10,000 Birds

APRIL 15, 2020

After being home for just over a month, I’ve been doing two things to keep my birding sanity. Firstly, I’ve been birding the heck out of our backyard, and encouraging people to do the same (both here and elsewhere ). Along the track, the shimmering scarlet gorget of a Hunter’s Sunbird shone like a beacon.

Kenya 221

Kenya Owls Ostriches Hunters 221

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2014

It took me a while to wrap my mind around the concept of Birds and People , Mark Cocker and David Tipling’s book that, in 592 pages, explores the intersection of just that—birds and us. Nor have I overlooked “sightings” of birds in movies mouthing other birds’ calls. I’m not sure why.

Egypt 207

Egypt Birds Albania Eagles 207

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 11, 2012

Originally a hunting term, the Big Five were the most dangerous and prized targets of the great white hunters on safari. As visitors’ and the public’s interests expanded from the Big Five, and an appreciation for lesser mammals, birds and smaller wildlife has became more widespread, the term Little Five was coined.

Buffalo 197

Buffalo Rhinoceros Leopards Elephants 197

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2012

The topic was the concept of humans as predators, or hunters, or really, eaters of meat, and I was discussing the many ways in which people misconceived this notion. This allowed them to carry out experiments such as giving some bones to the hyenas to see what they would look like after being munched on for a while.

Humane 165

Humane Lions Buffalo Butcher 165