ZooChat Big Year 2018
- Thread starter Chlidonias
- Start date
I mean Jay hasn't seen any rosellas this year so you have that going for you
~Thylo
Here is a recap of the Birds and Mammals I've spotted this year. So far I have not left the state, but being Alaska, the Pigeon and the Polar Bear were about 800 miles distant from each other. From the Anchorage Bowl to the Beaufort Sea. Scored a few migratory species in the last week, so my numbers should start ticking up pretty quickly...Muskrats and Dall Sheep continue to inexplicably elude me. In this recap I've listed all species in the order they appear in the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America and University of Alaska Press Recent Mammals of Alaska. For Birds I've added the date observed.
Birds:
1. Trumpeter Swan - Cygnus Buccinator (Wasilla Creek on April 10)
2. Mallard - Anas Platyrhynchos (Cottonwood Creek on January 19)
3. Northern Shoveler - Anas Clypeata (Wasilla Creek on April 10)
4. Common Merganser - Mergus Merganser (Cottonwood Creek on April 4)
5. Willow Ptarmigan - Lagopus Lagopus (Sag River on February 6)
6. Feral Rock Pigeon - Columba Livia (Chester Creek on January 15)
7. Mew Gull - Larus Canus (Potter Creek on April 10)
8. Glaucous-winged Gull - Larus Glaucescens (Campbell Creek on April 3)
9. Golden Eagle - Aquila Chrysaetos (Matanuska River on April 10)
10. Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus Leucocephalus (Eagle River on January 15)
11. Short-eared Owl - Asio Flammeus (Fish Creek on April 5)
12. Hairy Woodpecker - Picoides Villosus (Fish Creek on April 10)
13. Downy Woodpecker - Picoides Pubescens (Fish Creek on February 14)
14. Gray Jay - Perisoreus Canadensis (Lucille Creek on March 16)
15. Black-billed Magpie - Pica Hudsonia (Matanuska River on January 15)
16. Common Raven - Corvus Corax (Sag River on January 1)
17. Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile Atricapillus (Fish Creek on January 16)
18. Red-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta Canadensis (Fish Creek on April 5)
19. European Starling - Sturnus Vulgaris (Chester Creek on January 15)
20. Bohemian Waxwing - Bombycilla Garrulus (Lucille Creek on January 19)
21. Snow Bunting - Plectrophenax Nivalis (Knik River on March 15)
- BOLD: Spotted after my previous posting on this thread.
Mammals:
1. American Red Squirrel - Tamiasciurus Hudsonicus
2. North American Brown Lemming - Lemmus Trimucronatus
3. House Mouse - Mus Musculus
4. Snowshoe Hare - Lepus Americanus
5. Arctic Fox - Vulpes Lagopus
6. Red Fox - Vulpes Vulpes
7. Polar Bear - Ursus Maritimus
* Wolverine - Gulo Gulo (Tracks only. Two separate occasions, almost certainly the same animal.)
8. Northern River Otter - Lontra Canadensis
9. Moose - Alces Americanus
10. Caribou - Rangifer Tarandus
- BOLD: The River Otter was spotted after my previous posting on this thread.
Waterfowl and Song Birds are returning. Rivers are breaking up. Black and Brown Bears should be moving about soon and the long hours of daylight will make spotting some elusive species a bit easier.
Birds:
1. Trumpeter Swan - Cygnus Buccinator (Wasilla Creek on April 10)
2. Mallard - Anas Platyrhynchos (Cottonwood Creek on January 19)
3. Northern Shoveler - Anas Clypeata (Wasilla Creek on April 10)
4. Common Merganser - Mergus Merganser (Cottonwood Creek on April 4)
5. Willow Ptarmigan - Lagopus Lagopus (Sag River on February 6)
6. Feral Rock Pigeon - Columba Livia (Chester Creek on January 15)
7. Mew Gull - Larus Canus (Potter Creek on April 10)
8. Glaucous-winged Gull - Larus Glaucescens (Campbell Creek on April 3)
9. Golden Eagle - Aquila Chrysaetos (Matanuska River on April 10)
10. Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus Leucocephalus (Eagle River on January 15)
11. Short-eared Owl - Asio Flammeus (Fish Creek on April 5)
12. Hairy Woodpecker - Picoides Villosus (Fish Creek on April 10)
13. Downy Woodpecker - Picoides Pubescens (Fish Creek on February 14)
14. Gray Jay - Perisoreus Canadensis (Lucille Creek on March 16)
15. Black-billed Magpie - Pica Hudsonia (Matanuska River on January 15)
16. Common Raven - Corvus Corax (Sag River on January 1)
17. Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile Atricapillus (Fish Creek on January 16)
18. Red-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta Canadensis (Fish Creek on April 5)
19. European Starling - Sturnus Vulgaris (Chester Creek on January 15)
20. Bohemian Waxwing - Bombycilla Garrulus (Lucille Creek on January 19)
21. Snow Bunting - Plectrophenax Nivalis (Knik River on March 15)
- BOLD: Spotted after my previous posting on this thread.
