After a great start on day one, we headed into day two. On this grueling day, we finally experienced what truly definesThe Extinction Capital of the World. Early in the morning we headed again into ʻAiea Loop Trail at Keaīwa Heiau State Park. This time, we were completely focused on the Oahu ʻElepaio, the rarest
Spring Break Hawaii Birding Trip 2026 — Day 2 Read More »
Hawaii, one of the most remote archipelago of the world, with endemic honeycreepers filling the rainforests, distinctive pelagic seabird breeding right nest to your feet, and White-Terns chattering in the busiest downtown, had become our destination for this year’s Spring Break. Being a remote archipelago hundreds of miles from both coasts, the arrival of western
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A time when I faced a significant challenge was when I traveled across Los Angeles trying to find a rare Blackpoll Warbler during its largest eruption in decades. My first trip was to a tiny park where it had just been reported that morning. Although it was one of their biggest years, they were still
How a Tiny Warbler Taught Me Something Big Read More »
Recently, I wrote a new article in Chinese about three meadowlark species in the genus Sturnella. These yellow-bellied grassland birds are similar in appearance, but each has its own unique field marks, voice, and habitat preference. In the article, I compare their identification features and share field observations from my birding experiences. If you read
Larks, Larks, Larks — Three Meadowlarks of the Genus Sturnella Read More »
Over the past half year, I’ve embarked on an exciting and fulfilling birdwatching journey. I visited 5 states in the US for birding; went on a trip to Dongzhai, China and Texas, US; and completed more than three hundred checklists. During birding, I take lots of pictures, which makes keeping fieldnotes for the program harder.
Reflection on Writing Fieldnotes this Season Read More »
On day 13 of our trip, it is January the first and the bird of the year (first bird seen/heard of the year) this year is a White-crowned Sparrow! We are heading back home today and we checked Petrified Forest NP in the morning as it is on the way and got good shots at
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Day 12, we are spending a day in New Mexico’s biggest city: Albuquerque! Early in the morning, we departed from our hotel in Santa Rosa, and arrived at Sandia Crest of the Cibola NF. As soon as we approached the feeders, a group of Rosy-Finches flew in and landed on the tree top. There are
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On day 11 of our trip, the only thing we did was make a quick visit to Cibolo Nature Center and drove the whole day. By the evening, we finally arrived in New Mexico, and are ready for tomorrow’s birding in Albuquerque! ebird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291501970
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After a crazy day at Santa Margarita, we are about to head back, but we still have a bird that we missed: the Clay-colored Thrush (which is also the National Bird of Costa Rica!). After browsing eBird, we decided to try our luck at the National Butterfly Center after enjoying the feeders at Rancho Lomitas,
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Day nine of our trip, we joined the day tour at Santa Margarita Ranch. The trip started at seven and we started to drive in the pitch dark night. When we arrive, the trip leader Simon and Zac are already waiting for everyone at the meeting spot by the border wall. The first surprise comes
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