ZooChat Big Year 2020

KevinVar said:
BIRDS
45. European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
46. White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
47. Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla)
48. Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
49. Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
50. Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
51. Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
52. Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
53. European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
54. White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
55. Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
56. Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
57. Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)
58. Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)
59. Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
60. Common Gull (Larus canus)

MAMMALS
3. European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
4. Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus)
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Finally managed to do some catching up together with @Vision and a mutual friend of ours. Still missing quite some common species but it feels good to have been actively birding again!

BIRDS
61. Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
62. Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
63. Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
64. Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
65. Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
66. European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
67. Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta)
68. Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
69. Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)
70. Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
71. European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
72. Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
73. Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
74. Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
75. Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
76. Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena)
77. Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)
78. Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)
79. Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)
80. Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima)
81. Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)
82. Brent Goose (Branta bernicla)
83. Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
84. Red Knot (Calidris canutus)
85. Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
86. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
87. Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)
88. Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
89. Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
90. Rock Pipit (Anthus petrosus)
91. Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus)
92. Redwing (Turdus iliacus)

MAMMALS
5. Harbour Seal (Phoca vitulina)
 
18.2.2020
92. Eurasian coot
93. Fork-tailed swift
94. Little grassbird
95. Red-capper robin
96. Superb fairy-wren
97. Variegated fairy-wren
98. Westen gerygone
99. Yellow thornbill
 
Dannelboyz said:
162 and on are from the Western Treatment Plant today, while the pardalote and gang-gang are incidentals from earlier this week. Curious on thoughts regarding counting Orange-bellied Parrots for the ZooChat Big Year? I did count them last year as the birds were seen in their natural wintering grounds, but even this is debatable because at least two or three of the four turned out to be captive-born (the others I couldn't get band IDs on). This year I saw five birds all in Victoria when they would naturally be in Tasmania. I'm getting info on the bands now, but they're almost certainly captive-born for this reason. I only raise this because they seem to be a weird exception amongst birders here, where most people tick them despite the fact that the population is not self-sustaining. I'm inclined to count them because the experience of finding them is quite a thrill given their rarity, but I also recognise that it might offend the birding sticklers.

BIRDS
160 - Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus)
161 - Gang-gang Cockatoo (Callocephalon fimbriatum)
162 - Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata)
163 - Musk Duck (Biziura lobata)
164 - Singing Honeyeater (Lichenostomus virescens)
165 - Yellow-billed Spoonbill (Platalea flavipes)
166 - Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
167 - Banded Stilt (Cladorhynchus leucocephalus)
168 - Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis)
-- Orange-bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster) [captive-born]
169 - Brolga (Grus rubicunda)
170 - Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
171 - White-winged Black Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)
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OBPs have been released to help save the species in the wild. There are not many in the wild that are not captive born, or born to at least one captive born parent. If for some reason released birds are not acceptable as part of the wild population I have to wonder what on earth I am spending $250k per annum on.
 
Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka. Other than the eagle, in Victoria Park.

212. Black eagle Ictinaetus malaiensis
213. Green sandpiper Tringa ochropus
214. Pied thrush Zoothera wardii
215. Black-throated munia Lonchura kelaarti
216. Forest wagtail Dendronanthus indicus
 
MRJ said:
OBPs have been released to help save the species in the wild. There are not many in the wild that are not captive born, or born to at least one captive born parent. If for some reason released birds are not acceptable as part of the wild population I have to wonder what on earth I am spending $250k per annum on.
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Good on you - keep it up and don't worry about the geeks. Your children and grand-children will be pleased you did...
 
Dannelboyz said:
162 and on are from the Western Treatment Plant today, while the pardalote and gang-gang are incidentals from earlier this week. Curious on thoughts regarding counting Orange-bellied Parrots for the ZooChat Big Year? I did count them last year as the birds were seen in their natural wintering grounds, but even this is debatable because at least two or three of the four turned out to be captive-born (the others I couldn't get band IDs on). This year I saw five birds all in Victoria when they would naturally be in Tasmania. I'm getting info on the bands now, but they're almost certainly captive-born for this reason. I only raise this because they seem to be a weird exception amongst birders here, where most people tick them despite the fact that the population is not self-sustaining. I'm inclined to count them because the experience of finding them is quite a thrill given their rarity, but I also recognise that it might offend the birding sticklers.

