ZooChat Big Year 2019

DesertRhino150 said:
Just got back from my Minsmere trip - managed to add sixteen new birds for the year list (one a very pleasant flyover from a new bird for my British list, albeit seen twice before on the continent); I also found one new invertebrate while briefly stopped on the way home:

77. Mediterranean gull Ichthyaetus melanocephalus
78. Barnacle goose Branta leucopsis
79. Great black-backed gull Larus marinus
80. Sandwich tern Sterna sandvicensis
81. Eurasian linnet Linaria cannabina
82. European stonechat Saxicola rubicola
83. Western marsh harrier Circus aeruginosus
84. European sand martin Riparia riparia
85. Bearded reedling Panurus biarmicus
86. Common snipe Gallinago gallinago
87. Marsh tit Poecile palustris
88. Common reed bunting Emberiza schoeniclus
89. Barn swallow Hirundo rustica
90. European white stork Ciconia ciconia
91. Black-legged kittiwake Rissa tridactyla (Vu)
92. Eurasian blackcap Sylvia atricapilla

11. Dark-edged beefly Bombylius major
Click to expand...

I have managed to add several new birds and invertebrates to my list recently, along with my first reptile and fishes:

93. Ruddy turnstone Arenaria interpres
94. Common tern Sterna hirundo
95. Stock dove Columba oenas
96. European greenfinch Chloris chloris
97. Lesser whitethroat Sylvia curruca

1. Slow worm Anguis fragilis

1. Rudd Scardinius erythrophthalmus
2. European minnow Phoxinus phoxinus

12. Peacock butterfly Aglais io
13. Orange-tip butterfly Anthocharis cardamines
14. Speckled wood butterfly Pararge aegeria
15. Small tortoiseshell butterfly Aglais urticae
 
A final morning at Cat Tien got me two more species! This will be the last Asian stuff for the year, unless I see something at the airport tomorrow morning.

BIRDS:
360) Coppersmith barbet, Psilopogon haemacephalus
361) Orange-breasted trogon, Harpactes oreskios

What a species to end the trip off with! Couldn't have asked for anything better. The total trip list was 240 bird species in two weeks, of which 228 species were additions this year and 195 were lifers. Quite a succesful trip, I'd say! :D
 
I obviously don't update regularly but today while looking out the car window on my little road trip I spotted:

Birds:
13. Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) (I'm not 100% sure and it could of been some other bird of prey but a. it looked large and b. it did indeed look "golden")

Mammals:
02. Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus)
03. the Easter bunny (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
 
birdsandbats said:
Good Friday was a good Friday, though the reason had nothing to do with Easter or religion:

Birds
92. Greater Prairie-Chicken Tympanuchus cupido
93. Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis

Yes, the Pinnated Grouse were booming, and it was one of the most things I have ever seen. Also, a completely unrelated mammal from yesterday:

Mammals
9. North American Porcupine Erethizon dorsatum
Click to expand...
birdsandbats said:
Herpitiles
2. Painted Turtle Chrysemys picta
Click to expand...
Birds
94. Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum
95. Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon

Herpitiles
3. Common Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis
4. Wood Frog Lithobates sylvaticus
 
WhistlingKite24 said:
What an eventful day!
I visited Maleny Bird World today with a friend, and as we were about to leave her car wouldn’t start. A few hours later, we were able to organise alternative transport home while I ticked off a few more birds and a lovely butterfly species.

Birds
60. Black Swan Cygnus atratus
61. Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus :D
62. Brown Cuckoo Dove Macropygia phasianella
63. Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
Calyptorhynchus funereus

Invertebrates
62. Lesser Wanderer Danaus chrysippus
Click to expand...
Invertebrates
63. Green Stink Bug Plautia affinis
 
birdsandbats said:
Birds
94. Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum
95. Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon

Herpitiles
3. Common Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis
4. Wood Frog Lithobates sylvaticus
Click to expand...
Birds
96. Ruby-Crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula
97. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
 
I went looking for Ring Ouzels in my local patch, but they were nowhere to be seen. I got a tip from a "ranger" I know that a few Ring Ouzels were foraging in an area that was off-limits (because Bison are being reintroduced there, though I saw none), and he granted me access. The off-limit area is tiny, but I still noticed an increase in insects as well as lots of usually shy birds foraging right out in the open. These birds included 5 Ring Ouzels, but the "bycatch" was great too, including a surprise Tawny Pipit (which is quite rare in the Netherlands).

