10,000 Birds

JANUARY 4, 2017

In the same day, just a few meters up the arroyo, there is a plethora of desert species. This was a real bonus spot last year, especially with migratory sparrows. The biggest surprise this year was the large number of Black-throated Sparrows. This allows me to see frigates, boobies, terns and pelicans on the saltwater side.

Sparrows 177

Sparrows 2017 Battery Pelicans 177

10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2015

These and several other species might end up being armchair ticks if and when we take a closer look at their evolutionary history. Taxa that could end up being split into one species occurring north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and one south of the isthmus. (2). Two subspecies of the same species that differ within Costa Rica. (4).

Costa Rica 256

Costa Rica Species South America America 256

10,000 Birds

JUNE 8, 2019

Although Bobolinks are a very rare migrant, lots of other birds are possible, more than enough to rack up hundreds of species over the course of the year. Each January, I hope to identify at least 600 species over the next 12 months, this year, I’m hoping that Marilen and I (aka Team Tyto ) will find 700.

Costa Rica 203

Costa Rica Species Birds New York 203

10,000 Birds

JULY 13, 2014

It’s mid-July, which among other things means that those of us in North America are starting to check local mudflats for returning shorebird migrants and waiting impatiently for the AOU to hurry up and create five species from the Clapper-King rail complex (the reasons for which we covered last year ). Gowen et al.

Elephants 254

Elephants New Zealand Sparrows Ostriches 254

10,000 Birds

MARCH 24, 2021

On the way, I pass through a wonderful mixed habitat with lots of native trees that keep fruit-eating birds happy, and flowers that attract all of our region’s hummingbird species. This particular thorny habitat seems to be especially beloved by sparrows, both migratory and resident: There were Clay-colored Sparrows by the dozen.

Sparrows 264

Sparrows Birds Virginia Protection 264

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 22, 2014

It is in this habitat that birders seek out goodies like Red-cockaded Woodpecker and Bachmann’s Sparrow. In 2012 I was successful, with the help of Doug Gochfeld, in finding all of those species in and around Three Lakes , and I hoped for a repeat performance but with better views of Bachmann’s Sparrow. Repeatedly.

Wildlife 246

Wildlife Sparrows Woodpeckers Florida 246

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 28, 2020

Especially if they are competing for attention with multiple species of large mammals at a watering hole. Contrasting with the other larks’ habits of perching on the tops of acacia trees and hanging out along the roadways, Fischer’s Sparrow-Larks were intent on slipping through tall grasses. Isabelline Wheatear.

Sparrows 269

Sparrows Mammals Parrots Game 269

10,000 Birds

JULY 23, 2022

In pastures of the hot lowlands, they tend to be lines of stunted Gumbo-Limbo trees or some other heavily pruned species. In addition to those birds and the Squirrel Cuckoo pictured above, the following are some of the more common hedgerow species of Costa Rica. Rufous-tailed Hummingbird and other hummingbird species.

Costa Rica 279

Costa Rica Birds Sparrows Woodpeckers 279

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

The tipping point was the morning of February 10th, when I saw 20 species during two hours simply by looking out my back window as I had breakfast and read the news online. (My It included a question about how many species one has seen in one’s yard, total, with the options being 0-5, 6-10, 11-15, 16-20, or 20+. Warbling Vireo.

Nashville 264

Nashville Sparrows Sweden Mexico 264

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2020

When our local government called for Michoacán’s residents to stay at home, I said goodbye to some 250 regional species, and shut myself in at home with the other 30 that regularly visit my neighborhood. And on this particular trip, I could see all these species on a single kind of tree. And what species!

Squirrels 246

Squirrels Sparrows South America Mexico 246

10,000 Birds

JULY 9, 2022

They are places where we invest most of our birding time and rightly so; mature tropical forests are where we find the highest number of species. Additional bird species prefer the sun-drenched vegetation of open fields and other edge habitats. Stripe-headed Sparrow and Other Dry Forest Birds. Pied Puffbird.

Costa Rica 279

Costa Rica Farming Sparrows Barn Owls 279

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

This species loves to sing while high up in pine trees. There was the Botteri’s Sparrow giving a larger Canyon Towhee a piece of its mind, on my way into town: The reservoir itself was underwhelming, only offering me a collection of white Egrets (Cattle, Snowy and Great) and a single Great Blue Heron. Brown-backed Solitaire.

