10,000 Birds

MAY 29, 2019

It was impossible to show you all my favorite Tierra Caliente species in one post, so I only shared those that are mostly seen in the drier area a couple of miles south of the town and river. However, some of Paso Ancho’s most beautiful species are to be seen right along that river. Then it got an upgrade.

Squirrels 113

Squirrels Birds Mexico 2013 113

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 17, 2022

Within 140 ac / 60 ha of Rancho Naturalista’s Reserve, there are 500 bird species – or 55% of the nation’s total! Yet, scoring more than 700 species, Mercedes Alpizar soon became “Meche”, the bird guide that we are all familiar with. Located within its private premontane forest reserve at 3000 ft / 900 m a.s.l.

Costa Rica 252

Costa Rica Rats Parrots Raccoons 252

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 23, 2019

The Great Black Hawk – a species with a native range in Mexico to South America – had been spotted in this park for weeks, but not every day. Though I had arrived in Maine nearly a week ago, something kept me from trying for the rare species so far from home. Disappointment that I would miss the bird?

Rescue 130

Rescue Portland Squirrels Deer 130

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 29, 2015

It is swimming with its body half-submerged (typical for the species and yet, so strange for songbirds) and often diving. This species is reasonably easy to find if you are in the right kind of habitat – but I am rarely in that type of habitat. And in order to see the bubbles underwater, one needs to be right above the bird.

Bats 220

Bats Woodpeckers Squirrels Game 220

10,000 Birds

MAY 21, 2019

The Tierra Caliente, or as biologists prefer to call it, the Río Balsas Basin, is a biological island that shares its very large number of endemic species with the more southern Oaxaca Valley. As a birder, I was eager to find the quickest ways to reach these species from my home. I don’t have to tell you which sparrow is which!

Mexico 114

Mexico Birds Nevada Sparrows 114

10,000 Birds

JUNE 7, 2017

Members of the genus Pachycereus , there are a couple of species which are quite prevalent here on the southern Baja. Once the fruit is ripe, it becomes a primary source for many species. At some point the female landed right on top of the cactus that contained the nest, and let her wins droop down.

Elephants 107

Elephants Woodpeckers Squirrels Shelters 107

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 7, 2018

In addition to the Violet Saberwing , just as we were leaveing the lodge, this Scintillant Hummingbird landed right next to the door way. The stay De Silva Biological Station, while well worth it, was a little bit more than we wanted to budget for, so the next best thing was staying right next door.

Costa Rica 115

Costa Rica Tigers San Jose Woodpeckers 115

10,000 Birds

JULY 29, 2015

I figured that it is only fair and right to include the male Mountain Bluebird ( Sialis currucoides ) for comparison. Lassen Volcanic National Park is also home to approximately 57 species of mammals ranging in size from the tiny shrew to the North American black bear. Click on photos for full sized images.

United States 174

United States Mammals Squirrels New York 174

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2012

Although Torrent Ducks are fairly widespread throughout much of South America they are a declining species in most places due to hydroelectric schemes, introduced trout, pollution and erosion of riverside habitat. Otun Quimbaya remains a very good place to view this highly enigmatic and entertaining species.

Ducks 246

Ducks Colombia South America Squirrels 246

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2013

We may not have huge numbers of species, but we can find some real specialties. I’ve managed a number of globally endangered or vulnerable species in my own backyard, from Saddlebacks and Stitchbirds to the irrepressible Kaka (which I’m listening to right now). New Zealand can generate some interesting yard birds.

New Zealand 179

New Zealand Squirrels Sanctuary Wildlife 179

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 13, 2013

A handful were patronizing my lawn even before the feeder went up, and no doubt noticed it right away. I had hoped that in the circumstances, a few Mountain Chickadees might turn up with them, but no such luck, though I know that the species occurs on Mount Sentinal less than a mile from here.

Squirrels 170

Squirrels Sparrows Woodpeckers Birds 170

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 26, 2016

The upside for me, not to take away from my day with 27 different bears, was the next 6 days all by myself on Kodiak Island, recording as many new bird species as I could find. So, off I went in my rental car, with the “Do Not Drive Off Paved Roads” notice in bold print on the rental agreement… right, sure, no problem.

