10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 6, 2017

Sure, occasionally a bird has given me problems, like Black-backed Woodpeckers back in 2007 when I was doing an alleged Big Year in New York State, but not seeing a bird for a single year does not make it a nemesis. But Black Woodpecker ? Yet, here I am, back from Austria, minus one Black Woodpecker sighting.

Woodpeckers 100

Woodpeckers Austria Europe Hungary 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 27, 2017

Now, those of you familiar with my tendency to chase birds in New York and knowledgeable of the spate of Great Gray Owls we have had in 2017 might question why it took me to nearly the end of March to make a trip upstate to see one. A couple of Red-winged Blackbirds , some Common Ravens , a flyover Pileated Woodpecker.

New York 101

New York Owls Beavers Puerto Rico 101

10,000 Birds

MAY 28, 2017

Black Woodpeckers are usually easy to find in Germany. At least one birder will now likely grab his war hammer and check flight availabilities from New York to Frankfurt as well as average prison sentences in Germany for first degree murder. Black Woodpecker encounters usually are “heard-only”, to be fair.

Germany 100

Germany Woodpeckers Luxembourg North America 100

10,000 Birds

JUNE 30, 2012

The White-backed Woodpecker is the hardest resident woodpecker to find in Europe. So how did I manage to lay eyes on the most difficult-to-see European woodpecker? This means that there were nearly thirty of us making our way up the dirt track past long-abandoned quarries to get the area where the woodpeckers are normally found.

Woodpeckers 174

Woodpeckers Hungary Europe Japan 174

10,000 Birds

JULY 31, 2020

Starlings, they’ll dutifully explain, are ruthless invasives that have been responsible for the serious declines of several beloved native species, like the Red-headed Woodpecker ( Melanerpes erythrocephalus ) and the Eastern Bluebird ( Sialia sialis ). A starling with nesting material at Normanskill Farm in Albany, New York, in May.

Farming 180

Farming New York Breeding Unwanted 180

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 23, 2020

Of those he did see, he most enjoyed the flyover Pileated Woodpecker in his hometown, a treat for a resident of New York City, and Corey’s Best Bird of the Weekend. Corey enjoyed his weekend at his parents’ house in the Hudson Valley though he didn’t see too many birds. How about you? What was your best bird of the weekend?

2020 165

2020 New York City Rodents New York 165

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 27, 2020

Corey enjoyed a foul-weather seawatch on Saturday morning and birded a couple of locations Sunday morning before leading a walk for New York City Audubon in Forest Park. There’s something about the simple black, red, and white coloration of the species that makes it stand out as Best Bird of the Weekend.

2020 162

2020 New York City New York Birds 162

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 16, 2020

Red-headed Woodpeckers chattered to each other as they flew from tree to tree, and I marveled at just how many I spotted. Red-bellied Woodpeckers and Eastern Bluebirds rounded out the species near the pond, but in the distance I noted a Red-tailed Hawk , as well as the regular calls of a Northern Bobwhite. But I liked it.

Georgia 237

Georgia Mules Birds Connecticut 237

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 13, 2019

We’re still driving towards the depths of winter here in New York, but I just noticed that our days are getting longer. Frigid temps and icy conditions couldn’t keep me from chasing down at least one of the Red-Headed Woodpeckers hanging around Durand Eastman Park.

2019 113

2019 New York City New York Birds 113

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 4, 2022

For Rogers, the finding of the sparrow is not just about the rarity of the find or the decline of breeding Henslow’s Sparrows in New York State, though she is proud of the first and concerned about the second. She frames her story with first a Doonesbury comic strip (remember Dick Davenport, the bird watcher?)

Birds 261

Birds Sparrows Connecticut New York 261

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2022

This was where I set up my bird feeders, just one at first, then expanding as everyone expressed delight in seeing the Carolina Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Downy Woodpeckers. I picked up a Downy Woodpecker, an every-day visitor. I was shocked when I found the first body, a female Towhee. The window silhouettes were gone.

New York City 248

New York City Birds Illinois Science 248

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2017

After leaving behind a hectic cooking career in New York City’s fine-dining scene, Tristan moved inland to the New York’s Capital District, where the relative abundance of Pileated Woodpeckers almost makes up for the fact that he’s only seen a single Sanderling in Albany County ever. He birds and he brews!

