10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2024

Alas, this little lovely perched on a wire just outside the window of the classroom where I was teaching at the moment, so no photos were taken. There is also a family of Barn Owls on the premises, and I have briefly seen the largest of them (enormous!) I confess that I did, however, momentarily lose all concentration.

Barn Owls 245

Barn Owls Mexico Parrots ALA 245

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 25, 2021

The Ala Shan Redstart (which I will not call Przevalski’s Redstart, see my juvenile rants about the evil Mr Przevalski in earlier editions of this blog) is a very attractive bird and – as many attractive birds – listed as Near Threatened. “ Not the bird’s fault, I guess.

China 264

China Austria Birds ALA 264

10,000 Birds

JUNE 23, 2021

The raucous Spotted and Gray-barred Wrens are in the Cactus Wren family. And when you do get it to come within sight (alas, with playback, always), it can be as bold as any other member of this cocky family. We also receive migratory (Northern) House Wrens in the winter.

ALA 209

ALA United States Mexico Family 209

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 14, 2011

Feeding birds is generally regarded as a harmless past-time, a wholesome way for people to share nature and enjoy wildlife with the family. Alas, the Swan Lady died and though her husband vows to continue, who will take up the torch of a ton of corn a day when he dies? She added more corn. So the feeding continue. Your tax dollars?

Bald Eagle 262

Bald Eagle Deer Minnesota 2000 262

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Many Neotropical families and genera have some of their northernmost members here, such as the spinetails ( Rufous-breasted Spinetail ), Tangara tanagers ( Azure-rumped Tanager ), and guans ( Horned Guan ). Alas, our time here was over too soon. This is a fascinating area of transition.

Honduras 252

Honduras El Salvador Costa Rica Arizona 252

10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2024

I felt sorry for an American family that couldn’t understand anything said in our church services, so I started interpreting for them. Alas, these highly unpredictable birds seem to have moved on. So that happened. Interpreting then turned into yet another, rather lucrative, side career.

Turkey 242

Turkey ALA Mexico Collecting 242

10,000 Birds

APRIL 10, 2016

I was back in Florida just last week, in Orlando as part of an annual trip with my wife’s family. But alas, the weather does me no favors on this day. I have yet to see a Short-tailed Hawk. It is here where I’m most likely to pull out a Short-tailed Hawk. So my Short-tailed Hawk dreams are snuffed out before they begin.

Florida 164

Florida ALA Blackbirds Family 164

10,000 Birds

MARCH 31, 2022

Not bad given that the 5 families in the inner circle of the laughingthrush family have a combined number of about 68 species. I can sometimes hear Hwamei singing here in my compound in Shanghai – alas, these are then cage birds, as the species is popular as a caged bird for its singing. This post shows some of them.

San Diego 262

San Diego Malaysia China Zoos 262

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2012

Slaughter Lake does not sound like it would be a nice place to visit but we three Americans, my small family, were blissfully unaware of what Schlachtensee translates to before our expedition there. Alas, my miserable history with the mythical creature continues.

Woodpeckers 163

Woodpeckers ALA Slaughter Slaughtered 163

10,000 Birds

JULY 29, 2021

Back to the Zrenjanin Road and continue another 15 km / 9 mi, and by the end of the Centa village turn into an inconspicuous dirt road leading to the Veliki Alas fish farm (north of the village). We followed that road for several kilometres to find half a dozen Black Kites quartering the fields.

Farming 264

Farming Fish Birds Boars 264

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2023

Alas, one would be wrong – I immediately mixed it up with the rather similar-looking Rufous-bellied Niltava (not shown here). Another member of the magpie family, the White-winged Magpie , makes do with far fewer colors. One would think that a bird looking as distinct as the Fujian Niltava would be unmistakable.

China 264

China Birds Pythons Eagles 264

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

But my family moved to northern California when I was four years old, in 1962, effectively quadrupling my hummer list with the addition of the Anna’s , Rufous , and Allen’s Hummingbirds. Alas, we mostly get females; the males winter along the coast. I was born in Minnesota. This one was on the latter.

Minnesota 155

Minnesota ALA Mexico California 155

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 28, 2024

Called home to the Oregon Coast to operate the family motel, in her free time she leads Tufted Puffin walks and escapes to guide at birding festivals and explore the world as often as possible. The first we went to was a family home with generations of mezcaleros and the process being completed in their front courtyard.

Mexico 239

Mexico Birds Oregon Puffins 239

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 3, 2015

Quetzals on the roadside but to be honest, the overall birding was just as satisfying around Myriam’s; a small diner, cabins, and set of trails through nice high elevation forest run by a very friendly, gracious family. We even heard one sing briefly across the street from the restaurant (alas, it did not come closer for a view)!

