ZooChat Big Year 2021

Birds
211. Pacific Golden Plover
212. Sooty Oystercatcher
213. Brown Gerygone
214. Pacific Baza
215. Australian Brush Turkey
216. Rainbow Bee-eater
217. Azure Kingfisher


Mammals
13. Common Ringtail Possum

Reptiles
4. Eastern Water Skink

:p

Hix
Birds
218. White-bellied Sea-eagle
219. Brown Quail
220. Black-faced Monarch
221. Green Catbird
222. Osprey

:p

Hix
 
A couple more addition from the Spain! I've seen the butterflies, the boar and the first four birds during fieldwork. Thekla's lark is surprisingly common, and identification was very easy when a couple of them flew into our mist nets. I managed to get confirmation on my small orange tip ID so I can now officially count them.

The rest of the list is from a day excursion to the famous Cabo de Gata near Almerìa. The day was not a full birding day but we managed to squeeze in visits to some of the most well known locations, which yielded several lifers including what was probably my most wanted species in Europe, if not globally: White-headed Duck. They're absolutely gorgeous! We saw seven individuals in total, in a landscape of coastal dunes, thick reed beds and narrow ramblas. Of course, the main attraction for many birders at Cabo the Gata is a tiny finch which sole European stronghold comprises roughly the Cabo de Gata and the Desierto de Tabernas. We spotted a few very interesting finches from the car but a pedestrian flushed them before we could have a good look. We got out and walked up to the spot where we last saw them, but they were gone. Upon returning to the car, we were surprised to find three Trumpeter Finches foraging right next to it! A fantastic sighting of a really great little bird.

Birds
243. Thekla's Lark, Galerida theklae
244. Iberian Grey Shrike, Lanius meridionalis
245. Cirl Bunting, Emberiza cirlus

246. Sardinian Warbler, Curruca melanocephala
247. Greater Flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus
248. White-winged Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus
249. Slender-billed Gull, Chroicocephalus genei
250. White-headed Duck, Oxyura leucocephala
251. Trumpeter Finch, Bucanetes githagineus


Mammals
17. Wild Boar, Sus scrofa

Butterflies
30. Small (Desert) Orange Tip, Colotis evagore

31. Bath White, Pontia daplidice

Dragonflies
38. Lesser Emperor, Anax parthenope
 
Since I last updated my list back in X, I had fallen into a sort of ‘slump’ with high Covid-19 rates and exams preventing me from birding. However, since then I have managed to tick off many more ‘regular’ species that this year’s unusual circumstances had prevented me from doing, while seeing a few nice surprises as well. I have also been trying to improve my ID skills, and I realised that a few of the birds I had listed were less distinctive than I believed, so I will remove them from the list.
Here is my complete 2021 bird list, edited:
1. Grey Junglefowl Gallus sonneratii
2. Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus
3. White-cheeked Barbet Psilopogon viridis
4. Coppersmith Barbet Psilopogon haemacephala
5. Indian Grey Hornbill* Ocyceros birostris
6. Indian Roller Coracias benghalense
7. White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
8. Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis
9. Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea
10. Blue-faced Malkoha Phaenicophaeus viridirostris
11. Rock Pigeon Columba livia
12. Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis (no Laughing Dove, unfortunately)
13. Grey-headed Swamphen* Porphyrio poliocephalus
14. White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus
15. Common Moorhen* Gallinula chloropus
16. Black Kite Milvus migrans
17. Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
18. Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus
19. White-eyed Buzzard** Butastur teesa
20. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
21. Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster
22. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
23. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
24. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
25. Little Egret* Egretta garzetta
26. Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii
27. Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala
28. Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans
29. Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis
30. Jacobin’s Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus
31. Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus
32. Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus
33. Indian Spot-billed Duck* Anas poecilorhyncha
34. House Crow Corvus splendens
35. Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchus
36. Indian Golden Oriole Oriolus kundoo
37. Asian Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi
38. Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis
39. Common Myna Acridotheres tristis
40. Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus
41. Cinerous Tit Parus cinereus
42. Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus
43. White-browed Bulbul Pycnonotus luteolus
44. Indian White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus
45. Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius
46. Puff-throated Babbler Pellorneum ruficeps
47. Purple-dumped Sunbird Leptocoma zeylonica
48. Red Avadavat Amandava amandava
49. Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata
50. Pale-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum erythrorhynchos
51. Large Cuckooshrike** Coracina macei
52. Tawny-bellied Babbler Dumeria hyperthra
53. House Sparrow* Passer domesticus
*- I have it down on my list, but don’t remember actually seeing it
**- ID’ed by somebody else
Additionally, the following species are worth mentioning even though I did not ID them to species level:
- Grey Francolin (heard only)
- Spurfowl sp/p.
- Quail/Buttonquail sp/p.
- Greater/Lesser Coucal
- Alexandrine/Rose-Ringed Parakeet
- Rufous/White-bellied Treepie
- Cyornis/Larvivora sp/p.
- Accipiter sp/p.
- Cormorant sp/p.
- Great/Intermediate Egret
- Black-crowned Night Heron
- Prinia sp/p.
- White-spotted/browed Fantail
- Ashy/Black Drongo
- Purple/Loten’s Sunbird
 
Few additions, including a couple good ones!

