10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2019

It’s that coastline, however, that called me to Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge, an oasis drawing migrating waterfowl like a magnet. Is there anything better for a birder than when the target species are literally everywhere , with nothing to obstruct them? Louisiana, I do so love you for your birding opportunities!

Louisiana 114

Louisiana Wildlife Bald Eagle Geese 114

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 16, 2024

WinGS volunteers visit gull roost sites, counting six key species: Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull and Great Black-backed Gull. One count I undertake every year is the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust’s Big Farmland Bird Count.

Ireland 215

Ireland Turtles Geese Farming 215

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. Click on photos for full sized images.

Wildlife 158

Wildlife San Francisco Sacramento North Dakota 158

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 19, 2017

A few weeks ago I led a field trip to Butte Valley Wildlife Area. It was a destination I had never experienced so I made a few phone calls and got some information from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife agent who actually runs both the Butte Valley and the Shasta Valley Wildlife Areas, which are about 25 miles apart.

Wildlife 100

Wildlife Chipmunks Sparrows Blackbirds 100

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2024

As the tide fell, it exposed sand banks that attracted small parties of garrulous Brent Geese. A party of Dark-bellied Brent Geese , winter visitors from Siberia Brent are abundant along the Norfolk coast, invariably proclaiming their presence with their guttural chattering, so unlike the higher-pitched calls of the Pinkfeet.

Geese 181

Geese Russia Unwanted Breeding 181

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2016

He has visited more than 40 National Wildlife Refuges in 20 states and frequently visits NWRs in his travels, most recently Buenos Aires NWR in southern Arizona. The focus on Malheur is and was appropriate, but we should not lose sight of the significance of the entire National Wildlife Refuge System. The combination is potent.

Wildlife 189

Wildlife Grizzly Bear Puerto Rico Alaska 189

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2014

“Here’s an idea for a blog,” wrote Donna Osburn, a wildlife rehabilitator from Kentucky. It was the height of baby season, I was insanely overworked and underslept, and I did not – I repeat, did not – do waterbirds, except for mallards and Canada geese and wood ducks and swans etc. What’s your best misidentification of a bird?”.

Wildlife 248

Wildlife Wildlife Rehabilitation Pit Bulls Falcons 248

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 8, 2017

Nisqually Wildlife Refuge. Nearly 800 acres of wetlands and tidal flats provide diverse habitat for the local birds, as well as large numbers of migratory species, including thousands of ducks and geese. The last weekend of January found me in the frosty Pacific Northwest, meeting some long over due work and family obligations.

Wildlife 104

Wildlife Seattle Bald Eagle Geese 104

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2018

More than 50 years ago, the Hawaiian Goose (Nene) was one of the first birds listed under the Endangered Species Act, part of the inaugural “ Class of 1967 ”. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed downlisting it from “endangered” to “threatened.”. Due to substantial improvements in its population and its prospects, the U.S.

Endangered Species 101

Endangered Species Species Hawaii 2018 101

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 14, 2015

The distribution of color morphs is unequal in the Snow Goose population, with the maximum number of blue-morph geese occurring in mid-continent breeding and wintering areas 1. I photographed these blue morph Snow Geese at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge where I saw quite a few, including this juvenile (below).

Sacramento 197

Sacramento Geese North America Wildlife 197

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 10, 2019

Last year, I compiled a subjective list of the Top 25 National Wildlife Refuges for Birding. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) manages the wildlife aspects of the unit while another federal agency (in this case the U.S. According to eBird , 340 species have been observed at the “ Hagerman NWR ” hotspot, which ranks as No.

Oklahoma 135

Oklahoma Texas Dallas Wildlife 135

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 22, 2018

Late Saturday afternoon a Tundra Swan was reported from the south end of the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. I watched the swan for awhile, occasionally being distracted by Snow Geese flying over, a Northern Flicker calling from nearby, and other birdy distractions. I didn’t see any of the dabbling ducks dabble.

