10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 23, 2015

Upon arrival we were given strict and non-flexible rules: never go even one inch off the ice paths, never allow the tiniest piece of litter to escape, never interact in any way with the wildlife, and cause absolutely no environmental damage. But, he continued, some – but not all – of the researchers drove him nuts.

Collecting 240

Collecting Wildlife Rehabilitation Solomon Islands Texas 240

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 10, 2012

Photo by Adam Riley (Rockjumper Birding Tours) Despite initial appearances, these birds are in fact very large passerines (13-16 in) and research has shown them to be an ancient basal offshoot from the passerine evolutionary tree. Gray-necked Picathartes foraging in leaf-litter on the forest floor in Korup National Park, Cameroon.

Sierra Leone 274

Sierra Leone Ghana Cameroon Equatorial Guinea 274

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2013

For birders, it’s the extremely large book, shelved in a place where it can’t crush the field guides, used to research the history of a bird in their area. It turns out that the reclaimed mines work well as habitat for the sparrow because they collect a layer of leaf litter, a key nesting requirement.

Pennsylvania 258

Pennsylvania Breeding Sparrows Birds 258

Animal Person

DECEMBER 21, 2009

On a very quiet night during a lull in the drama of the ducks, I was researching the Greyhound racing industry, and seething over its treatment of dogs as well as the support it often gets, through subsidies, to help it survive. I followed his call, but so did Emily The Hunter. Lucky for Kermie, she was otherwise occupied.

Greyhounds 100

Greyhounds Dogs Ducks Litter 100