ZooChat Big Year 2020

[Yoshistar888]

No Ivory-bills? They are much more expected than Dodo in Australia this time of year.

April FOOLS

 

[MRJ]

OH MY GOSH look what I saw in my back yard

Birds

89. Pink Headed Duck
90. King Eider
91. Passenger Pigeon
92. Carolina Parakeet
93. Paradise Parrot
94. Dodo

Mammals

9. Blue grey Mouse
10. Lesser Bilby
11. Thylacine

Reptiles

5. Victorian Earless Dragon

I want to be on what he is on

 

[Yoshistar888]

I want to be on what he is on

They won’t count for my total since obviously I didn’t see them. I am still at 88.

 

[KevinB]

Today I am recording some sighting I did in or from our garden in the last couple of days.

22-03-2020 - Heist-op-den-Berg, Antwerp province, Flanders, Belgium

BIRDS
13 - House sparrow (Passer domesticus)
14 - Common wood pigeon (Columba palumbus)
15 - Eurasian magpie (Pica pica pica)

25-03-2020 - Heist-op-den-Berg, Antwerp province, Flanders, Belgium

BIRDS
16 - Carrion crow (Corvus corone)
17 - White wagtail (Motacilla alba)

INVERTEBRATES

2 - Firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus)
3 - Small cabbage white butterfly (Pieris rapae)

More seen in and around are garden in the last few days.

Our garden definitely isn't very ecologically designed or wildlife-friendly and the area we live in, while relatively rural, isn't exactly optimal for wildlife, so I am kind of surprised at how much I have seen lately, just within or from our garden. Yes, they may all be relatively common species, but it is nice to see them nonetheless. Once you do start to pay some attention to it you can actually see quite a lot, it seems. So I'm definitely going to continue doing that.

26-03-2020 - Heist-op-den-Berg, Antwerp province, Flanders, Belgium

BIRDS
18 - Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

28-03-2020 - Heist-op-den-Berg, Antwerp province, Flanders, Belgium

BIRDS
19 - Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
20 - Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

INVERTEBRATES
4 - European honey bee (Apis mellifera)
5 - Common wasp/Common yellow-jacket (Vespula vulgaris)
6 - Black garden ant (Lasius niger)
7 - Yellow meadow ant (Lasius flavus)
8 - Common rough woodlouse (Porcellio scaber)

Not countable towards tally
I also saw several individuals of what I believe was a species of hoverfly (Family Syrphidae of the Order Diptera), but I was unable to identify the species and couldn't get a picture to ask someone to help me identify these.

30-03-2020 - Heist-op-den-Berg, Antwerp province, Flanders, Belgium

BIRDS
21 - Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula). [2 males seen pecking in the lawn early in the morning.]

04-01-2020 - Heist-op-den-Berg, Antwerp province, Flanders, Belgium
BIRDS
22 - Northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) [As I was taking care of the chickens and reading on the terrace I heard them calling all the time, and finally I did see one flying around engaged in its mating season display flight.]

INVERTEBRATES
9 - Common earthworm/Nightcrawler (Lumbricus terrestris)
10 - Ground beetle Poecilus versicolor

 

[Mr. Zootycoon]

Our garden definitely isn't very ecologically designed or wildlife-friendly and the area we live in, while relatively rural, isn't exactly optimal for wildlife, so I am kind of surprised at how much I have seen lately, just within or from our garden. Yes, they may all be relatively common species, but it is nice to see them nonetheless. Once you do start to pay some attention to it you can actually see quite a lot, it seems. So I'm definitely going to continue doing that.

That's one of the fun things about wildlife-watching. Once you start paying attention you will see that wildlife is all around you. Before you know it you can't stop, and a quick stroll through the neighbourhood soon becomes a birding session. You'll learn where the local thrushes and finches like to sing, where the flocks of sparrows and doves like to forage, and which spots might produce something unexpected, like migrating warblers or wintering waterfowl.

