14. Ringed Seal - Phoca Hispida
ZooChat Big Year 2019
- Thread starter TeaLovingDave
- Start date
14. Ringed Seal - Phoca Hispida
i got a few new this week
birds
161 red backt shrike Lanius collurio
162 whinchat Saxicola rubetra
163 spotted redshank Tringa erythropus
fish
130 broadnosed pipefish Syngnathus typhle
131 european bullhed Cottus gobio
i allso saw a beaver to day
birds
161 red backt shrike Lanius collurio
162 whinchat Saxicola rubetra
163 spotted redshank Tringa erythropus
fish
130 broadnosed pipefish Syngnathus typhle
131 european bullhed Cottus gobio
i allso saw a beaver to day
An unwanted stopover in Singapore (missed connection) allowed a short bit of birding at Changi Beach Park. Not a bad spot given it is basically just a a manicured suburban park, with 13 species observed late afternoon over one hour including a number of collared kingfishers.
234. Red-breasted parakeet Psittacula alexandri
235. White-bellied sea eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
236. Tanimbar corella Cacatua goffiniana
237. Sunda pygmy woodpecker Yungipicus moluccensis
238. House crow Corvus spendedens
239. Javan mynah Acridotheres javanicus
240. Black-naped oriole Oriolus chinensis
First bird seen on arrival in Europe was at Florence railway station.
241. Italian sparrow Passar italiae
234. Red-breasted parakeet Psittacula alexandri
235. White-bellied sea eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
236. Tanimbar corella Cacatua goffiniana
237. Sunda pygmy woodpecker Yungipicus moluccensis
238. House crow Corvus spendedens
239. Javan mynah Acridotheres javanicus
240. Black-naped oriole Oriolus chinensis
First bird seen on arrival in Europe was at Florence railway station.
241. Italian sparrow Passar italiae
Glad to see this species at Toledo Zoo today:
Herpitiles
8. Common Five-lined Skink Plestiodon fasciatus
Not able to make day trips this weekend but made a run out yesterday evening to pick up a duck and then last night took advantage of a good-weather evening to hit Budby Heath for some nocturnal birding. Got my best ever nightjar views as one took a couple of close passes before darkness had really begun to set in and the local Long-eared Owls were tending young again in the same spot as I was able to watch them in 2017 (couldn't find any sign of them last year). Finally, some detector work on the walk back to the car finally picked up a bat that had been evading me - though it took nearly 20 minutes after detecting it to actually see it and detect it at the same time to be able to count it..!
Birds:
227. Ferruginous Duck - Aythya nyroca
228. Eurasian Woodcock - Scolopax rusticola
229. European Nightjar - Caprimulgus europaeus
230. Long-eared Owl - Asio otus
(UK: 176)
Mammals:
33. Common Pipistrelle - Pipistrellus pipistrellus
Birds:
227. Ferruginous Duck - Aythya nyroca
228. Eurasian Woodcock - Scolopax rusticola
229. European Nightjar - Caprimulgus europaeus
230. Long-eared Owl - Asio otus
(UK: 176)
Mammals:
33. Common Pipistrelle - Pipistrellus pipistrellus
What are the best spots for Black woodpecker in Belgium. Is Kalmthout Forest reliable?Went after Baillon's crake, a still fairly rare vagrant, tonight and unfortunately didn't see (nor even hear) any of them. I'm now 0/2 on my attempts of the small crakes in Belgium... At least I'll have more opportunities to get them in the future! Did get two other additions instead, though, so I suppose I can't complain too much.
BIRDS:
419) Black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
MAMMALS:
29) Red fox, Vulpes vulpes
These will likely be my last additions (of birds and mammals, at least) in Belgium for the next few weeks
Dannelboyz
Well-Known Member
Nothing new seen, but with IOC splitting the Australian Tern, I have an addition on my list!
The official changes are:
95 - Australian Tern (Gelochelidon macrotarsa)
231 - Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica affinis)
My most recent bird is 244 - Superb Lyrebird.
At Bern Zoo
Mammals
26. Red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris
Birds
242. Common wood pigeon Columba palumbus
243. Eurasian jay Garrulus glandarius
244, Carrion crow Corvus corone
245. Eurasian blackcap Sylvia atricapilla
Zurich, the river that runs under the railway station
Birds
246. Black-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
247. Grey heron Ardea cinerea
Fish
7. Brown trout Salmo trutta
Mammals
26. Red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris
Birds
242. Common wood pigeon Columba palumbus
243. Eurasian jay Garrulus glandarius
244, Carrion crow Corvus corone
245. Eurasian blackcap Sylvia atricapilla
Zurich, the river that runs under the railway station
Birds
246. Black-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
247. Grey heron Ardea cinerea
Fish
7. Brown trout Salmo trutta
I've replied to your PM
I think the 'Kalmthoutse heide' and 'Klein schietveld' to the south of Kalmthout are probably the two areas close to Antwerp where you can see them fairly reliably, but I don't know anywhere that they're actually guaranteed. Perhaps some of the active birders in the Netherlands know places there for them? I think the forests close to Arnhem (and Burgers' zoo) should be good for them as well.
