10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

Long before I moved in New Zealand, or visited or even knew much about the wildlife here, way back then I knew about the Poor Knights. In New Zealand I’d even dived the astonishing Milford Sound in Fiordlands National Park, but I didn’t make it to New Zealand’s most famous dive site until January of 2009.

New Zealand 240

New Zealand Belize Vanuatu Fiji 240

10,000 Birds

JULY 19, 2011

I’m not sure what the collective noun for a group of petrels is, but the vets and wildlife carers of New Zealand might be forgiven for thinking that it might be a wreck after this week. It breeds on the Chatham Islands and some of the islands south of New Zealand, as well as Gough and Tristan da Cunha in the Atlantic.

New Zealand 244

New Zealand Vet Collecting Geese 244

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 29, 2012

Just a quick post today to appreciate one of New Zealand’s most attractive birds, the Paradise Shelduck. This is brought about by a visit to Karori Wildlife Sanctuary/Zealandia, where I was able to catch up with the ducklings that I first saw back in the spring.

New Zealand 194

New Zealand Sanctuary Suffering Ducks 194

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

This makes it a particularly exciting time in New Zealand as the Rugby World Cup begins in two days, and the competition is being held right here in New Zealand (I would imagine they might be more excited if they hadn’t just lost two matches to Australia and South Africa, their big rivals in the Tri-Nations).

New Zealand 157

New Zealand Penguins Sanctuary Fur 157

10,000 Birds

APRIL 6, 2016

As I said last week , I’ve decided to try and knock off a few of the New Zealand endemics and specialities that I haven’t seen before over the coming year, and the first place that sprung to mind was pretty close, just across the Cook Strait in the Marlborough Sounds. Spotted Shags are endemic to New Zealand.

Charlotte 173

Charlotte New Zealand Fur Seals 173

10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2013

Even people with no other interest in wildlife, who couldn’t tell a sparrow from an ostrich (or even a dolphin from a fish) love dolphins. If you love the idea of swimming with dolphins, New Zealand is a great place to do it. Birding dolphins marine mammals New Zealand endemic' Akaroa Harbour.

Dolphins 204

Dolphins Sharks New Zealand Albatross 204

10,000 Birds

APRIL 10, 2013

As we shot out into the ocean we received a lecture on the Kaikoura Canyon, its wildlife and the Sperm Whale from Hayley, a local girl who was our guide. Marine Kaikoura marine mammals New Zealand whales' And we were off, going great guns to get as far out into the trench as possible.

Whales 257

Whales Whaling Albatross New Zealand 257

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2020

–especially when reviewing books like A Field Guide to the Wildlife of South Georgia or Far from Land: The Mysterious Lives of Seabirds. The organization works out quite logically if you are planning a trip to, let’s say, New Zealand. Otto Plantema resides in the Netherlands, is a scientist by trade (he has a Ph.D.

Penguins 279

Penguins Georgia Albatross New Zealand 279

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 31, 2011

When it comes down to it New Zealand is all about islands. As I have explained before these islands are the best place for a lot of the birding here because they are more easily protected from introduced mammals which wreck such havoc on the wildlife here. Red-crowned Parakeet foraging near a New Zealand Fur Seal.

Penguins 165

Penguins New Zealand Parrots Fur 165

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 25, 2012

I live in New Zealand, and while we have some spectacular birds, we don’t have very many. And I don’t know how or where I might get out of New Zealand this year, so it seemed realistic not to expect to beat anyone. On the same walk I got to thinking about birding in New Zealand in general.

2012 189

2012 New Zealand Birds Penguins 189

10,000 Birds

JULY 8, 2015

The house , along with being my home for all that time, was as fine a place to enjoy urban wildlife as any I have ever seen. I had the pleasure of having four yard birds that are globally threatened or near-threatened; the Kaka , Stitchbird , Saddlback and New Zealand Falcon.

New Zealand 157

New Zealand Sanctuary Falcons Wildlife 157

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2017

Mainland island sanctuaries are popular in New Zealand for any number of reasons. Dunedin sells itself as the wildlife capital of New Zealand, in no small part due to its impressive seabird colonies (more of which later this month), but in Orokonui they now have a sanctuary to find rarer forest birds.

Sanctuary 133

Sanctuary New Zealand Pedigree Protection 133

Critter News

DECEMBER 9, 2009

Tags: wildlife smuggling wildlife trafficking reptiles Stupid new zealand lizards.

