10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2012

I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for owls. Wander through my front door and glance upwards and you’ll find at least two watching you, a Tawny Owl and a Barn Owl , both sadly gathered as roadkills. Above our fireplace is a large painting of a Barn Owl.

Barn Owls 189

Barn Owls Finland Owls Portugal 189

10,000 Birds

MARCH 30, 2012

Around thirty miles from Missoula in the Bitterroot Valley lies the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge. At last we plunged into the woods, hoping for Great Horned Owls. Fish and Wildlife Service a. Terry McEneaney did a spectactular job as guide, and meeting the local Audubon Society crew for the first time was a lot of fun.

Wildlife 172

Wildlife Montana Geese Bald Eagle 172

10,000 Birds

JULY 9, 2015

Further down the road, we reach a derelict building with a large veranda hidden among the trees – an abandoned hunting lodge (if I were in a situation to invest, I would choose to upgrade this into a luxury wildlife lodge). To Nitin, this was a recce trip for his new wildlife photography tours enterprise.

Tigers 246

Tigers Dogs India Snow Leopard 246

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

How much do you know about owls? I’ve been fortunate to encounter many owls in my birding life, sometimes because I’m looking for them, sometimes happily by happenstance. What the Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds is a joyous, fascinating read. I don’t think so.

Owls 227

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 227

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 4, 2015

My work as a wildlife rehabilitator over the past forty-five years has allowed me a unique perspective on a disturbing trend. Consider this: ninety percent of birds treated at wildlife centers are admitted as a result of human interactions that have nothing to do with “nature.” Well, you will see it in a way that you never have before.

Wildlife Rehabilitation 189

Wildlife Rehabilitation Bald Eagle Rescue Wildlife 189

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 2, 2019

A few nights ago, I sat out in a light snow/rain mix, in the pitch black of Madera Canyon, trying to find a Whiskered Screech Owl. By 7:30, two of the owls starting calling back and forth across the small ravine, and I had my 1300th bird! Matt was working on his own US Big Year, and wanted to join me for the hunt.

Costa Rica 139

Costa Rica Tucson South Africa Bahamas 139

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

Set in an abandoned oil refinery where wildlife is slowly regaining control save for the desperate attempts of golfers to retain all eighteen holes, industrial ghosts loom over rolling freshwater lakes bordered by fifty foot tall trees. Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl. Black-crowned Night Heron. Striated Heron. Great Egret. Little Blue Heron.

Trinidad 220

Trinidad Birds Parrots Falcons 220

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 8, 2014

Can you use a drone to get footage of snowy owls in cornfields? If you have a drone and fly it over a field and it finds a Short-eared Owl that you didn’t know was there and you only saw it after you uploaded your video…does it count on your list? How often is too often for checking out the nest? How close is too close?

Bald Eagle 202

Bald Eagle Mississippi Eagles Ducks 202

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 10, 2012

Snowy Owls are all over the place this winter. One person noted on social media that they were having a tough time finding a snowy owl. And is stepping six feet closer to the fence really going to make a difference in your Snowy Owl view? And this year the pickin’s for quality hunting grounds may be even slimmer.

Owls 181

Owls Protest Protesting Protesters 181

10,000 Birds

JUNE 1, 2011

If it is an emergency and since I get calls and texts from all over the country (even a few out of the country), I direct people to Rehabber Search or Wildlife Rehabber. Use the wildlife rahbber links at the top of this page to find a licensed pro near you. Owls are a little different. Leave it be.

Birds 266

Birds Fox Raised Ducks 266

10,000 Birds

MAY 24, 2017

I had never seen this species of kite before, but Guhin explained that they often hunted in the natural acres of the reserve. Acorn Woodpeckers squeaked to each other as they moved up and down bare tree trunks, and a soft owl hoot echoed from the distance. Guhin knew without binoculars, “ White-tailed Kite ,” she identified.

Research 101

Research Birds Virginia Protection 101

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2015

— and link that to something abut the Great Grey Owl and my BFF Analiese Miller who is an amazing, emerging, photographer who has recently trained her 300mm Cannon F4 lens on the birds (including the Great Grey) at Sax Zim. Birds Cassin''s Auk crows Great Grey Owl Mass Death research' You see, it is all connected.

Science 152

Science Iraq Research Birds 152

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 14, 2018

I’ll admit to being momentarily faked out by the plastic owls that people put out in a futile attempt to ward off crows, which demonstrates that decoys work on birders, if not on birds themselves. I suspect it’s quite possible. The playful name admits the ruse, of course, and Decoy might be commended for their honesty.