103. Superb Fairy Wren (Malurus cyaneus)
104. Silver eyes (Zosterops lateralis)
105. Apostle bird (Struthidea cinerea)
106. Brown Honey Eater (Struthidea cinerea)
Saw some really nice birds today. Also saw several pheasant coucal, yellow tailed black cockatoos, a few hundred galahs and some double barred finches.
104. Silver eyes (Zosterops lateralis)
105. Apostle bird (Struthidea cinerea)
106. Brown Honey Eater (Struthidea cinerea)
Saw some really nice birds today. Also saw several pheasant coucal, yellow tailed black cockatoos, a few hundred galahs and some double barred finches.
As I have mentioned before on different threads, there is an introduced population of European Goldfinches in North America. This species is probably the easiest to find Wisconsin breeding bird that is not yet on my life list. Or so I thought.
Today I was on my way back from my Ohio zoo trip and was passing through the core of the species NA range. My plan was to stop at a local bird store in Kenosha, WI called "The Bird's Nest". The feeders behind this store are known as the most reliable place in North America to see the species (I'm not counting Bermuda because that's cheating). I got there around noon, which is supposedly the most reliable time of day to see the birds. My only problem? The store was missing! I checked Google Maps to see I was at the right location, and it said I was. 7435B 117th Avenue. An empty building with an "Available" sign in the window! I looked into it and found the store had closed only a month before I had arrived. And, worst of all, it had brought its Nyjer Thistle feeder with it!
I saw there was a park behind the store, so as a last ditch effort I decided to try for the goldfinch there. I don't remember the name of the park, but it was the worst park I had ever been too. The first third or so of the park was a giant field of 100% invasive plant species, not a native in sight. The path looked it was made by a maniac driving a riding lawn mower through it. It made random twists and turns and ultimately required you to wade through grass at some points. It looks like there had once been a road here, because signs reading "No Parking here to Corner" and "One Way" could be seen peeking through the Reed Canary Grass. But no European Goldfinches.
Suddenly, the flora changed. I was now standing in an epic fail of a restored native prairie, or at least that's what I assumed it was. There were many signs that someone had put effort into restoring the habitat, then ultimately gave up. They had managed to establish two native plants and some "nice" buckthorn hedges. But no European Goldfinches.
Finally I had a choice at a fork in the path. Either go back into the invasive field or continue into a forest. I had no idea what kind of habitat Carduelis carduelis prefers, so I went the forest route. I was soon being ravage by mosquitoes and horse flies. The path transitioned from dry to muddy to flooded, and then repeated that cycle over and over. After a while of walking, I saw a nice stream. But the only way to cross it was on an ancient boardwalk with gaps between the boards being as wide as the boards themselves! It felt great to leave afterwards, even without a goldfinch.
Soon after I left it started pouring. Clearly the birding gods were frowning on me today. Maybe because I made a joke a few days ago about how the Carolina Chickadee isn't a "real" species.
My only addition for today is a bird seen in a tree on a roadside when going through Chicago:
Birds
157. Monk Parakeet Myiopsitta monachus
I've replied to your PM
The forests of the southern Veluwe north of Arnhem hold some of the highest densities of Black Woodpecker in the Netherlands. However, they do have large territories and are not guaranteed in any way. Other zoos with fairly reliable Black woodpecker sites nearby include Apenheul (Veluwe again) and Zie-Zoo (though a bit harder to reach without a car or bike), but I don't know how interested you are in those.
It is kind of funny to read your whole story on trying to find a goldfinch, a bird that I can see in my garden! While at the same time if an American warbler or vireo were to land here birders from all over the Netherlands would lose their minds!
I don't know how they adapt to North America, but in Europe they are often found of forest edges and on agricultural land with lots of Asteraceae, the seeds of which are their primary food source. It is also found in parks and in villages with richly planted gardens.
But that would be off topic...Are we going to hear your thoughts on these zoos as well, or do we have to be satisfied with birds
Well you could start a topic in the Europe - general forum
Or indeed a thread for each collection in their respective sub-forums
the Innsbruck one in particular is crying out for some love.