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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>10,000 Birds</title> <atom:link href="https://www.10000birds.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://www.10000birds.com</link> <description>Birds, Birding and Blogging</description> <lastBuildDate>Sat, 23 Nov 2024 18:54:57 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1</generator> <image> <url>https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-Logo-Square-32x32.png</url> <title>10,000 Birds</title> <link>https://www.10000birds.com</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height> </image> <item> <title>Review: Birdsong Film</title> <link>https://www.10000birds.com/review-birdsong-film.htm?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-birdsong-film</link> <comments>https://www.10000birds.com/review-birdsong-film.htm#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Susan Wroble]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 23 Nov 2024 18:54:57 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Birding]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category> <category><![CDATA[birdsong]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Birdsong film]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ireland]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Irish Birds]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kathleen Harris]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Seán Ronayne]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.10000birds.com/?p=171455</guid> <description><![CDATA[<img width="742" height="1052" src="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Birdsong-movie-poster.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Birdsong-movie-poster.png 742w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Birdsong-movie-poster-212x300.png 212w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Birdsong-movie-poster-630x893.png 630w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 742px) 100vw, 742px" />Buy your tickets and set your alarms for this Sunday, November 24th at 7pm GMT, for the international online premier of the award-winning environmental documentary, Birdsong. The film, directed by Kathleen Harris, follows ornithologist Seán Ronayne in his epic quest to record the calls of all the bird species in Ireland. Tickets (€12) include the broadcast followed by Q&A with Seán, with an additional on-demand access through December 1st.   Kathleen, who had been a video journalist at the Irish Times, contacted Seán in 2022 with the intention of interviewing him for a portrait video series on people with interesting jobs. As Seán kept running off camera to find the birds that caught his ear, Kathleen quickly realized that there was the potential for a much bigger story. She is drawn to stories that explore the relationship with the natural world, and to stories that can use the personal to talk about a much bigger topic. In this case, more than half of Ireland’s nearly 200 bird species are red or amber-listed (endangered or of conservation concern)—a fact that made Seán’s project a race against time. Kathleen left her job at the paper and spent the next year making this film. While the scenery is visual stunning, it is Seán’s passion that is the driving force behind the film. Even as a child, he was always happiest in nature. Like many who are obsessed by a single narrow topic and find socialization challenging, Seán is on the autism spectrum, a fact that he only learned as an adult, through a journey suggested by his partner, Alba Novell Capdevila. His hypersensitivity to sound worked (and continues to work) as a superpower. Seán sets up microphones all over, including two that were running non-stop for three years. Doing analysis of thousands upon thousands of recordings gave him a depth of knowledge that allows him to pick out individual birds in the midst of a chorus of sound. Seán Ronaye With limited experience in longer works, Kathleen enlisted Ross Whitaker to be producer for the film, and he helped identify markers and beats within the hours of footage. There is no narrator, and the work is driven by Seán words and actions. Although there is a message of hope, the statistics for Irish birds are grim. Seán noted that although Ireland thinks of itself as “The Emerald Isle,” roughly 2/3 is improved agricultural grassland — not habitat for many of the native species, and “not the green you want.” One heart-breaking segment focuses on the attempt to record the Ring ouzel (Turdus torquatus). Seán left a recorder buried in the heath for three months, and then sat by his computer to scan through the sonographs. While the mission was a success, the ouzels were the last confirmed pair in the entire country. “It is the sound of extinction,” Seán said. The movie concludes with breath-taking images and sound of a starling murmuration. The mass of birds, with their near instantaneously changes in the direction, are confusing to predators. Collectively, the wingbeats sound like the pounding of a waterfall. The film has a reach far beyond birders. It is gorgeously shot, and will appeal to anyone who loves nature documentaries along the lines of Planet Earth. Filming ranged from the karst landscape in the Burren region, to Donegal in the northwest, to the seabird colonies on the Skellig islands. Throughout, Seán finds places that are fragments of hope, sections of wildness that could form the start of work to bring nature back. Like the award-winning film Free Solo, which profiled rock climber Alex Honnald on his quest to be the first to perform a free solo climb of El Capitan in California’s Yosemite National park, Birdsong focuses on one person’s drive to complete something far beyond the ordinary — and in learning from that, there is an appeal for all of us. To learn more: Seán maintains a free database of Irish soundscapes, Irishwildlifesounds.com, and an album of Irish soundscape tracks. His memoir, Nature Boy: A Journey of Birdsong and Belonging , was published this fall. A lecture, “Now What? How do we protect something we do not love and do not understand?,” given at The Conference and Media Evolution in Sweden, is available on YouTube.    ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="742" height="1052" src="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Birdsong-movie-poster.png" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Birdsong-movie-poster.png 742w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Birdsong-movie-poster-212x300.png 212w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Birdsong-movie-poster-630x893.png 630w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 742px) 100vw, 742px" />Buy your tickets and set your alarms for this Sunday, November 24th at 7pm GMT, for the international online premier of the award-winning environmental documentary, Birdsong. The film, directed by Kathleen Harris, follows ornithologist Seán Ronayne in his epic quest to record the calls of all the bird species in Ireland. Tickets (€12) include the broadcast followed by Q&A with Seán… <a href="https://www.10000birds.com/review-birdsong-film.htm" rel="nofollow">Source</a>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.10000birds.com/review-birdsong-film.htm/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Digiscoping on the cheap</title> <link>https://www.10000birds.com/digiscoping-on-the-cheap.htm?