Mammals:
1. American Red Squirrel - Tamiasciurus Hudsonicus
2. North American Brown Lemming - Lemmus Trimucronatus
3. House Mouse - Mus Musculus
4. Snowshoe Hare - Lepus Americanus
5. Arctic Fox - Vulpes Lagopus
6. Red Fox - Vulpes Vulpes
7. Polar Bear - Ursus Maritimus
* Wolverine - Gulo Gulo (Tracks only. Two separate occasions, almost certainly the same animal.)
8. Northern River Otter - Lontra Canadensis
9. Moose - Alces Americanus
10. Caribou - Rangifer Tarandus
- BOLD: The River Otter was spotted after my previous posting on this thread.
Waterfowl and Song Birds are returning. Rivers are breaking up. Black and Brown Bears should be moving about soon and the long hours of daylight will make spotting some elusive species a bit easier.
The mammal is from the other night here in Connecticut while the birds are from photos in San Diego:
Mammals
28) Northern Raccoon Procyon lotor
Birds
139) Bufflehead Bucephala albeola
140) California Gull Larus californicus
~Thylo
Quite a varied list today. Inverts are finally going strong, the total of herptiles is doubled and a few extra (but common) birds and a mammal are always nice.
Birds
147. Tree pipit [Anthus trivialis]
148. Barn swallow [Hirundo rustica]
Mammals
0. European bison [Bos bonasus]*
6. Bank vole [Myodes glareolus]
Herptiles
3. Pool frog [Pelophylax lessonae]
4. Smooth newt [Lissotriton vulgaris]
Invertebrates
13. Small cabbage white [Pieris rapae]
14. Common pond skater [Gerris lacustris]
15. Red admiral [Vanessa atalanta]
16. Yellow dung fly [Scathophaga stercoraria]
17. Bridge spider [Larinioides sclopetarius]
18. Small tortoiseshell [Aglais urticae]
19. European peacock [Aglais io]
* Too cool to not include. A herd is being introduced to a local nature reserve. Although they are technically living "in the wild" (no feeding or other forms of caretaking), I feel they don't count yet as they are still in a habituation pen. Counting large mammals in the Netherlands is quite trickly.
Birds
147. Tree pipit [Anthus trivialis]
148. Barn swallow [Hirundo rustica]
Mammals
0. European bison [Bos bonasus]*
6. Bank vole [Myodes glareolus]
Herptiles
3. Pool frog [Pelophylax lessonae]
4. Smooth newt [Lissotriton vulgaris]
Invertebrates
13. Small cabbage white [Pieris rapae]
14. Common pond skater [Gerris lacustris]
15. Red admiral [Vanessa atalanta]
16. Yellow dung fly [Scathophaga stercoraria]
17. Bridge spider [Larinioides sclopetarius]
18. Small tortoiseshell [Aglais urticae]
19. European peacock [Aglais io]
* Too cool to not include. A herd is being introduced to a local nature reserve. Although they are technically living "in the wild" (no feeding or other forms of caretaking), I feel they don't count yet as they are still in a habituation pen. Counting large mammals in the Netherlands is quite trickly.
This should, of course, be Bison bonasus.
Here's the rest from Croatia! Saw a lot of very exciting species.
