10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 17, 2024

This will be the beginning of a work trip to Spain and Morocco. By the time I post this, I will be in Dublin, Ireland. But we always try to find somewhere new and interesting for the first few days of such trips, while we adjust to new time zones. This year’s choice was Dublin.

Morocco 241

Morocco Ireland Spain Birds 241

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2020

Iberian Green Woodpecker, Madrid, Spain. Greater Flamingo, Málaga, Spain. I had to go to southern Spain to knock that one off my bucket list. Seeing White Storks in Spain this year was pretty cool, too. And the winner is… Eurasian Hoopoe, Madrid, Spain. I just haven’t seen any of them. I mean, come on!

Austria 223

Austria Spain 2019 Germany 223

10,000 Birds

JULY 12, 2024

For the first time in many visits I failed to see Griffon Vultures on Cyprus, where they are seriously endangered, but I have seen many in Spain this year in Andalucia and both Cantabria and Castile y León. Northern Spain also produced my best views of Honey Buzzards (I did see one briefly in Greece in May).

Cyprus 246

Cyprus Greece Spain Europe 246

Critter News

JUNE 10, 2011

But some industry experts doubt Spain, a nation which has an unemployment rate above 20% and a stagnant economy, can afford to pay out €300m to farmers. Others have suggested that the amount of money allocated would only be enough to assist half the Spanish egg industry to convert.

Spain 100

Spain Animal Welfare Welfare Egg Industry 100

Critter News

APRIL 20, 2012

King Juan Carlos of Spain, Honorary President of WWF Spain, is recovering in hospital after breaking his hip in Botswana where he was on an elephant hunt. Whilst not illegal, it shows a complete disregard for his 'subjects' and total contempt for his role as 'Honorary President of WWF Spain'. From the Wildlife Extra News.

Spain 100

Spain Elephants Hunting Botswana 100

10,000 Birds

JUNE 15, 2012

So, yes, it was Spain. Specifically, rural northwestern Spain, at various points along the Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrimage route to the supposed burial place of Saint James the apostle and, before that, to the westernmost point in continental Europe, the supposed End of the Earth, the Finis Terra.

Spain 231

Spain Europe Rodents France 231

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2019

I had a work trip to southern Spain earlier this month. But, amazingly, not all the “House Sparrows” I saw were House Sparrows ; a large group in Algeciras, in southern Spain, were Spanish Sparrows , and a smaller group in Madrid were European Tree Sparrows. (In The rush returns, and now we know enough to appreciate it!

Spain 214

Spain Europe Sparrows Mexico 214

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

According to some sources, when the so-called Pilgrims settled in for the First Thanksgiving Dinner with the local Native Americans, in 1620, they dined on Turkey, and this Turkey came from the Old World, from stock that was originally brought to Spain by Columbus. According to R.D.

Turkey 260

Turkey Columbus Spain Fowl 260

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 8, 2014

It was actually logistically easier for me to stay away from Gibraltar itself which, as a British Crown Colony with constrained geography, a slowish, passport-controlled border with Spain and relatively limited flight connections, has its limitations. Trips hawkwatch raptors Spain'

Spain 225

Spain Ostriches Africa Canada 225

10,000 Birds

APRIL 25, 2020

On account of a strict curfew in Spain, such is the situation for David Lindo, the “ Urban Birder “ He has been watching and telling us about the birds identified from his terrace during more than 40 days of lockdown (!). The viewing might also be restricted to a terrace.

Costa Rica 264

Costa Rica 2020 Spain Panama 264

10,000 Birds

APRIL 27, 2024

With only a few exceptions, the core of the distribution of most steppe birds lies in Spain so the southeastern part of Portugal is the better area to visit. So why go to Portugal if Spain has the same birds? Throw in Iberian Pigs, the odd fighting bull and a few flocks of sheep and the similarities are striking.

Portugal 234

Portugal Pigs Spain Eagles 234

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 17, 2011

But instead of feeding the Cuban masses hungry for freedom from Spain the Ovenbird in Bryant Park nourishes birders desperate for freedom from the tyranny of the season. -José Martí For the second time in three years there is an Ovenbird hanging around in Bryant Park well into December.

