Gary Nunn

World birding from San Diego, California - America's birdiest county 522 species! Previously @WymondhamCol @UniofNottingham @uni_copenhagen @AMNH @NationalZoo

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

Death on the high seas. Spectacular Peregrine #Falcon kills Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel one hit Oregon 01Dec2017, came off top of cruise ship 50NM offshore struck right under the bow! Searches for stoned prey.

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

@terrordroma Definitely the best bird of the weekend for me too!

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

Van Dam’s Vanga—male, Ankarafantsika NP, northwest Madagascar. The amazing bill morphology, I watched it at close range levering bark off the small dead and decaying tree trunks. Just so happy, dream come true bird! #Madagascar #Vangidae #bird

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

X community of zoologists—tell me what is the baby upside down animal in this panel carving? Baby Javan Rhinoceros or baby Giant Panda? This is in Wusong Road Tiki Bar in Cambridge, Mass. Help!!

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

@miklextic What brand feeder are you using? I am looking to replace some older feeders I like but which were discontinued and cannot find something new I am happy with.

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

@terrordroma Light morph adult is tough in SoCal, think I only saw one before down here in San Diego, from land in fact at La Jolla. And there is that spectacular brown morph with white back, scapulars and tail, it’s really something.

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

Here in Southern California waters the South Polar Skua reigns supreme, whether choking boobies to near death or poking fear into large shearwaters it’s just simply “to be avoided”, I think regular seabirds are grateful it’s uncommon!! 04Aug2024 #SanDiego #pelagic #birds

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

Eastern Sierras, Alpine County, California—Rosy Dart (Xestia oblata) was high on my list to find with my son Obi on our recent “395 Highway” mothing adventure from San Diego to Oregon and back. At several higher elevation sites we found them! #moths #mothing #california

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

White Mountains, California—this is an uncommon Tiger Moth here in the state, Arachnis citra, found in pinyon pine—juniper forest at 7700 feet elevation. A species of the intermountain west, but not many records in California. Very eye-catching!

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

Mothing the Sierras, California—after finding Violet Brocade (Oligia violacea), with reddish colored thorax, was thrilled to come across the rarely reported Oligia rampartensis, the pale thorax and buffy HW marked reddish diagnostic.

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

Headed back into the Mojave Desert this weekend, searching for moths around Clark Mountain and other higher elevations in Mojave National Preserve. Trying to get my California moth list over 1000 species! #moths

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

Looking for help diagnosing what might be Fire Blight? impacting Santa Cruz Island Ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp, asplenifolius), amazing healthy growth but turns faded green, stunted tips, then sudden burnt look and dead down to crown. @CNPS

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

Heard a peculiar loud warbler “chink” call in my backyard and finally got to see it closer — thrilled to find was a Virginia’s Warbler! Very rare in San Diego County. New yard bird #158 here.

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

New garden bird for me today 01Sep2023! Flushed off the feeder early in morning had to wait until late afternoon to lay eyes again on this beautiful immature male Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Hoping for more good finds in San Diego over the holiday weekend!

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

@kokayart I looked at this stunning hybrid recently at AMNH with Collections Manager Paul Sweet. “King of Holland’s Bird-of-Paradise” between examples of it’s parental species, King Bird-of-Paradise on left, Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise on right. Amazing tail streamers!

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

Amazing chat! Hike to 9200 feet elevation finally found WHITE-THROATED BUSHCHAT on territory. Ground still frozen solid, bare trickle of ice melt, no sign of plant growth yet, snow showers. Male birds just arrived. Khanghai Mountains, central Mongolia, 16May2023

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

I think we are assuming this possibly originates from German project in Chile at the breeding islands of Pink-footed Shearwater.

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

Seabird band conundrum in San Diego, California—what appears to be Pink-footed Shearwater (?) dead on beach with band says HELGOLAND GERMANA 4239726. Any ideas from Euro counterparts what project this might originate from?

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

That should be Canis lupus chanco. I’m blaming jet lag!

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

Not just birds in the bushes! At 9000 feet in the Khangai Mountains, central Mongolia, out pops Mongolian Wolf (Canister lupus chanco)! Will not forget that eye contact! It loped off and away quickly, a wonderful experience. #wolf #Mongolia

[Gary Nunn @garybnunn]

Unforgettable electric clicking noise of lekking BLACK-BILLED CAPERCAILLIE deep in the forest just after dawn. The dominant male looking worse for wear, but did see female come to the lek. Near Terelj, north Mongolia May 04, 2023.