10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2021

One bird species that we occasionally observe around Broome is the Yellow-billed Spoonbill, but we had not seen one for a few years until recently. We soon observed several bird species and then a Yellow-billed Spoonbill flew overhead. They are widespread throughout Australia , but it does not mean you necessarily easily observe them.

Breeding 242

Breeding Australia Cattle Family 242

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2022

According to a bird guide published in 1911, “Competent authorities have proposed to divide the world, biologically, into two parts – Australia and the rest of the world, and they have considered Australia the more interesting part.” The species was bred at the zoo of Memphis, Tennesee ( source ). ” ( source ).

Australia 147

Australia Parrots Birds Memphis 147

10,000 Birds

APRIL 25, 2022

It has been more than 5 years since I last went to Australia, and I was even less of a qualified bird photographer then than I am now. So, the basic idea is to show 15 species of Australian birds in each post and give you the usual trivia about them. And that seems to be the only vaguely satisfying thing left to do at the moment.

Australia 191

Australia Koalas Parrots Birds 191

10,000 Birds

JUNE 7, 2020

We don’t know how many eggs were originally laid due to the height of the nest. It is always rewarding to observe successful breeding in wildlife and we are fortunate here in Broome that so many bird species breed around the area. We have been keeping an eye on a Whistling Kite nest that is very high up in a tree.

Breeding 182

Breeding Australia Eggs Wildlife 182

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2014

The obvious choice was the Mallard , that plucky familiar northern hemisphere species that is the father of the even more familiar domesticated duck. In fact, as the species was quickly identified as as creating hybrids with Grey Ducks, the opinion was by the 1920s that the species shouldn’t be released further.

Species 167

Species New Zealand Ducks Game 167

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 29, 2022

” Funny how the difficulty of breeding a species can be illustrated in simple monetary terms. But that may have helped me to see them – the species is quite nomadic and settles wherever there is rain. Ok, back to the (presumably non-sacred, certainly non-mummified) Australian species. In a paper published in 1938 (!),

Australia 147

Australia Birds Sheep Zebras 147

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2011

The most common species we see are the Stoke’s Sea Snake Astrotia stokesii , Dubois’ Sea Snake Aipysurus duboisii and the Olive Sea Snake Aipysurus laevis. Carpet Shark washed up Carpet shark being returned to the sea I hope you have enjoyed this little insight into our varied wildlife here in the north of Australia.

Australia 151

Australia Sharks 2011 Deer 151

10,000 Birds

JULY 21, 2022

The one bird I did not see here, however, was the Bateleur Eagle … One highlight in the area is the Saddle-billed Stork , likely to be the tallest species in the stork family. The African Spoonbill is one of the six global spoonbill species, and the main African one (there are also some Eurasian Spoonbills in Africa).

Ostriches 147

Ostriches Parrots Eggs Africa 147

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 18, 2022

Every year we observe both egg and chick loss amongst our Pied Oystercatcher pairs along Cable Beach and also in Roebuck Bay during their breeding season. The breeding season starts around the end of June and there are still eggs being laid and chicks hatching, but now these are the second clutches of eggs.

Breeding 147

Breeding Eggs Protection Family 147

10,000 Birds

JULY 17, 2022

Even going on the same route twice a day we have noticed different bird species at different times and every walk is a time to enjoy time together in nature very close to home. Birdlife Australia mentions on their website that the female Mistletoebird builds the nest and incubates, but they will both feed the young. Male Mistletoebird.

Australia 147

Australia Eggs Species Birds 147

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 9, 2014

Over the past few months we have had a variety of Cuckoos calling and looking for a mate and the sound of any Cuckoo in Australia is completely different to the European Cuckoo. The Cuckoos in Australia call shrilly and in a frantic descending or ascending call and often you will only hear the variety of species and not actually observe them.

Australia 172

Australia Eggs Raised Species 172

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 22, 2022

Colorful bills and heads seem quite popular among Letaba’s bird species – see the African Jacana (blue and black) … … the Striated Heron (yellow and blue) … … and the Yellow-billed Stork (yellow and red). The Latin species name vermiculatus (worm-like) refers to the markings on the upperparts.