2020 332

2020 Reptiles South America Birds 332

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2021

Some call them trash, tours might not visit, but they can host more than the expected and common species. Some such vegetated spots can also attract oddball birds, species that wander to find a home in urban circumstances. Three species of seedeaters sing from the tall grass, one of them being the Yellow-bellied Seedeater.

Costa Rica 264

Costa Rica Sparrows Rodents Rats 264

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 10, 2021

Double the ecosystems, double the species. When I first explored this zone, I was astonished to discover highland species like the Hepatic Tanager and Brown-backed Solitaire could be seen feeding on the very same tree as lowland species like the Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher and Masked Tityra.

Sparrows 357

Sparrows Species Rights Birds 357

10,000 Birds

JUNE 24, 2020

This sort of biozone mixing can create a tremendous richness of species. Each of these habitats attracts its own group of species. Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrows and Stripe-headed Sparrows are also fond of this brushy grass habitat. Among those are Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers , a species I love. And they sing a lot!

Mexico 264

Mexico Nicaragua Lamb Sparrows 264

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 25, 2021

Corey had two species he wanted to make sure he saw this weekend because it is their prime migration time and he hadn’t seen either all year. He connected with both, adding Nelson’s Sparrow and Vesper Sparrow for the year.

Sparrows 264

Sparrows Birds Experiments Experience 264

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2021

I’ve continued my inconsistent effort to pick off the species I need for my Monroe County list. eBird) had it that the best place to find Clay-colored Sparrow is a particular conifer plantation on a particular farm road in the rural western portion of the county. In that sense, June is no different than any other month, right?

Sparrows 264

Sparrows Farming Birds Experiments 264

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 30, 2020

Interestingly, this tree is a close relative of Morning Glories and Sweet Potatoes, with over 600 species making up their single genus. Chipping Sparrow. Since I can’t leave well enough alone, I’ll throw in a photo of a Grasshopper Sparrow that definitely did not visit my Wonder Tree. All in one tree!

Sparrows 255

Sparrows Investigation Mexico California 255

10,000 Birds

MAY 10, 2021

What I enjoy–almost more than any other moment of my birding year–is that special spring day when White-Crowned Sparrows deign to visit my humble home en route to their boreal breeding grounds. Happily, the sparrows finally arrived this weekend and have strutted around my feeders enough for me to fully admire their beauty.

New York 264

New York Sparrows Birds Breeding 264

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 24, 2014

In honor of fall, and of the Chipping Sparrow that just smacked itself (thankfully not too hard) against my balcony window, here’s a blast from the past: Oct. Birding autumn migration sparrows warblers' The morning is cold, and it’s damp, although not the buckets-from-the-sky affair that yesterday was. Could I go home again?

San Diego 229

San Diego Sparrows Breeders 2009 229

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 2, 2024

I have mixed feelings about ranking different bird species. The Rusty Sparrow is a large sparrow that can only be found from western Mexico to northern Central America. Several Black-chinned Sparrows sang from different perches, making this site a special one, indeed.

Sparrows 246

Sparrows Livestock Birds North America 246

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 4, 2020

These species should all be slam-dunks for Lake Cuitzeo in the fall. Still, what is bad for one species may be good for another. But, as always, new sites bring new species. Nor did I see any Green Herons , or Least or American Bitterns. Puddleglum indeed! That was to be suspected. How I wish I knew. And the Dowitchers!

2020 298

2020 Ducks Sparrows 2019 298

10,000 Birds

MARCH 23, 2014

Big news about a small bird broke earlier this month when bird researchers from several nations announced that the species formerly known as Spotted Wren-Babbler ( Spelaeornis formosus ) — a tiny, secretive bird of montane forests from the eastern Himalayas to southeast China — is not a Spelaeornis wren-babbler at all.

Family 272

Family Comoros Asia India 272

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2019

It’s a rush any new birder experiences: that of every species being a lifer. But the opportunities to see new species become more difficult with each one seen. But the opportunities to see new species become more difficult with each one seen. Even so, I was able to see 54 species, of which fully half were lifers.

Spain 214

Spain Europe Sparrows Mexico 214

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 22, 2020

After three attempts, I finally found this incredibly rare vagabond sandpiper spinning amongst more common local species; interestingly enough, it prefers the company of Bonaparte’s Gulls , which the phalarope happens to resemble in both winter plumage and feeding territory. A subspecies as Best Bird of the Weekend?

