ZooChat Big Year 2021

Apologies for getting this wrong again, but I have an addition and a mistake to rectify. The 'Black kite' cited above was not in fact a Black kite but a, for me, much more pleasant Booted eagle, which is also a lifer incidentally. Also managed to ID a Common tern on one of my pics of the visit so:

67. Booted eagle, Hieraaetus pennatus.
68. Common tern, Sterna hirundo.

Only two away now! :)

Apologies for posting so much but went on a bike ride today and saw some really nice species. In fact finally managed to see an actual black kite haha - all lifers this time.

69. Black kite, Milvus migrans.
70. Red-rumped swallow, Cecropis daurica.
71. European turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur.
72. Slender-billed gull, Chroicocephalus genei.


Got my target for the year now!
 
Apologies for posting so much but went on a bike ride today and saw some really nice species. In fact finally managed to see an actual black kite haha - all lifers this time.

69. Black kite, Milvus migrans.
70. Red-rumped swallow, Cecropis daurica.
71. European turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur.
72. Slender-billed gull, Chroicocephalus genei.


Got my target for the year now!

you already listed Black Kite on Tuesday
 
Sorry, Two-barred Crossbill. You had a good long run as 'best bird of the year' but I'm afraid it has been solidly ended today.

Birds:
170. Black-browed Albatross - Thalassarche melanophris
171. Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus
173. Purple Sandpiper - Calidris maritima

Invertebrates:
62. Wall Brown - Lasiommata megera

Bempton Cliffs is one place I normally go every year that I'd missed out so far this year - a spring South Stack visit having taken care of most of Bempton's regulars. But it's always worth a visit, particularly when there's something as irregular as an albatross hanging out there!

It has been around for a while (and in previous years) and recent sightings suggested it would be either there when I got there no problem if I got there first thing or hours of watching from the cliffs would be required. As such, I planned a day on the basis I might want to stay at Bempton most of the day, only factoring in a quick visit to Bridlington harbour at a tide-appropriate point to to look again for Purple Sandpipers after failing on my last attempt.

In the event, I arrived just after 8.30 and as soon as I reached the bird's regular bit of cliff it was sat (asleep) in full view. I watched for about an hour as it slowly woke up and eventually took off over the sea, with a Peregrine turning up in its wake. Then - what next? I had nothing planned until Brid after 2pm for the sandpipers. I spent about 90 minutes doing some general seawatching to little effect beyond the cliff regulars and a bonus Barn Owl but by then some interesting weather was heading towards me - so I headed to ZooChat favourite Sewerby Hall Zoo for an hour. Then I got drenched. So I retreated to the car and headed into Bridlington, still a bit early for the sandpipers really but I found a couple on the harbour wall and had some lunch. The albatross and sandpipers alone were meant to take until about 4pm but everything had been super-speedy all day so even with the zoo inserted I was all wrapped up by 2.15. This enabled me to enter new zoo territory and check out a damp Bridlington Animal Park - which took about another hour. A quick look for waders at North Cave Wetlands on the way back (no joy, though one new butterfly meant it wasn't a completely redundant stop) finally took me to a reasonable home time.

Great (but wet) day!

Also, I'm really satisfied with the fact I saw my first wild albatross further north than my first wild walrus. :D
 
BIRDS:
241) Rosy starling, Pastor roseus
242) Little bittern, Ixobrychus minutus
243) Melodious warbler, Hippolais polyglotta
244) Blyth’s reed warbler, Acrocephalus dumetorum
245) European turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur
246) Red-backed shrike, Lanius collurio
247) Cinereous vulture, Aegypius monachus
248) White-winged tern, Chlidonias leucopterus
249) Cirl bunting, Emberiza cirlus
250) Eurasian bittern, Botaurus stellaris
251) Yellowhammer, Emberiza citrinella
252) Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes

+15 heard only (267 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) Icterine warbler, Hippolais icterina
000) European nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus
000) Baillon's crake, Zapornia pusilla
000) River warbler, Locustella fluviatilis
000) Boreal owl, Aegolius funereus
000) Grey-headed woodpecker, Picus canus

