10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2016

Quite recently, it has started to expand inland, along the river Rhone and to the South of Germany, where it is now an uncommon but conspicious breeder. I’ll start with the Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis. So there you have it: conservative taxonomy leads to unfortunate common names.

Europe 156

Europe Spain Italy Ireland 156

10,000 Birds

MAY 10, 2018

The only unstreaked pipit around here and a characteristic breeder of sand dunes is the Tawny Pipit and this one shows well, holding to the grass edge. They do not build nests, but occupy old nests of Rooks and breed colonially among them. They are rare breeders here, but at least, this species’ numbers are on the increase.

Serbia 158

Serbia Eagles Falcons Breeders 158

10,000 Birds

JUNE 9, 2016

Laight has recorded some 100 species here, including Slavonian (Horned) Grebe and Red-rumped Swallow (the first is a rare migrant/wintering species only, while the second one is an uncommon breeder). This species nests in colonies and may forage up to 6 miles away from breeding sites and the nearest mine pits are some 4-5 mi from here.

Turtles 138

Turtles Serbia Breeding Breeders 138

10,000 Birds

JULY 19, 2024

Only four species breed in Britain – the Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting and Cirl Bunting, but there are rather more in Europe, of which my favourite is the Black-headed Bunting. This is a Balkan special, and a bird I know well from Greece, Bulgaria and Cyprus. It’s easy to explain its upturn in fortunes.

Bulgaria 242

Bulgaria Greece Breeders India 242

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 14, 2023

Very occasionally though, one might stray down the eastern seaboard of the USA, but for the most part, those that breed in arctic Canada migrate towards Europe and swell numbers there during the winter. In this part (sorry Corey) all those tundran breeders seem to have followed the path most flown.

Iceland 258

Iceland Stray Breeders Canada 258

10,000 Birds

APRIL 7, 2020

And then, we are immersed into the history of falconry–the beauty and wonder of these birds and the “art” of training them and hunting with them traveled from Europe to the Middle East, translating eventually into a new sport–falcon racing. He describes how white Gyrfalcons are prized for their beauty and power.

Falcons 257

Falcons United Kingdom Zimbabwe Eggs 257

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 3, 2013

There is a Linnet at Kissena Corridor Park in Queens, and though I bird this park regularly, the Linnet, a bird regularly found in Europe, Asia, and North Africa and also named in a sweet song by Stephen Sondheim (Green Finch and Linnet Bird from Sweeny Todd) has eluded me. I needed a book showing a Linnet. I studied it.

Ireland 181

Ireland 2013 Breeders United Kingdom 181

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2024

If you see a flock of kestrels in southern Europe, then the chances are that they will be Lessers, for the Common Kestrel never flocks, though occasionally in summer you will see a family hunting together. On their breeding grounds in Spain, Lesser Kestrels are very much city birds, for 95% of the population nests in towns.

Falcons 241

Falcons Spain Europe Portugal 241

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2012

Turtle Dove Turtle Doves are a protected species in Britain, in fact the status of Turtle Doves has become of so much concern there is a special project called Operation Turtle Dove created to look at how the huge declines in our British breeding populations might be halted.

Morocco 184

Morocco Turtles Protest Protesting 184

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2019

There had been works on falconry before Frederick’s time: treatises on falconry date back to the 10 th century in Europe, and King Harold of England (of Battle of Hastings fame) reputedly owned the largest collection of volumes devoted to the subject in all of Europe.

2015 113

2015 Italy Falcons Europe 113