10,000 Birds

JUNE 11, 2015

The Feral Pigeon and the House Sparrow came the day after, when in the lush green oasis of the Sanitas nursery tea garden I noticed the announcement of the next meeting of the Botswana Bird Club. Under that impossibly blue sky of Africa. Waders were represented by Kittlitz’s Plover , Ruff , Wood Sandpiper , Avocet and Black-winged Stilt.

Africa 248

Africa Botswana Europe Birds 248

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 24, 2020

But the strangest bird was a duck, one that I have never seen before, that does not even inhabit Europe (apart from feral birds), and yet, somehow strangely familiar (probably not that much of a surprise after a lifetime of snooping through field guides). So I watched an unknown duck now, quite bright, clearly a male.

Chile 306

Chile Argentina Serbia Raised 306

10,000 Birds

MAY 13, 2022

Lesser Whistling Ducks are “not threatened by hunting as they are not considered good to eat” ( Wikipedia ). Lucky ducks. If you take a feral pigeon, bleach it and then batik it using the right colors, the result might be a Pink-necked Green Pigeon (1). Plus hopefully, you will be arrested for mistreating animals.

Singapore 263

Singapore Birds Zebras Feral 263

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 29, 2014

Ditto for the feral Muscovy Ducks , though they are a bit less nice. The most likely bird would be Fulvous Whistling-Duck which I tried for and dipped on last year thanks to the refuge that was good for them being closed for hunting on the day that I made the attempt. Nanday Parakeets are nice , but introduced.

2015 239

2015 Wildlife Florida Honduras 239

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 15, 2015

Like Tufted Ducks, or coots. A decisively non-ruddy Ruddy Duck, a rare winter visitor from nearby feral populations. Grey: A lake on an overcast day. Now, some species don’t require the sun as they always look the same. Shapes of grey count = 19. Shapes of grey count = 20.

Germany 198

Germany Feral Ducks Suffering 198

10,000 Birds

JUNE 19, 2011

These waste water treatment plants offer the perfect environment to bird-life due to the fact that water is constantly available and is fenced for further protection from feral animals. Broome Poo Ponds maintain the golf course greens as well as keep a lot of Plumed Whistling-Ducks happy! Happy ducks in Broome in June!

Feral Animals 201

Feral Animals Australia Feral Ducks 201

10,000 Birds

APRIL 1, 2012

During such a visit, one would normally just write down the numbers for the “better” duck species, for all the shorebirds, and for a few selected songbird and raptor species. The rest would be uncounted and not put down in the notebook.

Germany 224

Germany Birds Ducks Feral 224

10,000 Birds

APRIL 17, 2011

They had to close their Poo Ponds to tourists/birders recently due to a feral dog problem, but this has been addressed and access is now possible. Previously we had hundreds of Plumed Whistling-Ducks , but the remaining ducks were very few. We are not allowed into our ponds, so they are very lucky in Alice Springs.

Feral 150

Feral Ducks Dogs Family 150

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

In front of us, the river is two miles wide… and it is paved with birds: smaller groups of Greater White-fronted and Greylag Geese , numerous Mute Swans and Mallards , plus Eurasian Teals , Gadwalls , Common Pochards , a few Ferruginous and Tufted Ducks , Common Goldeneyes and several Smews. Watch for the dark beaks.” Yeah, right.

Geese 189

Geese Boars Hunting Serbia 189

10,000 Birds

JUNE 12, 2014

Ferruginous Duck – year round. Black-crowned Night and Purple Herons – spring/summer. Black Stork – spring/summer. Eurasian Spoonbill – spring/summer and mild winters, too. Garganey – late winter to summer. Greater Scaup – winter. Common Scoter – winter. White-tailed Eagle – year round (breeds inside the city).

Serbia 218

Serbia Eagles Sparrows Falcons 218

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 13, 2013

Its numbers are declining rapidly due to feral cats and this duck is currently listed as vulnerable. This bird is the Eaton’s Pintail , a bird so remote that only a precious few explorers and scientists have ever laid eyes on one in the wild. Eaton’s Pintail by N.

South Africa 247

South Africa Birds South America Feral Cats 247

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2020

You may notice a few non-commital “sp” entries and/or a few domestic/feral/hybrid forms. Wood Duck (Aix sponsa). Eastern Spot-billed Duck (Anas zonorhyncha). American Black Duck (Anas rubripes). Mallard x American Black Duck (hybrid) (Anas platyrhynchos x rubripes). Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris).

2020 166

2020 Sparrows Niger Woodpeckers 166

10,000 Birds

MARCH 4, 2019

One massively negative aspect of birding Tybee Island is the sheer volume of feral cats and outdoor cats. I spotted an occasional Northern Gannet well offshore but no movements of ducks at all except for a single distant flock of scaup heading north on my first day there. I hope not! They are everywhere!

Georgia 203

Georgia Cats Neutering Feral Cats 203

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2011

Feral geese run the gamut from pure white to almost entirely gray or brown. • Explore These Related Posts Tree Swallows Return, It Must Be Spring Stalking a Kiwi Icon Polygynandry and the Alpine Accentor Duck Migration Finally Saw-Whet.Or Get yours today!

Geese 145

Geese 2011 Deer New York 145

10,000 Birds

JULY 25, 2014

During the early 1990s, rumours surrounding the occurrence of a few Egyptian Geese in far north-western Germany emerged, the result of an increasing and spreading Dutch feral population. Why, then, aren’t we seeing vanishing numbers of our native ducks and grebes as soon as the geese move in? Just a peculiarity.