So, yeah, that was awesome! Short summary of my recent France trip, with the biggest highlights bolded:
  • July 19-21: Jura, with good views of a flyby male Capercaillie and a very nicely singing and calling male Hazel grouse (birds #253-254);
  • July 21-24: Termignon in the French Alps, without lifers but with good views of most other high Alpine birds, and stunning mountains. Unfortunately no sign of a Black-headed bunting that had been present for weeks until the morning before we arrived. Did get a nice Snow hare crossing the road! (birds #255-265, mammals #15-17);
  • July 24-25: the Baronnies, including a vulture feeding station - loads of Griffons, an Egyptian and a Cinereous, and a few other nice raptors. (birds #266-271);
  • July 25: a place close to Etang de l'Or that had been home to a pair of vagrant Lesser flamingo and held many other Mediterranean water birds like some very nice Slender-billed gulls. (birds #272-279);
  • July 25-26: multiple places around Arles and Saint-Martin-de-Crau, including Camargue with more wetland birds including long-awaited Spectacled warbler, and the Crau with its desert birds. (birds #280-294, mammal #18);
  • July 27: a pelagic from Sanary-sur-Mer with both Mediterranean shearwaters, Long-finned pilot whales (only the second time they've had these this year!), Fin whales and Striped dolphins, with Pallid swifts and introduced Indian silverbills in the town. (birds #295-298, mammals #19-21);
  • July 28-30: more time around Arles and Saint-Martin-de-Crau, including Moustached warbler and Great spotted cuckoo in the Camargue, another visit to the Crau for another shot at Little bustards (negative again), and the Alpilles and surroundings with some dry hill birds like a pair of Bonelli's eagle and some Rock sparrows in the neighbouring province. (birds #299-308).
  • July 31: unsuccesfully trying for a pair of Northern bald ibis in the Jura.

BIRDS:
253) Eurasian treecreeper, Certhia familiaris
254) Western capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus
255) Eurasian crag martin, Ptyonoprogne rupestris
256) Alpine swift, Tachymarptis melba
257) Italian sparrow, Passer italiae
258) Citril finch, Carduelis citrinella
259) Rock bunting, Emberiza cia
260) Spotted nutcracker, Nucifraga caryocatactes
261) Rock partridge, Alectoris graeca
262) Common rock thrush, Monticola saxatilis
263) White-winged snowfinch, Montifringilla nivalis
264) Red-billed chough, Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
265) Yellow-billed chough, Pyrrhocorax graculus
266) Golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos
267) Short-toed snake-eagle, Circaetus gallicus
268) Egyptian vulture, Neophron percnopterus
269) Western Bonelli's warbler, Phylloscopus bonelli
270) Tawny pipit, Anthus campestris
271) Dartford warbler, Curruca undata
272) Slender-billed gull, Chroicocephalus genei
273) Zitting cisticola, Cisticola juncidis
274) Glossy ibis, Plegadis falcinellus
275) Greater flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus
276) Lesser flamingo, Phoeniconaias minor
277) Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica
278) Eurasian hoopoe, Upupa epops
279) Lesser spotted woodpecker, Dryobates minor
280) European roller, Coracias garrulus
281) Corn bunting, Emberiza calandra
282) Lesser kestrel, Falco naumanni
283) Calandra lark, Melanocorypha calandra
284) Pin-tailed sandgrouse, Pterocles alchata
285) Montagu's harrier, Circus pygargus
286) Greater short-toed lark, Calandrella brachydactyla
287) Iberian grey shrike, Lanius meridionalis
288) Kentish plover, Charadrius alexandrinus
289) Spectacled warbler, Curruca conspicillata
290) Whiskered tern, Chlidonias hybrida
291) Sardinian warbler, Curruca melanocephala
292) Collared pratincole, Glareola pratincola
293) Squacco heron, Ardeola ralloides
294) Western swamphen, Porphyrio porphyrio
295) Pallid swift, Apus pallidus
296) Scopoli's shearwater, Calonectris diomedea
297) Yelkouan shearwater, Puffinus yelkouan