Trafficking 100

Trafficking New Zealand Reptiles Wildlife 100

10,000 Birds

MAY 15, 2013

While all the posts I see in the blog (when I can bring myself to read it and let’s face it, that isn’t often at the best of times) are about spring and migrants and birds that are so gauche they actually dress in pink, here in New Zealand we are experiencing the start of winter. Don’t mind me.

New Zealand 210

New Zealand Sanctuary Australia Wildlife 210

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 27, 2013

Assuming you have a passing interest in wildlife, or at the least you know someone that does, and chances are in the last week or so you’ve become aware that some lady from America shot a lion. I’ve certainly seen the story plenty in my Facebook news feed, and were I more of a Twitter user I am sure I would have seen it there too.

Lions 242

Lions Killing Hunting Hunters 242

10,000 Birds

JULY 9, 2014

Earlier this year a cyclone blew through New Zealand and uprooted a lot of native trees on government land on South Island. The focus of the Department of Conservation has seemingly been turned from conservation to extracting maximum economic benefit out of New Zealand’s large amount of conservation land.

Rhinos 223

Rhinos Hunting New Zealand Science 223

10,000 Birds

JULY 25, 2018

We were able to find a very nice RV park, just a couple of miles from one of my all time favourite birding hotspots, Billy Frank Jr, Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. You might remember, or maybe not, that the last spot I birded, prior to boarding a plane for New Zealand, was Nisqually NWR, in a snow storm, and -5 ° F.

New Zealand 172

New Zealand Seattle Qatar South Africa 172

10,000 Birds

MAY 9, 2017

Naturally, many wide-ranging seabirds breed in other countries along the vast Pacific, including: Sooty Shearwater (Chile and New Zealand), Pink-footed Shearwater (Chile), Buller’s Shearwater (New Zealand), Flesh-footed Shearwater (Australia and New Zealand), Wilson’s Storm-Petrel (Chile and Antarctica), and Black Storm-Petrel (Mexico and small numbers (..)

Albatross 187

Albatross Hawaii Puerto Rico Chile 187

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 2, 2019

New Zealand Total: 104. John O’Groats Ferry Boat Wildlife Tours – Scotland. Jonnie at the Spurn National Wildlife Refuge, England – accommodations.spurnbirdsobs@hotmail.com. So below is what the year looked, by the numbers: Total Number of Little Big Year Species: 1302. Australia Total: 242. Qatar Totals: 9.

Costa Rica 192

Costa Rica Tucson South Africa Bahamas 192

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

These Blasts From The Past Fighting Over Crumbs Reflections of Ardea Alba Welcome to New Zealand! National Wildlife Week and Quick Links « Zoologirl's Blog Mar 16th, 2011 at 9:59 pm [.] There’s a new bird ID book out that has birders really excited: The Crossley ID Guide: Eastern Birds.

2011 255

2011 Deer Owls New York 255

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2019

Our two newest contributors have shared from Mexico and China, bringing the countries birded this month (also including; Costa Rica, Greece, Serbia, USA, UK, India, UAE and New Zealand) to 10. Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

2019 171

2019 Jamaica Eggs Woodpeckers 171

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 27, 2016

My first ever story for 10,000 Birds was about the wonderful city reserve of Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, here in Wellington, a city that has been my home for 9 years this week. I’m happy in New Zealand, but I do miss London too, and now it seems London is better than when I left.

Geese 100

Geese New Zealand Germany Ducks 100

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 11, 2013

One of the nice things about Christmas in New Zealand is that we get to experience it in the summer, when things are pretty kicking here. Since I started this blog I’ve wanted to do a post on pohutukawa, or New Zealand Christmas tree, and every Christmas I have been away. Birds New Zealand Wellington'

New Zealand 189

New Zealand Hunting Sanctuary Ducks 189

10,000 Birds

APRIL 25, 2018

After nearly 8 weeks here in New Zealand, the sun is setting on our visit. The local New Zealand people, across the board have been the most hospitable, welcoming folks I have ever met. Tuis, and New Zealand Wood Pigeons seemed to be in very tree top, and more and more Stitchbirds showed up, everywhere I went.

New Zealand 170

New Zealand 2018 Groups Australia 170

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 17, 2011

In New Zealand, however, the austral winter is not a particularly strong, due to the strong maritime influence and proximity to the equator. Combined with New Zealand’s isolation this means there are not the strong seasonal shifts in birdlife here that you’d find in an equivalent area in North America or Europe.

