ZooChat Big Year 2020

[Chlidonias]

71. Black swan
72. Bar headed goose

(Last two un-ringed, presumably feral, not 100% sure whether they should count for the purposes of this)

My understanding is that neither of those has wild populations in the UK (i.e. actual sustained populations as opposed to free-living individuals).

 

[oflory]

My understanding is that neither of those has wild populations in the UK (i.e. actual sustained populations as opposed to free-living individuals).

Yup, exactly. Think they are probably to be discounted for the purposes of this... (despite them being cool birds to see).

 

[oflory]

Yesterday on Wormwood Scrubs and a walk through Hyde Park this morning.

Birds
67. Mediterranean gull
68. Pied wagtail
69. Great crested grebe
70. Red crested pochard
71. Black swan
72. Bar headed goose

(Last two un-ringed, presumably feral, not 100% sure whether they should count for the purposes of this)

Walking home through the park...

Edited to remove the birds with non-sustaining populations.

Birds
73. Eurasian jay

Reptiles and Amphibians
1. Red earred terrapin

Birds
67. Mediterranean gull
68. Pied wagtail
69. Great crested grebe
70. Red crested pochard
71. Eurasian jay

Reptiles and Amphibians
1. Red-earred terrapin

 

[lintworm]

Birds
67. Mediterranean gull
68. Pied wagtail
69. Great crested grebe
70. Red crested pochard
71. Eurasian jay

Reptiles and Amphibians
1. Red-earred terrapin

I don't think Terrapins can be counted in N Europe, as far as I am aware there is no successful breeding (which does happen in e.g. Spain), so the population is just released animals without any real establishment at a population level (with climate change that might well change).

 

[Pertinax]

My understanding is that neither of those has wild populations in the UK (i.e. actual sustained populations as opposed to free-living individuals).

Correct...

 

[oflory]

I don't think Terrapins can be counted in N Europe, as far as I am aware there is no successful breeding (which does happen in e.g. Spain), so the population is just released animals without any real establishment at a population level (with climate change that might well change).

I was under the impression that they may well breed in particularly hot summers, though this may be too infrequent and sporadic to count for this Big Year. Happy to delete, if so.
(https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/sep/30/terrapin-london-regents-canal-uk-breeding~)

 

[oflory]

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!

@Crowthorne , where in Russell Sq is the best place to see it, do you reckon?

 

[MRJ]

Rounding up the Sri Lankan trip with whale watching in the south and a couple of extra birds picked up. Still have some invertebrates to add which I will be doing when I get home. Departing Sri Lanka tomorrow night after three weeks of intensive and wonderful bird and mammal watching.

Mammals

25. Spinner dolphin Stenella longirostris
26. Blue whale Balaenoptera musculus

Birds

248. Greater painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis
249. Wilson's storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus
250. Southern hill myna Gracula indica

Graeme says we saw 202 bird species, a figure not supported by this number. We will go through the lists again when we get home so I may have a couple to add. When I planned this trip I estimated we could see 200 species, and this became an unofficial target. At worst we came very, very close.

 

[Crowthorne]

@Crowthorne , where in Russell Sq is the best place to see it, do you reckon?

I generally see it (well, hear it) on the north side, towards the corner near Senate House. Have also seen it fly to the tall trees behind the Regency buildings/offices on the south side.

 

[oflory]

I generally see it (well, hear it) on the north side, towards the corner near Senate House. Have also seen it fly to the tall trees behind the Regency buildings/offices on the south side.

Brilliant, I will try and stake it out on Sunday... Thanks so much

 

[Crowthorne]

Brilliant, I will try and stake it out on Sunday... Thanks so much

Good luck! Just remembered have also seen it flying between Russell Square and Woburn Square Gardens (near SOAS and the IoE), but Russell Square seems to be its favourite place. Right at the top of the taller trees!

 

[birdsandbats]

The very first migrants are starting to come through:

Birds
59. Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana
60. Yellow-bellied Spasucker Sphyrapicus varius
61. Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus

Birds
62. American Robin Turdus migratorius

 

[Crowthorne]

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!

From yesterday
Mammals
7. Muntjac, Muntiacus reevesi

 

[Junklekitteb]

Birds
78. Chestnut-tailed Starling Sturnia malabarica
79. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica
80. Jerdon’s Bushlark Mirafra affinis
81. White-eyed Buzzard Butastur teesa

I’ve probably seen the last one before, but I’m not sure so I’ll list it as a lifer anyway.

 

[Junklekitteb]

Birds
78. Chestnut-tailed Starling Sturnia malabarica
79. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica
80. Jerdon’s Bushlark Mirafra affinis
81. White-eyed Buzzard Butastur teesa

I’ve probably seen the last one before, but I’m not sure so I’ll list it as a lifer anyway.

