ZooChat Big Year 2018

This Friday a new species for my country was discovered, but because of complications and a zoo visit planned for yesterday I hadn't had the chance to go see it until now...

BIRDS:
165) Dark-eyed junco, Junco hyemalis (hyemalis)

Even though it wasn't a lifer as I had seen it in the USA last year, it was still a very nice experience with a beautiful bird (it being male made it interesting, as I only saw females last year). Besides the junco I had a fun morning of birding as well.
 
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A cold and rather bleak trip to Sandwich & Pegwell Bay yielded a few additions.

Birds
68. Water Pipt, Anthus spinoletta
69. Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus
70. Common Shelduck, Tadorna tadorna
71. Brent Goose, Branta bernicla
72. Great Black-backed Gull, Larus marinus

Mammals
9. Harbour Seal, Phoca vitulina
 
This Friday a new species for my country was discovered, but because of complications and a zoo visit planned for yesterday I hadn't had the chance to go see it until now...

BIRDS:
165) Dark-eyed junco, Junco hyemalis (hyemalis)

Even though it wasn't a lifer as I had seen it in the USA last year, it was still a very nice experience with a beautiful bird (it being male made it interesting, as I only saw females last year). Besides the junco I had a fun morning of birding as well.

Why is the subspecies a lifer? It should be the same you saw last year.

~Thylo
 
Why is the subspecies a lifer? It should be the same you saw last year.

~Thylo
I could be mistaken, but I thought the subspecies in New York City is carolinensis? The range description for both subspecies on avibase doesn't quite seem to match New York City, but I figured the Appalachian Mountains would be closer to NYC than 'North-Central US.' Are there any detailed range maps available, that you know of?
 
I could be mistaken, but I thought the subspecies in New York City is carolinensis? The range description for both subspecies on avibase doesn't quite seem to match New York City, but I figured the Appalachian Mountains would be closer to NYC than 'North-Central US.' Are there any detailed range maps available, that you know of?

My understanding is that carolinensis is more or less restricted to the southern Appalachians. HBW says West Virginia is the northernmost extent of their range. The nominate is the one found here in Connecticut and afaik is the one present in New York as well.

~Thylo
 
Mammals
24) Striped Skunk Mephitis mephitis

~Thylo

Some more identified from Estero Llano Grande State Park in Texas:

Birds
107) White-Eyed Vireo Vireo griseus
108) Tropical Parula Setophaga pitiayumi
109) Clay-Colored Thrush Turdus grayi
110) Red-Winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
111) Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus
112) White-Faced Ibis Plegadis chihi
113) Common Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus obscurus
114) Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
115) Northern Harrier Circus hudsonius
116) Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata

~Thylo
 
Some more identified from Estero Llano Grande State Park in Texas:

Birds
107) White-Eyed Vireo Vireo griseus
108) Tropical Parula Setophaga pitiayumi
109) Clay-Colored Thrush Turdus grayi
110) R̶e̶d̶-̶W̶i̶n̶g̶e̶d̶ ̶B̶l̶a̶c̶k̶b̶i̶r̶d̶ ̶A̶g̶e̶l̶a̶i̶u̶s̶ ̶p̶h̶o̶e̶n̶i̶c̶e̶u̶s̶
111) Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus
112) White-Faced Ibis Plegadis chihi
113) Common Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus obscurus
114) Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
115) Northern Harrier Circus hudsonius
116) Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata

~Thylo

I counted Red-Winged Blackbird twice as it turns out.

The following are the last identifications from Estero Llano Grande State Park, Texas, as well as some from Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, Paton Center for Hummingbirds, Arizona, Las Lagunas de Anza Wetlands, Arizona, and Patagonia Lake State Park, Arizona:

Mammals
25) Arizona Grey Squirrel Sciurus arizonensis

Birds
116) Red-Shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus
117) Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
118) Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus
119) North American Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus
120) Black-Throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata
121) Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta
122) White-Crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
123) Sagebrush Sparrow Artemisiospiza nevadensis
124) Red-Naped Sapsucker Sphyrapicus nuchalis
125) Lesser Goldfinch Spinus psaltria
126) Ring-Necked Duck Aythya collaris
127) Pied-Billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
128) American Grey Flycatcher Empidonax wrightii
129) Zone-Tailed Hawk Buteo albonotatus
130) Rufous-Winged Sparrow Peucaea carpalis
131) Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
132) Double-Crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
133) Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula*

*The ducks I saw are Mexican Ducks, diazi. I had never heard of these before today when I was going through my 'to be identified' pics and came upon a photo of a pair of very dark ducks which I assumed where American Black Ducks until I realized Arizona is far outside of that species' range. Apparently Mexican Ducks are a taxa which have most often been lumped as a population of Mallard but appear to be more closely related to American Black Duck. HBW lists them as a subspecies of Mottled Duck but there seems to be growing support for them to be split into their own species. Since I don't think I'm allowed to count them as a separate species just yet I'll simply include them as Mottled so I still get a tick and still get a lifer :p (and because I generally follow HBW's rulings anyway). Animals pictured below:

29496411_598436040505250_6714097092223593415_n.jpg

~Thylo
 
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Your spellings of "grey" are interesting. What's that about?