298) European shag, Gulosus aristotelis
299) Western black-eared wheatear, Oenanthe hispanica
300) Blue rock thrush, Monticola solitarius
301) Western subalpine warbler, Curruca iberiae
302) Bonelli's eagle, Aquila fasciata
303) Booted eagle, Hieraaetus pennatus
304) Moustached warbler, Acrocephalus melanopogon
305) Woodchat shrike, Lanius senator
306) Rock sparrow, Petronia petronia
307) Great spotted cuckoo, Clamator glandarius

308) Eurasian golden oriole, Oriolus oriolus

+15 heard only (323 total):
000) Bearded reedling, Panurus biarmicus
000) Eurasian penduline tit, Remiz pendulinus
000) Iberian chiffchaff, Phylloscopus ibericus
000) Common nightingale, Luscinia megarhynchos
000) Common grasshopper warbler, Locustella naevia
000) Savi's warbler, Locustella luscinioides
000) Icterine warbler, Hippolais icterina
000) European nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus
000) Baillon's crake, Zapornia pusilla
000) River warbler, Locustella fluviatilis
000) Boreal owl, Aegolius funereus
000) Grey-headed woodpecker, Picus canus
000) Hazel grouse, Tetrastes bonasia
000) Rock ptarmigan, Lagopus muta
000) Indian Silverbill, Euodice malabarica


MAMMALS:
15) Alpine marmot, Marmota marmota
16) Alpine chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra
17) Mountain hare, Lepus timidus

18) Coypu, Myocastor coypus
19) Fin whale, Balaeboptera physalus
20) Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas
21) Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba


HERPS:
5) Common frog, Rana temporaria
6) Moorish gecko, Tarentola mauritanica
7) Common wall lizard, Podarcis muralis

FISH:
1) Eurasian minnow, Phoxinus phoxinus

INVERTS:
49) Dingy footman, Eilema griseola
50) Riband wave, Idaea aversata
51) Mottled beauty, Alcis repandata
52) Common footman, Eilema lurideola
53) Clouded buff, Diacrisia sannio
54) Cinnabar, Tyria jacobaeae
55) Marbled white spot, Deltote pygarga
56) Silver Y, Autographa gamma
57) Marmalade hoverfly, Episyrphus balteatus
58) Volucella pellucens
59) Speckled peter, Agrypnia varia
60) Dwarf cream wave, Idaea fuscovenosa
61) Shaded broad-bar, Scotopteryx chenopodiata
62) Barred straw, Gandaritis pyraliata
63) Perizoma didymata, Mesotype didymata
64) Small seraphim, Pterapherapteryx sexalata
65) Sharp-angled peacock, Macaria alternata
66) Latticed heath, Chiasmia clathrata
67) Muslin footman, Nudaria mundana
68) White-line dart, Euxoa tritici
69) The shark, Cucullia umbratica
70) Notocelia roborana
71) Eudonia truncicolella
72) Platytes alpinella
73) Wart-biter, Decticus verrucivorus
74) Amphimallon solstitiale
... (Still working on a bunch of these)
 
I've only got you down for three herptiles so far (2 reptiles, one amphibian) - what are the other two?

I actually have him down 1 reptile and 3 amphibians

the reptile is the sand lizard and the amphibians are common toad, fire salamander, and palmate newt
 
I actually have him down 1 reptile and 3 amphibians

the reptile is the sand lizard and the amphibians are common toad, fire salamander, and palmate newt
Nope. I just went back through all his posts.

23 March, post #817:
Bibron's Agama and Spanish Pond Turtle for reptiles and Mediterranean Tree Frog for amphibians.

Today, post #1514:
Berber's Toad.

The ones you listed are Vision's herptiles.
 