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=digiscoping-on-the-cheap</link> <comments>https://www.10000birds.com/digiscoping-on-the-cheap.htm#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Peter]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 23 Nov 2024 12:00:17 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Birding]]></category> <category><![CDATA[bird photography]]></category> <category><![CDATA[digiscoping]]></category> <category><![CDATA[do-it-yourself]]></category> <category><![CDATA[gadgets]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.10000birds.com/?p=169387</guid> <description><![CDATA[<img width="2448" height="1836" src="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/for-post-brown.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/for-post-brown.jpg 2448w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/for-post-brown-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/for-post-brown-630x473.jpg 630w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/for-post-brown-768x576.jpg 768w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/for-post-brown-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/for-post-brown-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2448px) 100vw, 2448px" />People come to me in the streets regularly, telling me about the great comfort they get from my bad pictures. “Until I read your posts I thought I was the only one” is the comment most often heard. Still, whenever you look at pictures, for example from Faraaz, David, Kai or Clive, you might feel a pang of envy or just simply the desire to take at least slightly better pictures. Investing in a camera and enormous telephoto lenses may be a bit of a stretch – you might be without talent – but we all have binoculars and/or a telescope. Can we turn these optic instruments into picture-taking devices? Yes, we can, and we can do it cheaply by making a gadget. The purpose of the gadget is to perfectly align the camera with the ocular of the scope. If you don’t want to spend any money you can do this in the field manually. However, in my experience that is a hit-and-miss affair. Some results are great, like this Rufous Motmot in Panama. Others, like this Savi’s Warbler in Spain, less so. So, most of us fare better with the gadget. First we need to get our mobile phone and buy a cheap cover. These cost about the equivalent of 5 euros/dollars/francs. I happened to have a very old cover that I repurposed. Next, a visit to the hardware store with your ocular (from your scope) or your binoculars. You will need to look for PVC pipe that makes for a snug fit. Not tight, but snug, so you can remove the pipe from the ocular easily. Cut the pipe to length – you want the phone’s camera to rest on the ocular with minimal clearance. Measure twice, cut once. You will have quite a bit of pipe to play with so don’t worry if you cut too much the first time around. These pipes come in lengths far beyond our needs. I recommend rummaging around in the pipe section – you can be fortunate and find the right piece without needing modifications. I was lucky because I found an endpiece that fitted perfectly. I’d have more surface area for the glue to stick to and a lot less cutting to do. I needed to drill a hole in the right spot for my endpiece to be useful. PVC pieces are injection-moulded which ensures there’s a little marker right in the centre of the piece. Life made easy by the design of the process… Drill through that marker with a drill the size of your (phone) camera. Getting glue on your camera will possibly affect the quality of your pictures so I marked the gluing area on the PVC piece. Interesting fact: it’s the same pen I use for marking my lifers in my field guides. Finally, carefully assemble the gadget by gluing the pipe to the cover. Use your secondary school geometry to determine the centre of your pipe. Ensuring the alignment is both tricky and vital at this point so take your time, don’t drink too much coffee and steady those hands. With the endpiece all I needed to do was a bit of jiggling to ensure alignment between camera, endpiece and ocular. The best way is to look through the gadget at your camera to align well. I used contact glue which will bind to most surfaces. If you use super glue – watch those fingers. So, what does it cost? A simple and cheap cover will be 5 euros. The PVC endpiece cost me 1.19 euros. I happened to have glue at home, but a little tube of glue will cost 3 euros. Altogether, you will be done for less than 10 euros. I have seen similar gadgets retail for 20 euros, so this is a good deal. Please donate the money you have saved to your favourite bird conservation organisation. I am sure some of you can think of much smarter gadgets. If you do, please share in the comments. For now, the proof of the pudding is in the eating: does it work? An Egyptian Goose at 300 paces would serve nicely as my test object. No, still rubbish…  ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="2448" height="1836" src="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/for-post-brown.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/for-post-brown.jpg 2448w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/for-post-brown-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/for-post-brown-630x473.jpg 630w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/for-post-brown-768x576.jpg 768w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/for-post-brown-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/for-post-brown-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2448px) 100vw, 2448px" />People come to me in the streets regularly, telling me about the great comfort they get from my bad pictures. “Until I read your posts I thought I was the only one” is the comment most often heard. Still, whenever you look at pictures, for example from Faraaz, David, Kai or Clive, you might feel a pang of envy or just simply the desire to take at least slightly better pictures. <a href="https://www.10000birds.com/digiscoping-on-the-cheap.htm" rel="nofollow">Source</a>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.10000birds.com/digiscoping-on-the-cheap.htm/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Nature Finds a Way</title> <link>https://www.10000birds.com/nature-finds-a-way.htm?