ZooChat Big Year 2021

I've just been outside freezing my toes off watching the Super Blood Moon (it is 11.30pm and 6 degrees) - well worth it. Also, while standing there, a juvenile hedgehog came wandering past which was a real surprise because I'd have thought they'd be hibernating by now.

6) European Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus
 
animal_expert01 said:
Mammals:

4. European Hare (Lepus europaeus)


Birds:

54. Channel-billed Cuckoo (Scythrops novaehollandiae)

55. Plumed Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna eytoni)

56. Noisy Friarbird (Philemon corniculatus)

57. Green Catbird (Ailuroedus crassirostris)

58. Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis)

59. Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides)
Click to expand...

Mammals:
5. Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)
6. Black Rat (Rattus rattus)


Birds:
60. Eastern Grass Owl (Tyto longimembris)
61. Black Bittern (Lxobrychus flavicollis)
62. Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis)
63. Striated Heron (Butorides striata)
64. Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis)
65. Brown Cuckoo Dove (Macropygia phasianella)
66. King Parrot (Alisterus scapularis)
67. Australian Little Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae)
68. Hardhead (Aythya australis)
69. White-throated Gerygone (Gerygone olivacea)
70. Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
71. Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus)
72. Black Swan (Cygnus atratus)
73. Rufous Fantail (Rhipidura rufifrons)
74. Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata)
75. Brown Falcon (Falco berigora)
76. Azure Kingfisher (Alcedo azurea)
77. Grey Goshawk (Accipiter novaehollandiae)
78. Grey Teal (Anas gracilis)
79. Pacific Baza (Aviceda subcristata)
80. Spotted Harrier (Circus approximans)
81. Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis)
82. Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus)
83. Common Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus)
84. Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia)
85. Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
86. Eastern Whipbird (Psophodes olivaceus)
87. Wandering Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata)
88. Rufous Shrike Thrush (Colluricincla rufogaster)
89. White-throated Treecreeper (Cormobates leucophaea)
90. Eastern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria australis)
91. Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia)
92. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
93. White-necked Heron (Ardea pacifica)
94. Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa)
95. Brown Quail (Coturnix ypsilophora)
96. Reef Egret (Egretta sacra)
97. Shining Bronze Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx lucidus)
98. White-browed Scrub Wren (Sericornis frontalis)
99. Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris)

Reptiles:
5. Elegant Snake-eyed Skink (Cryptoblepharus pulcher)
6. Carpet Python (Morelia spilota)
7. Lace Monitor (Varanus Varius)
8. Eastern-water Dragon (Intellagama lesueurii)
9. Short-necked Turtle (Emydura macquarii)
10. Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)

Amphibians:
2. Green Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea)

Fish:
14. Crocodile Longtom (Tylosurus crocodilus)
15. Cowtail Ray (Pastinachus sephen)
16. Estuary Ray (Dasyatis fluviorum)
17. Tarwhine (Rhabdosargus sarba)
18. Striped Marine Catfish (Plotosus lineatus)
19. Motteled Happy Moment (Siganus fuscescens)
20. Dusky Flathead (Platycephalus fuscus)
21. Crazy Fish (Butis butis)
22. Gunthers Wrasse (Pseudolabrus guentheri)
23. Cownose Ray (Rhinoptera bonasus)
24. Diamond-scale Mullet (Liza vaigiensis)

A few really awesome species seen over the last few months, some of which I have wanted to see for a very long time.
 
Birds:

102. Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)

Mammals: 7
Birds: 102
Herptiles: 11
Fish: 4
Invertebrates: 26
Total: 148
 
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Dannelboyz said:
Haha unfortunately I had no vehicle for the weekend. I'll see what I can do when I'm heading home though :)
Click to expand...
I expect coordinates if you’re successful ;p

You should also do the snubbie dolphin cruise. Really worth the money and chance for some other cool stuff like Dugong, Mantra Ray, sea reptiles and birds, etc.
 
Mehdi said:
25/04/2021 (Champs d'Imallalen & Tobouzar, Morocco)
BIRDS:
140 - European goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis
141 - Grey wagtail, Motacilla cinerea

INVERTS:
29 - Black webspinner, Oligotoma nigra
30 - Sahara bluetail, Ischnura saharensis
31 - Violet dropwing, Trithemis annulata
32 - Red-veined dropwing, Trithemis arteriosa
Click to expand...

First a few more of those neat dragon/damselflies from Toubouzar identified by one of the leader experts on them in Morocco:

INVERTS:
*32 - Northern banded groundling, Brachythemis impartita
33 - Goblet-marked damselfly, Erythromma lindenii
34 - Broad scarlet, Crocothemis erythraea

* 32 instead of 31 because I noticed I counted Red-veined darter twice

Been a while since I have updated but I had some great birding lately accentuated by an absolutely amazing weekend of birding nearly two weeks ago today which is always what happens when I meet up with one of the best birders in Morocco who's also a friend of mine now.

