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Similar in size to West Virginia, thanks to a bunch of different major habitats, rain, and tropical biodiversity, it’s pretty easy to top 300 in a week or two, and even identify 500 over the course of three weeks. Are you on your way to Costa Rica? Planning a trip for later this year? Good choice, the birding is fantastic! If not, I hope the following tips will convince you to come on down to this easy birding paradise: 100s of bird species are closer than you think. MORE
North Bend State Park, West Virginia. Strong populations of birds reside in the hardwood forests and dense understories in this north-eastern location of West Virginia. Sky Meadows State Park, Virginia. Known as a warbler haven, 30+ species visit this bi-state park near the Kentucky and Virginia southern border. Leaves and birds in the Appalachian Mountains. MORE
Virginia (122), New Mexico (112); Texas (106); Colorado (106), and Pennsylvania (102). Some states have no species at all, not even a pigeon, crow, or sparrow: Hawaii , Utah , Nebraska , Oklahoma , Minnesota , Iowa , Wisconsin , Kentucky , West Virginia , Mississippi , Alabama , Connecticut , and Rhode Island. West Virginia ranks 44th, Hawaii ranks 45th, and Rhode Island ranks 48th. MORE
A jay born and raised in New York State may winter in Alabama, Kentucky, West Virginia, or Tennessee, depending on its taste in barbecue. Many aspects of fall migration are not calculated to appeal to a bone-idle birder such as myself. The warblers are confusing. The raptors are confusing and distant. The shorebirds are confusing AND distant AND you will probably fall into quicksand and die. Far better just to stay inside and write about birds! But that’s sort of cheating. MORE
We let a one-eyed Bald Eagle go after a year of battling state officials in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana and Kentucky. So I asked seven wildlife rehabilitators, “Tell me your favorite (or one of your favorites) release story – the kind that makes you keep going, in spite of everything.”. “A MORE
Birds of the West: An Artist’s Guide presents both sides of the artistic equation–lovely prints and water colors of 88 (or so) North American birds of the Pacific Northwest; commentary on how the author/artist created the images; and lessons on how to draw and paint birds in various media. 17); he was born in West Virginia and spent most of his life and career in Cincinnati. Birds of the West: An Artist’s Guide. MORE
To the Editor: Re “ To Revive Hunting, States Turn to the Classroom ” (front page, March 8): Shame on West Virginia if it approves a bill that allows hunting education classes in public schools to become law. We should not use public schools to try to reverse the inexorable decline in the “sport” of hunting. The killing and maiming of animals for sport is a cruel and violent activity that is the antithesis of what schools should be teaching. MORE
A few weeks ago I joined a group of bird lovers to go out to a little clearing in the woods of West Virginia and watch the skydance of the American Woodcock. Amy Evrard has a PhD in social anthropology from Harvard University and loves to write about human relationships with nature. But that makes her sound awfully stuffy. MORE
From the Cerulean Warbler whose home will not be removed by dynamite in West Virginia to the Greater Prairie Chicken who will be hatched on a restored prairie sponsored by a new company who understands for the first time that birders care about birds. Timothy Barksdale is a birder, Prairie Chicken documentarian , and wildlife videographer well-known for his stunning Adventures with Birdman. MORE
My home state of Michoacán, Mexico is smaller than West Virginia. Warning: Any and all flycatchers shown in this post may be misidentified. Cut me some slack. These are the Empidonax flycatchers we are talking about here. Dear North American birders: You know them. You fear them. You have probably misidentified them. These are the dreaded Empidonax flycatchers, a genus as difficult as any we are likely to see on our continent. MORE
Overlooked this one. Another nasty farm animal abuse story. Whatever you think about PETA, I admire them for exposing this crap. It's even got Chuck Jolley from the Cattle Network riled up. Bottom line: If you’re running a business where you allow the kinds of shortcuts that let animal abuse happen, please sell it and leave the industry now. Find another line of work. If you’re caught by PETA or HSUS, please do not plead ignorance and vow to clean it up. It will be too late. MORE