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nature-finds-a-way</link> <comments>https://www.10000birds.com/nature-finds-a-way.htm#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Paul Lewis]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 23 Nov 2024 02:11:55 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Birding]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Aztec Rail]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Birding Michoacán]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lake Cuitzeo]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.10000birds.com/?p=171419</guid> <description><![CDATA[<img width="1750" height="1167" src="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024.jpg 1750w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024-630x420.jpg 630w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024-255x170.jpg 255w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024-345x230.jpg 345w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1750px) 100vw, 1750px" />I am a man obsessed. Ever since our nearby Lake Cuitzeo, a major wintering grounds for all sorts of waterfowl and shorebirds, dried up for most of last year, I have been obsessed with the possibility of its recovery following our very successful 2024 summer rainy season. That is why the the lake was the last place I visited before our recent work trip to Europe and northern Africa, and the first place I visited upon our return last week. Just before that trip, the western side of the lake still had a long way to go. Now, in mid-November, that western side shows more and more water, and less grass. The eastern side has almost reached its maximum possible depth, and water continues to flow westward beneath the two highways that cross the lake. Will it reach full capacity before spring, or will the western side dry up again in April and May, as it often does? Time will tell. west side edge of west side east side Last year, with only the slightest amount of water remaining in the eastern lake, almost none of the hundreds of thousands of ducks that normally depend on this crucial wintering ground were to be found there. A few ducks did turn up in the most unlikely bodies of water that remained elsewhere in our region. But I would love to know where the vast majority went. Did they fly beyond central Mexico, or to the Mexican coast? Would they come back to our lake this year, or did they find new permanent wintering grounds? Or, worst-case scenario, did they die from lack of their normal wintering habitat? This final doubt caused me to visit the lake now, with my heart in my hand. The good news, as of November 18th, is that I did see all the species I would normally expect to find there in a normal November: resident Fulvous Whistling Ducks, Mexican Ducks, and Ruddy Ducks; and migratory Blue-winged, Cinnamon, and Green-winged Teals, Northern Shovelers, and Northern Pintails. The bad news is that their numbers seemed low, especially for the Northern Shovelers and Pintails, which would normally be seen in the hundreds or more. (It’s a bit too early in the season to see our other common winter ducks: Gadwalls, American Wigeons, Canvasbacks, and Redheads.) Northern Shovelers — but not by the hundreds –, a Northern Pintail, and a Green-winged Teal, plus a Black-necked Stilt. Blue-winged Teals I was surprised to see Fulvous Whistling Ducks caring for ducklings in November. Still, there could be a more hopeful interpretation for these low duck numbers. Lake Cuitzeo is vast, and as it fills, habitat options for birds become many. Birds may move around this lake as its water levels constantly change. During the drought, most of its reedbeds burnt, and their uneven but steady recovery also causes birds to move around to find their ideal spot for each moment. More abundant deep-water options probably explained why I only saw a single Clark’s Grebe this trip. And reedbed recovery probably explained why I saw many Marsh Wrens and Common Yellowthroats, but no micro-endemic Black-polled Yellowthroats. (These are normally a difficult find on Lake Cuitzeo, even though the site is one of only three wetlands in the world with a population of this species). Common Yellowthroat It seemed that the story for shorebirds would be similar to that of waterfowl, with all common species present, but in much smaller numbers. But as the day went by, and I moved to different spots on the lake, I gradually found more and more shorebirds. After noon I was treated to the spectacle of enormous clouds of shorebirds flying relatively closeby. Long-billed Dowitchers, Stilt Sandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs, Western Sandpipers, and Least Sandpipers were most common. Some of the lake’s resident Black-necked Stilts and American Avocets joined the party. There was an unexpected contingent of Wilson’s Phalaropes, a species that has usually moved further south by this time. Six other shorebird species (plovers and sandpipers) were also seen on this outing. So many Long-billed Dowitchers and Stilt Sandpipers So, so many Long-billed Dowitchers So, so, so many Long-billed Dowitchers And some Wilson’s Phalaropes among the Dowitchers Every trip has its highlights, and this time it was a pair of Long-billed Curlews, not all that difficult but always spectacular, and a single Aztec Rail which shocked me by furtively walking just below the highway. As the “Aztec” suggests, this bird is a Mexican endemic. And as the “Rail” suggests, it is a very hard bird to see. Long-billed Curlew (lots of long-bill action happening here) Aztec Rail American Bitterns are also on the hard-to-see list. And they are almost always seen flying away. I was also very happy to see a good-sized water snake acting very much alive, as I had seen far too many of these dead on last year’s dry lakebed. In the end, I saw 64 species this day. That’s a good total for a day in which I did not significantly explore the terrestrial habitats surrounding the lake. In December-February, with a friend or two by my side, and spending time in those dry woods, it’s possible to see more than 100 species in a single day around Lake Cuitzeo. And now that I have confirmed the lake’s continuing recovery, I have high hopes for our upcoming first Annual Christmas Count there.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1750" height="1167" src="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024.jpg 1750w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024-630x420.jpg 630w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024-255x170.jpg 255w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Fulvous-Whistling-Duck-and-ducklings-Cuitzeo-November-2024-345x230.jpg 345w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1750px) 100vw, 1750px" />I am a man obsessed. Ever since our nearby Lake Cuitzeo, a major wintering grounds for all sorts of waterfowl and shorebirds, dried up for most of last year, I have been obsessed with the possibility of its recovery following our very successful 2024 summer rainy season. That is why the the lake was the last place I visited before our recent work trip to Europe and northern Africa… <a href="https://www.10000birds.com/nature-finds-a-way.htm" rel="nofollow">Source</a>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.10000birds.com/nature-finds-a-way.htm/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Tales from the river bank</title> <link>https://www.10000birds.com/tales-from-the-river-bank.htm?