10,000 Birds

JANUARY 17, 2019

Two hundred yards further, the first Common Goldeneye and Smew started to appear and, while counting Smew and geese, a Great Bittern took flight from one stand of reeds to another, right in front of us. These globally threatened raptors breed from Ukraine eastward through Siberia and only a few come to overwinter here.

Geese 141

Geese Serbia Birds Estonia 141

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 29, 2014

My parents are in England, should I be worried about the conflict on the other side of Europe in the Ukraine?” It’s become regrettably political in the US right, which is the absolute worst response to a potential pandemic going. The disease had killed a tourist like ourselves.

Humane 161

Humane Animal Africa Ukraine 161

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 3, 2022

The bird “spent five months on Mindoro Island in the Philippines during the non-breeding season and migrated through Taiwan, the Chinese east coast, and the Korean peninsula” and on to the Russian Far East (indicating a certain lack of solidarity with Ukraine). This is the dark blue adult male (also shown on top of this post).

China 171

China Birds Ukraine Killing 171

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2022

The Lesser Coucals sometimes try to argue with Chestnut-winged Cuckoos about the morality of having other species raise their chicks (The Lesser Coucal Species Committee also likes to point out that the species neither invaded Ukraine nor ever voted for Donald Trump – they can be a bit boring in insisting on always being on the good side).

Birds 180

Birds Sparrows Protection Humane 180

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2022

Interestingly for me, the research paper calls throwing out the eggs infanticide, which makes me feel a bit queasy as this might potentially be on the wrong side of the Roe vs. Wade (or “Right vs. Wrong”, as The Onion calls it) debate. The female actually thinks that the male is quite rude talking at the same time as her.

Birds 147

Birds China Eggs Breeding 147