2016 109

2016 Ducks California Hunters 109

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2011

Either way, it was a heck of a sight and another example of why Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is the best place in New York City to see amazing wildlife spectacles. I have had similar experiences at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge and you are so right on when you say “am I ever glad that I am a birder!&# Wicked, right?

Ducks 175

Ducks 2011 Jamaica New York 175

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 28, 2011

These Blasts From The Past Just For Fun Avian ID Quiz #9: A New Week, A New Quiz Waxwing Working a String Snipe Hunt in the Bird Blogosphere Black is Back In Praise of Bionic Condors About the Author Corey Corey is a New Yorker who has lived most of his life upstate but has spent the last three years in Queens. The proposal from U.S.

Ducks 223

Ducks 2011 Deer Brazil 223

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2011

Win a Copy of Hawks at a Distance Great Horned Owl Taking a Deer Leg Cats Are Still Public Enemy Number One, For Birds Crossley ID Guide Giveaway Winners.Or Fish & Wildlife comes in response to a lawsuit brought by the Center for Biological Diversity. • Explore These Related Posts More Habitat for Snowy Plover? Wicked, right?

Deer 124

Deer 2011 New York New York Times 124

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2011

Win a Copy of Hawks at a Distance Great Horned Owl Taking a Deer Leg Cats Are Still Public Enemy Number One, For Birds Crossley ID Guide Giveaway Winners.Or Say Hello to the South Hill Crossbill Snipe Hunt in the Bird Blogosphere 3 Million Page Views! RECENT POSTS More Habitat for Snowy Plover? The proposal from U.S. Wicked, right?

2011 140

2011 Deer New York New York City 140

10,000 Birds

MARCH 29, 2015

We saw a smaller member of the potoo family, Northern Potoo , Nyctibius jamaicensis , at Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge, boating and birding the Salado River. And, I didn’t even touch on the owls! All of these experiences have been with brown/black/gray birds, birds known for their camouflage.

Honduras 257

Honduras Birds Costa Rica Groups 257

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

Larry starts us off right with an owl that makes birders drool: I was able to see and photograph many great birds in 2014 but my Best Bird of the Year would have to be the Great Gray Owl , the largest Strix in North America. Larry’s BBOTY – Great Gray Owl. What was yours? Maybe I should not say that….who

2014 198

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 198

10,000 Birds

APRIL 11, 2011

Snowy Owl – This winter turned out to be horrible for birders hoping to see Bubo scandiacus but pretty good for the birds themselves. Short-eared Owl – Finally, a bird that I saw! Black-headed Gull – A surprise pick-up, seen on the same day as my Short-eared Owl. Snow Bunting – Yes!

Jamaica 158

Jamaica Owls 2010 New York City 158

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2014

As I explained to my nephews when they were younger, “The Burrowing Owls don’t think we’re their friends. People on one side of the rope, owls on the other.” Substitute Snowy Owl here if you’d like the modern version). We worship birds, we hunt birds, we protect birds, and, yes, we eat birds.

Birds 226

Birds Egypt Family Eagles 226

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2012

Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 15 March 2009 It was at about 1:30 AM on Saturday morning that I startled awake and found myself sitting in an empty subway car in an unfamiliar location. John from A DC Birding Blog , and Patrick from The Hawk Owl’s Nest at Jamaica Bay at 8 AM Saturday morning for some birding.

New York 166

New York Honduras Jamaica Geese 166

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2011

Gareth Hazell Mar 4th, 2011 at 5:11 pm I’ll be on the hunt for Melodius Larks in the neighborhood and going to the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens for another look at the Grey Wagtail!! VRinA2 Mar 4th, 2011 at 9:32 pm Heading to the Soo, looking for Snowy Owls. Calif.) @ VRinA2 – where are you looking for Snowy Owls?

2011 145

2011 Los Angeles Deer Birds 145

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 19, 2017

A few weeks ago I led a field trip to Butte Valley Wildlife Area. It was a destination I had never experienced so I made a few phone calls and got some information from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife agent who actually runs both the Butte Valley and the Shasta Valley Wildlife Areas, which are about 25 miles apart.

Wildlife 100

Wildlife Chipmunks Sparrows Blackbirds 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2011

home about advertise archives birds conservation contact galleries links reviews subscribe Browse: Home / Birds / Sandhill Crane Hunt in Kentucky?! Sandhill Crane Hunt in Kentucky?! Tomorrow, MARCH 15, 2011, is the deadline for public comment on a proposal to hunt sandhill cranes in Kentucky. Kentucky Dept.