New Zealand 113

New Zealand Sanctuary North America Guinea 113

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2012

What I don’t understand is why animal rights organizations almost completely ignore wildlife. Habitat destruction and degradation is far and away the number one reason why wildlife populations are extirpated or go extinct. This makes perfect sense. on a daily basis, both legally and otherwise.

Animal Rights Movement 263

Animal Rights Movement Animal Rights Wildlife Rights 263

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2011

home about advertise archives birds conservation contact galleries links reviews subscribe Browse: Home / Birds / Stalking a Kiwi Icon Stalking a Kiwi Icon By Duncan • March 16, 2011 • 1 comment Tweet Share Most people, if asked, would confidently name what they thought the National Bird of New Zealand was.

New Zealand 203

New Zealand 2011 Deer Namibia 203

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 14, 2011

But the sun woke me up early this morning and I took the opportunity to run down to Karori Wildlife Sanctuary (more correctly Zealandia, snerk!) to see how the nice in theory weather was treating the wildlife. Many plants are in flower, particularly the New Zealand flaxes (genus Phormium ).

New Zealand 237

New Zealand Sanctuary Ducks Wildlife 237

10,000 Birds

JULY 11, 2012

In responding to Suzie’s post defending wildlife rehabilitation I began to think again about the areas in which animal rights and animal welfare overlap with the field of conservation, and the ways in which they don’t. People would often express surprise that I, someone that cared about wildlife conservation, would eat meat.

Animal Rights 270

Animal Rights Rights Animal New Zealand 270

10,000 Birds

MARCH 9, 2011

One bird I apparently heard at the landing (although it didn’t register to me) was the Fernbird , New Zealand’s only Old World warbler (or more accurately megalurid warbler ). Greg the Naughty Takahe ( Porphyrio hochstetteri ) Tags: Destinations , new zealand • Have you seen the cool 10,000 Birds t-shirts?

New Zealand 185

New Zealand 2011 Deer Cats 185

10,000 Birds

JULY 30, 2014

Not forever mind, I’ll still be living here in New Zealand and carrying on as its beat writer here (I may even write about New Zealand again some time). This time I’ll be working with Wildlife ACT in Zululand, helping that NGO monitor wildlife in a range of reserves and parks in the east of South Africa.

Uganda 203

Uganda Sharks New Zealand Africa 203

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 26, 2011

I guess New Zealanders really like flightless birds.) I say almost because that particular distinction actually falls to another New Zealand bird, the Black Robin, of which there were once just four (including just one breeding female). At any rate Kakapo matter. Sirocco than Kakapo being handfed.

New Zealand 240

New Zealand Parrots Sanctuary Sheep 240

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 4, 2020

December’s numbers looked like this; 10 beats visited 11 countries (Bahrain, New Zealand, USA, UK, Costa Rica, China, Mexico, Australia Nigeria, Uganda and Serbia) during December. Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge–East Pond. San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary. San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary. 02 Dec 2019.

2019 241

2019 Chile Texas Sanctuary 241

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 1, 2022

He is a wildlife artist and illustrator who prepared for this job by working for ten years as chief artist on the multivolume Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds (OUP), contributing over 236 color plates–2,434 images–of non-passerines.

Australia 278

Australia 2017 Birds New Zealand 278

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 3, 2014

As New Zealand’s beat writer I think I’ve done an okay job of discussing the birding of an entirely different island for most of the year, so it’s only fair that I keep that winning streak going by talking about my target for the trip. I have been to 11 countries to watch wildlife that this species lives in.

Sharks 231

Sharks Leopards Whales Whaling 231

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 1, 2020

12 beats birded 10 countries (Costa Rica, USA, Brazil, China, India, Serbia, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico), submitting 187 lists and spotting 902 birds. Curu Wildlife Reserve. Curu Wildlife Reserve. Curu Wildlife Reserve. Curu Wildlife Reserve. Curu Wildlife Reserve. Curu Wildlife Reserve.

2020 229

2020 Wildlife Reserve Tigers Wildlife 229

10,000 Birds

APRIL 3, 2013

My Easter Weekend plans were up in the air until Tuesday evening, which is hardly the best way to do these things seeing as how Easter in New Zealand is still the tail end of summer (especially this year), and it can be hard to make plans so late. Personally I prefer flying, but the trip can be pretty spectacular.

Cooking 140

Cooking New Zealand Albatross Penguins 140