Jamaica 104

Jamaica Wildlife New York City Ducks 104

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 21, 2012

Cinnamon Teal ( Anas cyanoptera ) pair by Larry Jordan (click on photos for full sized images) Winter is the time to visit the National Wildlife Refuges in California. Fish and Wildlife Service; they serve as resting and feeding areas for nearly half the migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway.” million, according to the U.S.

Sacramento 168

Sacramento Wildlife United States North America 168

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 11, 2016

The best place I could come up with that was within a short drive of my in-laws’ place in Yorba Linda was the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in nearby Irvine, only a quick twenty-minute drive away. The goose flies out early with a flock of Canada Geese so if you want to see it get there at or shortly after dawn!

Sanctuary 101

Sanctuary Wildlife California Ducks 101

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2023

I tried to get a better idea of what exactly the definition of cuckoo-dove is but am still not very clear about it – Wikipedia only offers the rather formal definition “any of several species of bird in the genera Macropygia , Reinwardtoena, and Turacoena of the pigeon family.” But I may well be wrong.

Geese 147

Geese Birds Fish Sparrows 147

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 12, 2019

Most of the estuaries of Puget Sound in Washington State have been developed, but one of the few that remain is the Nisqually River Delta, which was protected as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1974. Nisqually NWR is a major staging area for migratory birds , a wintering area for many ducks and geese, and a breeding area for numerous songbirds.

Washington 233

Washington Portland Birds Geese 233

10,000 Birds

MARCH 30, 2012

Around thirty miles from Missoula in the Bitterroot Valley lies the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge. My specific goal was to see Trumpeter Swans , which, let’s just say it’s lucky that they’re not my new nemesis species – we spotted a group of three from the parking lot as soon as we got out of our cars.

Wildlife 167

Wildlife Montana Bald Eagle Geese 167

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2024

Starting the New Year by trying to see as many species as possible is something of a birding tradition. My diary notes that the New Year dawned grey and windy, but I rose early, walked six miles before breakfast and noted a modest 26 species of birds. One of my more memorable New Year’s days was in the Falkland Islands, back in 1989.

Albatross 209

Albatross Barn Owls Birds Sparrows 209

10,000 Birds

APRIL 9, 2019

A while back, I wrote about an under-appreciated part of the National Wildlife Refuge System : Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs). Although little-known, WPAs provide critical breeding, resting, and nesting habitat for millions of ducks, geese, and swans, as well as shorebirds and grassland species.

Nebraska 146

Nebraska Dissection Geese Ducks 146

10,000 Birds

APRIL 9, 2019

A while back, I wrote about an under-appreciated part of the National Wildlife Refuge System : Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs). Although little-known, WPAs provide critical breeding, resting, and nesting habitat for millions of ducks, geese, and swans, as well as shorebirds and grassland species.

Nebraska 113

Nebraska Dissection Geese Ducks 113

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 29, 2018

The focus of the trip was ducks and we hit a couple of hotspots in central Queens, Baisley Pond Park and Willow Lake Preserve, and then we took a quick stop at World’s Fair Marina to track down a few more species. Waterfowl is defined here as swans, geese, and ducks. Most winters Snow Geese are a gimme when birding Queens.

Geese 111

Geese New York City Ducks Jamaica 111

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 5, 2012

The Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex offers four photo blinds on three of their refuges which can be reserved, two on the Sacramento Refuge, one at Colusa NWR and one at Delevan NWR. This blind in particular is usually good for ducks, geese, waders and shorebirds. This is what blind #2 at the Sacramento NWR looks like.

Sacramento 103

Sacramento Wildlife North America Jordan 103

10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2014

For all that, though, migration here is still largely a water-based show, with the most spectacular signs of springs coming in the forms of ducks, geese, and swans. Several locations in the state, most notably Freezeout Lake, are graced with epic spring migrations of Snow Geese and Tundra Swans as they return north along the Pacific Flyway.

Geese 178

Geese Montana Pelicans Breeding 178

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

For mankind to snatch away a species’ very existence is wrong on so many levels that I can’t begin to explain them. However, despite our best efforts to wipe them off the face of the earth, some of the more vulnerable species have managed to hang on. Fish and Wildlife Service. this species breeds.