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tales-from-the-river-bank</link> <comments>https://www.10000birds.com/tales-from-the-river-bank.htm#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[David T]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 22 Nov 2024 12:00:00 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Birding]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Birds]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Birdtrack]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Birdwatching dog]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Blue Tit]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Great Tit]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Little Egret]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Little Grebe]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Little Ouse River]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mallard]]></category> <category><![CDATA[treecreeper]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.10000birds.com/?p=171182</guid> <description><![CDATA[<img width="1280" height="922" src="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/PB180051.jpeg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/PB180051.jpeg 1280w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/PB180051-300x216.jpeg 300w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/PB180051-630x454.jpeg 630w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/PB180051-768x553.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" />Many years ago I was a motoring correspondent. It was much easier, and a lot more fun, to write about Porsches rather than Peugeots, or Ferraris than Fiats. There’s something of a parallel in writing about birds. Describing encounters with rarities, or even scarce birds, is much more appealing than common everyday birds, or noting outings when little of special interest is seen. However, we all have days when we don’t see a lot, and when nothing unexpected appears to quicken the pulse, but they can still be enjoyable. Last Monday was just such a day. It dawned bright, cold and sunny, but there was a haziness in the sky that suggested the sunshine wouldn’t last. It didn’t, but it remained bright enough in the middle of the morning to tempt me out for a walk along the Little Ouse, the river that defines the border between the counties of Suffolk and Norfolk. It’s a modest little river. It rises just a couple of miles east of my house, then flows almost directly west for 37 miles until it joins the Great Ouse, which drains into the Wash.  Emma and the Little Ouse. Emma is on the Norfolk side of the river: the opposite bank is in Suffolk I chose to walk along the Little Ouse at Santon Downham. This is about 20 miles from home, and here the river has gained sufficient middle-age spread to be big enough to be called a proper river, and though it’s hardly fast-flowing, it waters move with sufficient urgency to remind you that they are clearly heading somewhere. There’s a narrow bridleway (footpath) on the north bank that runs parallel to the river, and it was here that I walked. One of the attractions of the walk is that Emma, my spaniel, can join me. She’s a good birdwatching dog, as she potters along happily with me, staying close and resisting the temptation to swim or chase birds or beasts. I always carry a lead and whistle, but on this occasion I had no cause to use either. It is noteworthy that during our 90-minute walk we didn’t meet another person. A Little Egret surveys from its lofty perch Our walk started well, as at the start I spotted a Little Egret perched high in a dead tree. It’s fewer than 30 years  since Little Egrets started breeding in Britain, so there’s still something of a novelty about them, at least for birdwatchers of my generation. Today they may be relatively common and widespread, but they’re not a bird I expect to see everyday, while such an elegant bird always delights the eye. The egret was perched in a stand of elderly poplars which were planted many years ago – the largest of the trees have massive boles many feet in circumference. On previous occasions I’ve seen some good birds in these trees, ranging from Crossbills to Brambings, but today the egret was the only bird of note. A juvenile Mute Swan There was rather more action on the river, where six Mute Swans were feeding actively on the underwater weed. With them were a couple of Little Grebes, diving enthusiastically, and seldom staying above the surface for any length of time. They were surprisingly difficult birds to spot, and unless you looked hard you would have missed them. I was to encounter several more farther down stream. The Little Grebes were easy to overlook There were several Mallard, too, chiefly loafing under the lee of the far bank. They watched me and my dog with a touch of suspicion, but they weren’t sufficiently worried to do anything more. Mallard weren’t the ducks I was hoping to see, for in the spring and summer I can usually find Mandarins here. These delightful little Chinese ducks are one of my favourites, and one of the few alien birds that have found their own ecological niche in this country, without upsetting the natural balance. Where the Mandarins go to in winter I’ve no idea, but they do desert the river.  Wary but not worried: a drake Mallard This stretch of the river, with its stands of alder trees, was one of the last strongholds of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers in Suffolk. Sadly, these diminutive woodpeckers have disappeared, and may well be extinct in Suffolk. I did see a flashy Great Spotted Woodpecker. I’ve taken much better pictures of these woodpeckers on other occasions, but the bird (below) did at least let me take a shot or two. A flashy male Great Spotted Woodpecker As I walked the odd Moorhen scuttled across the water. The old Suffolk name for these birds is Waterhen, which is really much more appropriate, as they live on water, not moors. Once, from the boggy, reeded ground to the north of the river, I heard a Water Rail squeal. It’s an unmistakable, almost pig-like sound, but you are much more likely to hear a Water Rail than see it, and that was the case today.  Dunnock As I walked on I came across a flock of Siskins, high in the alders.They were feeding so busily that they were strangely silent, while none came anywhere close enough for me to even consider raising my camera. A Robin, and then a Dunnock, were a little more co-operative, while I had some fun with a passing tit flock. Both Blue and Great Tits paused long enough to have their photograph taken, but the Long-tailed Tits were just too quick. I did rather better with a Treecreeper (below) that was tagging along with the tits. Treecreeper: a follower of the wandering tit flocks Blue Tit After a mile and half I turned round and retraced my steps. Once, from the far side of the river, several Blackbirds chimed their alarms, using their plaintive, muted warning call that suggested that they had spotted a predator. Had they seen an owl, or perhaps a fox? I paused, listed and watched, but after a while they calmed down, and...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1280" height="922" src="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/PB180051.jpeg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/PB180051.jpeg 1280w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/PB180051-300x216.jpeg 300w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/PB180051-630x454.jpeg 630w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/PB180051-768x553.