10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 16, 2024

Counting the Birds I was in my teens when I undertook my first bird-survey: it was field work for the British Trust for Ornithology’s The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland. The breeding and wintering birds of Britain and Ireland. Published in 1976, The Atlas was, I believe, the very first work of its kind.

Ireland 215

Ireland Turtles Geese Farming 215

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 4, 2016

It also makes it a little intimidating to be doing a review of Britain’s Birds: An Identification Guide to the Birds of Britain and Ireland. Over 3,200 photographs have been used, most showing species in their habitats. So, how do you find the species account for Kestrel if falcons are not placed between woodpeckers and parakeet?

Ireland 142

Ireland Birds Falcons Turtles 142

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 17, 2022

A bit larger than the Netherlands but with less land than Latvia and Ireland, in terms of territory, we rank 126. We might have limited space but we make up for it with a massive amount of biodiversity including well over 900 bird species on the official Costa Rica bird list. The sightings raise several questions.

Costa Rica 211

Costa Rica Latvia Albatross Netherlands 211

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 9, 2023

The 1st edition from 1999 was a complete revolution in just about everything, but predominantly the quality and realism of illustrations, showing what a field guide could be and seriously raising the threshold for other publishers. The section with vagrants has been expanded to accommodate more images and longer texts for several species.

Europe 252

Europe Birds Woodpeckers Ireland 252

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2023

Not a cover species The Black Kite is not actually black, but of course, misleading bird names are not exactly rare. It is mostly a question of economics – raising just one is troublesome enough given the resources required to feed and educate the chick. No surprise then that the species is listed as Vulnerable.

Iraq 130

Iraq Birds China Ireland 130

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 24, 2020

But seeing as the month is also bookended by Hogmanay and Burns Night, we’ll gladly take the opportunity to visit– in spirits, at least – the rugged Celtic landscapes of Scotland and Ireland where whisky was born and – with luck – have a look at the birds that inhabit them. Gilbert: The Famous Grouse.

Sheep 194

Sheep Branding Ireland Fowl 194

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 3, 2013

Fortunately, I had T he Crossley ID Guide: Britain & Ireland by Richard Crossley and Dominic Couzens on my desk. Conceived and authored by Richard Crossley, birder, traveler, and photographer, The Crossley ID Guide: Britain & Ireland is the third book of the series. The description sounded a lot like a House Finch.

Ireland 171

Ireland 2013 Breeders United Kingdom 171