BIRDS
160 - Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus)
161 - Gang-gang Cockatoo (Callocephalon fimbriatum)
162 - Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata)
163 - Musk Duck (Biziura lobata)
164 - Singing Honeyeater (Lichenostomus virescens)
165 - Yellow-billed Spoonbill (Platalea flavipes)
166 - Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
167 - Banded Stilt (Cladorhynchus leucocephalus)
168 - Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis)
-- Orange-bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster) [captive-born]
169 - Brolga (Grus rubicunda)
170 - Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
171 - White-winged Black Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)
Click to expand...

I would count those Parrots. In New Zealand I and others have consistently counted other species that only survive because of human assistance, including (direct descendants of) captive bred animals.
 
MRJ said:
OBPs have been released to help save the species in the wild. There are not many in the wild that are not captive born, or born to at least one captive born parent. If for some reason released birds are not acceptable as part of the wild population I have to wonder what on earth I am spending $250k per annum on.
Click to expand...
Don't get me wrong - it was the highlight of my day and to get such close views of such a rare species is always a thrill. However, there is a pretty good argument for not counting them when they're recently-released captive-born birds that show very little fear of humans and are in the wrong state for the time of year. That's not to say that ongoing captive releases aren't important, as the conservation of the species obviously takes higher priority than the list of a bird geek ;). For the record, I know a few people here who would never tick an OBP or would only tick a wild-born bird, although those cases are not the norm. I just wanted to make sure that my stance (to count them) was the stance that most others in this thread took before I added them.

lintworm said:
I would count those Parrots. In New Zealand I and others have consistently counted other species that only survive because of human assistance, including (direct descendants of) captive bred animals.
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Thanks! As I said, I was inclined to count them.

That means that #169 is Orange-bellied Parrot and #172 is White-winged Black Tern, my most recent addition.
 
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Yala National Park, Sri Lanka. We have already spent quite a bit of time in the dry zone, so not many new species. However some wonderful views and stunning photos.

Mammals

24. Sambar deer Rusa unicolor

Birds

Bird of the stop was the streaked weaver. Barred buttonquail were the 700th bird species on my list.

217. Shikra Accipiter badius
218. Grey-headed fish eagle Icthyophaga ichtyaetus
219. Oriental honey buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus
220. Barred buttonquail Turnix suscitator
221. Yellow-wattled lapwing Vanellus malabaricus
222. House swift Apus affinis
223. Crested tree swift Hemiprocme coronata
224. Jacobin cuckoo Clamator jacobininus
225. Sirkeer malkoha Taccocua leschenaultii
226. Pied kingfisher Ceryle rudis
227. Streaked weaver Ploceus manyar
228. Baya weaver Ploceus philittppensis
229. Black-headed munia Lonchura malacca

Reptiles

11. Oriental rat snake Ptyas mucosa
 
animal_expert01 said:
Birds:
71. Yellow-throated Scrubwren (Sericornis citreogularis)
72. Woompoo Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus magnificus)
73. Brown Gerygone (Gerygone mouki)
74. Pale Yellow Robin (Tregellasia capito)
75. Black Faced Monarch (Monarcha melanopsis)
76. Paradise Riflebird (Ptiloris paradiseus)
77. Latham’s Snipe (Gallinago hardwickii)
78. Topknot Pigeon (Lopholaimus antarcticus)
79. White Necked Heron (Ardea pacifica)
80. Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
81. Jabiru (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus)

Mammals:
4. Red Legged Pademelon (Thylogale stigmatica)

Reptiles:
5. Green Tree Snake (Dendrelaphis punctulata)

I’ve had a few fantastic days of animal watching. The paradises riflebirds we’re incredible and that was the first time I had ever seen a bird of paradise. They have been one of the animals I had most wanted to see for a very long time. Woompoo pigeon was great as it’s one of my favourite species and it was the first time I had seen one in the wild for nearly 5 years. One of the red Legged Pademelon I saw had a joey. The Jabiru was the same pair I saw originally.
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Birds:
82. Black Swan (Cygnus atratus)
83. Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus)
84. Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica)

Also, have the emerald doves been split? If so am I using the right scientific name?
 