Zimbabwe 147

Zimbabwe Benin South Africa Birds 147

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

They may be about bird eggs ( The Most Perfect Thing: The Inside (and Outside) of a Bird’s Egg , 2016), or a 17th-century ornithologist ( Virtuoso by Nature: The Scientific Worlds of Francis Willughby, 2016), or How Bullfinches learn songs from humans ( The Wisdom of Birds: An Illustrated History of Ornithology.

Dissection 226

Dissection Birds Europe Eggs 226

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 9, 2021

.” His classes attracted diverse groups of students, often with little scientific background: “Students have to first pass biology, but most come in knowing next to nothing about birds except that they can fly, that they have feathers, and that they lay eggs.”. and from Australia. I got about 50 email responses.

2018 264

2018 Agenda Science Massachusetts 264

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2020

I’ve been fortunate to see two Penguin species in the wild (African and Galapagos) and have dreamed of seeing more–maybe even all!–especially The goal of Around the World For Penguins is simple: Describe the 18 species of penguin and their breeding grounds “from the perspective of a traveller.”

Penguins 278

Penguins Georgia Albatross New Zealand 278

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 23, 2014

When you monitor a species of birds over many years you learn a lot from your observations and you soon become aware of the fact that some birds are just better at parenting than others. There is egg predation, chick loss and sometimes possibly just some “bad parenting”! Three eggs in the nest.

Eggs 165

Eggs Raised Breeding Family 165

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

Once you travel further north from Broome there are numerous opportunities to observe this species and any fresh water body is worth checking. Thankfully the red crest is very helpful in identifying this species. Birding Australia jacanas' They often make a shrill sound in flight and often don’t fly very far.

Australia 162

Australia 2011 Eggs Species 162

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

The first eggs were laid in the first week of July, which is the case each year. The eggs take 28 days to hatch and it is then at least 35 days before the chicks are developed enough to fly and there have been problems with predation as in other years. Pied Oystercatcher sitting on eggs in the nudist area of Cable Beach.

Breeding 159

Breeding Eggs Camels Shelters 159

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 28, 2016

Australian Bustards- Ardeotis australis are one of those birds that you hope to see if you are in the north of Australia and often encounters are accidental as they move quietly through the grass finding food. You are more likely to find them walking than flying and they are the heaviest flying bird in Australia.

Mice 105

Mice Australia Eggs Eagles 105

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

There is a lot of extreme behavior here (and a lot of that behavior takes place in Australia), but this is not simply a collection of the world’s most fantastic bird tales. It’s fascinating stuff. Most of the chapters in The Bird Way focus on one or two scientists who has done extensive research on ‘outlier behavior.’

Science 229

Science Birds Costa Rica Research 229

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2013

In the Kimberley region of Western Australia there are both the Red-browed Pardalote and the Striated Pardalote. The Red-browed Pardalote has a five note call, whilst the Striated Pardalote has a sharp two note call, but both species sound extremely persistent when you hear them. Birding Australia Broome nesting Pardalotes'

Australia 154

Australia Eggs Species Birds 154

10,000 Birds

JUNE 23, 2013

Once again Pied Oystercatcher breeding season is fast approaching in Broome and we can expect the first batch of eggs to be laid within the next few weeks. We have also discovered that they are very rarely successful with the first eggs laid due to predation of either the eggs or the chicks. Sooty Oystercatcher having a shake!

Eggs 175

Eggs Breeding Australia Raised 175

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2022

I do not get too many comments on my blog posts, but it seems that whenever I write about jacanas – whether in Africa, Australia, or Asia – there is an unusually high number of reactions (well, maybe one or two rather than the usual zero) from female readers. This is ok as birds do not have teeth anyway).

Birds 162

Birds South Korea Japan Abandoning 162

10,000 Birds

MARCH 24, 2013

The Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae is Australia’s largest bird standing at up to 2 metres (6 foot 6 inches) tall. They will only breed if the conditions are good and the male will be responsible for nest building and incubating the 6-12 eggs for approximately 60 days. He will then rear the young Emu for up to 18 months.

Australia 180

Australia Investigation Family Eggs 180

10,000 Birds

APRIL 7, 2019

Not only did we observe the bird species most days, but we also had the privilege of observing them at a nest. We were quite surprised by the noise that they made, because it was not too dissimilar to some of the odd sounds a Blue-winged Kookaburra can make in Australia.