82. Indian Silverbill Euodice malabarica

 

[Mehdi]

Accidentally skipped n°55 so I'm on 55 species right now.

Birding has been very scarce because of a hectic work schedule but I've finally had some time to go to my local spot (Oued Souss) and hopefully get some of the common species I had missed on the first day.

Turns out the streak of very good birding continued as I got two species that I've only seen once before: Peregrine falcon (not that common in Morocco where Eurasian kestrels fill their niche in cities basically) and Lesser crested tern (a species I am VERY fond of which is good to get this early in the year).

Along with that I've had a lifer that is part of what I call my trio of "nemesis species" (composed of purple heron, this species and marbled teal which is the last one I have yet to see) and which brings me closer to completing my Moroccan swallow set as I'm at 6 species seen out of the 7 we get. This year has started extremely well when it comes to swallows as the crag martins I saw the other day were also a Moroccan first for me.

10/02/2020 (Oued Souss, Morocco)
BIRDS:
56 - Pied avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta
57 - Grey plover, Pluvialis squatarola
58 - Lesser crested tern, Thalasseus bengalensis
59 - Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus
60 - Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata
61 - Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus
62 - Brown-throated martin, Riparia paludicola

INVERTEBRATES:
1 - Bath white, Pontia daplidice

Some additions from passive birding in Spain:

16/02/2020 (Faunia, Madrid, Spain)
BIRDS:
63 - Eurasian magpie, Pica pica
64 - Rose-ringed parakeet, Psittacula krameri
65 - Common starling, Sturnus vulgaris
66 - Monk parakeet, Myiopsitta monachus
67 - Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos

22/02/2020 (AVE Madrid/Valencia, Spain)
BIRDS:
68 - Black kite, Milvus migrans

(Parc de Capçalera, Spain)
69 - European goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis
70 - Black redstart, Phoenicurus ochruros
71 - Greylag goose, Anser anser

(Bioparc Valencia, Spain)
72 - Grey wagtail, Motacilla cinerea
73 - Long-tailed tit, Aegithalos caudatus

(Parc de Capçalera, Spain)
HERPS:
1 - Red-eared slider, Trachemys scripta elegans
2 - Spanish pond turtle, Mauremys leprosa

 

[Maguari]

After a few weeks of dribs and drabs, my annual February pilgrimage to North Wales for my uni reunion finally brought a good pile of new additions. The weather was tricky a lot of the time - the wind in particular - so some of the views were not as good as usual (although many were excellent), and marine mammals are noticeable by their absense (it's very unusual not to see at least one of porpoise and grey seal). That minor trouble excepted, an excellent few days. Additions are from various sites across North Wales, from South Stack in the west to Brickfields Pond, Rhyl in the east, but mostly from Anglesey. The one non-Welsh addition was the second mammal, which ran through my headlights in the Peak District on the return drive.

Bonus fun fact: I saw every native British corvid in two days on Anglesey. Carrion Crow, Hooded Crow, Raven, Rook, Jackdaw, Chough, Magpie, Jay. Good times.

Birds:
110. Greater Scaup - Aythya marila
111. Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres
112. Common Scoter - Melanitta nigra
113. Hooded Crow - Corvus cornix
114. Mediterranean Gull - Ichthyaetus melanocephalus
115. Red Knot - Calidris canuta
116. Red-breasted Merganser - Mergus serrator
117. Black Guillemot - Cepphus grylle
118. European Shag - Phalacrocorax aristotelis
119. Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus
120. Red-billed Chough - Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
121. Northern Raven - Corvus corax
122. Long-tailed Duck - Clangula hyemalis
123. Eurasian Rock Pipit - Anthus petrosus
124. Snow Bunting - Plectrophenax nivalis
125. Common Guillemot - Uria aalge

Mammals:
7. European Red Squirrel - Sciurus vulgaris
8. Least Weasel - Mustela nivalis

Invertebrates:
1. Tree Bumblebee - Bombus hypnorum

 

[MRJ]

From Mannar, Sri Lanka:

251. Eurasian spoonbill Platalea leucorodia

 

[MRJ]

Amphibian from Sri Lanka (one of many that probably will never be identified)

1. Common paddyfield frog Fejervarya limnocharis

 

[Pertinax]

Bonus fun fact: I saw every native British corvid in two days on Anglesey. Carrion Crow, Hooded Crow, Raven, Rook, Jackdaw, Chough, Magpie, Jay. Good times.

I have tried to do that a number of times, but without including Hooded Crow. The one that usually fails me on such occassions is Jay.

Were the Black Guillemots in Holyhead Harbour again, end of 'Turkey-something' road?
I failed with them here as I didn't know exactly where to look. But
I saw Red Squirrel in Newborough Forest, just drove into a car park and one was on the feeders.