10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2022

While the species favors forested hills at moderate elevations ( source ), there are no hills at all here at Nanhui, so maybe these individuals are outcasts or just eccentrics. Chestnut-winged Cuckoo: This could be your host species! In the HBW, there are about 40 species with the word “plain” in the species name.

Birds 197

Birds Sparrows Protection Humane 197

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 4, 2023

Both guides contain Howell’s expert species descriptions and Dyer’s beautiful scientific illustrations—an unbeatable combination. You have to love a book that describes Lark Sparrow as “WOW! Its focus on only 19 species allows for luxuriously large illustrations and range maps. Howell and Dale Dyer.

North America 257

North America Birds Europe America 257

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Like any birder visiting a new place, I had a target species list I was hoping to seek out during the one day I had available between business commitments. The climatic changes set in motion by the Industrial Revolution are now proceeding at a pace far greater than many species and ecosystems can adapt to naturally. Black Rosy-Finch.

Species 178

Species Science Los Angeles Birds 178

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

There is much to enjoy and appreciate here and I only wish I could have tested out some of these species accounts in pelagic waters before writing about them (sadly, the 10,000 Birds pelagic to Antarctica was canceled this year). SCOPE & SPECIES ORGANIZATION. It covers 434 species across 9 orders and 18 families of birds.

Albatross 279

Albatross Penguins Family Groups 279

10,000 Birds

APRIL 4, 2023

The second thing to note is that this is an excellent and courageous book that tackles a group of birds whose field identification has stumped the most skilled birders. The book expands field guide boundaries with its narrow focus on two genera (groups) with a bonus Tufted Flycatcher thrown in for good measure.

Los Angeles 225

Los Angeles North America America Species 225

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 28, 2024

I have been slowly working up to my latest life list benchmark (2,000 bird species) and scoured eBird for a location within an 8-hour flight to get some lifers. Although it is right on a busy road once you walk into the lobby it is peaceful and quiet. And somehow this directed us to Oaxaca.

Mexico 202

Mexico Birds Oregon Groups 202

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 11, 2021

You can easily see that this blog post is trying to appeal to two very different target groups – birders and those who like independent/alternative music. But an eagle it has to be, and this is a nice-looking species. I am sure you can easily imagine this as a PowerPoint slide. Here, the choice gets a bit broader.

South Africa 240

South Africa China Germany Birds 240

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 29, 2021

I may still develop this idea, but I’ll advance the information that the only species on his list that I commonly see here are, in order of prevalence, the Yellow-rumped , Wilson’s , Townsend’s , Black-and-White , and MacGillivray’s Warblers. Finally, a single Rusty Sparrow insisted on posing for my camera.

Los Angeles 205

Los Angeles San Francisco Costa Rica Birds 205

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2021

Perhaps the fact that we really enjoy talking to each other had a slight negative impact on the number of species seen (“only” 52). Migratory Lark Sparrows were everywhere. Watching this rhythmic group behavior was actually quite hypnotic. Still, a male Archilochus hummer (of either species) is a rare treat here.

Laws 216

Laws Mexico Bears Turkey 216

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 26, 2019

That honor goes to the Gray-crowned Crane , a very sexy species in its own right. Our group, led by world-renowned guide Herbert Byaruhanga, piled into canoes ostensibly to search for a variety of papyrus and wetland specialties, but really we were just looking for the shoebill. Nor is the Shoebill the national bird of Uganda.

Uganda 276

Uganda Africa Birds Penguins 276

10,000 Birds

APRIL 22, 2021

Still, how many birders visit this region and could be seen as the target group for this, already a second edition? Just last year, 5 new bird species and 5 new subspecies were discovered in a few short weeks of fieldwork on the islands of Taliabu, Peleng and Batudaka. The rest of the region remains fairly undervisited.

Indonesia 264

Indonesia Timor Brunei Guinea 264

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 26, 2020

It was also when October came with cool weather and bunches of White-throated Sparrows, shy Hermit Thrushes. The muted colors of Blackburnians, Black-throated Greens, and Blackpolls fit right in with the dull greens and golden highlights of the early fall vegetation. Birds Can Fly Right Over Costa Rica. Swallows Everywhere.