BIRDS:
185) Eurasian crag martin, Ptyonoprogne rupestris
186) Western rock nuthatch, Sitta neumayer
187) Blue rock thrush, Monticola solitarius
188) Rock partridge, Alectoris graeca
189) Tree pipit, Anthus trivialis
190) Corn bunting, Embiriza calandra
191) Common whitethroat, Sylvia communis
192) Willow warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus
193) Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia
194) Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola
195) Lesser whitethroat, Sylvia curruca
196) Collared flycatcher, Ficedula albicollis
197) Sombre tit, Poecile lugubris
198) Black kite, Milvus migrans
199) Middle spotted woodpecker, Dendrocoptes medius
HERPS:
3) Slow worm, Anguis fragilis
4) Common toad, Bufo bufo
5) European pond terrapin, Emys orbicularis
6) Pond slider, Trachemys scripta
FISH:
2) Minnow, Phoxinus phoxinus
3) Chub, Squalius cephalus
INVERTEBRATES:
3) Clouded yellow, Colias croceus
4) Cleopatra, Gonepteryx cleopatra
5) Small white, Pieris rapae
6) Painted lady, Vanessa cardui
7) Common blue, Polyommatus icarus
8) Southern Blue, Polyommatus celina
9) Scarce swallowtail, Iphiclides podalirius
10) Firebug, Pyrrhocoris apterus
11) Domestic house spider, Tegenaria domestica
12) Seven-spotted ladybeetle, Coccinella septempunctata
13) Asian ladybeetle, Harmonia axyridis
14) Dotted bee-fly, Bombylius discolor
15) Orange tip, Anthocharis cardamines
BIRDS:
185) Eurasian crag martin, Ptyonoprogne rupestris
186) Western rock nuthatch, Sitta neumayer
187) Blue rock thrush, Monticola solitarius
188) Rock partridge, Alectoris graeca
189) Tree pipit, Anthus trivialis
190) Corn bunting, Embiriza calandra
191) Common whitethroat, Sylvia communis
192) Willow warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus
193) Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia
194) Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola
195) Lesser whitethroat, Sylvia curruca
196) Collared flycatcher, Ficedula albicollis
197) Sombre tit, Poecile lugubris
198) Black kite, Milvus migrans
199) Middle spotted woodpecker, Dendrocoptes medius
HERPS:
3) Slow worm, Anguis fragilis
4) Common toad, Bufo bufo
5) European pond terrapin, Emys orbicularis
6) Pond slider, Trachemys scripta
FISH:
2) Minnow, Phoxinus phoxinus
3) Chub, Squalius cephalus
INVERTEBRATES:
3) Clouded yellow, Colias croceus
4) Cleopatra, Gonepteryx cleopatra
5) Small white, Pieris rapae
6) Painted lady, Vanessa cardui
7) Common blue, Polyommatus icarus
8) Southern Blue, Polyommatus celina
9) Scarce swallowtail, Iphiclides podalirius
10) Firebug, Pyrrhocoris apterus
11) Domestic house spider, Tegenaria domestica
12) Seven-spotted ladybeetle, Coccinella septempunctata
13) Asian ladybeetle, Harmonia axyridis
14) Dotted bee-fly, Bombylius discolor
15) Orange tip, Anthocharis cardamines
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Back home, while looking through (bad) pictures, I realized the slow worm was in fact something a lot more exciting:
HERPS:
3) European legless lizard, Pseudopus apodus
And a very rare bird was just found an hour away, so I jumped on the first bus to go find it:
BIRDS:
200) Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris
HERPS:
3) European legless lizard, Pseudopus apodus
And a very rare bird was just found an hour away, so I jumped on the first bus to go find it:
BIRDS:
200) Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris
118 Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura
119 Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe
120 Chipping Sparrow - Spizella passerina
121 Great Egret - Ardea alba
122 Bonaparte's Gull - Chroicocephalus philadelphia
123 Franklin's Gull - Leucophaeus pipixcan
124 Northern Rough-winged Swallow - Stelgidopteryx serripennis
125 Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor
126 Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica
127 Cliff Swallow - Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
128 Black-crowned Night-Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax
129 Purple Martin - Progne subis
130 Swamp Sparrow - Melospiza georgiana
131 Lincoln's Sparrow - Melospiza lincolnii
132 Marbled Godwit - Limosa fedoa
133 Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos
134 Cedar Waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum
135 Baird's Sandpiper - Calidris bairdii
136 Pileated Woodpecker - Dryocopus pileatus
137 Brown Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum
138 Snowy Egret - Egretta thula
139 Fish Crow - Corvus ossifragus
140 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea
Not really an exciting follow-up, just another set of birds from my backyard and the surrounding area:Mammals:
5. Galápagos sea lion (EN)
Birds:
45. Eared dove
46. Great thrush
47. Sparkling violetear
48. Rufous-collared sparrow