To give an idea of what I mean by “birdy”, although Costa Rica is similar in size to West Virginia, more than 920 species have been recorded within the borders of this southern Central American country. Costa Rica is a small yet very birdy country (readers may have gotten that impression on previous posts I have written for 10,000 Birds, at least I hope that has been the case!). MORE
Just when a birder thinks that a list of 920 plus species is big enough for a place the size of West Virginia, a few more fly into the local birding scene. The end of another year is nigh. In Costa Rica, we know it by way of windy nights with clear skies, slightly cooler temperatures, and an abundance of festivities featuring carnie rides, prancing horses, and parades. MORE
Although the country is around the same size as West Virginia, 39 species of diurnal raptors are on the list. The tropical habitats of Costa Rica are home to a surprising number of raptor species. The three huge eagles are lottery winner rare and the Orange-breasted Falcon has never been documented for the country but the rest are seen here and there on an annual basis. However, that healthy suite of hawks, kites, and forest-falcons comes with an ironic footnote. MORE
It wasn’t the highest list for a country but given that Costa Rica is the same size as West Virginia and that a high percentage of possible species were found, it’s still impressive. Global Big Day (GBD). This biggest day of eBirding kicked off in earnest a few years ago. The idea was to see how many birds could be collectively identified by folks anywhere and everywhere. Go birding, eBird the results and see what happens! MORE
No, my rational mind took over–it was a Mourning Warbler , and I’ve known that song since my early birding days in the West Virginia highlands. Note: This is an account, originally published in June 2006, of my quest to remove a jinx bird from my bird-watching soul. I am sharing it again here, at the request of Corey Finger, who takes some sort of sick pleasure in seeing other birders squirm and suffer under the weight of their obsession with life birds. MORE
My real goal is to talk to the local people, and to let them know how much we love coming to their part of the world—whether that’s Woodworth, Nort Dakooootah, or Muddlety, West Virginia or Moose Jaw, Maine, or Salmon Shin, Alaska. I’ve been to a lot of birding festivals—sometimes as a speaker, sometimes as a trip leader, and sometimes just because I love going to birding festivals. MORE
Happy New River Birding Festival attendees moments after adding Swainson’s Warbler to their life lists The New River Birding & Nature Festival is in the mountains of south-central West Virginia. We go back each June just to watch the cloud mountains forming in the West and the prairie wind running its fingers through the native grassland. MORE
Birders in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, West Virginia, Indiana, Minnesota, North Dakota, Maryland, and Virginia are all enjoying Snowy Owls , but none as much as the North Carolina birders, who are enjoying their first and second Snowy Owls in thirteen years. Snowy Owl in Queens, New York, 1 December 2013. MORE
I reside in Costa Rica, the country is roughly the same size as West Virginia, but I rarely make it to some parts of this birdy nation. In large part, my lack of full birding national coverage stems from another feature shared with the state that harbors the New River gorge, and one that helped create conditions that can result in mega diversity. MORE
In addition to North Carolina, six other states have named the cardinal their state bird, including Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio. When birders in the eastern United States see a flash of red up in the canopy or deep inside nearby bushes, more likely than not those crimson feathers belong to the iconic Northern Cardinal. MORE
Why would this West Virginia University project be the recipient of federal stimulus money? From West Virginia Metro News. Tags: west virginia university animal research Obama tax dollars us Thanks to your tax dollars, federal stimulus money is being used to build a $14.5 million dollar research lab. It is the largest grant thus far under the stimulus package. It will house rodents for use in experiments. MORE
That’s not as daunting as one might think when you have a 900 plus list of possibilities in a place the size of West Virginia. It’ s August but there aren’t any lazy, late summer, hazy days down here. The wet season is still in full effect and that translates to dynamic birding in every habitat. Bring an umbrella because you will probably need one, but bring the binoculars too because you will definitely need those. MORE