Singapore 113

Singapore Seals Eggs Australia 113

10,000 Birds

JUNE 4, 2017

Our recent bush-walking has involved some long muddy walks and are always productive as far as birds and wildflowers go and we have found several species nests. Australian Painted Snipe nest with four eggs. Four eggs in the Australian Painted Snipe nest. Australian Painted Snipe nest. Three swimming Australian Painted Snipe.

Breeding 100

Breeding Eggs Raised 2017 100

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 23, 2015

To the north they are very unlucky with predation before the eggs even hatch out, but to the south the eggs hatch out and then the predation occurs on the chicks. Thankfully with the longevity of this species it appears the population is fairly stable, but this may not always be the case if predation continues at the rate that it is.

Feral Cats 159

Feral Cats Eggs Feral Cats 159

10,000 Birds

JULY 1, 2018

This year is the eighteenth year since we discovered our first Pied Oystercatcher nest on Cable Beach in Broome and it didn’t take us long to realise that they are not at all successful at raising young due to egg and chick predation. Each year we hope for anther success, but so far it has not happened. Pied Oystercatcher nest.

Breeding 100

Breeding 2018 Eggs 2008 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2017

The grass is green, the wildflowers are spectacular and now we have numerous species of dragonfly to enjoy as the season starts to change. Masked Lapwings have been busy breeding for some months now and some may well be on their second clutch of eggs. Masked Lapwing nest with eggs and chicks. Masked Lapwing protecting a nest.

Breeding 100

Breeding Eggs Protection Cows 100

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 30, 2020

Pied Oystercatchers are not a species that we observe flying very often at all. They prefer to walk away from you to lead you away from eggs, chicks or their territory. In about two weeks’ time the juvenile Pied Oystercatcher will have developed its flight feathers and could fly if required.

Eggs 169

Eggs Breeding Family Protection 169

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 1, 2021

With this headline, and my bias, I am tempted to include every bird however I will restrict myself, on this occasion to just three species. Each of these species is an amazing bird and ones that can only be seen, observed, and enjoyed here in Australia. The first two species are related. They are both bowerbirds.

Guinea 263

Guinea Australia Birds Eggs 263

10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2011

We discovered another juvenile not far away, so other species have had their eggs swapped out. There is very little information on this species of bird and it is believed that there are only 1500 in Australia. I noticed a silhouette and we investigated and we got our first Pallid Cuckoo for the year.

Australia 150

Australia Investigation Falcons Eggs 150

10,000 Birds

JULY 15, 2012

There are thousands of shorebirds that visit Broome each year and the majority of them are now in the northern hemisphere hopefully sitting on eggs. Not all of our shorebird species migrate and those that reside here are also currently sitting on eggs, or thinking about laying eggs in the upcoming weeks.

Eggs 215

Eggs Raised Breeding Species 215

10,000 Birds

MARCH 5, 2017

Early in the Wet Season we had noticed the arrival of unusually high numbers of Magpie Geese and they are a species that don’t always make it to the Broome area if it is not a wet year. Both of the female Magpie Geese would have laid their eggs in the same nest and there could have been up to sixteen eggs in the nest at any one time.

Geese 100

Geese Breeding Eggs 2014 100

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2012

All of the pairs that we monitor have lost either their eggs or juvenile birds to predation before they were fledged and are patiently sitting once again on a new clutch of eggs. Sadly it has been a poor season so far and the Pied Oystercatchers are currently on their second attempt at breeding.

Wounded 160

Wounded Eggs Rescue Breeding 160

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2016

We have several of the cuckoo species around the Broome area and all cuckoos are more likely to be heard than seen, but every now and again you get lucky! All other cuckoos lay their eggs in other birds’ nests and let them raise them. At 28-33cm they are one of the larger cuckoos. Pallid Cuckoo.

United Kingdom 100

United Kingdom Raised 2013 Africa 100

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

Australia is a vast country with a very small human population, which mostly clings to the edge of the continent. The lack of people does not mean we have any less extinct or threatened bird species than other countries. Handbook to The Birds of Australia, 1865. Preface,p.xxiv.

Species 175

Species Australia Birds Parrots 175