Is the word spelled "gray" in New Zealand? The two have always been interchangeable afaik and it seems to simply be based on which country one lives in. In America, "gray" is more popular. In England, "grey" is more popular. I personally like the spelling of the word with an "e" instead of an "a" so that's the one I use. One of the very few examples of British English you'll see me using :p

~Thylo
 
Is the word spelled "gray" in New Zealand? The two have always been interchangeable afaik and it seems to simply be based on which country one lives in. In America, "gray" is more popular. In England, "grey" is more popular. I personally like the spelling of the word with an "e" instead of an "a" so that's the one I use. One of the very few examples of British English you'll see me using :p
No, it's really only Americans who use "gray". I was just wondering why you weren't spelling it like that.
 
I counted Red-Winged Blackbird twice as it turns out.

The following are the last identifications from Estero Llano Grande State Park, Texas, as well as some from Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, Paton Center for Hummingbirds, Arizona, Las Lagunas de Anza Wetlands, Arizona, and Patagonia Lake State Park, Arizona:

Mammals
25) Arizona Grey Squirrel Sciurus arizonensis

Birds
116) Red-Shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus
117) Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
118) Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus
119) North American Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus
120) Black-Throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata
121) Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta
122) White-Crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
123) Sagebrush Sparrow Artemisiospiza nevadensis
124) Red-Naped Sapsucker Sphyrapicus nuchalis
125) Lesser Goldfinch Spinus psaltria
126) Ring-Necked Duck Aythya collaris
127) Pied-Billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
128) American Grey Flycatcher Empidonax wrightii
129) Zone-Tailed Hawk Buteo albonotatus
130) Rufous-Winged Sparrow Peucaea carpalis
131) Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
132) Double-Crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
133) Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula*

*The ducks I saw are Mexican Ducks, diazi. I had never heard of these before today when I was going through my 'to be identified' pics and came upon a photo of a pair of very dark ducks which I assumed where American Black Ducks until I realized Arizona is far outside of that species' range. Apparently Mexican Ducks are a taxa which have most often been lumped as a population of Mallard but appear to be more closely related to American Black Duck. HBW lists them as a subspecies of Mottled Duck but there seems to be growing support for them to be split into their own species. Since I don't think I'm allowed to count them as a separate species just yet I'll simply include them as Mottled so I still get a tick and still get a lifer :p (and because I generally follow HBW's rulings anyway). Animals pictured below:

29496411_598436040505250_6714097092223593415_n.jpg

~Thylo

Some more IDed from the grounds of Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and the last bird from Madera Canyon:

Mammals
26) Harris's Antelope Squirrel Ammospermophilus harrisii

Birds
134) Curve-Billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre
135) Verdin Auriparus flaviceps
136) Costa's Hummingbird Calypte costae
137) Abert's Towhee Melozone aberti
138) Mexican Jay Aphelocoma wollweberi

~Thylo
 
Circumstances mean I have been unable to go out birdwatching for just over a month now. A brief morning trip out to Heybridge Basin today gave me a new bird for the year-list:

91. Mediterranean gull Ichthyaetus melanocephalus

Also forgot to add a sighting from my last trip out on the 22nd February - a third addition to my hymenoptera year list:

3. Red wood ant Formica rufa (NT)
 
retrospective addition having reviewed photos from last weekend:
Birds
73. Dunlin, Calidris alpina
 
No birds today unfortunately. Still waiting for spring to kick in.

Invertebrates
4. Woodlouse [Porcellio spinicornis]

5. Common rough woodlouse [Porcellio scaber]

Both from my garden. I never thought I would find any other woodlouse than P. scaber there, but P. spinicornis is very different indeed. I'll be checking woodlice again because I fear I may also have overlooked species resembling P. scaber.
 
Had a random day off today and decided to spend it up on the moors, and was richly rewarded with more Mountain Hares than I've seen in Derbyshire on all previous excursions combined!

Birds:
140. Red Grouse - Lagopus lagopus

Mammals:
14. Mountain Hare - Lepus timidus

:)
 
Went birding (again), and yet again it was one awesome session not because of the number of additions but because of some of the species I added to my list (including a long-awaited lifer) and the whole experience!

BIRDS:
37 - Atlas pied flycatcher, Ficedula speculigera
38 - Western subalpine warbler, Sylvia cantillans inornata
39 - Western Bonelli's warbler, Phylloscopus bonelli
40 - Woodchat shrike, Lanius senator

REPTILES:
1 - Bibron's agama, Agama impalearis

While trying to take pictures of birds with my new camera, I saw this rare species!

41 - Common nightingale, Luscinia megarhynchos

Third time I see this species in my whole life.
 
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