Grizzly Bear 154

Grizzly Bear Alaska Bears Puffins 154

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 2, 2013

I wondered, last August, how animals endure it — the tiny ever-pumping lungs of hummingbirds, the lungs of bighorn sheep shouldering their way up mountains, they must get filled with smoke too, right? And I think this is a good move, the right move, even though part of me still welcomes the rain.

Endangered Species 161

Endangered Species South Dakota Woodpeckers Sheep 161

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

Fortunately we were able to find a nice RV camp, in the nearby town of Crescent, Oregon, which allowed us to be at the park right after sunrise. Looking out over the lake from one of the many view points as you travel the park, we spotted Peregrines Falcons, American Kestrels, and this young Coopers Hawk , as it flew right over our heads.

Oregon 115

Oregon Bald Eagle Birds United States 115

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 25, 2015

These arid hills, cloaked in a mosaic of deciduous scrub and desert vegetation, form a northern outpost for several Neotropical species while also harboring several key endemics and southwestern Nearctic species. The birds we observed were nesting right into the cliff face. Think Arizona meets Costa Rica with a Mexican twist.

Mexico 196

Mexico Costa Rica Arizona Birds 196

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 2, 2016

This area, with its year round water supply, supports a huge amount of life, with coyotes, fox, bobcat and many different rodents, like this Mexican Ground Squirrel. There is an old dead tree top, right on the edge of the canyon, that looked like it would be a great spot for the passing birds to make a stop.

Coyotes 133

Coyotes Rodents Reptiles Fox 133

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2013

Immediately I began looking for new species, spotting right away a dark, crow-like bird with a grey mantle and belly. I couldn’t help but connect them with mob bosses of the city, watching over and taking food from all of the other bird species throughout the city. It flew right over to get a closer look.

Russia 150

Russia Iceland Birds Europe 150

10,000 Birds

JUNE 23, 2019

By the time we reached the Upper Thomson Road we had a spent three hours sauntering through the park and had a list of over forty bird species. We had not expected to see too many bird species on this short walk, but sometimes these short walks can have a surprise or two. Common Gliding Lizard.

Singapore 113

Singapore Unwanted Pets Woodpeckers Parrots 113

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2014

He was right! And once I took in three pit bull puppies that turned out to be squirrels.”. “I The best I could do was to finally acknowledge that a swallow was LIKE a falcon, sort of, a predator, and winged insects are sort of like birds, as prey, sort of … right?”. “I “Like these ones, here. Can you ID?”. It always is.

Wildlife 253

Wildlife Wildlife Rehabilitation Falcons Pit Bulls 253

10,000 Birds

APRIL 19, 2012

And, in a tree off to the right in that direction, I noticed a mass of stuff that resembled a Bald Eagle’s nest as much as any mass of stuff ever could, but of course, it was not a bald eagle nest. This make sense in a certain way; a species of carnivores that over-concentrated in space would go extinct. I live near a highway.

Eagles 176

Eagles Bald Eagle Coyotes Mississippi 176

10,000 Birds

MARCH 31, 2019

We were met by several Cattle Egret in beautiful breeding plumage feeding on the grass right next to the train station. We had found thirty four bird species so far in Singapore and had to admit defeat due to lack of sleep and returned to the hotel. There was something “not right” about it.

Singapore 114

Singapore Transported Boars Malaysia 114

10,000 Birds

JUNE 22, 2011

I took home a few of the pellets and found that the owls were feasting on grey squirrels and cottontail rabbits. He was so excited when I described what I had and came right up to meet me. Oehlenschlager apologized that he couldn’t say the exact species of bat. He can ID just about anything from a small part or bone.

Bats 209

Bats Dissection Owls Minnesota 209

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2012

More importantly, it is a fantastic area to watch birds in its own right. The third species I saw was an Atherton endemic (of which there are a few knocking about) Macleay’s Honeyeater , a striking spotted honeyeater that was easy to watch on the bird baths near the dining area.

Possums 172

Possums Guinea Marsupials Rats 172

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 31, 2011

You can see two adult males, one in the middle and one on the right side of the screen and an adult female running up to the foraging group from the cover at the edge of the yard. California Quail , being ground nesting game birds, have many predators which are assumed to be the primary cause of the specie’s mortality.