New York 150

New York Cooking Jamaica 2010 150

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 13, 2016

Corey could have chosen his first Pine Siskins of the year in New York, a Red-headed Woodpecker , a late Osprey , or a Vesper Sparrow as his Best Bird of the Weekend this weekend. One small thing that made me happy this weekend was the return of Long-tailed Ducks to our lakeshore. Can Snowy Owls be far behind?

2016 165

2016 New York Birds Woodpeckers 165

10,000 Birds

JULY 19, 2021

He noted that this new bird had longer bills and “darker loral and auricular regions” than the mainland Brown-headed Nuthatch, and collected two of them for science. He gave one to his home institution, the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia and the other to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Bahamas 343

Bahamas Philadelphia 2004 United States 343

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 3, 2012

Western Tanager in Athens, New York Gray Jay on a deer carcass in Bloomingdale, New York Common Raven flying over in Bloomingdale, New York Black-backed Woodpecker in Bloomingdale, New York (click to embiggen) Black-capped Chickadee in Paul Smiths, New York Pine Grosbeak in Queensbury, New York (click to embiggen) What a weekend!

New York 128

New York Deer Birds Woodpeckers 128

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 15, 2020

Growing up in western New York, February was one of the more tedious of winter months. Black-cheeked Woodpecker. The common woodpecker of the Caribbean lowlands. It might be the shortest month but the continuing cold, snow, and dreary weather made it seem like one of the longest. Great Green Macaw.

Costa Rica 227

Costa Rica Birds Panama Woodpeckers 227

10,000 Birds

MAY 26, 2014

Now that I live in New York City I rarely manage to make it that far north and when I do it tends to be winter, which is kind of odd. Montreal, while far to the north of New York City, is in Canada, which is certainly not the Adirondacks. After all, it was only a couple of hours north of my house. Wait, what?

New York City 161

New York City New York Canada Woodpeckers 161

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 30, 2016

I saw lots of different kinds of woodpeckers this weekend, but that big, honking Pileated always wins out over the others for Best Bird honors. Nature lovers, on the other hand, find time for wildlife watching every weekend. Just be sure to choose a Halloween costume that doesn’t obscure your vision too much!

2016 155

2016 Cattle Bats New York 155

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 29, 2015

I enjoyed some late autumn hiking, but saw nothing out of the ordinary; among the common birds in my area, the Pileated Woodpecker always stands out as something special. Still though, a kittiwake from land in New York State is always welcome! How about you?

2015 100

2015 New York Birds Woodpeckers 100

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 14, 2018

In between arctic blasts, I got up to the lake at Hamlin Beach State Park, where I found a very confused and noisy Red-Headed Woodpecker. His Best Bird of the Weekend was either of a pair of young White-crowned Sparrows he found in Kissena Park in Queens, a good bird for winter in New York City! How about you?

New York City 100

New York City 2018 New York Birds 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2016

Corey’s Best Bird of the Weekend was either of a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers that he saw at the Ramshorn Livingston Sanctuary in Catskill, New York, while he was on a walk with his family.

2016 100

2016 Sanctuary New York Woodpeckers 100

10,000 Birds

JULY 21, 2014

In the late nineteenth century, Eugene Schieffelin, a wealthy New York drug manufacturer, resolved to introduce to North America every species of bird mentioned in the works of William Shakespeare. Our native bluebirds, woodpeckers, owls, and flycatchers have paid the price of bardophilia ever since. Those wacky pharmacists.

New York City 188

New York City New York North America Species 188

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 25, 2013

When I was a child, the Pileated Woodpecker was a bird that loomed large — both literally, as the biggest surviving woodpecker in the United States, and figuratively, in that it was a bird on that happy borderland between humdrum and mythical, between everyday and nonexistent. A woodpecker. Not woodland loners.

Woodpeckers 160

Woodpeckers Bald Eagle New York City United States 160

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2012

The American Acclimatization Society was a group founded in New York City in 1871 dedicated to introducing European flora and fauna into North America for “both economic and cultural reasons. 1 ” By 1877 New York pharmacist Eugene Schieffelin, an avid admirer of Shakespeare, was the society’s driving force.