01/05/2021 (Tildi, Morocco)
BIRDS:
142 - Black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
143 - Short-toed snake-eagle, Circaetus gallicus
144 - Western black-eared wheatear, Oenanthe hispanica

02/05/2021 (Sidi Wassay & Aghorimze, Morocco)
BIRDS:
145 - Greater short-toed lark, Calandrella brachydactyla
146 - Rufous-tailed scrub-robin, Cercotrichas galactotes

08/05/2021 (Embouchure de l'Oued Souss, Morocco)
BIRDS:
147 - Lesser crested tern, Thalasseus bengalensis
148 - Common tern, Sterna hirundo

14/05/2021 (Cap Ghir, Morocco)
BIRDS:
149 - Cory's shearwater, Calonectris borealis
150 - Great skua, Stercorarius skua
151 - Manx shearwater, Puffinus puffinus (former rarity in Morocco)

(Plage d'Anza, Morocco)
152 - Little gull, Hydrocoloeus minutus (2 late birds including a great summer plumage male)

15/05/2021 (Plage d'Anza, Morocco)
BIRDS:
153 - Little tern, Sternula albifrons

16/05/2021 (Embouchure de l'Oued Souss, Morocco)
BIRDS:
154 - Eleonora's falcon, Falco eleonorae
 
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Ituri said:
MAMMALS
6 Striped Skunk - Mephitis mephitis
7 White-tailed Deer - Odocoileus virginianus
8 Northern Raccoon - Procyon lotor
9 Common Muskrat - Ondatra zibethicus
Click to expand...

MAMMALS:

10 Eastern Gray Squirrel - Sciurus carolinensis
11 Groundhog - Marmota monax
12 American Mink - Neovison vison
 
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Couple of hours this evening up at Owler Tor (and briefly Padley Gorge) produced a pleasing bunch of new additions. Still a few site 'regulars' to pick up with more time in the gorge so I'll be back there again before long.

Birds:
148. Common Cuckoo - Cuculus canorus
149. Eurasian Hobby - Falco subbuteo
150. Tree Pipit - Anthus trivialis
151. European Pied Flycatcher - Ficedula hypoleuca
152. Western Barn Owl - Tyto alba

:)
 
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Birds
118 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus

Mammals
9 Brown Hare Lepus europaeus

Invertebrates
51 Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemarroidale
52 hover fly Eristalis pertinax
53 hover fly Platycheirus scutatus
54 weevil Curculio nucum
55 Knotgrass Leaf Beetle Chrysolina pilots
56 a flea beetle Phyllotreta nigripes
57 parasitic wasp Ichneumon suspiciosus
58 Cinnabar Moth Tyria jacobaeae
59 hunting spider Pardosa amentata
60 Velvet Mite Eutrombidium rostratus
 
Pertinax said:
Oh no! Bang goes my chances of seeing him unless he comes back...
Click to expand...

And he's getting even further lost. If he was going to do a runner it would have been much better to do it northwards, back to Walrusland. It appears he's in the area of Les Sables-d'Olonne, not far from La Rochelle - well into the Bay of Biscay and right on the edge of where 'northern' marine mammals usually reach their distribution limit. For far northern mammals... well...
 
Maguari said:
And he's getting even further lost. If he was going to do a runner it would have been much better to do it northwards, back to Walrusland. It appears he's in the area of Les Sables-d'Olonne, not far from La Rochelle - well into the Bay of Biscay and right on the edge of where 'northern' marine mammals usually reach their distribution limit.
Click to expand...
At this rate I wonder if he will end up being 'rescued'...?
 
Pertinax said:
At this rate I wonder if he will end up being 'rescued'...?
Click to expand...

Got to start to be a possibility, particularly if he keeps coming back to harbours and starts looking unwell.
 