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" />Many years ago I was a motoring correspondent. It was much easier, and a lot more fun, to write about Porsches rather than Peugeots, or Ferraris than Fiats. There’s something of a parallel in writing about birds. Describing encounters with rarities, or even scarce birds, is much more appealing than common everyday birds, or noting outings when little of special interest is seen. However… <a href="https://www.10000birds.com/tales-from-the-river-bank.htm" rel="nofollow">Source</a>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.10000birds.com/tales-from-the-river-bank.htm/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>My 10 favourite bird books and why</title> <link>https://www.10000birds.com/my-10-favourite-bird-books-and-why.htm?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=my-10-favourite-bird-books-and-why</link> <comments>https://www.10000birds.com/my-10-favourite-bird-books-and-why.htm#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Peter]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 21 Nov 2024 12:00:09 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Bird Guides]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lists]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category> <category><![CDATA[bird identification]]></category> <category><![CDATA[books]]></category> <category><![CDATA[field guides]]></category> <category><![CDATA[identification guide]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Top 10]]></category> <category><![CDATA[where to find]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.10000birds.com/?p=165337</guid> <description><![CDATA[<img width="2560" height="1920" src="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/shearwaters-scaled.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/shearwaters-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/shearwaters-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/shearwaters-630x473.jpg 630w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/shearwaters-768x576.jpg 768w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/shearwaters-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/shearwaters-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />Birding is arguably the most bookish outdoor hobby. We need field guides, ornithological papers and books, checklists, “where to finds” and stories from other birders that feed our dreams and plans. Internet has brought a new dimension (thank you 10000birds reader, for your continued attention to our ramblings) but the sturdy book in one’s hand or backpack just has substance. I have always been a book worm with a vast library. Picking 10 titles was a bit of a challenge. I chose to go for a strong personal connection as my selection criterium. My apologies in advance for the poor state of some of these books – I learned to wrap them in protective foil from a nine-year old on YouTube. Not my proudest achievement… Starting with my oldest bird book – the Bruun; a field guide for European birds in the Dutch translation. Yes, back in 1974 I was not yet the charming polyglot you all have learnt to love, so it had to be in Dutch. Most of my identifications as a kid leaned on this book and it shows. More brown than white paper, smudges (mainly chocolate and blood), creases, tears and stains of an unknown origin – the book is full of it. It even has its own smell. If I would ever lose this book I’d be genuinely sad. It must be buried with me (after I’m dead, please). When I graduated to birder a better guidebook was needed or so I felt at the time. I bought the Dutch version of the “Collins” – the Lars Svensson classic. I have the same book in Portuguese but the Dutch version is the one that has traveled the continent. It still does. The geographical scope of this book is wider than the Bruun – the book covers the Western Palearctic region. That means a substantial number of birds in this book are out of range due to war and banditry. I don’t like that but the compensation is in the dream value – one can always hope for peace in the Caucasus or for the Russians to get the enlightened leadership they so deserve. As a lister I need to record my sightings. I have settled on the HBW list. It has a broad definition of species which makes for more possible ticks. That could be seen as cheating but there are two arguments against that. First, why would you cheat on yourself? And second, most of the precocious species became full species within years of my sighting. I have commissioned a special stamp (an icon representation of binoculars) to tick off each new species in the little square that HBW provides, so the marking of ticks in this checklist differs from my usual practice. Have I mentioned my extreme nerdiness before? Conservation matters and I believe all birders should contribute passively or actively to the preservation of species and their habitats. Not willing to put in the effort? Just send your money to your local BirdLife partner or landscape trust. Personally, I distrust the global non-governmental organisations to do a good job locally. They get distracted by mammals with a clearly expressed extinction wish (pandas), fund raising and big organisation politics. A local, single-minded focus is better. Having said that, I really like the field guides that were issued by one such global NGO Wildlife Conservation Society Brasil. The books are great. Very complete, beautifully illustrated and with names in English, Latin and Brazilian Portuguese. Unfortunately, only two guides exist, for the Atlantic Forest and the Pantanal/Cerrado. The Amazon would have been a very obvious next issue. I don’t know why the series has stopped and if anyone at WCS is reading this, please comment. I want to buy more books! Early on in my birding/traveling/consulting career across the African continent I decided on a single field guide for the continent. The hefty Birds of Africa was purchased at Kampala airport and it has travelled far and wide. It is a good way to limit the purchase of yet more books when traveling to São Tomé or Ghana. The aforementioned field guide should have served me well in East Africa too, but I had the chance to buy some Birds of East Africa original artwork. So, I bought the book too. I have since grown quite fond of the book and it has travelled with me to the Rift Valley and beyond. Being absolutely full of it, I could never actually do as I preach. Limiting the number of books? Who are you kidding here? I have three field guides for Southern Africa, but even that is not enough. For the really tricky determination challenges one sometimes must use a separate book, yes, “must” – this is a life, death or misidentification issue. For the Little Brown Jobs in Southern Africa, I use Faansie Peacock’s (nominative determinism?) excellent book. With full page descriptions and lots of high-quality illustrations it is a fun read and very helpful. The book has a sister edition about waders – most of them in winter plumage in Southern Africa, so quite useful for identification on a cold October morning’s mudflat in Europe or America. Finding birds is easy on Day One but it gets progressively more difficult. Every birder needs help occasionally, whether from a local guide or from a “bird finder” or “where to find”. I also get lost easily. The maps in Dave Gosney’s series are amazing. Dave charges very little for his booklets and he updates them both on paper and on his website. He always comes across as a thoroughly decent dude to me. Like those birders who go out of their way to show you a Savannah Sparrow while they are trying to find an Ivory-billed Woodpecker for themselves. His self-made maps are spot-on as I have ascertained in Southern Portugal. Ernest Garcia’s two books for Spain are prettier and just as valuable as Dave’s booklets. I have referred to this series before. I can...