10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2016

Today, I am writing about another very birdy place and an event that I was very fortunate to have experienced, the Champions of the Flyway Bird Race in Eilat, Israel. Unlike other bird races where participants keep tight-lipped about bird species as mundane as a House Sparrow , this event gives a prize to the team that helps the most.

Costa Rica 181

Costa Rica Eagles Birds 181

10,000 Birds

APRIL 4, 2015

I’ve just returned from a trip to Israel and I feel like I’ve run 300 miles in a week…in the blazing sun…uphill…with no water…and carrying a one hundred pound sandbag. The playing field for the race was limited to southern Israel. The Desert Tawny Owl in particular is a fascinating story.

Cyprus 258

Cyprus illegal Birds 258

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.

Birds 130

Birds Iraq China Ireland 130

10,000 Birds

MAY 28, 2016

In the northern hemisphere, the combination of migrants, resident species, and higher frequency of bird song makes it much easier to identify more birds, compared to say, August, so if you want to get really crazy and go for a Big Day record, spring is the time to go for it. They got all three potoo species in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica 100

Costa Rica Birds Species 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 4, 2017

Last year beats were being spotted way beyond their usual habitat with checklists shared from India, Puerto Rico and Israel. 146 shared checklists (an increase on last year’s 97, well done chaps) noted 664 species (ooooh, down on 826 from last February) and brought the yearly total to 1063 (1303 at this time in 2016, ouch!).

2017 100

2017 Australia Sanctuary Woodpeckers 100