Costa Rica 150

Costa Rica Panama Nicaragua Honduras 150

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2018

” OK, we don’t really shout “Yee-haw” in New York, but our profane exclamations are not fit for a family-friendly blog. Alas, we’re still mired in shorebird season, so I’l sally forth once more this weekend in search of the Red Knots and Ruddy Turnstones passing through the Great Lakes.

ALA 100

ALA United States 2018 New York 100

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Alas for the naming of birds that it took place before anyone had the foresight to recognize that the Sharp-shinned Hawk should be called the Mini-Cooper. But such things were not to be.

ALA 100

ALA Woodpeckers Ducks Family 100

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 20, 2013

Alas, I only heard this super cool caprimulgid, but did get buzzed by a swift Malaysian Eared Nightjar. We got good looks at Yellow-breasted , Crimson-breasted , Yellow-vented , and Orange-bellied Flowerpeckers along with more mundane representatives of the sunbird family, Plain Sunbird and Thick-billed Spiderhunter.

Malaysia 211

Malaysia Singapore Monkeys Asia 211

10,000 Birds

JULY 27, 2023

Alas, mine were sub-standard. Like all members of the Nightjar family, the Buff-collared Nightjar hunts for insects on the wing, at night, and rests immobile during the day, protected by its subtle camouflage. With this sighting, I have now seen four of Michoacán’s six members of the Nightjar family.

Bats 130

Bats Mexico ALA 2019 130

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2013

I was attending the 3rd Global Bird-watching Conference in Gujarat and suddenly surrounded not just be species that were completely new, but entire families of birds. Alas, the bird had flown. Alas, this year was the first since Mike started birding that he didn’t see a single lifer. What’s a birder to do?

2013 169

2013 Costa Rica Birds India 169

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 29, 2023

Ever since I was a kid I wanted to learn how to draw, but alas I never made it past the stickman. To accompany this review I have added two of my photos of my favourite bird family, the New world warblers. More precisely I wanted to learn how to draw wildlife. I guess it’s a gift you either have or you don’t.

Woodpeckers 246

Woodpeckers Birds Canada ALA 246

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2017

Can a family-focused trip—even to one of the world’s most biodiverse countries—deliver enough opportunities for avian observation to satisfy this serious world birder? With enough planning, you can enjoy a family-friendly, bird-rich vacation in the Panama Canal zone. If you have kids, you’re probably as curious as I was.

Panama 100

Panama 2017 Monkeys Family 100

10,000 Birds

MAY 26, 2011

For example, I’m headed down to NYC for a full house of family events, which will alas mean no birding. Here in the United States, we’re celebrating Memorial Day and its attending rites of Americana from parades to barbecues. Many of us also get a long weekend, though social obligations often eat up a lot of that time.

ALA 154

ALA United States 2011 Suffering 154

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

The trip was to visit a handful of sites across North Sydney, which was great for me as they were places I could stand to know better and were close to where my family live (and I was staying). Alas, this wasn’t to be our time for that rarity, but the trail certainly delivered honeyeaters. was a Powerful Owl.

Owls 209

Owls Birds Hawaii Neglecting 209

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 3, 2014

The tricky thing for me is that Royal NP is in the south of Sydney, and my family lives in the north of the city. Alas this was not to be, and this species remains one of my nemesis birds. Three visits in, and I’ve only just begun to realise how much I’m missing. But I did see a host of little birds.

Australia 204

Australia Ducks Parrots New Zealand 204

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2022

The campus has a pond (above), partially covered by hyacinths full of Northern Jacanas , where I tried to spot at least one caiman (alas, without success), a botanical garden and manicured grounds (with quite a few Green Ibises ) together with a souvenir shop. Since I wanted to buy some genuine tastes of Costa Rica, we continued to C.A.T.I.E.

Costa Rica 264

Costa Rica Nicaragua 2019 Farming 264

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2020

Alas, Santa María del Monte proved rather disappointing once again. This is a Scoliid Wasp , a family which includes some of the largest wasps in the world. 3) It’s adorable: the plush toy of the family. I finally visited Santa María del Monte again a couple of Mondays ago. I love the attitude of this upside-down Bushtit.

ALA 181

ALA Investigation Family Species 181

10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2011

Alas, for some inexplicable reason, the manky mallards that hand around the boat ramp weren’t around when, for once, I was looking forward to seeing them. Long-tailed Duck by Mike Bergin Tags: best bird , weekend • Camping tents - Check out our pop up tents , family tents , and more!

2011 140

2011 Deer Costa Rica Germany 140

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

Can the whole family live together in harmony during the school holidays? Veliko blato lake NR / Mika Alas fish farm–IBA Uš?e Veliko blato lake NR / Mika Alas fish farm–IBA Uš?e Veliko blato lake NR / Mika Alas fish farm–IBA Uš?e Veliko blato lake NR / Mika Alas fish farm–IBA Uš?e

2018 100

2018 Australia Los Angeles Woodpeckers 100