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="2560" height="1920" src="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/shearwaters-scaled.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/shearwaters-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/shearwaters-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/shearwaters-630x473.jpg 630w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/shearwaters-768x576.jpg 768w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/shearwaters-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/shearwaters-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />Birding is arguably the most bookish outdoor hobby. We need field guides, ornithological papers and books, checklists, “where to finds” and stories from other birders that feed our dreams and plans. Internet has brought a new dimension (thank you 10000birds reader, for your continued attention to our ramblings) but the sturdy book in one’s hand or backpack just has substance. I have always been a… <a href="https://www.10000birds.com/my-10-favourite-bird-books-and-why.htm" rel="nofollow">Source</a>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.10000birds.com/my-10-favourite-bird-books-and-why.htm/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>3</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Birding the Slopes of Turrialba Volcano</title> <link>https://www.10000birds.com/birding-the-slopes-of-turrialba-volcano.htm?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=birding-the-slopes-of-turrialba-volcano</link> <comments>https://www.10000birds.com/birding-the-slopes-of-turrialba-volcano.htm#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Faraaz Abdool]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 20 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Birding]]></category> <category><![CDATA[birding costa rica]]></category> <category><![CDATA[birds of costa rica]]></category> <category><![CDATA[pura vida]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Rancho Naturalista]]></category> <category><![CDATA[turrialba]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.10000birds.com/?p=171314</guid> <description><![CDATA[<img width="740" height="494" src="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/collared-redstart-1410_1.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/collared-redstart-1410_1.jpg 740w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/collared-redstart-1410_1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/collared-redstart-1410_1-630x421.jpg 630w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/collared-redstart-1410_1-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/collared-redstart-1410_1-255x170.jpg 255w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/collared-redstart-1410_1-345x230.jpg 345w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" />One’s reaction to information is based almost entirely on the knowledge base that opinions are drawn from. Given this fact, reactions can easily differ if this knowledge base is continually growing. This has been made stark by comparing how I felt when I first heard of the prospect of birding the slopes of Turrialba Volcano to today, as I pen this article. Let me explain. I have a long-standing infatuation with mountains. Visible from a distance with distinct biodiversity and most importantly cool air, I remain for the most part blissfully ignorant of the cornucopia of dangers that accompany this sort of terrain. Sitting around the table in the lobby of Rancho Naturalista with Nikky and Harry, we discussed our plans for my time there. On the cards was a visit to Turrialba Volcano, and I drooled at the prospect of birding a couple thousand metres above sea level. Gnarled and stunted branches laden with all manners of moss and lichen beckoned. As much as I tried to dull my expectations – my typical modus operandi is to erase them altogether – my mind kept me busy on the drive out of the lodge. In the darkness of the pre-dawn I had a blank canvas upon which those perfect photographs began to materialise. Ultimately these visages vaporised as slivers of pink and orange began to course their way across the sky. Finally, I knew where east was. Stopping briefly for Meche to graciously grab me a cup of pure – and positively delicious – Costa Rican coffee, I got a chance to look at the resident Great-tailed Grackles as they argued on the still-dark pavement. Then, we began the gradually intensifying ascent. I’m no landscape photographer, but we absolutely had to stop for this jaw-dropper of a vista. Our next stop was to grab a photo of the sign that said “Turrialba Volcano” with the actual volcano in the background – but we were interrupted by a fabulous male Volcano Hummingbird that was perched nearby. Volcano Hummingbird Birds were aplenty from this initial stop, including Sooty Thrush and Rufous-collared Sparrow. Several others zoomed past and although both experienced guides Harry and Meche knew what they were, I couldn’t count those as any notable sightings on my part. Sooty Thrush is range-restricted and caused considerable excitement. Rufous-collared Sparrow on a suitably adorned perch. We made many stops as we continued our ascent into the clouds – there was absolutely no doubt that we were in the cloud forest as many times we were completely encased in dense mist. Despite the seemingly friendly conditions, we had to continually deliberately keep hydrated as dehydration can easily creep up on the unaware. It was understandably difficult to have breakfast comfortably, as there was always some bird that would momentarily materialise and cause all parties to decide between shoving the remainder of their sandwich back in the bag or down the throat. Whether it was a nesting Volcano Hummingbird cleverly concealed (I don’t know how Meche found this) or an uncommonly seen Ochraceous Pewee, I smiled with the understanding that it was exactly as I had hoped it would be. The handy thing about flycatchers is that they often make very short flights in search of their preferred flying insect prey. The flutter of wings at the corner of my eye drew my attention to a Dark Pewee, a bird I would have been woefully incapable of identifying without the intervention of my guides. Dark Pewee Boreal migrants were also starting to appear in greater numbers. We saw Summer Tanagers in many places, but strangely only females. Wilson’s Warbler, another visitor from the north. I added several Catharus thrushes