Germany 150

Germany Netherlands Geese Kenya 150

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2011

Every March, hope springs anew that I’ll cross paths with one of these feral fluffballs, but as April ends, so do another year’s delirious dreams. • Explore These Related Posts Great Horned Owl Taking a Deer Leg Tree Swallows Return, It Must Be Spring Stalking a Kiwi Icon Polygynandry and the Alpine Accentor Duck Migration.Or

2011 200

2011 Deer Owls New York 200

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 8, 2018

After a quick run to the coast where I picked up a bunch of new year birds (and saw a Feral Pigeon on my way for my first bird of the year ) I headed to Crocheron Park where the tanager, I presumed, was the sole survivor of the original winter rarity trio of Yellow-breasted Chat , Wilson’s Warbler , Western Tanager.

Ducks 105

Ducks Litter Feral 2017 105

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

Ferruginous Duck – Aythya nyroca. Tufted Duck – Aythya fuligula. Feral Pigeon – Columba livia. Northern Pintail – Anas acuta. Eurasian Teal – Anas crecca. Red-crested Pochard – Netta rufina. Common Pochard – Aythya ferina. Common Goldeneye – Bucephala clangula.

Owls 120

Owls Greece Serbia Woodpeckers 120

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2019

But come spring, an even luckier few may even find a fellow survivor of their own kind with whom to start a family, unwittingly causing contentious debates among birders about the countability of established feral populations in the process.

North America 113

North America Vermont America Farmed Animals 113

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2015

ANATIDAE (DUCKS). White-faced Whistling Duck ( Dendrocygna viduata ); Kasane, Botswana, 1 January. Lesser Whistling Duck ( Dendrocygna javanica ); Singapore Botanical Gardens, Singapore, 25 February. White-backed Duck ( Thalassornis leuconotus ); Wakkerstroom, South Africa, 22 February. Numididae (Guineafowl).

2015 215

2015 South Africa Botswana Singapore 215

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 4, 2020

White-faced Whistling-Duck – Dendrocygna viduata. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck – Dendrocygna autumnalis. Muscovy Duck – Cairina moschata. Wood Duck – Aix sponsa. Mandarin Duck – Aix galericulata. African Black Duck – Anas sparsa. Yellow-billed Duck – Anas undulata.

2019 224

2019 Chile Texas Sanctuary 224

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2019

Plumed Whistling-Ducks , Hardhead, Black Kites, Australian White Ibis and Silver Gulls flew over the bay. All indications are that it was a feral or domestic cat that had caused its demise. There were a lot of birds about at this early hour and we were very surprised to see seven Magpie Geese fly by. We were absolutely devastated.

Australia 137

Australia Litter Geese Cats 137

10,000 Birds

MARCH 17, 2013

The Silver Gulls, Caspian, Gull-billed and Whiskered Terns were further away and the variety of ducks was incredible. We saw more variety of ducks here than anywhere else in Queensland and it included Musk Duck, Freckled Duck, Pink-eared Duck, Blue-billed Duck and Hardhead. Feral pigs. Turtle shell.

Feral 166

Feral Pelicans Pigs Ducks 166

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 18, 2012

Every pond had plenty of Pacific Black Ducks , a species that is almost extinct in New Zealand due to hybridisation with the introduced Mallard, but is still thankfully common here in Australia. The other common duck species is the Hardhead , a local species of diving duck, but the rarest species (of which I saw only one) is the Musk Duck.

New Zealand 184

New Zealand Ducks Australia Japan 184

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 19, 2020

There is a water trough for the dairy cows, but sometimes the Pacific Black Ducks take advantage of the trough! Pacific Black Ducks. There is a family of feral foxes that I often encounter near Bennison Creek. A small dam usually offers Australian Wood Duck and Magpie-larks. Bennison Creek Bridge. White-eared Honeyeater.

Fox 170

Fox Feral Ducks Horses 170

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 30, 2012

We were surprised to hear Plumed Whistling Ducks fly over our home as we spoke to them, so we were on to a good day! We were able to top up the list nicely there with several duck species and Royal Spoonbills, Australian Pelicans, Yellow Wagtail and a pair of Black-tailed Native-hens. Such are the vagaries of birding!

Feral Cats 128

Feral Cats Zebras Feral Ducks 128

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 8, 2017

Ducks were also well represented by Pacific Black Ducks and Australian Wood Duck. Black-fronted Dotterels , Magpie-larks and Willie Wagtails ran along the muddy edges where there was evidence of feral pigs. Australian Wood Duck.

Ducks 100

Ducks Pigs Zebras Feral 100

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 19, 2014

Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula : Lahnaue Wetzlar, HE, Germany, 14 Jan. Feral Pigeon Columba livia f. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos : Parc Ornithologique Pont de Gau, Provence, France, 2 Jan. Common Teal Anas crecca : Lahnaue Wetzlar, HE, Germany, 14 Jan. Common Pochard Aythya ferina : Parc Ornithologique Pont de Gau, Provence, France, 2 Jan.

2014 145

2014 France Germany Indonesia 145

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 10, 2011

Feral Turkey are also quite common. As well as this species you might see Black Swans , Canada Geese and of course Mallards and Mallard/Grey Duck hybrids everywhere as well. Other wading types birds you can see less commonly are Pied Stilts and White-faced Herons ; keep your eyes open as you go past wetter areas.

New Zealand 203

New Zealand Birds Thailand Falcons 203