North America 187

North America United States New York City New York 187

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 30, 2014

Sure, I didn’t like it in 2007 when I was doing a (not very) big year in New York and Black-backed Woodpecker would not cooperate for me. Just in New York State I have seen eight different Whimbrel. This is an American Dipper by Redgannet, who probably wonders what the big deal is.

Costa Rica 190

Costa Rica Hungary Honduras Birds 190

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 30, 2014

Corey’s Best Bird of the Weekend was one that most New York City dwellers appreciate whenever they see one upstate. A Pileated Woodpecker seen in his hometown of Saugerties was something that made Corey thankful which is only fitting seeing as he was upstate for Thanksgiving.

New York City 160

New York City 2014 Kentucky Ohio 160

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 24, 2016

For some unknown bureaucratic reason the New York City Parks Department decided to take down the feeders and not allow them to be restored. Without the feeders where will the Red-bellied Woodpeckers get their peanuts? It will take you less than a minute, cost you nothing, and make me very happy.

Feral Cats 189

Feral Cats New York City Feral New York 189

10,000 Birds

JULY 31, 2012

There are two species in the Old World woodpecker genus that sounds like birds that birders would never be able to see. Neither even makes their own nesting cavities; they use the abandoned holes of other woodpeckers. They are literal jinx birds in that their genus name is “ Jynx.”

Hungary 172

Hungary Asia Woodpeckers Africa 172

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 2, 2012

Corey, on the other hand, had an absurdly good weekend of birding, adding six birds to his year list, accidentally breaking 300 species in New York State this year, adding a new bird to his New York State life list, and seeing Pine Grosbeaks in three different counties. His Best Bird of the Weekend?

2012 109

2012 New York Malaysia Singapore 109

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 2, 2012

Sure, I didn’t leave the United States but my first trip to the Pacific Northwest allowed me to see lots of new birds and spending the beginning of the year in southern California didn’t hurt the ol’ year list either. A Pileated Woodpecker in Long Island’s Nassau County on the last day of the year. What a bird!

2011 168

2011 Puffins United States New York 168

10,000 Birds

MARCH 4, 2012

Because I have a two-year-old and a job in New Jersey I have not been one of those making sure the birds get their servings of suet and sunflower seeds this year which also means that I have gotten to the park in winter less this year than I have since I moved to New York City four years ago.

New York City 161

New York City New Jersey Woodpeckers New York 161

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Then I almost ran into a man peeing in a bush, and I knew I was really back in New York. At least judging by how excited the ratty red-brown new crop of Northern Cardinals made me as they kept crossing my path. Oh, and there was one other birdy thing that happened in New York City. lobe of my brain has become.

Montana 161

Montana New York City New York Nashville 161

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2012

Watching a pristine Hairy Woodpecker working away at the tender core confirmed my decision. Corey’s Best Bird of the Weekend was his first Osprey in New York State this year, seen perched on a nesting platform at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in early morning fog on Saturday.

2012 171

2012 Jamaica New York Birds 171

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2020

There are owls in New York City. They are the city’s latest, maybe only, celebrity media sensation, and photographs show crowds of New Yorkers craning their necks up as far as their masks allow, holding phones at arm’s length, using opera glasses and huge binoculars that remind me of the ones my dad used at the racetrack.

New York City 181

New York City Birds Owls Fox 181

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 7, 2012

began at 3:55 AM in Saugerties, New York. The Adirondack Mountains of northern New York State. This is where the boreal birds like Black-backed Woodpecker and Gray Jay are often found and we decided to do the full 3.5 This was a woodpecker! A Black-backed Woodpecker ! Part 1 is here. Our destination?

New York 101

New York Deer Birds Woodpeckers 101

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 8, 2016

I got some intelligence on other local birds and enjoyed the southern California sunshine while watching a wood-warbler that I never get to see in New York. After all, I did see a Varied Thrush in lieu of the woodpecker so it wasn’t all bad. What more could I want? Painted Redstart.

San Marino 105

San Marino California Laws Bats 105

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2023

I was concerned and horrified that this happened in my city and astonished when this seemingly local story became national then international news. I knew he was also a former Marvel comic book writer and editor, but did not know that he also, unsurprisingly, had a history of involvement in LGBTQ and Black rights advocacy.

Emotional 220

Emotional Birds Minneapolis Nepal 220