Birds
159. Lesser Whitethroat, Sylvia curruca
160. Common Whitethroat, Sylvia communis
161. Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra
162. Ring Ouzel, Turdus torquatus
163. Tawny Pipit, Anthus campestris
164. Osprey, Pandion haliaetus
165. Sand Martin, Riparia riparia

Invertebrates
44. Orange Tip, Anthocharis cardamines
45. Commo Pill-Bug, Armadillidium vulgare
46. European Garden Spider, Araneus diadematus
47. Straw-Barred Pearl, Pyrausta despicata
48. Small Copper, Lycaena phlaeas
49. Green-Veined White, Pieris napi
50. Jumping Spider, Pseudeuophrys lanigera

Note for @TeaLovingDave: I did try to make a decent picture of the Ring Ouzels, but unfortunately all are just low-quality record shots.
 
Indeed :)

There was a very showy Ring Ouzel in one of my regular spots over the weekend, but I was away from home. Bit annoying, that :P
 
Can I join the game?

If so, here is my total list:

Birds

1. Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) (starting off big, I saw it yesterday in Scotland :) )
2. Tawny owl (Strix aluco)
3. European eagle owl (Bubo bubo)
4. Barn owl (Tyto alba) several specimens, but notably on top of a bus :D
5. Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus)
6. Tree pipit (Anthus trivialis)
7. Meadow pipit ( Anthus pratensis)
8. Great tit (Parus major)
9. Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
10. Coal tit (Periparus ater)
11. Grey wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
12. Eurasian magpie (Pica pica)
13. Common raven (Corvus corax)
14. Rock pigeon (Columba livia)
15. Common wood pigeon (Columba palumbus)
16. Barn swallow (Hirunda rustica)
17. House sparrow (Passer domesticus)
18. Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus)
19. Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)
20. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
21. Mute swan (Cygnus olor)
22. Common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
23. Common blackbird (Turdus merula)
24. Cetti's warbler ( Cettia cetti)

That's a temporary list of the ones I have remembered so far. There will be more :)

Mammals

1. Red deer ( Cervus elaphus)
2. Red fox ( Vulpes vulpes)
3. Bank vole (Myodes glareolus)
4. Wild boar (Sus scrofa)
5. Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)
6. Brown rat (Rattus rattus)
7. Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra)
8. Moose (Alces alces)
9. American elk (Cervus canadensis)
10. North American river otter (Lontra canadensis)
11. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
 
Last edited:
Easter weekend update. Was on call for work Saturday and Sunday so only a few insects from my parents' garden those days - most of the rest are from Titchwell Marsh on Friday, with the duck from Boultham Mere in Lincoln, and the last bird and mammal, plus the damselfly and fishes from Potteric Carr today. Potteric is always good for freshwater fish as it has a lot of clear, fairly shallow and easily-viewable water courses - there was a pike as well today. Particularly pleased with the pygmy shrew - only my second ever and my policy of waiting for a sighting at all small-mammal-noises-in-the-path-edge pays off - the first dozen or so were all either Bank Voles or went to ground invisibly but I managed something different in the end..! Might be back with some more invert IDs later as I've got a few photos to run through.

