10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 3, 2011

If Mexico City itself was not high enough, the mountains to the south rise above 12,300 feet and I was there looking for a Sierra Madre Sparrow to confirm a sighting of this rare and local sparrow from 15 years ago. Just to let you know, the sparrow did not show and I had to make do with some specialty Mexican warblers instead.

Costa Rica 198

Costa Rica Mexico Taiwan Honduras 198

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 5, 2013

An Indian city is chock full of disturbances, not just an endless stream of people walking down the street, but random packs of stray dogs poking about and trucks whirling by seemingly free from any semblance of traffic laws, so this happens frequently.

India 155

India Stray Dog United States Stray 155

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 16, 2012

.” The pipits and wagtails split off first within this group, then the finches, then several other families, including the longspurs, wood-warblers , icterids (New World blackbirds), emberizid buntings and sparrows, cardinals, and tanagers. And yes, the grosbeaks.

Family 176

Family Guatemala Stray Groups 176

10,000 Birds

MARCH 30, 2012

As we headed back outside and picked out the quail and American Tree and Song Sparrows around the parking lot area, I discovered a new, mammalian focus of my interest — the Columbian ground squirrel, a charismatic little rodent with white eyeliner, a red nose, and a surprising degree of self-confidence for prey.

Wildlife 166

Wildlife Montana Geese Bald Eagle 166

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

And she has a North American bird book that has so far taught her how to recognize a sparrow. They may be “outdoor cats” with a specific owner, stray pets, feral, or may have originated in one household and are now fed or cared for by other households in the neighborhood. She said she has a cat that stays indoors — unwillingly.

Feral Cats 203

Feral Cats Feral Cats Minneapolis 203

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2015

Although they breed on the west coast of Florida, Snowy Plover is a rare stray to this part of the state. Song Sparrow is a genuine rarity in Miami-Dade. This Lincoln’s Sparrow is far more common. A La Sagra’s Flycatcher, a Caribbean stray, continued at Charles Deering Estate. Clay-colored Sparrow: 1.

Miami 165

Miami 2015 United States Birds 165

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 21, 2015

After all, it’s not like I’m going to see anything other than the White-throated Sparrows and Northern Cardinals flitting about the brush pile outside my window. To that end: More caterpillars = less reason to stray? Better to get current on what’s happening with the rest of the bird world.

Nepal 157

Nepal Bird Rescue Penguins Rescue 157

10,000 Birds

JULY 26, 2012

This is interesting to me because researchers recently determined that the spectacular (and spectacularly demolished) Hawaiian honeycreeper radiation arose from stray Eurasian rosefinches that found their way to the emerging archipelago long ago. So apparently we almost got an Aztec Dove!

Falcons 172

Falcons Parrots California Breeding 172

10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2011

Second of all, Lewis’s Woodpeckers are birds of the west and they rarely stray to New York State. .&# It is high on most birders’ lists of most-wanted birds in North America, at least those who have not yet seen one. Melanerpes lewis is, to put it simply, a really cool bird.

New York 187

New York Woodpeckers Jordan 2011 187