to the life list I don’t keep including two more nightingale-thrushes – the first of which was this Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush. There were a number of soot-inspired birds in the highlands, I realised. A Sooty-capped Chlorospingus gave us good views. While I was trying to get a photo of the Chlorospingus, a Slaty Flowerpiercer foraged within a nearby thicket. I got a glimpse eventually, but did not manage a reasonable photo until later in the day. There were more Sooty Thrushes on show as waves of clouds continued to hold and release us, as well as a few Black-capped Flycatchers. Sooty-capped Chlorospingus Black-capped Flycatcher A distant movement turned out to be the near-endemic costaricensis subspecies of Red-tailed Hawk, a much closer movement was in fact not a mouse but a female Slaty Flowerpiercer. Slaty Flowerpiercer Seeing a bird like this Blue-crowned Chlorophonia felt like picking out a highlighter in a box of charcoal pencils. A short distance down the road led us to where the Red-tailed Hawk had perched. As it preened, a Fiery-throated Hummingbird buzzed it briefly. The hawk did not seem to be bothered by the hummingbird, the latter did not waste much time on it and moved off after a few seconds. Or maybe the hummingbird saw an incoming cloud rolling in, as it soon became impossible to see the raptor on the perch from where we were. Red-tailed Hawk We made a brief stop just after cresting the hill at just over 2,600m above sea level where a hummingbird feeder attracted several species of these real-life fairies: from the tiny Volcano Hummingbird to the much larger Lesser Violetear and Fiery-throated Hummingbird. Overseeing them all was a pair of Talamanca Hummingbirds. Sadly, the weather conditions meant that visibility was at best only a few metres so we opted to curtail our stay here in favour of heading down the mountain. Lesser Violetear Fiery-throated Hummingbird Talamanca Hummingbird We weren’t yet out of earshot of this place when Harry spotted a roadside Ochraceous Pewee that caused our vehicle to come to a screeching halt. With good reason, too, as our initial sighting earlier that morning had been of a distant bird on a wire. Ochraceous Pewee At another stop, still hopeful for any sighting of a Resplendent Quetzal, we scanned the dense, moss-laden vegetation for...]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="740" height="494" src="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/collared-redstart-1410_1.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/collared-redstart-1410_1.jpg 740w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/collared-redstart-1410_1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/collared-redstart-1410_1-630x421.jpg 630w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/collared-redstart-1410_1-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/collared-redstart-1410_1-255x170.jpg 255w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/collared-redstart-1410_1-345x230.jpg 345w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" />One’s reaction to information is based almost entirely on the knowledge base that opinions are drawn from. Given this fact, reactions can easily differ if this knowledge base is continually growing. This has been made stark by comparing how I felt when I first heard of the prospect of birding the slopes of Turrialba Volcano to today, as I pen this article. Let me explain. I have a long… <a href="https://www.10000birds.com/birding-the-slopes-of-turrialba-volcano.htm" rel="nofollow">Source</a>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.10000birds.com/birding-the-slopes-of-turrialba-volcano.htm/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Wiggle like a Woodcock</title> <link>https://www.10000birds.com/wiggle-like-a-woodcock.htm?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wiggle-like-a-woodcock</link> <comments>https://www.10000birds.com/wiggle-like-a-woodcock.htm#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Sara Isabelle Jentsch]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 20 Nov 2024 12:00:00 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Birds]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Woodcock]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.10000birds.com/?p=171055</guid> <description><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="753" src="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/american-woodcock-3507b9.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/american-woodcock-3507b9.jpg 1024w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/american-woodcock-3507b9-300x221.jpg 300w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/american-woodcock-3507b9-630x463.jpg 630w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/american-woodcock-3507b9-768x565.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />The American Woodcock—not to be confused with the Woodpecker (we’ve covered that topic already)—has unexpectedly found fame as an internet sensation. Known as the “Meep-Bird,” this little creature has charmed audiences with its quirky behavior and innocent demeanor. But beyond the viral videos, the woodcock is a fascinating bird with unique adaptations worth appreciating. This adorable oddball has earned the nickname “Meep-Bird” on social media, and for good reason. Picture this: a tiny, pudgy bird doing a full-body shrug, like it’s saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”—complete with a high-pitched, squeaky meep sound. The combination is so perfectly awkward and endearing that it’s no wonder people can’t get enough of this fluffy entertainer. Scientifically named Scolopax minor, the American Woodcock inhabits forests and wetlands across North America. Its mottled brown plumage provides excellent camouflage, and its long, flexible bill is perfectly designed for extracting earthworms from the soil. The woodcock’s famous walk—wobbling, bobbing, and strutting like it’s dancing to a rhythm only it knows—has made it a viral sensation. Naturally, the internet jumped in with soundtracks to match the bird’s quirky movements. From the funky Stayin’ Alive to the comical Yakety Sax, the woodcock’s full-body commitment to its walk makes it feel like it’s auditioning for Dancing with the Stars. But as amusing as its wobbly walk may seem, this movement serves a practical purpose: scientists believe the rocking motion generates vibrations that help the bird locate prey underground. The distinctive meep sound it makes is most commonly heard during the breeding season, but its appeal goes far beyond that. Humorous captions pair the sound and shrugging movements with lines like, “When someone asks where all the snacks went” or “When the teacher asks about my homework.” It’s impossible not to laugh when the bird looks like it’s both guilty and completely oblivious at the same time. And let’s not forget the woodcock’s dramatic courtship display: a spiraling, acrobatic flight followed by a rapid dive back to the ground. This performance is both beautiful and impressive, showing that while the woodcock might be a comedian to us, it takes its role in the natural world seriously. The American Woodcock is a wonderful reminder of how animals can captivate us in unexpected ways. Whether it’s through its endearing bobbing walk, its whimsical meep, or its mastery of its woodland habitat, this bird has more to offer than its internet fame suggests.