10,000 Birds

JANUARY 18, 2015

Birders from the Western Palearctic are very favourably positioned for such a split because three of the six suggested species occur within the WP at various sites around the Mediterranean: The African Swamphen occurs along the lower Nile and its delta into the Mediterranean, while the Grey-headed Swamphen makes southern Turkey its home.

Spain 157

Spain Hunters Africa Hunting 157

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 24, 2023

Queen of Spain Fritillary , photographed in mid November Clouded yellow – another common November butterfly For the autumn or winter visitor, the biggest draw is the flock of Lesser Whitefronted Geese that in recent years have been regular and reliable wintering birds on the lake.

Greece 199

Greece Pelicans Geese Buffalo 199

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 2, 2022

Going back to that assumption that birds don’t have a sense of smell, it can be traced to John James Audubon (of course), who performed several experiments with Turkey Vultures and concluded that the vultures used sight, not scent, to find food. Also tubenoses and Kiwis can smell very well. It is also a bit misleading.

Science 210

Science Research Birds Turkey 210

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 8, 2014

It was actually logistically easier for me to stay away from Gibraltar itself which, as a British Crown Colony with constrained geography, a slowish, passport-controlled border with Spain and relatively limited flight connections, has its limitations. Trips hawkwatch raptors Spain' It would be icing on the cake if I saw any of those.

Spain 167

Spain Ostriches Africa Canada 167

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 29, 2020

These goods, purchased with Mexican silver, would then be transported overland through Mexico City, and shipped from Veracruz to Spain. These turkey-sized birds, named for their raucous calls, can muster an impressive level of volume. It originally served as the port of entry for goods brought from Asia by Spanish galleons.

Birds 158

Birds 2006 Mexico Morocco 158

10,000 Birds

JUNE 4, 2013

Now nearing 50 and duly lost in a mid-life crisis, Dragan Simic took to birding rather late – only half a lifetime ago, after successfully testing his inadequate skills in other life threatening activities, such as rock climbing and vertical caving.

Europe 149

Europe Florida Spain Serbia 149

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 5, 2012

almost everyone knows a Bald Eagle and a dove, a woodpecker and a Wild Turkey. When I traveled in Spain, my non-birding companion Kaylen was excited to see the White Stork (brings babies) and the Hoopoe (she’d just read Haroun and the Sea of Stories.) In the U.S.,

Montana 160

Montana Bald Eagle Owls Ducks 160

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 28, 2014

European or Western Swamphen ( Porphyrio porphyrio ) in Spain by Ferran Pestaña. The Gray-headed Swamphen ranges from Turkey through India to northern Thailand. Here’s a quick overview of the six potential “Purple Swamphen” species: European or Western Swamphen. Gray-headed Swamphen.

Papua New Guinea 188

Papua New Guinea Philippines New Zealand Florida 188

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 9, 2022

Our 9-day trip to Turkey in September was short, and it was not about birding. Our hosts wanted us to see at least one of Turkey’s biblical sites, along with a small archaeological site in the center of Smyrna that we had visited. I had already seen this raptor in Spain, preparing to cross the Straits of Gibraltar.

Turkey 203

Turkey Pelicans Birds Spain 203

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 26, 2022

So I was excited to finally get to take a trip to Spain and the Middle East that we had originally planned… for the ill-fated month of March, 2020. I will start by telling you about encounters in Turkey with two special bird families. But no, I had to travel to Turkey to meet them in the wild. But, still.).

Turkey 162

Turkey Spain Mexico Agenda 162

10,000 Birds

APRIL 4, 2013

In the end, it was birding that has taken him from his native Serbia, across the Balkans and Turkey, to the very borders of the Old World: East Anglia and Spain, southern Africa and, in the instance of this epic report, India. We look forward to many more missives from Dragan.

India 253

India Owls Tigers Endangered Species 253

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 25, 2022

Our relatively-recent trip to Spain and the Middle East was, as expected, a great opportunity to see new birds. In the end, it gave me 44 lifers: 10 from Turkey and 8 from Jordan, which I had not visited before, and 26 from Spain, which I had visited previously, but in which we spent much more time.

Spain 147

Spain Jordan Turkey Species 147

10,000 Birds

MARCH 5, 2023

First, we had our five-week trip to Spain, Turkey and Jordan in September and October. I recently received a kind letter from a 10,000 Birds friend, who was worried that my recent irregularity in contributing to this website might indicate that something was wrong. I assured him then, and assure you now, that I am fine.

Jordan 187

Jordan Mexico Birds Ohio 187

10,000 Birds

APRIL 22, 2013

In the end, it was birding that has taken him from his native Serbia, across the Balkans and Turkey, to the very borders of the Old World: East Anglia and Spain, southern Africa and India, where he chased that country’s rarest owl. Trips Catalonia Europe Spain' We look forward to many more missives from Dragan.

Spain 210

Spain Terrapins Eagles Europe 210

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 27, 2020

Not many European countries have their single-country guides (the exception being UK, Spain and a few others with a strong in-country publishing scene). His work in Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey remains inspirational to researchers throughout the region. published in the US by Princeton as “Birds of Europe”.

Cyprus 243

Cyprus Saudi Arabia Europe Birds 243

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2019

During July, 11 beats birded 11 countries (USA, UK, Australia, Spain, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Japan, UAE, Mexico, China and Saudi Arabia) and submitted 82 checklists. Wild Turkey – Meleagris gallopavo. Turkey Vulture – Cathartes aura. They accounted for 562 species at this sluggish time of year. 05 Jul 2019.

2019 118

2019 Sparrows Woodpeckers Idaho 118

10,000 Birds

JULY 10, 2012

By the 18th century it had disappeared from the whole of Europe and this pattern followed in the Middle East where finally it was only known from a single breeding population at Birecik in Turkey. Around 3,000 birds summered and bred at Birecik in the 1930’s but this declined to only 400 by 1982.

Endangered Species 183

Endangered Species Species South Africa Morocco 183