I have seen unconcerned Cape Grey Mongoose and Four-striped Mice though. Birding after long flights is a double-edged sword. On the one hand you’ve flown halfway across the world, or all the way across the world, and all you want is to get off that plane as quickly as possible and start adding lifers and being dazzled by birds you’ve until now only read about. MORE

Of course one thing the not-so-domestic fowl’s success does prove is that there is still room for a population of ground nesting, terrestrial, poorly-flying or flightless birds on many of the islands of the Puerto Rican Bank notwithstanding the development of some habitat and the introduction of an array of feral mammals (cats, dogs, mongoose, rats) and this leads me to perhaps the most intriguing of the candidates to replace our lost DeBooy’s Rail. MORE

The combined effects of hunting, habitat loss and predation by introduced animals like rats and mongoose have extirpated the species from some islands and reduced numbers significantly on others. The haunting call of the West Indian Whistling Duck has long been a sound synonymous with the ever-shrinking wetlands of the Caribbean. But, as with so many other species, these birds have been left to do their own whistle blowing. MORE

So far we have seen Impala, Duiker, Greater Kudu, Mongoose, Zebra and warthogs around the neighborhood, and yard. After a very long day of 7 hours of driving, 11 hours flying and then 9 hours more driving, we have arrived at our temporary home here in South Africa. This will act as our base for the next 20 days. The house is a four bedroom, four bath two story, with a deck running around three sides of the upper story, great for wildlife viewing. MORE

Oddly, I saw no rats, only a mongoose or two and a few stray dogs. What was the weirdest place you ever birded? Some smelly sewage ponds? Oh, don’t bother responding. A war zone? Then you are worse than me. Yes, some gruesome graphic content follows, but don’t blame me, you have been warned. What sex? Oh, that cover photo? I lied to you, no sex here – but you already clicked. Let me see, when was it? Logging into my eBird account… December 6th, 2010. MORE

In some regions of the world, the carnivore landscape is taken up by many different cats at the middle and larger range, and by things like civets and mongoose at the smaller end. The ranger stood on the dirt road, facing south, and the rest of us, scattered about the parked safari truck, facing north and paying close attention to what she was saying. The sun was slipping quickly below the red sand dunes to our west, and the day’s warm breeze was rapidly changing to a chill wind. MORE

In addition to historic habitat loss and hunting, Nenes face introduced predators such as mongoose and feral cats. Ah Hawaii, land of beautiful beaches, surfing, warm weather, and unique birds. Because of its distance to the mainland, Hawaii is home to over 60 species of endemic birds. Few are as unique (or rare) as the Nene , or Hawaiian Goose , Hawaii’s state bird. Nenes can only be found in Hawaii, and used to be plentiful. MORE

The causes were the usual reasons for island extinction—deforestation by both humans and invasive plants that crowded out native plants, hunting, and invasive rats, mongoose, monkeys, and, of course, feral cats. It was the Pink Pigeons (Nesoenas mayeri) that got me thinking. Pink Pigeons were featured on episode four of the second season of The Zoo , the excellent television series about The Bronx Zoo,* and their story was disturbing. MORE

On the mainland they face predation from domestic cats, dogs, genets, mongoose and Cape Gulls which steal their chicks and eggs. I grew up in one of the most beautiful cities in the world – Cape Town, South Africa. The birdlife in the Cape is nothing short of spectacular, with a healthy dose of charismatic endemic species. In fact, there is no other region in Africa that offers such a fantastic level of endemism in such an accessible location. MORE

Slender Mongoose. The airline business is a competitive and cut-throat arena in which to operate. Emphasis is placed on cost and more importantly, the reduction thereof. Helmeted Guineafowl. Thus a younger, leaner (and if I am brutally honest, prettier and better able to carry off “The Look”) fleet of crew have been recruited to bolster the established flight attendants who carry the weight of experience and a few extra pounds besides from their indulgent lifestyle. Warthog. MORE

Other animals that have rarely been seen on film such as the Palm nut vulture, bush pigs, mongoose, monitor lizards and snakes feeding on fish and crabs found in the Mangroves. Saturdays are WILD on the National Geographic Channel. This week’s episode, which airs Saturday, September 19 at 8PM ET/PT, will explore the mangroves. The Mangroves are called Tidal Forests because the life of a mangrove depends on the tidal ebbs and flows of the sea. MORE

Plus I’m more of a bird rehabilitator than a birder, which is where the mongooses come in. Birding bird rehabilitator mongoose Tanzanian birding wildlife rehabilitators This is the reason I’m birding in Tanzania with no field guide. The last time I visited my friend India, who lives in the hills above Karatu, I brought my own field guide and filled a notebook with bird names, descriptions, and sketches. But that was seven years ago. MORE

Cape Mongoose are also easy to see. I’m a big fan of city birding. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy getting away from it all out in some remote forest or desert, but a good city can combine some excellent birding and outstanding diving, drinking, dining and sightseeing. Of these great cities Cape Town is fast becoming one of my favourite birding spots in the the world. MORE

In addition to the birds there were also Mongoose (introduced, of course) that called the area around the mini golf course home. Over President’s Day weekend my family and I took a much-needed break in Jamaica. MORE

I was in a bird photography hide in Kaeng Krachan National Park in Thailand (with Alex Vargas) and we had just had an absolutely fabulous day enjoying and photographing a great variety of birds (and a Crab-eating Mongoose) when we were just getting ready to pack up and leave. MORE