Spain 242

Spain Birds Collecting Sparrows 242

10,000 Birds

APRIL 22, 2013

In the end, it was birding that has taken him from his native Serbia, across the Balkans and Turkey, to the very borders of the Old World: East Anglia and Spain, southern Africa and India, where he chased that country’s rarest owl. Trips Catalonia Europe Spain' We look forward to many more missives from Dragan.

Spain 255

Spain Terrapins Europe Eagles 255

10,000 Birds

MAY 28, 2015

For example, the White-headed Duck is nowadays a rarity in Europe (okay, excluding Spain, I know… that Spain …), but until some 50 years ago, it used to breed in Serbia. And that is why the hides are where they are, not to admire the scenery (or shoot at it – hunting is prohibited in the reserve and the ban is enforced).

Serbia 268

Serbia Spain Birds Hungary 268

10,000 Birds

APRIL 24, 2012

v=Tm1lCEkh67U The world population of Great Bustards is estimated at about 34,000 individuals, with 2/3 calling the vast steppes of Spain their home (thanks Wikipedia). Think: breakdance dance-off. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm1lCEkh67U Wow, how I love the Spanish steppes. Actually, I just love steppes.

Austria 231

Austria Spain Ducks Rights 231

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2011

This Blue Rock Thrush ( Monticola solitarius ) by lofer in Spain has lovely shine on the eye and the reddish tones in the rock and background really make this male shine.

2011 247

2011 Puffins Costa Rica Netherlands 247

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 18, 2015

However, the European or Western Swamphen (and boy, do I wish they find a nicer name once the split is accepted) is entirely confined to a small area of the WP, as it currently ranges very patchily from NW Africa and Spain to the Italian island of Sardinia. ” Birds Europe Purple Swamphen rails Spain' Pay heed to the warning.

Spain 157

Spain Hunters Africa Hunting 157

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 9, 2022

I had already seen this raptor in Spain, preparing to cross the Straits of Gibraltar. I had seen Great White Pelican s in Izmir, but the Dalmatian Pelican was a new-to-me inland bird. Overhead, a Booted Eagle rode thermals slowly upward. Could this individual have done the same, across Turkey’s Bosphorus straits, recently?

Turkey 264

Turkey Pelicans Birds Spain 264

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 20, 2016

As well as the population found in East Asia, another smaller population also occurred in the Iberian Peninsula, in Spain and Portugal. Was it natural, or were the birds in Spain an introduced population. Still, at least it provides an excuse to go to Spain, or Hong Kong! Are they taunting me? There we go.

Spain 145

Spain Portugal Asia Japan 145

Critter News

MARCH 20, 2012

It's a pretty powerful image.

Spain 100

Spain Protest Protesting Protesters 100

10,000 Birds

MAY 10, 2015

I’ll start off by naming the univerally accepted species, the House Sparrow propper Passer domesticus , the Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus and the ill-named Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis , which occurs from Spain all the way to central Asia and is rather difficult to find in the former.

Sparrows 258

Sparrows Italy Kyrgyzstan Asia 258

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 19, 2023

These are all from Lake Cuitzeo, to which I went to see the migratory waterfowl and shorebirds that had arrived while we were in Spain and the Middle East. Because of point number two, I will avoid my usual wordy exposition, and go straight to the photos. I’ll start with this Cinnamon Teal.

Spain 241

Spain Ducks Birds Mexico 241

Critter News

DECEMBER 8, 2008

Complete with pictures. "On On the night between Wednesday and Thursday we put incendiary devices in the Cascante (Navarra) bullring. They worked and they were effective. Bullfighting is a symbol of animal exploitation in which bulls are tortured and killed because there are people who find it fun.

Spain 100

Spain Horses Vegan Killing 100

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

David Brito (from Canary Islands, Spain), started operations with our hotel on 14th February 2015 and very fast positioned in Mindo because of our superb infrastructure and top-notch service. Also our local drivers Alfredo, Byron, Cesar, Oscar, … are not just “drivers”.

