It has been awhile since we here at 10,000 Birds announced a new Beat Writer. But we are pleased as punch to share the news that Patrick O’Donnell is going to be writing here on 10,000 Birds. Patrick is the kings of Costa Rica bird blogging and we are excited to have him posting here on 10,000 Birds as both Mike and Corey have been fans of his blog, Costa Rica Living and Birding, for quite some time. Patrick will, not surprisingly, be blogging about “Costa Rica Birding” and his posts will appear every-other-Saturday morning. It’s been awhile since we had a regular blogger based in Central America and I am sure that the steady diet of quetzals, hummingbirds and tanagers will be quite enjoyable.

Patrick became a birder at the age of seven after seeing books about birds in the Niagara Falls, New York public library. Although watching thousands of gulls in the Niagara Gorge was sublime, more bird species (and warmer weather) eventually brought him to Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and other very birdy, tropical places. A biologist by training, he has worked on bird-related projects in Colorado, Washington, Peru, and other locales, and has guided birders in Peru, Ecuador, and Costa Rica. These days, Patrick lives in Costa Rica where he juggles guiding, freelance writing, developing bird apps for Costa Rica and Panama, posting on his Costa Rica birding blog, and discussing dinosaurs with his young daughter.

Join us in welcoming Patrick and feel free to make requests for blog posts about specific aspects of Costa Rica birding in the comments. I’m sure Patrick will be willing and able to help satisfy your curiosity.

For more information about all of the 10,000 Birds Beat Writers, including their posting schedule, check out our dedicated Beat Writer page.

Written by Corey
Corey is a New Yorker who lived most of his life in upstate New York but has lived in Queens since 2008. He's only been birding since 2005 but has garnered a respectable life list by birding whenever he wasn't working as a union representative or spending time with his family. He lives in Forest Hills with Daisy and Desmond Shearwater. His bird photographs have appeared on the Today Show, in Birding, Living Bird Magazine, Bird Watcher's Digest, and many other fine publications. He is also the author of the American Birding Association Field Guide to the Birds of New York.