10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 13, 2014

Not that long ago, Costa Rica had one of the highest deforestation rates in the world, rainforests were razed to make way for hot and chiggery cattle pasture, and bot flies probably became more numerous than some bird populations.

Costa Rica 270

Costa Rica Species Panama Falcons 270

10,000 Birds

JULY 10, 2014

In the breeding season, some 50 species were recorded here, including Little Bittern and Golden Oriole , both unusually easy to see, as well as Ferruginous Duck , Red-backed Shrike and Penduline T**s that bred here this spring – but all I managed to see was their nest ( again ) and not the inhabitants!

Serbia 247

Serbia Stray Dog Botswana Protection 247

10,000 Birds

JUNE 4, 2020

Parasites penetrate the skin, travel through the blood vessels and finally (if you’re lucky) settle in the urinary tract where they happily breed, doing irreversible damage to it (and if you’re less lucky they might get confused and settle inside your spinal cord or even your brain). Cattle Egret 16. African Fish Eagle 1.

Botswana 260

Botswana Africa 2001 Fish 260

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 13, 2012

That Cattle Egret I found in Somerset County, August 2009? Birds of New Jersey , written by Joan Walsh, Vince Elia, Rich Kane, and Thomas Halliwell, published by New Jersey Audubon Society, was a landmark volume; 704-pages long, it presented results of the 1993-1997 New Jersey Breeding Bird Atlas. No wonder people were excited by it.)

New Jersey 250

New Jersey 2009 Bald Eagle New York City 250

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2015

Although they breed on the west coast of Florida, Snowy Plover is a rare stray to this part of the state. Cattle Egret: 133. Bald Eagle: 6. Shorebirds put on a good showing with a total of 18 species, despite the shrinking number and quality of sites offering adequate habitat. Tricolored Heron: 36. Reddish Egret: 1. Osprey: 26.

Miami 217

Miami 2015 United States Florida 217

10,000 Birds

JULY 20, 2018

Beset by poaching by cattle ranchers, habitat loss, DDT, and lead poisoning (from consuming shotgun pellets embedded in the condor’s carrion fare), populations of this enormous New World vulture fell into a serious decline in the twentieth century. A portion of all draft and bottle sales of Condor Kolsch will be donated to these programs.

California Condor 150

California Condor Oregon California Zoos 150

10,000 Birds

MARCH 31, 2019

We were met by several Cattle Egret in beautiful breeding plumage feeding on the grass right next to the train station. It was a good location to observe Brahminy Kites , White-bellied Sea Eagles , Grey-headed Fish Eagles , Oriental Pied Hornbills and Dollarbirds. There was something “not right” about it.

Singapore 127

Singapore Transported Boars Malaysia 127

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2021

Before we reached the plains there was roadkill and we observed three Wedge-tailed Eagles in a tree. It is not unusual to see Wedge-tailed Eagles around Broome, but rarely three all together. Three Wedge-tailed Eagles. They are no doubt breeding here once again this year. They are quite possibly here to breed once again.

Geese 264

Geese Eagles Australia Cattle 264

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 3, 2013

In short, the accepted view used to be that a small breeding population of Egyptian Vultures inhabited Southern Africa, but has vanished facing the spread of towns, roads and farms. In the 1970s we had two to four breeding pairs, in the 1980s one to two, in the 1990s it was zero to two (irregular breeding).

Sudan 252

Sudan Macedonia Botswana Serbia 252

10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2022

I should have known that birding High Island meant I would be 20 minutes away from a place where hundreds of thousands of shorebirds and waterbirds rest, feed, breed, and generally have a good time. I love American Avocets and I rarely see them in such marvelous breeding plumage, so I was in heaven. Clapper Rail. Back to the Flats.

Houston 264

Houston Texas Sanctuary Sparrows 264

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 17, 2017

There was a Short-toed Eagle ahead, taking flight to be replaced by another ST Eagle. In my homeland, some 800 km / 500 mi further north, these ducks are common on migration but very rare in the breeding season and I realized that these are my first young birds – ever. Lesser Kestrel. Western Rock Nuthatch. Eurasian Spoonbills.

Greece 214

Greece Killing Pelicans Eagles 214

10,000 Birds

MAY 22, 2022

Quite often there are Australian Pelicans , Brolga and Royal Spoonbills present and the egret species often include Great Egret , Intermediate Egret , Little Egret and Cattle Egret. Although we have never observed Painted Snipe at this location, they were recorded breeding here in 1960 and 1961. Purple Swamphens. Black-necked Stork.

Geese 262

Geese Ducks Breeding Cattle 262

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2013

The Cherokee nation called them “Peace Eagles” owing to the fact that they never killed a living thing – and also that they tended to show up in numbers after battled when peace treaties were being signed, though admittedly that may have been for a slightly more macabre reason.

California Condor 236

California Condor Turkey North America Jordan 236

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 26, 2020

Continuing along the rail trail I soon add a Wedge-tailed Eagle , Spotted Dove , Striated Thornbills , Varied Sittellas , Eastern Spinebill and Grey Shrike-thrush. Two Australian Magpies had discovered a Wedge-tailed Eagle roosting at the top of a very tall tree. Wedge-tailed Eagle. Two Cattle Egrets with four cows!

Buffalo 235

Buffalo Fish Koalas Cattle 235