10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2011

This species is not only usually the earliest, but the most common. What’s remarkable about this species is what we don’t see here: the extremely long migration that this species makes, with some individuals traveling from Sub-Saharan Africa to Greenland and back every year.

Cyprus 145

Cyprus 2011 Deer New York 145

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2011

The countryside too is full of signature European species like European Bee-eaters, European Rollers and Great-spotted Cuckoos … Within a shortish drive of the lodge is an unusual birding spot called Pulo do Lobo or The wolf’s Leap. This is worthwhile to pick up some rocky terrain species and the scenery is stunning.

Portugal 168

Portugal 2011 Deer Africa 168

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2011

There are are presently thought to be five species of kiwi with a possible sixth extinct species, all of which have suffered varying degrees of range contraction since the arrival of humans. Both these tours are for the Little Spotted Kiwi , the smallest species and one now one mainly confined to offshore islands.

New Zealand 142

New Zealand 2011 Deer Namibia 142

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

Frigatebirds (Fregatidae) Five species of frigatebird ply the planet’s tropical skies and seas. Ringer Cormorants and Shags (Phalacrocoracidae) Cormorants are more speciose than other families in the order; 30-40 species range widely on every continent and many islands. Thanks for visiting!

2011 151

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea California 151

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

. “Invasive&# is an ugly word, and ugly consequences have come from many of the explosive range expansions we’re most familiar with, whether of exotic species or even of native species with their normal restraints removed. Especially of all the species that had been introduced to the US.

Montana 132

Montana 2011 Bahamas Deer 132

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 18, 2013

I know I never would have been able to tick a Pileated Woodpecker off my life list had not one of the birders in my party whipped out a phone to play the Pileated’s call. studied how Plain-tailed Wrens and Rufous Antpittas in Ecuador reacted to audio playback of their songs versus playback of general background noise.

Ecuador 188

Ecuador Endangered Species Research Birds 188

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 30, 2014

Sure, I didn’t like it in 2007 when I was doing a (not very) big year in New York and Black-backed Woodpecker would not cooperate for me. But I had seen one in 2006 and I have since seen them twice more so the species never rose to the level of nemesis bird for me. Below I share my five nemesis birds to be.

Costa Rica 188

Costa Rica Hungary Honduras Woodpeckers 188

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 16, 2012

The idea is that some finches from what is now Ecuador ended up on the Galapagos Islands, and subsequently diversified into a number of different forms … they speciated … filling various niches that on the mainland would have been filled by a number of different species.

Tortoises 191

Tortoises Panama South America Culling 191