Albatross 202

Albatross Endangered Species Bald Eagle Alaska 202

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2022

” are the big questions at the heart of Vagrancy in Birds by Alexander Lees and James Gilroy, an impressive, fascinating book about what ornithologists and wildlife biologists have found out about avian vagrancy so far and their theories explaining this phenomenon. ” and its companion question, “Why is this bird here?”

Compassion 258

Compassion Birds Eagles Science 258

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2024

Late summer 2023 the lakes and ponds had been empty, presumably because the ducks and geese were moulting. After a pleasant morning with ducks, crisp snow and sunshine, we followed the wildlife trail on our way out. My hosts could confidently tick off the species on their life list. I ticked off 9 lifers.

Denver 163

Denver Colorado Ducks Mules 163

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2017

Birders are familiar with the National Wildlife Refuge System, which consists of more than 550 units distributed through all fifty states. National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs), which are managed by the U.S. FWS calls WPAs the “Prairie Jewels of the National Wildlife Refuge System.”. Ding” Darling NWR in Florida.

Factory 117

Factory Ducks North Dakota Nebraska 117

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 28, 2018

This refuge came up as #4 on a recent list of the top 25 National Wildlife Refuges that were featured in a great story here by 10000 Birds own Jason Crotty. While most major estuaries in Washington state have been filled, dredged, or developed, Nisqually River’s has been set aside for wildlife.

Fox 124

Fox Washington Bald Eagle Geese 124

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

The first stop, Summer Lake Wildlife Refuge in central Oregon is without a doubt one of the most important stop overs for migrating birds on the west coats, no matter the species. The first weekend had me visiting my hometown of Lakeview Oregon, and the many different areas that I ran around in as a kid.

Oregon 100

Oregon Geese Wildlife Blackbirds 100

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 16, 2017

In a typical birding year, no other month will bring you that many new species as January. So I walked up and down the paths through subtropical vegetation (if I remember well, with 20+ species of figs alone) looking carefully for a green, pigeon-sized bird with a purple crest and scarlet wings. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Serbia 180

Serbia 2001 Geese Ducks 180

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 11, 2013

It is extremely unusual that we birders can still walk the East Pond of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in November. I saw two other species of shorebird during my walk up and down the east side of the East Pond. What I lacked in species diversity I made up for with good looks. Of course, it wasn’t all Pectoral Sandpipers.

Jamaica 178

Jamaica Geese Ducks Canada 178

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 18, 2016

The nature reserve is really well managed by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust with numerous hides and wheelchair access to much of the reserve. The nature reserve is constantly evolving and although part of it is a former sand quarry it has been carefully developed to encourage wildlife. Greylag Geese in front of Wild Bird Cafe.

Geese 101

Geese Wildlife 2001 Woodpeckers 101

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 21, 2011

Every autumn, tens of thousands of Snow Geese arrive in California’s Sacramento Valley following their long journey from the Canadian Arctic (click on photos for full sized images). Snow and Ross’s Geese winter there in the tens of thousands. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeCKWKGhgR8

South Dakota 152

South Dakota Sacramento Geese Arkansas 152

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

Imagine waking up to the call of thousands of ducks, geese, and every kind of marsh bird you can imagine. Right, smack dad in the middle of Summer Lake Wildlife Refuge. By the time we left, I had recorded one new Lifer, 12 New Year Birds, and a total of 76 species. US species – 175. This shot was taken at 2:00 PM.

Beavers 120

Beavers Mules Blackbirds Oregon 120

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 23, 2013

If constructed properly, these facilities can be not only a boon to birders and other wildlife enthusiasts but an obvious benefit to their local communities. One of the best examples in the world is the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary on the northern California coast. There were House Finches ( Capodacus mexicanus ).

Sacramento 166

Sacramento Sparrows Sanctuary Geese 166

10,000 Birds

MARCH 27, 2015

Since we’ve covered some generalities already, once a month I’ll be exploring how a species, genus, or family of birds got its name, and how those names fit in with our larger understanding of, and relationship with, birds. Images courtesy of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Birds Goshawk names Northern Goshawk'

Falcons 259

Falcons Eagles Meat Geese 259