10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 4, 2015

As I always do on the way home, following a short visit to the San Francisco Bay Area, I take in at least one of the National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) found in the Sacramento Valley. California is blessed with 51 NWRs and Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), second only to North Dakota with 77.

Wildlife 158

Wildlife San Francisco Sacramento North Dakota 158

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2015

Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe today announced as part of Great Outdoors Month the agency is proposing to expand fishing and hunting opportunities on 21 refuges throughout the National Wildlife Refuge System. National wildlife refuges provide premier outdoor recreational opportunities across the Nation.

Fish 143

Fish Wildlife Hunting Louisiana 143

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2019

In other words, eBird is effectively a complete history of my birding experiences. My profile page identifies the states that I have not eBirded, including Nebraska, North Dakota, Michigan, Mississippi, and Vermont. And I will continue my quest to see all of my Top 25 National Wildlife Refuges for Birding too.

Puerto Rico 146

Puerto Rico Virgin Islands Michigan Washington 146

10,000 Birds

MARCH 7, 2016

This is the lesson I learned at the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival back in January when a young birder, Noah Kuck, let me know that he really wanted to see a Carolina Wren. Anyway, the whole experience got me thinking. You don’t know how hard it is to see a common bird until you try to get someone else to see one.

North Dakota 119

North Dakota Birds Florida Wildlife 119

10,000 Birds

JUNE 26, 2012

The water this Northern Pintail is in has human poo in it, which completely ruins the experience of seeing this bird. I know part of the experience of birding is taking in the beauty of the outdoors, but (call me crazy) I’m actually in it for the birds. White Lake, North Dakota. Oh wait, it doesn’t.

San Francisco 207

San Francisco North Dakota Oakland Birds 207

10,000 Birds

MARCH 26, 2013

Indeed, can you truly experience the wonder of nature from the confines of a vehicle? Barbed wire fences are terrible for wildlife, snaring large birds and mammals alike…but for smaller passerines, they sure make good perches. Many of you have driven the auto tour loops that are at many National Wildlife Refuges.

LACS 134

LACS North Dakota Costa Rica Idaho 134

10,000 Birds

MAY 26, 2011

I imagine these explorers had the same reaction as the Lewis and Clark expedition as they moved from the tallgrass prairies of North Dakota and Montana into the northern Rockies of western Montana. I learned early and often when I moved to Colorado that a birder will have to up their physical ante to experience some of these birds.

Colorado 135

Colorado North Dakota Montana Puffins 135