Costa Rica 330

Costa Rica West Virginia New York South America 330

10,000 Birds

JULY 8, 2020

One of the ways I could describe the unique mix of birds I can see here in southwestern Mexico, would be to divide our species into five categories. The invasive species are few, but, unfortunately, very numerous. But there is a final group of species here, about which I have not written very much.

Mexico 206

Mexico Birds Honduras United States 206

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 6, 2022

we learn) that are home to coveted boreal species, breeding wood-warblers, and two species of Grouse. There are 461 species on the Maine checklist. This field guide covers 265 species, the ones most likely to be seen–residential and migratory, almost all nesting birds, many wintering birds.

Los Angeles 210

Los Angeles Birds District of Columbia Parrots 210

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2020

And they were intrigued and they had questions, lots of questions, more questions than could be answered by a field guide or a social media group. 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. copyright @2020 by David A llen Sibley.

2020 264

2020 Birds Groups North America 264

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2018

I love sparrows, so seeing a feather-worn Vesper Sparrow this past July filled my heart with joy. We saw sparrows–a total of 14 species–and we saw many other great prairie birds, and we often saw them perched on posts. Baird’s Sparrow was one of those elusive creatures.

North Dakota 147

North Dakota Birds Sparrows Blackbirds 147

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

Now, there are a few obvious uses of bird names that I really needn’t cover, like our ambivalence towards the house sparrow. Its nickname “Spatz” is one of our most common terms of endearment, yet “Dreckspatz” translates to dirt sparrow and describes a person with questionable body hygiene.

Germany 195

Germany Birds Hunters Owls 195

10,000 Birds

MAY 21, 2019

The Tierra Caliente, or as biologists prefer to call it, the Río Balsas Basin, is a biological island that shares its very large number of endemic species with the more southern Oaxaca Valley. As a birder, I was eager to find the quickest ways to reach these species from my home. I don’t have to tell you which sparrow is which!

Mexico 114

Mexico Birds Nevada Sparrows 114

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. Here is a small group of the Pigeon Guillemots near their rocky Cliffside nesting area. Out on one of the rocks that were visible during low tide, a small group of Harlequin Ducks had gathered.

Oregon 100

Oregon Bald Eagle Owls Groups 100

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 10, 2022

The consultant also suggested increasing readership by catering to highly specific niche interest groups. eBird states that “small white patch on throat is not obvious and difficult to see” And they use a photo that I submitted as main illustration, so they must be right. I don’t think I will stoop that low.

Birds 208

Birds China Eggs Owls 208

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

Right, smack dad in the middle of Summer Lake Wildlife Refuge. Not another person for miles, and a pair of friendly, well, almost, Great Horned Owls living in the tree right above us. By the time we left, I had recorded one new Lifer, 12 New Year Birds, and a total of 76 species. Part of this loop goes right by the old barn.

Blackbirds 123

Blackbirds Mules Beavers Wildlife 123

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2021

A typical description of the family is that of “a tropical African and Asian songbird that typically has a melodious voice and drab plumage”, another is “small, dull-colored passerine birds of Asia and Africa”, yet another states that they are “often rather plain” Individual species get even harsher reviews.

South Africa 239

South Africa Malaysia Africa China 239

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 8, 2022

Given the complexity of the research, the result feels like a bit of a letdown – “northern populations start migration earlier than southern populations, especially in autumn” The species name of the Chestnut-eared Bunting is fucata , from the Latin “fucare”, to paint red.

Birds 221

Birds Eggs Bangladesh China 221

10,000 Birds

JULY 20, 2019

If a list also shows the status for each species, birders on their way to Costa Rica would realize that they shouldn’t really expect vireos with white eyes nor blue heads (but would hopefully know that they should very much report those species on eBird so local birders can chase them!). Toucan species with new names.

Costa Rica 202

Costa Rica Birds Owls South America 202

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. We had Elk right in our camp with us every day.