It’s a fine selection of birds for a place the same size as West Virginia but it also comes with a catch commonly found in tropical forest ecosystems. What birder doesn’t get excited about raptors? Sort of like the mega birds, these aren’t your average worm-eating, seed-feeding, chirping guys with brightly colored plumage. Instead of being “little brown jobs”, most are large, in charge, and always ready to sink their talons into prey. MORE
During migration, they occur in more places, I bet that golden-hooded bird with a rainforest mixed flock was on its way to Virginia or Alabama or wooded swamp in some other part of its ancient range that used to bear witness to the double knocks of Ivory-billeds. MORE
However, 12 states, namely, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming and Wisconsin [Imagine, The Dairy State doesn't protect a woman's right to nurse!], MORE
If they don’t feel like it, they can just keep going and fly over a place the size of West Virginia in a day. MORE
I stood watching the expressions of the kids, some of whom had been birding since they were four, some whom had a couple of years under their belt; listening to them compare the songs of Wilson’s and Arctic Warblers, describe efforts to save the Delmava fox squirrel, state that in certain areas of West Virginia you can see giardia in a drinking glass with your naked eye, and comment on each other’s cameras. “In MORE
Given that the country is the same size as West Virginia, and most of the migrants had already flew north, this was a damn fine total. If you do eBird , there’s a pretty good chance you were birding somewhere on May 13th. You may have birding from the window of your home, you may have been counting birds at a local wildlife refuge, you may have been counting birds on a feverish run from one end of a state to the next. MORE
West Virginia Related Topics 
Critter News
MARCH 6, 2010
Why would this West Virginia University project be the recipient of federal stimulus money? From West Virginia Metro News. Tags: west virginia university animal research Obama tax dollars us Thanks to your tax dollars, federal stimulus money is being used to build a $14.5 million dollar research lab. It is the largest grant thus far under the stimulus package. It will house rodents for use in experiments.
Critter News
NOVEMBER 29, 2008
Overlooked this one. Another nasty farm animal abuse story. Whatever you think about PETA, I admire them for exposing this crap. It's even got Chuck Jolley from the Cattle Network riled up. Bottom line: If you’re running a business where you allow the kinds of shortcuts that let animal abuse happen, please sell it and leave the industry now. Find another line of work. If you’re caught by PETA or HSUS, please do not plead ignorance and vow to clean it up. It will be too late.
10,000 Birds
MARCH 27, 2021
During migration, they occur in more places, I bet that golden-hooded bird with a rainforest mixed flock was on its way to Virginia or Alabama or wooded swamp in some other part of its ancient range that used to bear witness to the double knocks of Ivory-billeds.
10,000 Birds
OCTOBER 27, 2018
North Bend State Park, West Virginia. Strong populations of birds reside in the hardwood forests and dense understories in this north-eastern location of West Virginia. Sky Meadows State Park, Virginia. Known as a warbler haven, 30+ species visit this bi-state park near the Kentucky and Virginia southern border. Leaves and birds in the Appalachian Mountains.
10,000 Birds
SEPTEMBER 26, 2020
If they don’t feel like it, they can just keep going and fly over a place the size of West Virginia in a day.
10,000 Birds
OCTOBER 16, 2019
My home state of Michoacán, Mexico is smaller than West Virginia. Warning: Any and all flycatchers shown in this post may be misidentified. Cut me some slack. These are the Empidonax flycatchers we are talking about here. Dear North American birders: You know them. You fear them. You have probably misidentified them. These are the dreaded Empidonax flycatchers, a genus as difficult as any we are likely to see on our continent.
10,000 Birds
OCTOBER 26, 2019
It wasn’t the highest list for a country but given that Costa Rica is the same size as West Virginia and that a high percentage of possible species were found, it’s still impressive. Global Big Day (GBD). This biggest day of eBirding kicked off in earnest a few years ago. The idea was to see how many birds could be collectively identified by folks anywhere and everywhere. Go birding, eBird the results and see what happens!