(also, my first UK Sandwich Terns for the year at Titchwell mean the UK bird list claws one back on the global total to reduce the gap to 18 - for now... ;) )

Birds:
166. Eurasian Blackcap - Sylvia atricapilla
167. Sedge Warbler - Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
168. Mediterranean Gull - Ichthyaetus melanocephalus
169. Bar-tailed Godwit - Limosa lapponica
170. Bearded Reedling - Panurus biarmicus
171. Sanderling - Calidris alba
172. Eurasian Spoonbill - Platalea leucorodia
173. Long-tailed Duck - Clangula hyemalis
174. Willow Warbler - Phylloscopus trochilus

(UK: 156)

Mammals:
19. Bank Vole - Myodes glareolus
20. Eurasian Pygmy Shrew - Sorex minutus

Fishes:
7. European Chub - Squalus cephalus
8. Gudgeon - Gobio gobio
9. European Minnow - Phoxinus phoxinus

Invertebrates:
19. Common Periwinkle - Litorina littorea
20. Holly Blue - Celastrina argiolus
21. Speckled Wood - Pararge aegeria
22. Small White - Pieris rapae
23. Orange-tip - Anthocharis cardamines
24. Large Red Damselfly - Pyrrhosoma nymphulus

:)
 
Last edited:
Coelacanth18 said:
Update:

Birds
153. Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)
154. Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
155. Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens)
156. Rufous-crowned Sparrow (Aimophila ruficeps)
157. Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)
Click to expand...

Spent the weekend going to different sites in Kern County looking for migratory birds. Had mixed success (no summer tanager or blue grosbeak) but did add quite a few good birds to my list including two focals: an owl species (great horned, including nearly-fledged chicks!) and roadrunner. Also saw two mammals by chance that I wasn't even counting on.

Birds
158. Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)
159. Hermit Warbler (Setophaga occidentalis)
160. Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus)
161. Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis)
162. Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)
163. Vaux’s Swift (Chaetura vauxi)
164. Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Dryobates scalaris)
165. Lazuli Bunting (Passerina amoena)
166. Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
167. Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)
168. Nashville Warbler (Oreothlypis ruficapilla)
169. Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus)
170. Hammond’s Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii)
171. Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
172. Scott’s Oriole (Icterus parisorum)
173. Brewer’s Sparrow (Spizella breweri)
174. Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)
175. Tricolored Blackbird (Agelaius tricolor) (EN)
176. Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)
177. Bullock’s Oriole (Icterus bullockii)
178. Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina)
179. Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
180. Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus)
181. Gray Flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii)
182. Lawrence’s Goldfinch (Spinus lawrencei)
183. Cassin’s Vireo (Vireo cassinii)

Mammals
19. Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotis)
20. Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)

And then last night I went out to the beach to do a grunion run and saw another focal species for the year, along with a small group of hungry night herons:

Birds
184. Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)
 
Right here is my continued list:

Birds

25. Grey heron (Ardea cinerea)
26. Willow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus)
27. Rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta)
28. European robin (Erithacus rubecula)
29. Common buzzard (Buteo buteo)
30. Herring gull (Larus argentatus)
31. Canada goose (Branter canadensis)
32. Greylag goose (Anser anser)
33. Wigeon (Anas Penelope)
34. Pochard (Aythya farina)
35. Tufted duck (Aythya fuligula)
36. Pintail (Anas acuta)
37. Ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
38. Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
39. Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
40. Shag (Phalacracorax aristotelis)
41. Coot (Fulica atra)
42. Grey plover (Fluvialis squatarola)
43. Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
44. Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
45. Black headed gull (Larus ridibundus)
46. Common gull (Larus canus)
47. Pied wagtail (Motacilla alba)
48. Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
49. Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
50. Long tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
51. Jay (Garrulus grandarius)
52. Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)
53. Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
54. Carrion crow (Corvus corone)
55. Hooded crow (Corvus cornix)
56. Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

Mammals

12. Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)
13. Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
14. European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
15. European hare (Lepus europaeus)
16. Western hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus)
17. Common mole (Talpa europaea)
18. Brown long eared bat (Plecotus auritus)
19. House mouse (Mus domesticus)
20. Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus)
21. Common seal (Phoca vitulina)
22. Fallow deer (Dama dama)
 
Don't really have a story for these two, however the rook is a lifer species for me.

31. Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
32. Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
 
Zoo Tycooner FR said:
Certainly not as impressive as Vision's list but some recent birding (including my first time in Oued Souss since a while) yielded some nice spring additions and two long-awaited lifers!

07/04/2019
(Agadir)
BIRDS:
76 - Common whitethroat, Sylvia communis

(Issen)
BIRDS:
77 - Rufous-tailed scrub-robin, Cercotrichas galactotes
78 - European bee-eater, Merops apiaster

10/04/2019 (Oued Souss)
BIRDS:
79 - Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica
80 - Slender-billed gull, Chroicocephalus genei
81 - Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus
82 - Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata
83 - Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia
84 - Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
85 - Eurasian spoonbill, Platalea leucorodia
86 - Grey plover, Pluvialis squatarola
87 - Glossy ibis, Plegadis falcinellus
88 - European turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur

INVERTEBRATES:
10 - African monarch, Danaus chrysippus

Still have to identify two butterfly species but all-in-all, I feel like this is a pretty good batch!
Click to expand...

Batch from a three days stay at Issen including two lifers during my birthday (especially happy with the wheatear which I've probably seen last week but I cannot be sure since I have no pictures), another one two days prior and a whole bunch of invertebrates including one or two I still haven't identified.

All-in-all, probably one of my favourite moments birding-wise this year and I'm hoping to end this week beautifully with a visit to Tamri tomorrow!

20/04/2019 (Issen)
BIRDS:
89 - Western olivaceous warbler, Iduna opaca

INVERTEBRATES:
11 - European paper wasp, Polistes dominula

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
21/04/2019 (Issen)
INVERTEBRATES:
12 - White-banded digger bee, Amegilla quadrifasciata
13 - Long-tailed blue, Lampides boeticus

------------------------------------------------------------------------
22/04/2019 (Issen)
BIRDS:
90 - Melodious warbler, Hyppolais polyglotta
91 - Black-eared wheatear, Oenanthe hispanica

MAMMALS:
3 - Striped ground squirrel, Xerus erythropus
 
from this wekend
birds
96 horned grebe Podiceps auritus
97 red -neckt grebe Podiceps grisegena
98 nothern shoveler Anas clypeata
99 eurasian teal Anas crecca
100 eurasian wigeon Mareca penelope
101 commone shellduck Tadorna tadorna
102 red-breasted marganser Mergus serrator
103vred-throated loon Gavia stellata
104 black throated loom Gavia arctica
105 long tailed duck Clangula hyemalis
106 velvet scoter Melanitta fusca)
107 commone scoter Melanitta nigra
108 stellers eider polysticta stelleri
109 green sandpipler Tringa ochropus
110 common murre Uria aalge
111 razorbill Alca torda
112 black gullimot Cepphus grylle
113 parasitick jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus
114 artick tern Sterna paradisaea
115 commone tern Sterna hirundo
116 hen harrier Circus cyaneus
117 merlin Falco columbarius
118 perregrine falcon Falco peregrinus
119 short eard owl Asio flammeus
120 barn swallow Hirundo rustica
121 common chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
122 eurasian wren Troglodytes troglodytes
123 redwing Turdus iliacus
124 mistle thrush Turdus viscivorus
125 northern wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
126 dunnock Prunella modularis
127 tree pipit Anthus trivialis
128 eurasian rock pipit Anthus petrosus
129 brambling Fringilla montifringilla
130 twite Linaria flavirostris
131 euopran serin Serinus serinus
132 reed bunting Emberiza schoeniclus
the steller eider and serin was nice i dont think they are yearly weher i live

mammals
12 grey seal Halichoerus grypus
13 common vole Microtus arvalis

repitels

5 nothern adder vipera berus​
6 grass snake Natrix natrix
7 viviparous lizard
i have now sen 50% of the repitils in sweden
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top