49. Southern yellow grosbeak
50. Blue-and-white swallow
51. Cattle egret
52. Smooth-billed ani
53. Yellow warbler (two subspecies)
54. Common noddy
55. Magnificent frigatebird
56. Blue-footed booby
57. Lava gull (VU)
58. Brown pelican (ssp. urinator)
59. Small ground finch
60. Ruddy turnstone
61. Nazca booby
62. Wedge-rumped storm petrel
63. Galápagos petrel (CR)
64. Galápagos flycatcher
65. Woodpecker finch
66. Common cactus finch
67. Small tree finch
68. Large tree finch (VU)
69. Green warbler finch
70. Galápagos mockingbird
71. Galápagos hawk (EN)
72. Whimbrel
73. Yellow-crowned night heron
74. American flamingo
75. White-cheeked pintail
76. Black-necked stilt
77. Common gallinule
78. Galápagos shearwater
79. Striated heron
80. Lava heron
81. Band-rumped storm petrel
82. Large ground finch
83. San Cristóbal mockingbird (EN)
84. Pied-billed grebe
85. Horned grebe (VU)
86. Red-breasted merganser
87. Great egret
Reptiles:
1. Galápagos land iguana (VU)
2. Santa Cruz lava lizard (M. indefatigabilis)
3. Marine iguana (3 subspecies)
4. Isabela lava lizard (M. ablemarlensis)
5. Green sea turtle (EN)
6. Western Santa Cruz giant tortoise (C. porteri) (CR)
7. Galápagos leaf-toed gecko
8. Peters' leaf-toed gecko
9. San Cristóbal lava lizard
Fish:
1. Oceanic blacktip shark (C. limbatus)
2. Golden cownose ray
3. Bullseye pufferfish
4. Spotted eagle ray
5. Whitetip reef shark
6. Round ribbontail ray
7. Diamond stingray
8. Yellow-tailed grunt
9. Blue-barred parrotfish
10. Black-striped salema
11. Spinster wrasse (H. nicholsi)
12. Panamic sergeant major
Inverts:
3. Sulphur butterfly (Phoebis sennae marcellina)
4. Queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus thersippus)
5. Galápagos blue butterfly
6. Galápagos carpenter bee
7. Large painted locust
8. Sally lightfoot crab
9. Fiddler crab (Uca helleri)
10. Galápagos hermit crab (Calcinus explorator)
All of these, I am fairly sure on. Any changes to this list will hopefully be additions. I've provided scientific names where I think confusion may arise.
88. Chipping sparrow
89. Eastern bluebird
90. Northern flicker
91. Osprey (which I saw the same time as the grebes, but forgot to add)
92. Northern raven (which I've certainly seen this year already and forgotten to add)
93. Fox sparrow
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I'm fairly certain it's when a rare vagrant pops up and one rushes to the area specifically to see it.
~Thylo
And Rushing with a capital R in many cases. I know people who left during an exam, because they got a notification of a rarity 150 km away...
A few general additions from the last couple of weeks (April's going to be a particularly slow month due to general level of Stuff Going On!):
Birds:
145. Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica
Mammals:
16. House Mouse - Mus musculus
Amphibians:
3. Common Toad - Bufo bufo
Invertebrates:
5. Buff-tailed Bumblebee - Bombus terrestris
6. European Peacock - Aglais io
7. Garden Snail - Cornu aspersum
Birds:
145. Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica
Mammals:
16. House Mouse - Mus musculus
Amphibians:
3. Common Toad - Bufo bufo
Invertebrates:
5. Buff-tailed Bumblebee - Bombus terrestris
6. European Peacock - Aglais io
7. Garden Snail - Cornu aspersum
How can you tell the wolverine tracks were made by the same individual?
Their population density is pretty low. Both times I located a trail was proceeded (by about an hour) by a report of a sighting. While it is possible it was two animals in the same area, I believe it more likely that one animal moved through over a couple of days and then headed back out to wilder country. Reports of sightings dropped off not too long after I observed a second trail.
Yes, it is when a birder goes to look for one specific individual bird which is (usually) out of range.
The term is said to derive from a particular pair of birders in the UK (in the 1970s?) who would travel around the country on a motorbike in pursuit of vagrants, and arrive "twitching" with cold.
The general public often uses the term as equivalent to "bird-watching" but it is actually a very specific subset of the activity.
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Another really great twitch today. I'm starting to get into this twitching stuff
98) Eurasian Wigeon
99) Common Pochard
100) Little Grebe
101) Great Crested Grebe
102) Greylag Goose
103) Eurasian Penduline Tit
104) Great White Pelican (my first sighting outside Africa - quite a nice vagrant in Poland, I think this is the 75th (ish) Polish record)
105) Western Marsh Harrier
106) Reed Bunting
107) Great Egret
108) Black-necked Grebe
109) Northern Shoveler
Lots of nice summer waterbirds too.
It's been warming up in Warsaw over the last week or so, and I got my first herp for the year, from my garden pond:
1) Smooth Newt