10,000 Birds
NOVEMBER 13, 2018
Virginia (122), New Mexico (112); Texas (106); Colorado (106), and Pennsylvania (102). Some states have no species at all, not even a pigeon, crow, or sparrow: Hawaii , Utah , Nebraska , Oklahoma , Minnesota , Iowa , Wisconsin , Kentucky , West Virginia , Mississippi , Alabama , Connecticut , and Rhode Island. West Virginia ranks 44th, Hawaii ranks 45th, and Rhode Island ranks 48th.
10,000 Birds
JUNE 22, 2019
Although the country is around the same size as West Virginia, 39 species of diurnal raptors are on the list. The tropical habitats of Costa Rica are home to a surprising number of raptor species. The three huge eagles are lottery winner rare and the Orange-breasted Falcon has never been documented for the country but the rest are seen here and there on an annual basis. However, that healthy suite of hawks, kites, and forest-falcons comes with an ironic footnote.
10,000 Birds
SEPTEMBER 9, 2016
A jay born and raised in New York State may winter in Alabama, Kentucky, West Virginia, or Tennessee, depending on its taste in barbecue. Many aspects of fall migration are not calculated to appeal to a bone-idle birder such as myself. The warblers are confusing. The raptors are confusing and distant. The shorebirds are confusing AND distant AND you will probably fall into quicksand and die. Far better just to stay inside and write about birds! But that’s sort of cheating.
10,000 Birds
DECEMBER 2, 2013
Birders in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, West Virginia, Indiana, Minnesota, North Dakota, Maryland, and Virginia are all enjoying Snowy Owls , but none as much as the North Carolina birders, who are enjoying their first and second Snowy Owls in thirteen years. Snowy Owl in Queens, New York, 1 December 2013.
Animal Ethics
MARCH 12, 2008
To the Editor: Re “ To Revive Hunting, States Turn to the Classroom ” (front page, March 8): Shame on West Virginia if it approves a bill that allows hunting education classes in public schools to become law. We should not use public schools to try to reverse the inexorable decline in the “sport” of hunting. The killing and maiming of animals for sport is a cruel and violent activity that is the antithesis of what schools should be teaching.
10,000 Birds
MARCH 4, 2017
It’s a fine selection of birds for a place the same size as West Virginia but it also comes with a catch commonly found in tropical forest ecosystems. What birder doesn’t get excited about raptors? Sort of like the mega birds, these aren’t your average worm-eating, seed-feeding, chirping guys with brightly colored plumage. Instead of being “little brown jobs”, most are large, in charge, and always ready to sink their talons into prey.
10,000 Birds
JUNE 10, 2011
My real goal is to talk to the local people, and to let them know how much we love coming to their part of the world—whether that’s Woodworth, Nort Dakooootah, or Muddlety, West Virginia or Moose Jaw, Maine, or Salmon Shin, Alaska. I’ve been to a lot of birding festivals—sometimes as a speaker, sometimes as a trip leader, and sometimes just because I love going to birding festivals.
10,000 Birds
NOVEMBER 5, 2019
Birds of the West: An Artist’s Guide presents both sides of the artistic equation–lovely prints and water colors of 88 (or so) North American birds of the Pacific Northwest; commentary on how the author/artist created the images; and lessons on how to draw and paint birds in various media. 17); he was born in West Virginia and spent most of his life and career in Cincinnati. Birds of the West: An Artist’s Guide.
10,000 Birds
AUGUST 8, 2015
That’s not as daunting as one might think when you have a 900 plus list of possibilities in a place the size of West Virginia. It’ s August but there aren’t any lazy, late summer, hazy days down here. The wet season is still in full effect and that translates to dynamic birding in every habitat. Bring an umbrella because you will probably need one, but bring the binoculars too because you will definitely need those.
10,000 Birds
OCTOBER 11, 2011
From the Cerulean Warbler whose home will not be removed by dynamite in West Virginia to the Greater Prairie Chicken who will be hatched on a restored prairie sponsored by a new company who understands for the first time that birders care about birds. Timothy Barksdale is a birder, Prairie Chicken documentarian , and wildlife videographer well-known for his stunning Adventures with Birdman.