In the Netherlands, birding is still allowed if you do it alone (or with two people at most) and keep reasonable distance to others. Birding, for me, is a good way to cope with everything that is going on in the world, especially in these scary times. Today I was walking along the reed beds and marshes at one of my favourite spots. All around me I heard the melodious songs of bluethroads, buntings and warblers. Pairs of grebes were dancing on the lake in their gorgeous breeding plumage. The first swallows fluttered through the sky, joined by the silhouette of a peregrine. For a precious few hours the whole Covid-19 crisis might just as well not be happening, and I'm very grateful for those few hours.

Of course, it's also good for my year list!

Birds
141. Ruff, Calidris pugnax
142. Green Sandpiper, Tringa ochropus
143. Little Ringed Plover, Charadrius dubius
144. Ruddy Shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea
145. Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica
146. Bluethroat, Luscinia svecica
147. Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis
148. Common Snipe, Gallinago gallinago

Invertebrates
12. Yellow Dung Fly, Scathophaga stercoraria
13. Small White, Pieris rapae
14. Tree Bumblebee, Bombus hypnorum
15. Museum Beetle, Anthrenus museorum
16. Firebug, Pyrrhocoris apterus
17. Cochlicopa lubrica
18. Bridge Spider, Larinoides sclopetarius
19. Ashy Mining Bee, Andrena cineraria
20. European Peacock, Aglais io
21. 7-spot Ladybird, Coccinella septempuctata

 

[birdsandbats]

Birds
91. Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca
92. Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
93. Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis

Birds
94. American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

 

[Chlidonias]

It's the start of April, so here are the latest numbers. I have a feeling that the whole year is going to be low for everyone...



BIRDS:

MRJ – 283
Dannelboyz – 201
Hix – 198
carl the birder – 175
Vision – 151
Mr. Zootycoon – 148
Maguari – 141
boof – 117
animal_expert01 – 115
lintworm – 106
KevinVar – 102
Mehdi – 100
WhistlingKite24 – 94
birdsandbats – 94
Junklekitteb – 92
Yoshistar888 – 88
oflory – 85
Ituri – 83
TeaLovingDave – 74
DesertRhino150 – 68
Birdlover – 63
Najade – 60
Chlidonias – 54
Crowthorne – 43
Macaw16 – 35
Coelacanth18 – 35
amur leopard – 27
KevinB – 22
Luca Bronzi – 21
Jungle Man – 18
Pleistohorse – 3
DavidBrown – 2
CGSwans – 1


MAMMALS:

MRJ – 31
carl the birder – 28
Dannelboyz – 23
Maguari – 14
Hix – 12
TeaLovingDave – 10
Mr. Zootycoon – 10
Najade – 10
Crowthorne – 8
birdsandbats – 8
Yoshistar888 – 7
animal_expert01 – 7
lintworm – 7
KevinVar – 7
Vision – 7
WhistlingKite24 – 6
oflory – 6
Junklekitteb – 5
DesertRhino150 – 5
Birdlover – 4
Macaw16 – 4
Ituri – 3
Coelacanth18 – 3
amur leopard – 2
Chlidonias – 1
Pleistohorse – 1
Mehdi – 1
DavidBrown – 1
Jungle Man – 1
KevinB – 1


HERPTILES:

MRJ – 17 Herptiles total (16 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
Dannelboyz – 13 Herptiles total (11 Reptiles, 2 Amphibians)
WhistlingKite24 – 10 Herptiles total (9 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
animal_expert01 – 9 Herptiles total (7 Reptiles, 2 Amphibians)
Hix – 8 Herptiles total (7 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
Jungle Man – 5 Herptiles total (4 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
Mehdi – 5 Herptiles total (5 Reptiles, 0 Amphibians)
Junklekitteb – 4 Herptiles total (4 Reptiles, 0 Amphibians)
Yoshistar888 – 4 Herptiles total (4 Reptiles, 0 Amphibians)
Najade – 4 Herptiles total (0 Reptiles, 4 Amphibians)
Luca Bronzi – 1 Herptile total (1 Reptile, 0 Amphibians)
Ituri – 1 Herptile total (1 Reptile, 0 Amphibians)
Mr. Zootycoon – 1 Herptile total (0 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
oflory – 1 Herptile total (1 Reptile, 0 Amphibians)
KevinB – 1 Herptile total (0 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
Vision – 1 Herptile total (0 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
Maguari – 1 Herptile total (0 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)