Vision said:
BIRDS:
176) Blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla
177) Franklin’s gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan
178) Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa
179) Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius
180) Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica
181) Western barn owl, Tyto alba
182) Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus
183) Eurasian wryneck, Jynx torquilla
184) Sedge warbler, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
185) Spotted crake, Porzana porzana
186) Western yellow wagtail, Motacilla flava
187) Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla
188) Common tern, Sterna hirundo
189) Black tern, Chlidonias niger
190) Little gull, Hydrocoloeus minutus
191) Common eider, Somateria mollissima
192) Ross' gull, Rhodostethia rosea
193) Sand martin, Riparia riparia
194) Common house martin, Delichon urbicum
195) Willow warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus
196) Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
197) Common whitethroat, Curruca communis
198) Common redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus
199) Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia
200) Garganey, Spatula querquedula
201) Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola
202) Garden warbler, Sylvia borin
203) Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea
204) Bar-headed goose, Anser indicus
205) Eurasian reed warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceus
206) Eurasian hobby, Falco subbuteo
207) Cackling goose, Branta hutchinsii
208) Black kite, Milvus migrans
209) Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra
210) European pied flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca
211) Common swift, Apus apus
212) Eurasian thick-knee, Burhinus oedicnemus
213) Merlin, Falco columbarius
214) Purple heron, Ardea purpurea
215) Ring ouzel, Turdus torquatus
216) Woodlark, Lullula arborea
217) Little tern, Sternula albifrons
218) Lammergeier, Gypaetus barbatus

+8 heard only (226 total)

Heard only:
000) Lesser spotted woodpecker, Dryobates minor
000) Bearded reedling, Panurus biarmicus
000) Eurasian penduline tit, Remiz pendulinus
000) Eurasian treecreeper, Certhia familiaris
000) Iberian chiffchaff, Phylloscopus ibericus
000) Common nightingale, Luscinia megarhynchos
000) Common grasshopper warbler, Locustella naevia
000) Lesser whitethroat, Curruca curruca

MAMMALS:
9) Stoat, Mustela erminea
10) House mouse, Mus musculus
11) Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus

INVERTS:
10) Orange-tip, Anthocharis cardamines
11) Mottled shieldbug, Rhaphigaster nebulosa
12) Dyseriocrania subpurpurella
13) Large red damselfly, Pyrrhosoma nymphula
Click to expand...

I haven't been sitting still! This spring, and May especially, has been a really bizarre one, with all normal birds coming late or in very small numbers, but with so many good rarities! With Eastern subalpine warbler, Eurasian griffon vulture, Terek sandpiper, American golden plover, European bee-eater, Eurasian scops-owl, Red-rumped swallow and Thrush nightingale I have added a whopping 8 Benelux ticks, which is the most I've had in a single month since september 2018!
Lesser grey shrike was also an additional excellent bird to add on to any yearlist, of course, that I couldn't ignore. What a month, and what a year!

I had also only ever seen a caterpillar of Small emperor moth, so picking up a beautiful adult felt like a good lifer also!

BIRDS:
219) Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus
220) Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii
221) Spotted flycatcher, Muscicapa striata
222) White-tailed eagle, Haliaeetus albicilla
223) Wood warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix
224) Eastern subalpine warbler, Curruca cantillans
225) Lesser whitethroat, Curruca curruca
226) Eurasian griffon vulture, Gyps fulvus
227) Lesser grey shrike, Lanius minor
228) Western osprey, Pandion haliaetus
229) Great reed warbler, Acrocephalus arundinaceus
230) Marsh warbler, Acrocephalus palustris
231) European honey buzzard, Pernis apivorus
232) Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus
233) American golden plover, Pluvialis dominica
234) Little stint, Calidris minuta
235) Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea
236) Red-crested pochard, Netta rufina
237) European bee-eater, Merops apiaster
238) Eurasian scops-owl, Otus scops
239) Red-rumped swallow, Cecropis daurica
240) Thrush nightingale, Luscinia luscinia

+12 heard only (252 total):
000) Lesser spotted woodpecker, Dryobates minor
000) Bearded reedling, Panurus biarmicus
000) Eurasian penduline tit, Remiz pendulinus
000) Eurasian treecreeper, Certhia familiaris
000) Iberian chiffchaff, Phylloscopus ibericus
000) Common nightingale, Luscinia megarhynchos
000) Common grasshopper warbler, Locustella naevia
000) Savi's warbler, Locustella luscinioides
000) Eurasian golden oriole, Oriolus oriolus
000) Yellowhammer, Emberiza citrinella
000) Icterine warbler, Hippolais icterina
000) European nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus

MAMMALS:
12) Bank vole, Myodes glareolus

INVERTS:
14) Aradus depressus
15) Common heath, Ematurga atomaria
16) Minotaur beetle, Typhaeus typhoeus
17) Small emperor moth, Saturnia pavonia
18) Small bloody-nosed beetle, Timarcha goettingensis
19) Small heath, Coenonympha pamphilus
20) Small dusty wave, Idaea seriata
 
ThylacineAlive said:
Ha! Remember when I thought I was going to be able to actually commit to practicing birding this year? Well a long, break-less semester of five days of schoolwork coupled with a weekend job left very little time for birding, or zoo-going, or really anything. Hopefully this summer will be more relaxed, but I've already picked up a second summer job so we shall see.