2011 256

2011 Kentucky Tennessee Hunting 256

10,000 Birds

APRIL 6, 2021

Weidensaul worked on the first research project in Argentina 24 years ago, and his memories of that time in the pampas are both a baseline for what has happened since, a mini-story in itself, and a tribute to Pete Bloom and Brian Woodbridge, the wildlife biologists who originated the study of Swainson’s Hawks in Butte Valley.

Cyprus 260

Cyprus Slaughter Slaughtered Research 260

10,000 Birds

MARCH 20, 2011

With the proposed hunting seasons on sandhill cranes being discussed in Tennessee, Kentucky and Wisconsin, we must not forget the whooping crane, which travels and winters in the big sandhill crane flocks. More states will doubtless join the queue of those proposing hunts. Another thing to consider. Now, it’s time to go to the top.

2011 243

2011 Hunting Kentucky Hunters 243

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 29, 2023

I always undertake a number of short timed surveys for the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust’s Big Farmland Bird Count in February, and though the counts didn’t add anything to the year list, they were memorable for finding big flocks of finches and buntings, while a daylight-hunting Barn Owl was a pleasing sight.

Estonia 237

Estonia Portugal Greece Barn Owls 237

10,000 Birds

MARCH 5, 2012

What this land-locked country lacks in endemic birds it more than makes up for in accessibility of tough species, numbers of birds and the overall wildlife experience. We are currently filming in Botswana. have basically focused our filming efforts on three regions of northern Botswana: The Okavango Delta, The Chobe and the Makgadigadi Pans.

Botswana 217

Botswana Zebras Lions Elephants 217

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2018

American Kestrels, Cooper Hawks , and Northern Harriers also found the hunting here to their liking. I spooked three Barn Owls out of a dense scrub row, just as the sun was setting. This refuge is being touted as the very first Urban National Wildlife Refuge in the southwest, and is located on what was an old dairy farm south of town.

Albuquerque 125

Albuquerque New Mexico Mexico Sparrows 125

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2013

I was fortunate to rack up a number of lifers in 2013, both at home and abroad ( Varied Thrush in Washington, Brewer’s Blackbirds in California, Burrowing Owl in the Nevada desert). My fiance and I drove nearly two hours to the Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area in rural Indiana to watch them come in for the evening.

2013 168

2013 Birds Costa Rica India 168

10,000 Birds

MARCH 9, 2011

On my first visit to the island a few years ago I even found one hunting for sandhoppers and other assorted treats in the washed up seaweed on the beach. Fish & Wildlife comes in response to a lawsuit brought by the Center for Biological Diversity. Saddleback ( Philesturnus carunculatus ) on the beach. The proposal from U.S.

New Zealand 149

New Zealand 2011 Deer Cats 149

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2012

I decided to go to KPBL after my first day in Cairns and use the place as my base with which to explore the Atherton Tableland, a high area to the west of Cairns famous for its wildlife. We soon located two nests of Eastern Barn Owls , but were unable to find the Sooty Owls that make the site a drawn for many birders.

Possums 173

Possums Guinea Marsupials Rats 173

10,000 Birds

JULY 28, 2022

Logging roads have opened up vast areas to commercial hunting, leading to industrial-scale poaching and a more than 60 per cent drop in the region’s Forest Elephant population in less than a decade. At the same time, 50% of the Congo Basin forest has now been allocated for logging and this region loses close to 1.5

Central African Republic 303

Central African Republic Congo Gabon Gorillas 303

10,000 Birds

APRIL 15, 2015

Now that the colony is off limits for hunting, the population has grown and the village is benefitting tremendously from entry and guide fees, and a school is being built courtesy of conservation funds. The rare Rufous Fishing Owl was one of the many species seen by the group here.

Ghana 200

Ghana Hunters Gambia Guinea 200

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 11, 2013

Sure, we aren’t infested with Snowy Owls that clog up our Facebook newsfeeds (actually, the wretched things still do) and airports, but we do have lots going on. So you’ll have to wait till next year for me to post more rambling and incoherent thoughts about hunting or how I managed to not see a single pitta in Borneo.

New Zealand 167

New Zealand Hunting Sanctuary Ducks 167

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 1, 2019

Snowy Owl, Long Island, NYS. This was a special Snowy Owl encounter in a year of many Snowy Owls. It was, indeed, a Snowy Owl. I drove to the other end of the lot and watched the owl fly back to its meal, smack in the middle of the empty lot. How often does one have a Snowy Owl all to one’s self?

2018 168

2018 New Jersey Michigan North Dakota 168