FISH:

animal_expert01 – 22
Yoshistar888 – 6
Dannelboyz – 3
Hix – 3
WhistlingKite24 – 2
MRJ – 2
Maguari – 1
Vision – 1
Birdlover – 1
birdsandbats – 1


INVERTEBRATES:

WhistlingKite24 – 42
Mr. Zootycoon – 21
MRJ – 17
KevinB – 10
Dannelboyz – 8
Yoshistar888 – 5
Vision – 5
animal_expert01 – 3
Mehdi – 3
lintworm – 2
DesertRhino150 – 1
Luca Bronzi – 1
Maguari – 1

 

[Chlidonias]

And here are the mammals seen so far:


Short-beaked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus

Agile Antechinus Antechinus agilis
Dusky Antechinus Antechinus swainsonii
Fat-tailed Dunnart Sminthopsis crassicaudata
Common Wombat Vombatus ursinus
Koala Phascolarctos cinereus
Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula
Mountain Brushtail Possum Trichosurus cunninghami
Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus
Southern Greater Glider Petauroides volans
Yellow-bellied Glider Petaurus australis
Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps
Eastern Pigmy Possum Cercartetus nanus
Musky Rat Kangaroo Hypsiprymnodon moschatus
Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus
Eastern Wallaroo Macropus robustus
Red-necked Wallaby Macropus rufogriseus
Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor
Mareeba Rock Wallaby Petrogale mareeba
Red-legged Pademelon Thylogale stigmatica
Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus lumholtzi

Grey-headed Flying Fox Pteropus poliocephalus
Black Flying Fox Pteropus alecto
Spectacled Flying Fox Pteropus conspicillatus
Little Red Flying Fox Pteropus scapulatus
Big-eared Flying Fox Pteropus macrotis
Large Flying Fox Pteropus vampyrus
Indian Flying Fox Pteropus giganteus
Island Flying Fox Pteropus hypomelanus
White-striped Free-tailed Bat Tadarida australis
Western Barbastelle Barbastella barbastellus
Lesser Long-eared Bat Nyctophilus geoffroyi

Greater White-toothed Shrew Crocidura russula

Lesser Tree Shrew Tupaia minor
Mountain Tree Shrew Tupaia montana

Grey Slender Loris Loris lydekkerianus
Tufted Grey Langur Semnopithecus priam
Purple-faced Langur Trachypithecus vetulus
Silvered Langur Trachypithecus cristatus
Proboscis Monkey Nasalis larvatus
Pig-tailed Macaque Macaca nemestrina
Crab-eating (Long-tailed) Macaque Macaca fascicularis
Toque Macaque Macaca sinica
Bonnet Macaque Macaca radiata
Bornean Orangutan Pongo pygmaeus

European Brown Hare Lepus europaeus
Mountain Hare Lepus timidus
Indian (Black-naped) Hare Lepus nigricollis
European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus
Eastern Cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus

Eastern Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger
Eastern Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis
Eurasian Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris
Variegated Squirrel Sciurus variegatoides
American Red Squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
Eastern Chipmunk Tamias striatus
Prevost's Squirrel Callosciurus prevostii
Plantain Squrrel Callosciurus notatus
Bornean Black-banded Squirrel Callosciurus orestes
Bornean Pigmy Squirrel Exiliscirus exilis
Variable Giant Squirrel Ratufa affinis
Grizzled Giant Squirrel Ratufa macroura
Bornean Mountain Ground Squirrel Dremomys everetti
Shrew-faced Ground Squirrel Rhinosciurus laticaudatus
Three-striped Palm Squirrel Funambulus palmarum
Flame-striped Jungle Squirrel Funambulus layardi
Dusky Striped Squirrel Funambulus obscurus
Barbary Ground Squirrel Atlantoxerus getulus

Black Rat Rattus rattus
Asian House Rat Rattus tanezumi
Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus
Mueller's Rat Sundamys muelleri
House Mouse Mus musculus / domesticus
Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus
Yellow-necked Mouse Apodemus flavicollis
Bank Vole Myodes glareolus
Common Vole Microtus arvalis
Meadow Vole Microtus pennsylvanicus
Common Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus

Asian Elephant Elephas maximus

Feral Donkey Equus africanus

Feral Water Buffalo Bubalus bubalis

(European) Elk Alces alces
(American) Moose Alces (alces) americanus
Red Deer Cervus elaphus
Sambar Cervus (Rusa) unicolor
White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus
Chital (Spotted Deer Axis axis
European Fallow Deer Dama dama
European Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus
Chinese Water Deer Hydropotes inermis
Red Muntjac Muntiacus muntjak
Reeves' Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi
Greater Mouse Deer Tragulus napu
Sri Lanka Spotted Chevrotain Moschiola meminna

Indian Wild Pig Sus scrofa (cristatus)
Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus
Spinner Dolphin Stenella longirostris
Common Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus

Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus
Golden Jackal Canis aureus
Red Fox Vulpes vulpes
Common Raccoon Procyon lotor
Least Weasel Mustela nivalis
Stoat Mustela erminea
Beech Marten Martes foina
European Otter Lutra lutra
Ruddy Mongoose Herpestes smithii
Indian Grey Mongoose Herpestes edwardsi
Small-toothed Palm Civet Arctogalidia trivirgata (Bornean Striped Palm Civet A. stigmatica if split)
Malay Civet Viverra tangalunga

Harbour or Common Seal Phoca vitulina
Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus
Australian Fur Seal Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus

 

[Dannelboyz]

Some remote fieldwork again in the Yarra Ranges over the last couple of days got me a few awesome species. I suspect it's only a matter of time before such fieldwork will be halted...

BIRDS
201 - Australian Boobook (Ninox boobook)

MAMMALS
-- Feathertail Glider sp. (Acrobates sp.)
-- Long-eared Bat sp. (Nyctophilus sp.) - likely a Gould's Long-eared Bat but requires confirmation
22 - Eastern Pygmy Possum (Cercartetus nanus)
23 - Agile Antechinus (Antechinus agilis)

I was in Terrick-Terrick NP for fieldwork this week. After 15 hours of searching, I picked up what is probably the best bird I've ever seen in terms of rarity and uniqueness! It was a male with two chicks as well. Vic tick #333!

BIRDS
202 - Horsfield's Bushlark (Mirafra javanica)
203 - Chestnut-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza uropygialis)
204 - Western Gerygone (Gerygone fusca)
205 - White-browed Babbler (Pomatostomus superciliosus)
206 - Restless Flycatcher (Myiagra inquieta)
207 - Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius)
208 - Gilbert's Whistler (Pachycephala inornata)
209 - Diamond Firetail (Stagonopleura guttata)
210 - Plains-wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus)
211 - Collared Sparrowhawk (Accipiter cirrocephalus)

REPTILES
12 - Boulenger's Skink (Morethia boulengeri)

 

[MRJ]

Interesting to see the swamphens charge out of the water to challenge it as it flew into a tree near the wetland, even though it was high up a tree and 100 times a better flyer than they are.

284. Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrocephalus

 

[lintworm]

Spend some time in a forest nearby and was quite successful in finding the Passerines, not so much in finding Black Woodpecker or Common Raven

103. Crested tit
104. Marsh tit
105. Hawfinch
106. Mistle thrush
xxx. Coal tit (heard only)

Went looking for Bluethroats close to a newly developed nature area, but naturally didn't find them (whereas everyone seems to see them ). Did manage some other nice birds, I was particularly happy with the partridges as I hadn't seen them for quite some time in my local area and now there was a group of four running around, calling and chasing each other.

Also saw my 3rd butterfly species and I found some snails while gardening.

107. European Partridge
108. Little Ringed Plover
109. Water Pipit

Invertebrates
3. Peacock Butterfly
4. Two-lipped Door Snail (Alinda biplicata)
5. Common Garden Snail
6. Hairy Snail (Trochulus hispidus)

With this Coronavirus I am birdwatching a lot more in the Netherlands than I normally used to and have now found about 100 different species within 10 km from my house, but it has never taken me this long to see a Green Woodpecker (I hear them daily) or, when compared to recent years, a Common Kingfisher or Common Raven.

 

[lintworm]

Went looking for Bluethroats close to a newly developed nature area, but naturally didn't find them (whereas everyone seems to see them ). Did manage some other nice birds, I was particularly happy with the partridges as I hadn't seen them for quite some time in my local area and now there was a group of four running around, calling and chasing each other.