Any updates I have are for species I've seen "around" as I've gone about my busy year. I haven't kept a list unfortunately but I have a decent recollection of what else I've seen (helps that it's not much!):

Birds
30) Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo
31) Mute Swan Cygnus olor
32) North American Wood Duck Aix sponsa
33) Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
34) Great Egret Ardea alba
35) Double-Crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
36) American Black Vulture Coragyps atratus
37) Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
38) Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii -- this bird had the misfortune of meeting the front of a car on the highway moment after appearing in my view
39) Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon
40) Fish Crow Corvus ossifragus
41) Common Raven Corvus corax
42) Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
43) Purple Martin Progne subis
44) Northern Rough-Winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
45) Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
46) Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
47) Grey Catbird Dumetella carolinensis
48) Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis
49) American Robin Turdus migratorius
50) House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus
51) American Goldfinch Spinus tristis
52) White-Throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis
53) Red-Winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
54) Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula
55) Yellow-Rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata

Hopefully the upcoming weeks bare from fruit for me bird-wise..

Mammals
3) White-Tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus
4) Eastern Chipmunk Tamias striatus
5) House Mouse Mus musculus

Reptiles
1) Painted Turtle Chrysemys picta
2) Eastern Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis

Amphibians
1) Eastern Newt Notophthalmus viridescens

~Thylo
Click to expand...

An assortment of birds picked up between my last post from CT, the St. Louis area, and a few locations in Wichita, Kansas (primarily Quivira).

56) Brown-Headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
57) Western Osprey Pandion haliaetus
58) Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
59) Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
60) Grey-Cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus
61) Barred Owl Strix varia
62) Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
63) Black-Crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
64) Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus
65) Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus
66) Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
67) Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica
68) Downy Woodpecker Dryobates pubescens
69) Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
70) Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus
71) Yellow-Throated Warbler Setophaga dominica
72) Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens
73) Red-Bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
74) Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
75) Great-Tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus
76) Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula
77) American Coot Fulica americana
78) Pied-Billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
79) Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
80) Blue-Winged Teal Spatula discors
81) Gadwall Mareca strepera
82) Black-Necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus
83) Redhead Aythya americana
84) Franklin's Gull Leucophaeus pipixcan
85) Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata
86) American Avocet Recurvirostra americana
87) American Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis
88) Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
89) Snowy Egret Egretta thula
90) Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus
91) Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor
92) Snowy Plover Charadrius nivosus
93) White-Rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis
94) Yellow-Headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
95) Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos
96) Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla
97) Long-Billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus
98) Cinnamon Teal Spatula cyanoptera
99) Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus taylori
100) American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus
101) Red-Headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus
102) Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus
103) Ring-Necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
104) Mississippi Kite Ictinia mississippiensis
105) Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum
106) Least Tern Sternula antillarum
107) Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna
108) Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
109) Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto

~Thylo
 
DesertRhino150 said:
Today I have managed to add seven new birds to my year list - the highest daily total since the first of January. The first bird was another garden lifer (seen flying overhead), birds 55-57 were seen either at Colchester Zoo or while travelling there and the remaining three birds, plus the fish and new invertebrates, were seen while out walking locally:

54. Eurasian skylark Alauda arvensis
55. Western jackdaw Coloeus monedula
56. Common moorhen Gallinula chloropus
57. Rook Corvus frugilegus
58. Great crested grebe Podiceps cristatus
59. Tufted duck Aythya fuligula
60. Common shelduck Tadorna tadorna

1. Common dace Leuciscus leuciscus

12. Common wasp Vespula vulgaris
13. Orange-tip butterfly Anthocharis cardamines
14. Common pondskater Gerris lacustris
15. Hairy-footed flower bee Anthophora plumipes
16. Red-tailed bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
17. Small tortoiseshell butterfly Aglais urticae
Click to expand...

Since my last update, I have seen another new bird (number 61) and mammal (number 7) in the garden. All the other new birds and the eighth new mammal were from a week-long trip to North Norfolk - unfortunately the poor weather meant that I was unable to travel more widely.

61. Eurasian blackcap Sylvia atricapilla
62. Eurasian oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus (NT)
63. Eurasian bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula
64. Grey partridge Perdix perdix
65. Common whitethroat Curruca communis
66. Common house martin Delichon urbicum
67. Gadwall Mareca strepera
68. Common swift Apus apus
69. Pied avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
70. Sedge warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
71. Common tern Sterna hirundo
72. Little tern Sternula albifrons
73. Little egret Egretta garzetta
74. Barnacle goose Branta leucopsis
75. Western marsh harrier Circus aeruginosus

7. Wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus
8. Soprano pipistrelle bat Pipistrellus pygmaeus
 
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