Dung Beetles of the Rio Grande Valley

I am so excited about the announcement of Ted C. MacRae’s new beetle-based blog carnival,  An Inordinate Fondness that I delved into... 

Dung Beetles of the Rio Grande Valley

Common Eider Somateria mollissima

Though most people probably have only heard of eiders in relation to eiderdown pillows, the Common Eider is a bird well worth getting to know for... 

A flock of Common Eider in Essex County, Massachusetts, January, 2010

Black Scoter Melanitta americana

The Black Scoter Melanitta americana, called the American Scoter by some and Melanitta nigra by others*, is a large seaduck rather readily identified... 

Black Scoter Melanitta nigra off the coast of Massachusetts, January, 2010

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Dung Beetles of the Rio Grande Valley

By Mike February 8, 2010 2 comments

I am so excited about the announcement of Ted C. MacRae’s new beetle-based blog carnival,  An Inordinate Fondness that I delved into the vault for a special post for its inaugural issue on February 10. Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you… DUNG BEETLES!
Yes, only the best beetles know their way around a dollop of dung. Texas’ Rio [...]

He Makes It Sound So Easy

By Corey February 8, 2010 3 comments

Over at Aimophila Adventures, Rick has a four-step post on How to See American Dippers.  It seems so simple I’m not sure why I haven’t seen one yet.  Maybe I need to get a dog?

It’s Kaufman ‘give-away’ time

By Charlie February 8, 2010 No comments yet

No, sadly, we’re not actually giving away either the bearded hunk that is Kenn nor the sparkling songbird that is Kim, birding’s best-known couple and the stars of many a bird festival, but - thanks to Kenn and Kim Kaufman’s fantastic generosity - we are able to away the full set of the wonderful and [...]

Best Bird of the Weekend (First of February 2010)

By Mike February 8, 2010 10 comments

How was your weekend? Any good birds? Don’t be shy… tell us about your best bird!
My best bird was a Sharp-shinned Hawk in my front yard, stalking my bird-barren bird feeder. I wouldn’t even have noticed the hawk had it not been persuaded to abandon its perch by a crow, no doubt in an act [...]

Four Great Reasons to Visit Guatemala

By Mike February 7, 2010 12 comments

The 2010 International Bird Watching Encounter in Guatemala is just drawing to an end. I’ve been fortunate enough to attend the Encounters in 2008 and 2009, both of which stand out among my most cherished travel experiences. Alas, I couldn’t make it this year so instead, I’m sitting on the sidelines waiting to hear whether [...]

Common Eider Somateria mollissima

By Corey February 7, 2010 5 comments

Though most people probably have only heard of eiders in relation to eiderdown pillows, the Common Eider is a bird well worth getting to know for more than its warm, insulating feathers.  Somateria mollissima is a seaduck that breeds colonially in the far north across North America, Europe, and Siberia (it is in the far [...]

Review: Blue Lightning by Ann Cleeves

By Charlie February 6, 2010 2 comments

So how come, 10,000 Birds readers may be asking, are you reviewing a crime novel - and a crime novel that hasn’t even been published in the US yet? Well actually, that’s quite a good story (not as good as ‘Blue Lightning’ as it happens, but still worth telling).

At last year’s BirdFair I made the [...]

Black Scoter Melanitta americana

By Corey February 6, 2010 3 comments

The Black Scoter Melanitta americana, called the American Scoter by some and Melanitta nigra by others*, is a large seaduck rather readily identified by the large, shockingly-bright-yellow knob on the male’s bill that stands out amazingly well against the all-black plumage that gives the bird its common name.  The female is dressed in more muted [...]

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