2020 264

2020 Sparrows Birds Experience 264

10,000 Birds

MAY 12, 2022

With 85 species in 6 hours, I’d like to think it was well repaid. Las Mesas is the only place I’ve found for which the Black-chinned Sparrow is a reliable species, but this adorable bird, perhaps my favorite local sparrow, always seemed to position himself with some severe backlighting… until this trip.

San Diego 264

San Diego Turtles Mexico Sparrows 264

10,000 Birds

APRIL 19, 2024

Still, I did manage to see a decent 65 species in 6 hours, and many of them stayed quite close to me, allowing for some nice photos. Let’s see if you agree: I liked some of the photos as much for their backgrounds as for the bird itself, such as this Lincoln Sparrow foraging among duckweed, algae, Ficus fruits, and Jacaranda flowers.

Mexico 246

Mexico Squirrels Turtles Sparrows 246

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 17, 2021

Still, the outing did not produce any new species for the year, or enough good photos for a post here. Instead, I have chosen to write about an idea I’ve had percolating for a while: to tell you what the most common species are down here. I’ll take the most common native species in taxonomic order.

Woodpeckers 363

Woodpeckers Mexico Cattle Turkey 363

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 26, 2020

Not a bad video of a young White-crowned Sparrow , right? The sparrow was remarkably cooperative and that is an important aspect of getting decent video. Don’t plan on using this set up to document a rarity that is hiding deep in the brush, though it does work for distant species that might be beyond the range of your SLR.

South America 279

South America Sparrows Birds America 279

10,000 Birds

APRIL 25, 2024

Clay-colored Sparrows In about a month, I will have my 66th birthday. Black-chinned Sparrow , a flagship species for this site. Lark Sparrow In recent months, several American birders have reached out to have me take them birding in or around Morelia. It happens that I hate doing traditional exercise.

Livestock 246

Livestock Birds Sparrows Mexico 246

10,000 Birds

APRIL 28, 2021

Only a month ago, a good morning spent gazing at my garden could yield 20 species; but now, suddenly, my goal is 10. And in another month, when the rainy season makes my birdbath less attractive, that number will drop to around 5 species.). Before this winter, I had only seen Lincoln’s Sparrows there 5 times.

Mexico 264

Mexico Trafficking Sparrows Virginia 264

10,000 Birds

JUNE 12, 2014

Defining Belgrade bird specialties is the hard part – there is no defined criterion, beside attractiveness which often comes from how uncommon some species is. E.g., a few weeks ago I guided a British couple around Belgrade, visited about four major sites and found more than 60 species. Penduline Tit – spring/summer and mild winters.

Serbia 234

Serbia Eagles Sparrows Falcons 234

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 27, 2020

I was shocked to still find a number of shorebird species up at Braddock Bay, perhaps because of how much productive mud the dropping lake levels have exposed. This allowed me to pick up some late Pectoral Sandpipers , a bonus this deep into fall. Corey had a few really good birds this weekend.

2020 293

2020 Connecticut Virginia New York 293

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 1, 2020

We did just that and were treated to a parade of species both in front of and behind the house. Out back, a water feature at the edge of the forest saw visits from several Painted Buntings, Olive Sparrow and a few other species during the heat of the day. Olive Sparrow. Gartered Trogon. Painted Bunting. King Vulture.

Costa Rica 261

Costa Rica Philadelphia Falcons Owls 261

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2020

One of the things Corey most enjoys about a new year is the way it resets your year list, giving you an excuse to pay a little more attention to the common species as you check them off your year list. Like Corey and so many others, I took the time to really appreciate the everyday species we jaded bird chasers typically take for granted.

2020 216

2020 Feral Sparrows Birds 216

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 27, 2021

My first House Sparrow for 2021!) January is the month where I allow myself to go only to my very best sites, and rejoice in even the most commonplace species. I correctly suspected that Lake Cuitzeo would be too dry this year to give me its usual 75+ species in the deep of winter. (It Ten of these were hummingbird species.

2020 264

2020 Ducks Birds Abandonment 264

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2015

Speaking of my balcony, I vastly exceeded my goal of seeing 65 species from it in 2014, clocking 81 species this year. That increased my total list from my balcony to 92 species! Further from my balcony I managed to see 257 species in my home county of Queens in 2014, a pretty decent number.

2014 247

2014 Costa Rica New Jersey New York 247