Pelicans Eagles 198

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 26, 2017

They have been recording bird species numbers and banding/ringing birds for many years with the initial roll call of bird species starting in 1938. It is always hard to grasp the actual size of a bird until you literally have it in your hand and we collected the specimen and gave it to the Spurn Bird Observatory for their records.

Blackbirds 100

Blackbirds 2016 2013 Sparrows 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 24, 2018

This 57,331 acre refuge was set aside as a critical wintering location for tens of thousands of Geese, Ducks and Sandhill Cranes. The Little Big Year numbers up to this point are as follows: Little Big Year species – 908. US species – 243. Did I mention that they were a couple of hundred yards out there?

New Mexico 113

New Mexico Mexico Tucson Costa Rica 113

10,000 Birds

MAY 26, 2014

And did I mention Magnolia Warblers , Chestnut-sided Warblers , Common Yellowthroats , and Lincoln’s Sparrows ? But one of the species I most wanted to track down because they are one of my favorite boreal birds, Olive-sided Flycatchers, were absent. Yes, it was quite the pleasing dawn chorus, that’s for sure.

New York City 163

New York City New York Canada Woodpeckers 163

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 19, 2019

To surpass a challenging number of species, the planning, the conniving for major birding should have begun back in the past, in 2018. Every day counts and to seriously maximize the species total, a birder needs to maximize time in the field at the most productive places during the most productive times and then some.

Costa Rica 113

Costa Rica 2019 Parrots Woodpeckers 113

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2011

On Sunday at Kissena Park I saw five species of sparrows. A mixed species flock of sparrows (american tree, field and chipping) was by the bike track parking lot. Also present in other parts of the park were fox and white-throated sparrows. I see why people sometimes call them gray ghosts. Thanks for visiting!

2011 156

2011 New York Deer Birds 156

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

There were not as nearly many birds around the area as in past visits, but the number of species that were using the water as either a summer home, or just passing thru in the early parts of their migration made the visit well worth it. This week ends with the Little Big Years numbers as follows: Little Big Year species – 870.

Oregon 115

Oregon Owls Wildlife Barn Owls 115

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2023

I tried to get a better idea of what exactly the definition of cuckoo-dove is but am still not very clear about it – Wikipedia only offers the rather formal definition “any of several species of bird in the genera Macropygia , Reinwardtoena, and Turacoena of the pigeon family.” But I may well be wrong.

Birds 147

Birds Geese Fish Industry 147

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 16, 2012

Already I had dodged the pack of wild dogs (seriously), spotted a flock of American Pipits , sorted through a huge flock of Snow Geese , and flushed four Eastern Meadowlarks and a Wilson’s Snipe. Then, while walking along a phragmite-lined ditch, a small sparrow flushed, flew a few feet, and dropped back down.

Sparrows 144

Sparrows Dogs Rights New York 144

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 16, 2024

WinGS volunteers visit gull roost sites, counting six key species: Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull and Great Black-backed Gull. In the nearby river valley I did find a reasonable flock of Lapwings, along with a small flock of Greylag and Egyptian Geese, but not a lot else.

Ireland 231

Ireland Turtles Geese Farming 231

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

Other birds with webbed feet, including ducks and geese, have only three webbed toes; the hallux (which in birds is usually the “hind toe&# and in humans, the “big toe&# ) is free. Frigatebirds (Fregatidae) Five species of frigatebird ply the planet’s tropical skies and seas.

2011 155

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea Birds 155

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 15, 2018

We had persevered through four years at the top of Battery Harris Platform and could bring our experience to bear on the task of trying to record as many species as possible on a single day from that single spot. At 8:30AM we were already at 53 species and we knew we still had many more easy birds to find. Note the wet weather gear.

2018 210

2018 Bald Eagle Battery Birds 210

10,000 Birds

APRIL 6, 2013

All winter long I birded the old Edgemere Landfill, especially after the surprising Le Conte’s Sparrow just before the Queens Christmas Bird Count. Anyway, one of the birds I looked hard for all winter was a Ross’s Goose , the diminutive species that looks like nothing but a very small Snow Goose.

Geese 203

Geese New York City New York Jamaica 203

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 28, 2019

When I go to Baisley, which is located in the neighborhood of South Jamaica, I know that I am, at the least, going to see at least ten species of waterfowl, a variety of gulls, some sparrows and other songbirds, and perhaps a raptor or two. We don’t have enough photos of Canada Geese on this blog.

Ducks 114

Ducks New York City Geese Canada 114

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 19, 2017

Their birding checklist includes hundreds of birds, fifty-four of which are designated as a local nesters, including four species of grebe, three species of teal, Swainson’s Hawk, Greater Sandhill Crane, American Avocet, Wilson’s Phalarope, and five species of Owl (including Burrowing Owl).

Wildlife 100

Wildlife Chipmunks Sparrows Blackbirds 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2018

Lesser Goldfinches, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Vesper Sparrows, Lincoln Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrows , and lots and lots of Mourning Doves have taken up residence in what used to be open water. This did open up the area to a few new species, like this Wilson’s Warbler. US species – 234.

Albuquerque 125

Albuquerque New Mexico Mexico Sparrows 125

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 3, 2018

In talking to the local guides, and Rangers, they all agreed that they had not been seeing too many species around in the last couple of weeks. Crows, Ravens, Clark’s Nutcrackers, White-crowned Sparrows and assorted waterfowl were all still present, but that was about it. Little Big Year species – 888.

Wyoming 107

Wyoming Wolves Grizzly Bear Mountain Goats 107

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

It bears mentioning that the name of the series doesn’t refer to the physical dimensions of the featured species, but the size of the tiny black-and-white illustrations of each bird. It’s the least I can do for a species that’s caused me almost no identification angst over the years. Not exactly a small bird.

Ducks 105

Ducks Houston Boston Fowl 105