Also saw my 3rd butterfly species and I found some snails while gardening.

107. European Partridge
108. Little Ringed Plover
109. Water Pipit

Invertebrates
3. Peacock Butterfly
4. Two-lipped Door Snail (Alinda biplicata)
5. Common Garden Snail
6. Hairy Snail (Trochulus hispidus)

With this Coronavirus I am birdwatching a lot more in the Netherlands than I normally used to and have now found about 100 different species within 10 km from my house, but it has never taken me this long to see a Green Woodpecker (I hear them daily) or, when compared to recent years, a Common Kingfisher or Common Raven.

Complaining about not seeing species helps , saw 2 Green Woodpeckers on todays walk.

110. European Green Woodpecker
111. Willow Warbler

 

[Mr. Zootycoon]

111. Wood Warbler

Are you sure about that one? Wood Warblers in the first half of April are extremely scarce, and they have never been recorded (with evidence) this early. Do you mean Willow Warbler?

 

[lintworm]

Are you sure about that one? Wood Warblers in the first half of April are extremely scarce, and they have never been recorded (with evidence) this early. Do you mean Willow Warbler?

Should have been Willow Warbler (Fitis) indeed.

 

[birdsandbats]

Birds
94. American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

Birds
95. Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus

 

[carl the birder]

i frogot to ad a smal list of things from boarnio
birds
176 bornean black magpie Platysmurus aterrimus split or no split ?
177 yellow belied warbler Abroscopus superciliaris
reptile
1 saltwater crocodile
2 asian water monitor
3 mangrove snake
[]4 paradise flying snake
+some skinks i am trying to id

 

[MRJ]

Looking at @Chlidonias's list above I was reflecting on how many more animals I'm likely to see this year, especially if the current shutdown and ban on travel extends towards the end of the year.

I was very lucky to get a wonderful trip to Sri Lanka in February before the shutdowns really swung closed. It added 203 birds to this list. That leaves 80 species seen locally, of which about 10 are most unlikely to be seen at Moonlit Sanctuary. Based on records I'd expect to see around 100 species resident or moving through Moonlit over a year, so about 30 more to see.

Mammals I'd expect to see three more, but up to 10 are possible. There are reports of platypus or water rats in the creek so that will definately be worth looking into.

I'd have good chances of seeing up to 5 reptiles and 4 frogs, but not as it gets colder.

We know we have about 6 or 7 resident fish species, but I'd need a net to identify them.

Lastly invertebrates which probably count in their hundreds, but how to identify them?

 

[birdsandbats]

Looking at @Chlidonias's list above I was reflecting on how many more animals I'm likely to see this year, especially if the current shutdown and ban on travel extends towards the end of the year.

I was very lucky to get a wonderful trip to Sri Lanka in February before the shutdowns really swung closed. It added 203 birds to this list. That leaves 80 species seen locally, of which about 10 are most unlikely to be seen at Moonlit Sanctuary. Based on records I'd expect to see around 100 species resident or moving through Moonlit over a year, so about 30 more to see.

Mammals I'd expect to see three more, but up to 10 are possible. There are reports of platypus or water rats in the creek so that will definately be worth looking into.

I'd have good chances of seeing up to 5 reptiles and 4 frogs, but not as it gets colder.

We know we have about 6 or 7 resident fish species, but I'd need a net to identify them.

Lastly invertebrates which probably count in their hundreds, but how to identify them?

If you want help identifying wildlife, I recommend joining iNaturalist.org.

 

[birdsandbats]

Birds
95. Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus

Birds
96. Common Loon Gavia immer
97. Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor

 

[carl the birder]

a local rairty turnd up close to me(not so rare that lot of birders went to it) besids my group meayby 8 birders. + i mist a tundra swan that some of my group saw. so probeby not geting that on this year
178 pink footed goose
179 greater white fronted goose
180 eurasian wigeon
181 northen pintaill
182 eurasian teal
183 western marsh harrier
184 eurasian crane
185 woodlark
186 eurasian skylark
187 mistle thrush
188 european stonchat
189 meadow pipit
190 common reed bunting