Ecuador 256

Ecuador Spain Cows 2018 256

10,000 Birds

JUNE 10, 2012

I am heading towards the end of a two week family break in Andalusia, Spain as I write this and last week we jumped in the hire car and headed to a Spanish Town called Ronda for a day trip. There is beauty in these places but sometimes I have to look hard to find it.

Spain 223

Spain Birds Industry Humane 223

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2020

But like Spain, its only neighbor on the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal is cut off from the rest of Europe by the steep, natural border formed by the Pyrenees. Beyond that is the entire expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, stretching some six-hundred leagues west to Newfoundland — and even further to the mainland shores of North America.

2015 222

2015 Portugal France Europe 222

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

If it hasn’t begun already, the grape harvest should be getting underway in Spain this month. If the storks have been making the great journey back and forth between Spain and Africa long before people even began making wine, the feature grape of this single-varietal wine – the green-skinned Albariño – is a more recent arrival to Catalonia.

2017 127

2017 Spain California Condor Zoos 127

10,000 Birds

JULY 17, 2019

Since I will still be enjoying my last couple of days in Spain on this week’s deadline, I thought it might be the moment to share it with all of you. In April of this year, I had the crazy idea of submitting this article to 10,000 Birds for their consideration. I’ll post more recent material next week!

Giraffes 203

Giraffes Spain Abandon Abandoning 203

Critter News

OCTOBER 4, 2011

Good. (..)

Spain 100

Spain 100

10,000 Birds

JUNE 2, 2024

I have been following the local gulls with GPS tags and they spend most of their time in rubbish tips in Spain and Morocco. If there are too many gulls, it’s largely our fault for providing so much food for them. But why should we style the gull as enemy and the vulture as friend?

Pandas 238

Pandas Morocco Falcons Spain 238

10,000 Birds

APRIL 6, 2023

Dave Gosney’s Finding Birds Series covers mostly the Western Palearctic and describes birding in various regions of Portugal, Spain, Morocco, France, Finland, Estonia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, etc., with some additions, namely South Texas, The Gambia, and Goa (India).

Greece 262

Greece Macedonia Bulgaria Gambia 262

10,000 Birds

MARCH 5, 2023

First, we had our five-week trip to Spain, Turkey and Jordan in September and October. I recently received a kind letter from a 10,000 Birds friend, who was worried that my recent irregularity in contributing to this website might indicate that something was wrong. I assured him then, and assure you now, that I am fine.

Jordan 262

Jordan Mexico Ohio Spain 262

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 24, 2013

Just south of Port of Spain on the west coast of Trinidad, the Caroni Swamp is easily accessible and well serviced by tour companies that will take you out into the mangroves safely and efficiently. What’s not to like about big, bright red, big-beaked, birds? Nothing, that’s what. But it wasn’t always this way.

Trinidad 247

Trinidad Spain Cooking Hunting 247

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

After weeks of preparation (and not writing many 10,000 Bird posts), my wife and I are finally in Spain. Algeciras, Spain, to be specific — right around the bay from Gibraltar. Our trip to southern Spain is a work trip, so it was a week until I was able to get out and bird in form. Black Kite.

Spain 147

Spain Birds Mexico Eagles 147

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2011

The other two, Clement and Lyster, went to Spain and down the Atlantic edge of the continent, more than 1,000 miles to the west. Funny story about that – though they did take widely divergent paths they have come back together : Three of the birds, Chris, Martin and Kasper, flew down through Italy and straight across the Sahara desert.

Congo 162

Congo Italy Spain Africa 162

10,000 Birds

APRIL 27, 2011

.&# So says the lead in this BBC News article , which references a recent study done by researchers from the Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala, Sweden and the Donana Biological Station, Seville, Spain. And, no, urban birds’ brains aren’t growing.

Sweden 150

Sweden Spain Birds Research 150

10,000 Birds

MARCH 25, 2024

If you’ve birded in Spain, possibly more than once, and are considering another Mediterranean country to quench your thirst, look to the east. Steve Dudley, a bird guide and author of the Lesvos birding guide, once told me: “Greece is THE premier birding location in Europe for me [and for yours truly as well].

Greece 279

Greece Spain India Europe 279