10,000 Birds
JANUARY 7, 2017
Similar in size to West Virginia, thanks to a bunch of different major habitats, rain, and tropical biodiversity, it’s pretty easy to top 300 in a week or two, and even identify 500 over the course of three weeks. Are you on your way to Costa Rica? Planning a trip for later this year? Good choice, the birding is fantastic! If not, I hope the following tips will convince you to come on down to this easy birding paradise: 100s of bird species are closer than you think.
10,000 Birds
FEBRUARY 4, 2017
I reside in Costa Rica, the country is roughly the same size as West Virginia, but I rarely make it to some parts of this birdy nation. In large part, my lack of full birding national coverage stems from another feature shared with the state that harbors the New River gorge, and one that helped create conditions that can result in mega diversity.
10,000 Birds
JULY 8, 2016
A few weeks ago I joined a group of bird lovers to go out to a little clearing in the woods of West Virginia and watch the skydance of the American Woodcock. Amy Evrard has a PhD in social anthropology from Harvard University and loves to write about human relationships with nature. But that makes her sound awfully stuffy.
10,000 Birds
APRIL 27, 2019
To give an idea of what I mean by “birdy”, although Costa Rica is similar in size to West Virginia, more than 920 species have been recorded within the borders of this southern Central American country. Costa Rica is a small yet very birdy country (readers may have gotten that impression on previous posts I have written for 10,000 Birds, at least I hope that has been the case!).
10,000 Birds
OCTOBER 24, 2014
We let a one-eyed Bald Eagle go after a year of battling state officials in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana and Kentucky. So I asked seven wildlife rehabilitators, “Tell me your favorite (or one of your favorites) release story – the kind that makes you keep going, in spite of everything.”. “A
10,000 Birds
JANUARY 16, 2015
I stood watching the expressions of the kids, some of whom had been birding since they were four, some whom had a couple of years under their belt; listening to them compare the songs of Wilson’s and Arctic Warblers, describe efforts to save the Delmava fox squirrel, state that in certain areas of West Virginia you can see giardia in a drinking glass with your naked eye, and comment on each other’s cameras. “In
10,000 Birds
APRIL 4, 2011
Happy New River Birding Festival attendees moments after adding Swainson’s Warbler to their life lists The New River Birding & Nature Festival is in the mountains of south-central West Virginia. We go back each June just to watch the cloud mountains forming in the West and the prairie wind running its fingers through the native grassland.
10,000 Birds
MAY 27, 2017
Given that the country is the same size as West Virginia, and most of the migrants had already flew north, this was a damn fine total. If you do eBird , there’s a pretty good chance you were birding somewhere on May 13th. You may have birding from the window of your home, you may have been counting birds at a local wildlife refuge, you may have been counting birds on a feverish run from one end of a state to the next.
10,000 Birds
MAY 17, 2011
No, my rational mind took over–it was a Mourning Warbler , and I’ve known that song since my early birding days in the West Virginia highlands. Note: This is an account, originally published in June 2006, of my quest to remove a jinx bird from my bird-watching soul. I am sharing it again here, at the request of Corey Finger, who takes some sort of sick pleasure in seeing other birders squirm and suffer under the weight of their obsession with life birds.
10,000 Birds
FEBRUARY 4, 2014
Is there a birder in the United States who is not familiar with the art of Charley Harper?
Animal Ethics
NOVEMBER 29, 2006
However, 12 states, namely, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming and Wisconsin [Imagine, The Dairy State doesn't protect a woman's right to nurse!],
10,000 Birds
DECEMBER 22, 2018
Just when a birder thinks that a list of 920 plus species is big enough for a place the size of West Virginia, a few more fly into the local birding scene. The end of another year is nigh. In Costa Rica, we know it by way of windy nights with clear skies, slightly cooler temperatures, and an abundance of festivities featuring carnie rides, prancing horses, and parades.
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