10,000 Birds

JULY 22, 2014

That was a wild cat, a wild Wildcat, the cat that lives in the wild because that is where it is from and where it belongs, at the southern end of its pan-African range that extended at one time well into Europe and Asia. Read what you want about the origin of domestic cats; the genetic evidence is not properly sampled.

Feral Cats 252

Feral Cats North America Feral Cats 252

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

There are a lot of other large Galliforme birds around the world, and before the Spanish were busy conquering the New World, one of these, from Central Asia most likely, was already being imported as a food product and as live birds into Europe. They may have also had hunting dogs with them as well. This is where they got their name.

Turkey 197

Turkey Columbus Spain Fowl 197

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2013

Hornbills are spectacular under any circumstances, but when a pair lands in a bush beside you at eye-level and begin mutual preening , it makes for a spectacular experience. It was easily one of the best birding experiences I’ve ever had, even impressing my nonbirder fiance. You can read more about his experience here.

2013 167

2013 Costa Rica Birds India 167

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2022

Anyway, the story is not quite how I remembered it, to be honest, but fitting enough to describe the almost claustrophobic birding experience in ever-shrinking Nanhui. This is partly due to hunting in China, where about 90% of the species winter (HBW). And it does not even live in reeds.

Raccoons 202

Raccoons Birds Oregon China 202

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2017

The four authors, themselves field ornithologists, conservationists, birders, and writers with years of experience in southeast Asia, researched scientific studies ranging from early 19th-century descriptions of the birds of Java to the latest phylogenomic studies. Where is the Indonesian Archipelago?

Indonesia 120

Indonesia Brunei Malaysia Papua New Guinea 120

10,000 Birds

JUNE 19, 2024

Despite once being endangered due to hunting and pesticides, Bald Eagles have made a remarkable comeback, getting delisted from the U.S. Range: Steller’s sea eagles are endemic to coastal northeastern Asia, inhabiting regions in Russia, Korea, Japan, mainland China, and Taiwan. feet, perfect for their hunting prowess.

Alaska 198

Alaska Eagles Bald Eagle Deer 198

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 19, 2012

Bang Pra is a reservoir and no-hunting area to the south east of Bangkok. I must confess I didn’t fully appreciate it at the time, as the related Australian White Ibis is something of a trash bird in Sydney, but this species is extremely rare in Thailand or for that matter South East Asia.

Thailand 153

Thailand New Zealand Terrapins Asia 153

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

Later, Harry Fuller, President of the Klamath Bird Observatory, led us to an open meadow where we saw a pair of Great Gray Owls hunting in a meadow. The experience, the place, and the bird combine to make this my BBOTY. Larry’s BBOTY – Great Gray Owl. Carlos’s BBOTY – the Nicobar Pigeon.

2014 182

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Penguins 182

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

I’m sure many of you have had similar experiences. I’m wondering as I write if you are shaking your head, uneasy that all these FACTS will interfere with your love of observing owls, an experience that easily borders on the mystical for some of us. They are also hunted. I don’t think so.

Owls 198

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 198