10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2024

Black-tailed godwits winter in large numbers on the estuaries of both Norfolk and Suffolk, and we know that nearly all these birds breed in Iceland. They are of the race islandica , a sub species of the nominate race, limosa. In breeding plumage islandica godwits develop a deeper red plumage than their limosa cousins.

Lithuania 130

Lithuania Morocco Iceland Ireland 130

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 3, 2013

Fortunately, I had T he Crossley ID Guide: Britain & Ireland by Richard Crossley and Dominic Couzens on my desk. I knew I would not be seeing the bird in its rosy-breasted breeding plumage, but somehow seeing the bird in all its forms helped crystallize its appearance in my head. I studied it. A miscellaneous pot indeed!

Ireland 189

Ireland 2013 Breeders United Kingdom 189

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2013

I couldn’t wait to give names to all my new species. I tried using the Internet, but found it frustrating for all the usual reasons; websites either didn’t include all species or were difficult to use for identification. Britain’s Dragonflies: A field guide to the damselflies and dragonflies of Britain and Ireland.

Ireland 220

Ireland France Breeding Eggs 220

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2024

Secondly, much of the appeal is that this is a bird we don’t see in the UK very often, for Waxwings are an irruptive species, and in most years only a few ever reach our shores from their breeding grounds in the boreal forests of Scandinavia. I’ve managed to see them, too, on their breeding grounds in Finland in summer.

Finland 246

Finland Estonia Bears Ireland 246

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 4, 2022

All month long we’ll be visiting – in spirits, at least – the rugged Celtic landscapes of Scotland and Ireland where whiskey was born and – with luck – have a look at the birds that inhabit them.

Owls 264

Owls Ireland United States Europe 264

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2013

Raptors (as I’m going to call the book) continues the unique Crossley method of presenting multiple bird images of a species, 8 to 25 photographs, in a one or two-page plate, with a background representative of the species’ typical habitat. Thirty-four species of hawks are covered in the book.

Bald Eagle 255

Bald Eagle North America Falcons Owls 255

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2023

Not a cover species The Black Kite is not actually black, but of course, misleading bird names are not exactly rare. No surprise then that the species is listed as Vulnerable. But then, sanity (or maybe respect for you, the reader) prevailed. Fortunately, they are quite common in Shanghai.

Iraq 130

Iraq Birds China Ireland 130

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2018

Sacrilege perhaps, but unless we’re talking invasive species, snake extirpation doesn’t cut it here at 10,000 Birds. What’s the eBird breeding code for that? Perhaps the mention of a species gives the story a veracity that “bird sp.” Sorry, Patrick. Saint Kevin of Glendalough was a very long-lived saint (498-618!)

Blackbirds 125

Blackbirds Wounded Stray 2013 125

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 7, 2017

The Crossley ID Guide: Waterfowl covers every residential, migrating, vagrant, exotic, and introduced swan, goose, dabbling and diving duck in North America (Canada and the United States): 62 Species Accounts on four swan species and one vagrant subspecies; 15 goose species; 46 duck species; plus accounts for hybrid geese, ducks and exotics.

Ducks 162

Ducks Geese North America Hunters 162

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 10, 2020

But seeing as the month is also bookended by Hogmanay and Burns Night, we’ll gladly take the opportunity to visit– in spirits, at least – the rugged Celtic landscapes of Scotland and Ireland where whiskey was born and – with luck – have a look at the birds that inhabit them. Be sure to bundle up. Let’s go with European Herring Gull.

Ireland 245

Ireland Species Suffering Family 245