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1024" height="753" src="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/american-woodcock-3507b9.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/american-woodcock-3507b9.jpg 1024w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/american-woodcock-3507b9-300x221.jpg 300w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/american-woodcock-3507b9-630x463.jpg 630w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/american-woodcock-3507b9-768x565.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />The American Woodcock—not to be confused with the Woodpecker (we’ve covered that topic already)—has unexpectedly found fame as an internet sensation. Known as the “Meep-Bird,” this little creature has charmed audiences with its quirky behavior and innocent demeanor. But beyond the viral videos, the woodcock is a fascinating bird with unique adaptations worth appreciating. <a href="https://www.10000birds.com/wiggle-like-a-woodcock.htm" rel="nofollow">Source</a>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.10000birds.com/wiggle-like-a-woodcock.htm/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>2</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Bird Guides of the World: Jeremy Yip, China</title> <link>https://www.10000birds.com/bird-guides-of-the-world-jeremy-yip-china.htm?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bird-guides-of-the-world-jeremy-yip-china</link> <comments>https://www.10000birds.com/bird-guides-of-the-world-jeremy-yip-china.htm#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Editor]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 19 Nov 2024 12:43:53 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Bird Guides]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Baihualing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[bird guides]]></category> <category><![CDATA[China]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.10000birds.com/?p=168335</guid> <description><![CDATA[<img width="1428" height="1072" src="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Jeremy.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Jeremy.jpg 1428w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Jeremy-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Jeremy-630x473.jpg 630w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Jeremy-768x577.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1428px) 100vw, 1428px" />What is your favorite bird species? It is the Chinese Monal, a beautiful big Chinese endemic, which used to be difficult to see, but is quite easy to capture a good photo nowadays. What is your name, and where do you live? My name is Ye Xuelin and I go by Jeremy Yip. I live in Baihualing, Yunnan Province, a famous five-star birding site, especially for bird photographers. We have fixed bird blinds that makes it very easy for photographers to capture very good pictures. What are the main regions or locations you cover as a bird guide? Yunnan Province, Western Sichuan, Henan Province, Fujian Province, Jiangxi Province, Guangxi Province, Guangdong Province, and Qinghai Province. Golden Pheasant How long have you been a bird guide? From the year 2015. How did you get into bird guiding? I married a local girl in Baihualing, Yunnan Province, she couldn’t stand the hot humid weather in Nanning City, where I used to work, so I had to resign from my job in a bank and move to Baihualing. That is how I started this career. Reeve’s Pheasant What are the aspects of being a bird guide that you like best? Which aspects do you dislike most? I enjoy the display of every bird, especially when I manage to capture the moments they are displaying with my camera; the sense of achievement when I discover certain birds for the clients and myself; and besides, the fresh air, trekking in the wild and forest, and of course the healthy lifestyle. About the aspects I dislike, well, a bird guide need to spend most of his time in the wild with his clients, and most of the time away from home, thus spends quite little time with families, that is what I dislike the most. Cabot’s Tragopan What are the top 5-10 birds in your region that you think are the most interesting for visiting birders? Chinese Monal Reeve’s Pheasant Cabot’s Tragopan Scarlet Finch White-eared Pheasant Temminck’s Tragopan Golden Pheasant Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler Can you outline at least one typical birdwatching trip in your area? Please briefly describe the locations, the key birds and the approximate duration of such a trip In Yunnan Province, in a 12-day trip, you can get over 200 species including Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler, Scarlet Finch, and many laughingthrushes such as Rufous-necked Laughingthrush. And if you want to, you can also take very good photos of at least 120 species that show up in our hides. What other suggestions can you give to birders interested in your area? Most of the birds here come in winter, so warm clothes are necessary. The best season for Baihualing is from December to March; for western Sichuan, end of March to the end of May; for Henan Province, March to May. Feel free to email me for more details. Scarlet Finch If any reader of 10,000 Birds is interested in birding with you, how can they best contact you? As Facebook, Instagram, and even Whatsapp and Messenger are blocked here in China, the best way is to email me at jeremyyip@qq.com or call me directly at +86 18775998110. Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers of 10,000 Birds? China is quite a good place for bird watching and bird photography, with a large number of endemics, reasonable logistics and prices, and of course nice people with smiling faces. Welcome to bird here!]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="1428" height="1072" src="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Jeremy.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Jeremy.jpg 1428w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Jeremy-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Jeremy-630x473.jpg 630w, https://www.10000birds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Jeremy-768x577.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1428px) 100vw, 1428px" />What is your favorite bird species? It is the Chinese Monal, a beautiful big Chinese endemic, which used to be difficult to see, but is quite easy to capture a good photo nowadays. What is your name, and where do you live? My name is Ye Xuelin and I go by Jeremy Yip. I live in Baihualing, Yunnan Province, a famous five-star birding site, especially for bird photographers. <a href="https://www.10000birds.com/bird-guides-of-the-world-jeremy-yip-china.htm" rel="nofollow">Source</a>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.10000birds.com/bird-guides-of-the-world-jeremy-yip-china.htm/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> </item> </channel> </rss>