California 224

California Eggs Gophers Rattlesnake 224

10,000 Birds

MAY 30, 2019

He had stalked the nest for days, waiting for just the right time when she would be on the verge of fledging, then took her into his care. It was advisable to remove them at night, to keep them calm, to establish immediately a feeding board on which they would be fed chopped beef and egg to start, then fresh birds, rabbit or squirrel.

Falcons 184

Falcons California Condor Alaska Texas 184

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 22, 2015

There’s a Three-striped Palm Squirrel by the side of the track, while Jungle Bush Quails are running across it in front of our Maruti Gypsy, almost the official safari vehicle of India. Somewhere below that mysterious eagle, at the far shore of the lake, lies one Bengal Tiger … and further to the right – two more!

Tigers 248

Tigers India Killing 2012 248

10,000 Birds

JULY 21, 2011

A squirrel skittered by … a squirrel is not a bird. The largest bird, forming the short bar on the right of the bird histogram, is a swan. What we see here, however, is both: Most of the mammals at this small end of the graph are nocturnal, and there is clearly a lack of overlap in body size for many species.

Mammals 177

Mammals Rodents Birds Reptiles 177

10,000 Birds

APRIL 15, 2015

We already had South Africa, Zambia and Uganda under our belts, but my clients’ request for the next year came right out of the blue: Ghana! Blue-moustached Bee-eater is rainforest species occurring in just a few scattered sites in Ghana, it was previously considered a subspecies of Blue-headed Bee-eater.

Ghana 195

Ghana Hunters Guinea Gambia 195

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2011

Now, most people are dealing with grackles on their northward migration right now. Safflower is not the favorite food of house sparrows, red-winged blackbirds and squirrels. They might eat it if they have to but it can sometimes keep those species away too. Wicked, right? Get yours today! Hat-tip to Stella.

2011 192

2011 Birds Woodpeckers Blackbirds 192

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2017

In fact, we saw two species of monkey, our only sloths, lots of coatis, and my rarest ever mammal sighting—a Jaguarundi —right on site. Yes, that’s Panama City to the right. Plus, we never stopped finding new and better species, which suggests that this place could compile a highly respectable site list.

Panama 100

Panama 2017 Monkeys Family 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 10, 2011

The thought of an Oriole foraging in bare winter branches is as foreign as a Petrel on a pool and yet, there it was in my yard picking through an abandoned squirrel’s nest for what appeared to be spiders. A trip to the coastal plain may net you up to seven species of warblers, from the omnipresent Yellow-rumps to Chats and Cape Mays.

North Carolina 140

North Carolina 2011 St. Louis Baltimore 140

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 20, 2018

The pressure is on if you can only get certain species during the first month of the year but if you just want to add any old birds to the year list, everything is fresh! Since I’m in no big hurry to reach any number of species in 2018, my year birding is going to be a fresh one hopefully touched with a good dose of Zen.

Costa Rica 161

Costa Rica Birds Parrots Woodpeckers 161

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 21, 2017

It’s going to take a while but if I can expend time and energy (aka birding kung-fu) in the right places, I can certainly make that happen for Costa Rica. Nevertheless, I still have over 232 species including the latest addition- a Striped Owl heard from my bedroom window as it called into a moonlit night.

Costa Rica 104

Costa Rica 2017 Woodpeckers Parrots 104

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2020

Squirrel Cuckoo – Piaya cayana. Note; The Megalomanagement reserve the right to refuse to gift prizes on the grounds that they are The Megalomanagement. You may notice that the list only reaches as far as 879 even though I claimed that there were 928 species recorded during February. Bhandup Pumping Station, Mumbai.

2020 156

2020 Sanctuary Australia Sparrows 156

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2019

This year the big prize must go to Tom who has pushed himself, right to the wire to acheive a magnificent score for a self-funded, wife-organised, wife-sponsored Little Big Year , accounting for 57% of the total. Squirrel Cuckoo – Piaya cayana. And Pat gets to keep the awards in the remainder of the categories. 19 Jun 2018.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Sparrows 113

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2018

They noted 598 species as a team, bringing the year total to 2118 and pushing the life list to 3555. Watch out for Tom during October to see this anomaly put right. Squirrel Cuckoo – Piaya cayana. They are hungry, tired and don’t need to be chased. Claire and Grant went walkabout for 20 FOYs. Alphabetic Taxonomic.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Los Angeles 113