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animal_expert01 said:
Birds:
82. Black Swan (Cygnus atratus)
83. Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus)
84. Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica)

Also, have the emerald doves been split? If so am I using the right scientific name?
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C. indica is the Common or Grey-capped Emerald Dove, which is the Asian + Christmas Island species. C. longirostris is the Pacific or Brown-capped Emerald Dove from Australia and surrounding islands. I believe all major taxonomies follow this now, so your bird would be longirostris.
 
Crowthorne said:
Some from earlier in the week

Sunday
Birds
33. Sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus
34. Redwing, Turdus iliacus

Monday
Birds
35. Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus
36. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (yep, the one in Russell Square!), Dryobates minor
Click to expand...

Mammals
6. Brown Rat, Rattus norvegicus

In other news, the Russell Square woodpecker was drumming this morning, first time I've heard it do so!
 
An adjudication please. While in Kandy we stayed out of town on a property in the hills. I did some spotlighting and picked up eyeshine for a large animal. We looked at each other for a couple of minutes till it bounded off. My initial reaction was that it was a leopard. I checked the eyeshine which matched leopard but I discounted it as I could not believe that there were leopards around that area. Since then I have discovered that leopards are common in the hills around Kandy and have even been seen drinking from Kandy lake. I am now inclined to add it to my list but wonder should I add it here?
 
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MRJ said:
An adjudication please. While in Kandy we stayed out of town on a property in the hills. I did some spotlighting and picked up eyeshine for a large animal. We looked at each other for a couple of minutes till it bounded off. My initial reaction was that it was a leopard. I checked the eyeshine which matched leopard but I discounted it as I could not believe that there were leopards around that area. Since then I have discovered that leopards are common in the hills around Kandy and have even been seen drinking from Kandy lake. I am now inclined to add it to my list but wonder should I add it here?
Click to expand...
If you're counting it on your own life-list, then you can count it here (this is really just a record-keeping thread to share the hobby).

Personally I don't count eye-shine - I need to actually see the animal itself properly: otherwise I'd have Pallas' Cat on my life-list! :mad:
 
My poor identification skills mean that I have a number of species which I am unsure of counting here...
Birds
- Jerdon’s Leafbird Chloropsis jerdoni
- Spurfowl Sp.

Mammals
- Rat Sp. (Brown with black marks)
- House Mouse Mus musculus
 
Can now confirm this bird from Horton's Plain, Sri Lanka

230. Sri Lanka whistling-thrush Myophonus blighi
 
Najade said:
Have to take Common Linnet off my list. So here's the updated version with a couple new additions from a walk around our local lake.

Mammals
01. Eurasian Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)
02. European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
03. Western European House Mouse (Mus domesticus)
04. European Hare (Lepus europaeus)
05. European Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus)

Birds
01. Feral Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
02. Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
03. Common Blackbird (Turdus merula)
04. Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
05. Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica)
06. Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
07. Great Tit (Parus major)
08. European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
09. Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
10. Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
11. Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
12. Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
13. Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
14. Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
15. Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
16. Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
17. Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
18. Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
19. House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
20. Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
21. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
22. Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
23. Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
24. European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
25. Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)
26. Long-tailed Bushtit (Aegithalos caudatus)
27. Great Egret (Ardea alba)
28. Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
29. Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
30. Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
31. Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
32. European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
33. Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
34. Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
35. Stock Dove (Columba oenas)
36. Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
37. Western Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
38. Dunnock (Prunella modularis)
39. Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla)
40. Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
41. Redwing (Turdus iliacus)
42. Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

43. European Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
44. Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
45. Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
46. Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
47. Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
48. Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
49. Western Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
Click to expand...

This time I'm sure of the ID:

Birds
50. Common Linnet (Linaria cannabina)
51. Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
 
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