Biweekly update:

Birds
109. Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla)
110. Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber)
111. Hermit Warbler (Setophaga occidentalis)
112. Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus)
113. Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)

An overdue update, with species from a variety of ventures and a decent number of lifers:

Birds
114. Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
115. Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani)
116. Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
117. Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
118. Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)
119. Pine Siskin (Pinus spinus)
120. Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus)
121. Band-tailed Pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata)
122. Gray-crowned Rosy-finch (Leucosticte tephrocotis)
123. White-throated Swift (Aeronautes saxatalis)

Mammals
14. Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargentatus)
15. Botta's Pocket Gopher (Thomomys bottae)
16. Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Callospermophilus lateralis)
 
Finally, after roughly three weeks, a trip to Chicago yielded a new bird
Bird:
78. Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia)

Insect/Invertebrate:

150. Soldier beetle (Trypherus frisoni)
151. American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus)
152. Chickweed geometer moth (Haematopis grataria)
153. Clemens grass tubeworm moth (Acrolophus popeanella)
154. Twice-stabbed stink bug (Cosmopepla lintneriana)
Insect/Invertebrate:
155. Common drone fly (Eristalis tenax)
156. Western corn rootworm beetle (Diabrotica virgifera)
 
Latest update.

I have put @Mehdi on four herptiles as per the above posts. I don't know what the invert totals for @Mr. Zootycoon or @ThylacineAlive are.




BIRDS:

d1am0ndback – 353
Dannelboyz – 350
Vision – 308
birdsandbats – 306
Ituri – 254
Mr. Zootycoon – 220
boof – 209
MRJ – 205
Hix – 204
carl the birder – 181
Kazaa67 – 174
Maguari – 173
Mehdi – 168
WhistlingKite24 – 150
Bosjesman – 136
Tetzoo Quizzer – 133
ThylacineAlive – 130
Coelacanth18 – 123
Ursus – 112
red river hog – 111
Great Argus – 108
Birdlover – 105
animal_expert01 – 99
Macaw16 – 99
TZDugong – 90
Chlidonias – 86
DesertRhino150 – 78
ChunkyMunky pengopus – 78
amur leopard – 72
akasha – 67
TheChukaulorian – 59
Junklekitteb – 49
EternalPigeon – 46
CheeseChameleon2007 – 35
Mattaki – 34
Lemur02 – 31
German Zoo World – 31
Noah Butas – 30
the racoon has spoken – 30
aardvark250 – 29
OstrichMania – 28
Westcoastperson – 18
Luca Bronzi – 16
Pleistohorse – 16
Hipporex – 13
Najade – 13
Dhole dude – 11
ZooBinh – 8
MizzB – 4
Smaggledagle – 3
HungarianBison – 2


MAMMALS:

Dannelboyz – 39
MRJ – 37
birdsandbats – 35
d1am0ndback – 28
Maguari – 22
Ituri –22
Vision – 21
Coelacanth18 – 16
carl the birder – 13
ThylacineAlive – 13
Macaw16 – 12
Mr. Zootycoon – 11
Hix – 11
red river hog – 11
Westcoastperson – 10
Tetzoo Quizzer – 10
ChunkyMunky pengopus – 10
CheeseChameleon2007 – 9
TZDugong – 9
WhistlingKite24 – 8
Birdlover – 8
Bosjesman – 8
Najade – 8
Great Argus – 8
akasha – 8
DesertRhino150 – 8
Noah Butas – 7
Pleistohorse – 7
Ursus – 7
EternalPigeon – 7
Chlidonias – 7
Hipporex – 6
Mattaki – 6
animal_expert01 – 6
TheChukaulorian – 5
Junklekitteb – 4
Smaggledagle – 4
amur leopard – 4
Dhole dude – 3
German Zoo World – 3
Mehdi – 3
MizzB – 2
OstrichMania – 2
ZooBinh – 1
aardvark250 – 1
the racoon has spoken – 1


HERPTILES:

Dannelboyz – 59 Herptiles total (42 Reptiles, 17 Amphibians)
d1am0ndback – 32 Herptiles total (24 Reptiles, 8 Amphibians)
MRJ – 18 Herptiles total (11 Reptiles, 7 Amphibians)
birdsandbats – 14 Herptiles total (11 Reptiles, 3 Amphibians)
red river hog – 14 Herptiles total (13 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
WhistlingKite24 – 13 Herptiles total (12 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
animal_expert01 – 12 Herptiles total (10 Reptiles, 2 Amphibian)
Ituri – 12 Herptiles total (9 Reptiles, 3 Amphibians)
ThylacineAlive – 10 Herptiles total (7 Reptiles, 3 Amphibians)
ChunkyMunky pengopus – 9 Herptiles total (5 Reptiles, 4 Amphibians)
Great Argus – 8 Herptiles total (6 Reptiles, 2 Amphibians)
akasha – 7 Herptiles total (6 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
Mr. Zootycoon – 7 Herptiles total (1 Reptile, 6 Amphibians)
EternalPigeon – 7 Herptiles total (5 Reptiles, 2 Amphibians)
Vision – 7 Herptiles total (3 Reptiles, 4 Amphibians)
TheChukaulorian – 4 Herptiles total (4 Reptiles, 0 Amphibians)
carl the birder – 4 Herptiles total (4 Reptiles, 0 Amphibians)
Tetzoo Quizzer – 4 Herptiles total (1 Reptile, 3 Amphibians)
Maguari – 4 Herptiles total (1 Reptile, 3 Amphibians)
Mehdi – 4 Herptiles total (2 Reptiles, 2 Amphibians)
Junklekitteb – 3 Herptiles total (3 Reptiles, 0 Amphibians)
CheeseChameleon2007 – 3 Herptiles total (2 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
Najade – 3 Herptiles total (1 Reptile, 2 Amphibians)
Westcoastperson – 3 Herptiles total (3 Reptiles, 0 Amphibians)
Hix – 3 Herptiles total (3 Reptiles, 0 Amphibians)
Macaw16 – 3 Herptiles total (1 Reptile, 2 Amphibians)
TZDugong – 2 Herptiles total (2 Reptiles, 0 Amphibians)
DesertRhino150 – 2 Herptiles total (2 Reptiles, 0 Amphibians)
Noah Butas – 1 Herptile total (1 Reptile, 0 Amphibians)
the racoon has spoken – 1 Herptile total (1 Reptile, 0 Amphibians)
Smaggledagle – 1 Herptile total (1 Reptile, 0 Amphibians)
German Zoo World – 1 Herptile total (1 Reptile, 0 Amphibians)


FISH:

MRJ – 46
animal_expert01 – 24
Dannelboyz – 14
birdsandbats – 7
Westcoastperson – 6
red river hog – 4
WhistlingKite24 – 3
Maguari – 2
ChunkyMunky pengopus – 2
the racoon has spoken – 2
German Zoo World – 2
Birdlover – 1
CheeseChameleon2007 – 1
Ursus – 1
DesertRhino150 – 1
Mr. Zootycoon – 1
Mehdi – 1
Vision – 1


INVERTEBRATES:

Tetzoo Quizzer – 180
ChunkyMunky pengopus – 156
MRJ – 94
Vision – 74
Maguari – 62
WhistlingKite24 – 58
Ursus – 55
Mehdi – 37
red river hog – 33
DesertRhino150 – 26
Great Argus – 24
German Zoo World – 24
EternalPigeon – 21
TheChukaulorian – 20
CheeseChameleon2007 – 12
the racoon has spoken – 11
Hix – 9
carl the birder – 5
MizzB – 2
animal_expert01 – 2
Birdlover – 1
amur leopard – 1
Smaggledagle – 1
Mr. Zootycoon – no idea
ThylacineAlive – no idea
 
Unisee, Düsseldorf

Birds
13. Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena)

Found less than half of what I was looking for as usual. But at least it's more than one this time.^^
Also found a dead mole and shrew (either N. anomalus or fodiens), which would have been nice additions if still alive :( and good numbers of Pelophylax sp. but too difficult to ID.

Rieselfelder Münster

Birds
14. Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)
15. Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)

16. Ruff (Calidris pugnax)
 
I've only got you down for three herptiles so far (2 reptiles, one amphibian) - what are the other two?

Nope. I just went back through all his posts.

23 March, post #817:
Bibron's Agama and Spanish Pond Turtle for reptiles and Mediterranean Tree Frog for amphibians.

Today, post #1514:
Berber's Toad.

The ones you listed are Vision's herptiles.

Oops, sorry, I indeed forget to list two of the herps I've seen this year:

HERPS:
4 - Sahara frog, Pelophylax saharicus
5 - Moorish wall gecko, Tarentola mauritanica
 
Back
Top