Wyoming 107

Wyoming Wolves Grizzly Bear Mountain Goats 107

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2021

Let’s jump right in, shall we? Lark Sparrow (photo above), 30 January, Fort Tilden, Queens, New York (self-found, way out of season). Rufous-crowned Sparrow , 26 August, Eaton Canyon, California (2nd sighting and first in over a decade). A striking species in full adult plumage? Honorable Mentions.

New York 262

New York Birds California Owls 262

10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2016

A guide that feels so right in my hands? Sibley Birds East covers “nearly 700” birds, up from 650, and Sibley Birds West covers “over 700,” which I’m assuming is more than the first edition count of 703 birds, if for no other reason than that taxonomic splits have give us Ridgeway’s Rail, Bell’s Sparrow and Sagebrush Sparrow.

North America 171

North America 2003 Birds America 171

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 12, 2018

Our first three days were spent bouncing around from area to area, looking to find the species on my wish list. 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. United States species – 350.

Texas 135

Texas Tucson San Antonio Owls 135

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2018

In the end, I ended up with 9 species, 4 of which were new to the list, the Black-crowned Sparrow Lark, White-checked Bulbo, House Crow , and the Indian Silverbill. That does not mean that we can’t make a stop or two along the way, right? Speaking of Bank Swallows , here is one of those family groups. Wish me luck!

Qatar 120

Qatar Sparrows South Africa Africa 120

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 5, 2017

(To be fair, I could and should have also grabbed The Shorebird Guide for the Greenshank and Collin’s Bird Guide, 2nd edition for both birds, but the Nat Geo was right there next to me, where your favorite field guides should be.). Most of the species are described in the Species Accounts, arranged taxonomically into 86 family chapters.

North America 187

North America America 2017 Birds 187

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2018

The first surprise came, as we were driving into town, and not one, but two Scissor-tailed Flycatchers flew right across the road in front of us. This Coopers Hawk flew right up to the roof on a flood control booth, and looked at me like “ What are you doing out here” and promptly flew away. This one flew right over my head.

Albuquerque 125

Albuquerque New Mexico Mexico Sparrows 125

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 4, 2018

Even more than warbler, shorebird, and sparrow identification, this is a field that tests our endurance (gull watching is too often done in bitter cold, windy conditions), patience (even getting one good photo can take hours as you try to separate the ‘interesting gull’ from the flock), observational skills (so many plumages!)

North America 208

North America America El Salvador Nicaragua 208

10,000 Birds

JUNE 21, 2018

Honduras, a beautifully biodiverse Central American gem, offers everything birders look for in a travel destination, starting with ready access to lots of highly coveted bird species. Would you trade in-room wifi for three species of motmot and two different toucans right outside the hotel restaurant?

Honduras 175

Honduras Birds Parrots Rights 175

10,000 Birds

JUNE 5, 2019

You can even stay right in the middle of these gardens, at the Best Western Plus Gran Hotel. There are a good number of endemics and semi-endemics to be seen, such as the beautiful Golden Vireo , and the rather comical Rusty-crowned Ground Sparrow. And that call you hear everywhere, but usually can’t locate? Take that, Filtros!)

Birds 171

Birds San Jose Los Angeles Fort Worth 171

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2017

The guide covers 520 species of birds regularly found in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada, including, interestingly, a number of exotic species. There is also a traditional index to bird species, by common and scientific name. Species Accounts are arranged taxonomically, grouped by family.

North America 178

North America America Birds New York 178

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 25, 2015

Targets acquired, we piled into cars and headed south to Pea Island National Wildlife Refuges, the jewel of the Outer Banks, where we were likely to cross paths with the vast majority of our species for the day. In a little less than two hours we had gone from 2 species to nearly 70. “Heron high going right!

North Carolina 150

North Carolina Rattlesnake Sparrows Owls 150

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 6, 2015

Even sparrows, if you choose the right species and play your cards right, can be elevated to ‘cute’ status. Gulls are generalists, as a group, and unfortunately that does not get a lot of respect from humans, even though we’re the greatest generalists of all. And what about lifestyle?

Seals 231

Seals Lifestyle Turtles Parrots 231