Mammals:

10. Bobcat (Lynx rufus)
11. Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)

Birds:

112. Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis)
113. Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata)

Invertebrates:

29. German Cockroach (Blattella germanica)
30. American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana)

11-113-7-2-1-30

The species keep trickling in, hoping to pick up a few more goodies before the end of the year.
The free-tailed bat is a nice lifer confirmation, as I currently have approximately 300 of them living under the tiles on my roof.

Mammals:

12. Brazilian Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis)

Birds:

114. Redhead (Aythya americana)

Invertebrates:

31. Gulf Fritilary (Dione vanillae)
32. Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata)

12-114-7-2-1-32
 
I honestly forgot where i was so ill just post from number 150 or something

148) Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis
149) Greater scaup, Aythya marila
150) Gargany, Anas querquedula
151) Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus
152) Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus
153) Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa
154) Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica
155) Sand martin, Riparia riparia
156) Sedge warbler, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
157) Cetti's warbler, Cettia cetti
158) Western yellow wagtail, Motacilla flava
159) Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia

160) Rose-ringed parakeet, Psittacula krameri

161) Purple heron, Ardea purpurea
162) Bluethroat, Luscinia svecica
163) Mediterranean gull, Ichthyaetus melanocephalus

164) Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena
165) House martin, Delichon urbicum

166) Common nightingale, Luscinia megarhynchos
167) Greather whitethroat, Sylvia communis
168) Black-throathed loon, Gavia arctica

169) Tree pipit, Anthus trivialis

170) Bearded tit, Panurus biarmicus

171) Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea

172) Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago
173) Osprey, Pandion haliaetus
174) Lesser redpoll, Acanthis cabaret

175) Pied flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca
176) Little spotted woodpecker, Dryobates minor
177) Eurasian wryneck, Jynx torquilla

178) Marmora's warbler, Curruca sarda

179) Ross' gull, Rhodostethia rosea
180) Little gull, Hydrocoloeus minutus
181) Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla
182) Common tern, Sterna hirundo
183) Sandwhich tern, Thalasseus sandvicensis

184) Eurasian whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus
185) Artic tern, Sterna paradisaea
~~186) Western bonelli's warbler, Phylloscopus bonelli~~

187) Pied avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta
188) Little tern, Sternula albifrons
189) Great skua, Stercorarius skua
190) Nortern gannet, Morus bassanus
191) Eurasian reed warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceus
192) Lesser whitethroat, Curruca curruca
193) Ring ouzel, Turdus torquatus

194) Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
195) Pectoral Sandpiper, Calidris melanotos
196) Long-eared owl, Asio otus
197) Eurasian hobby, Falco subbuteo
198) Common grasshopper warbler, Locustella naevia
199) Common redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus
200) Common swift, Apus apus
201) Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula
202) Black tern, Chlidonias niger

203) Short-toed lark, Calandrella brachydactyla
204) Red-throated pipit, Anthus cervinus
205) Whiskered tern, Chlidonias hybrida

206) Merlin, Falco columbarius
207) Garden warbler, Sylvia borin
208) Iberian chiffchaff, Phylloscopus ibericus

209) Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra

210) Northern wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe

211) Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus
212) Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea
213) Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica
214) Grey plover, Pluvialis squatarola
215) European nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus

216) European golden plover, Pluvialis apricaria
217) Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola
218) Black guillemot, Cepphus grylle
219) Eurasian dotterel, Charadrius morinellus
220) Spotted flycatcher, Muscicapa striata
 
221) Buff-breasted sandpiper, Calidris subruficollis
222) Temmicks sandpiper, Calidris temminckii
223) Trush nightingale, Luscinia luscinia
224) Marsh tit, Poecile palustris

225) Eurasian hoopoe, Upupa epops
226) Eurasian golden oriole, Oriolus oriolus
227) Red-backed shrike, Lanius collurio

228) Little swift, Apus affinis

229) Icitrine warbler, Hippolais icterina
230) Melodious warbler, Hippolais polyglotta
231) Little bittern, Ixobrychus minutus

232) Eurasian scops-owl, Otus scops

233) Black stork, Ciconia nigra

234) European honey buzzard, Pernis apivorus
235) Black kite, Milvus migrans
236) Marsh warbler, Acrocephalus palustris

237) Northern raven, Corvus corax
238) Great reed warbler, Acrocephalus arundinaceus

239) European bee-eater, Merops apiaster
240) Eurasian turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur

240) Woodchat shrike, Lanius senator

241) Barn owl, Tyto alba

242) Cinereous vulture, Aegypius monachus
243) White-winged tern, Chlidonias leucopterus
244) Savi's warbler, Locustella luscinioides

245) Common quail, Coturnix coturnix
246) Short-toed snake eagle, Circaetus gallicus

247) Black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax

248) European serin, Serinus serinus
249) Hooded crow, Corvus cornix
250) Northern bald ibis, Geronticus eremita
251) Eurasian crag martin, Ptyonoprogne rupestris
252) Alpine swift, Tachymarptis melba
253) Bearded vulture, Gypaetus barbatus
254) Griffon vulture, Gyps fulvus
255) Golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos
256) Pygmy owl, Glaucidium passerinum
257) Grey-headed woodpecker, Picus canus
258) Spotted nutcracker, Nucifraga caryocatactes
259) Alpine chough, Pyrrhocorax graculus
260) Western Bonelli's Warbler, Phylloscopus bonelli
261) Wallcreeper, Tichodroma muraria
262) Eurasian treecreeper, Certhia familiaris
263) Common rock trush, Monticola saxatilis
264) White-throated dipper, Cinclus cinclus
265) White-winged snowfinch, Montifringilla nivalis
266) Common rosefinch, Carpodacus erythrinus
267) Citril finch, Carduelis citrinella

268) Tawny pipit, Anthus campestris

269) Alexandrine parakeet, Psittacula eupatria

270) Wood warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix

271) Booted eagle, Hieraaetus pennatus

272) Lesser spotted eagle, Clanga pomarina

273) Cream-colored Courser, Cursorius cursor
274) Parasitic Jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus
275) Common Murre, Uria aalge
276) Razorbill, Alca torda
277) Atlantic Puffin, Fratercula arctica
278) Lapland Longspur, Calcarius lapponicus

279) Black-winged kite, Elanus caeruleus

280) Eastern olivaceous warbler, Iduna pallida
 
I honestly forgot where i was so ill just post from number 150 or something

148) Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis
149) Greater scaup, Aythya marila
150) Gargany, Anas querquedula
151) Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus
152) Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus
153) Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa
154) Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica
155) Sand martin, Riparia riparia
156) Sedge warbler, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
157) Cetti's warbler, Cettia cetti
158) Western yellow wagtail, Motacilla flava
159) Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia

160) Rose-ringed parakeet, Psittacula krameri

161) Purple heron, Ardea purpurea
162) Bluethroat, Luscinia svecica
163) Mediterranean gull, Ichthyaetus melanocephalus

164) Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena
165) House martin, Delichon urbicum

166) Common nightingale, Luscinia megarhynchos
167) Greather whitethroat, Sylvia communis
168) Black-throathed loon, Gavia arctica

169) Tree pipit, Anthus trivialis

170) Bearded tit, Panurus biarmicus

171) Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea

172) Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago
173) Osprey, Pandion haliaetus
174) Lesser redpoll, Acanthis cabaret

175) Pied flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca
176) Little spotted woodpecker, Dryobates minor
177) Eurasian wryneck, Jynx torquilla

178) Marmora's warbler, Curruca sarda

179) Ross' gull, Rhodostethia rosea
180) Little gull, Hydrocoloeus minutus
181) Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla
182) Common tern, Sterna hirundo
183) Sandwhich tern, Thalasseus sandvicensis

184) Eurasian whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus
185) Artic tern, Sterna paradisaea
~~186) Western bonelli's warbler, Phylloscopus bonelli~~

187) Pied avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta
188) Little tern, Sternula albifrons
189) Great skua, Stercorarius skua
190) Nortern gannet, Morus bassanus
191) Eurasian reed warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceus
192) Lesser whitethroat, Curruca curruca
193) Ring ouzel, Turdus torquatus

194) Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
195) Pectoral Sandpiper, Calidris melanotos
196) Long-eared owl, Asio otus
197) Eurasian hobby, Falco subbuteo
198) Common grasshopper warbler, Locustella naevia
199) Common redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus
200) Common swift, Apus apus
201) Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula
202) Black tern, Chlidonias niger

203) Short-toed lark, Calandrella brachydactyla
204) Red-throated pipit, Anthus cervinus
205) Whiskered tern, Chlidonias hybrida

206) Merlin, Falco columbarius
207) Garden warbler, Sylvia borin
208) Iberian chiffchaff, Phylloscopus ibericus

209) Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra

210) Northern wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe

211) Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus
212) Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea
213) Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica
214) Grey plover, Pluvialis squatarola
215) European nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus

216) European golden plover, Pluvialis apricaria
217) Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola
218) Black guillemot, Cepphus grylle
219) Eurasian dotterel, Charadrius morinellus
220) Spotted flycatcher, Muscicapa striata

You were at 174, so now at 307.
 
Two nice migrants getting me closer to 200! The first one was one of the highlights of a great day and my first observation for the species since 2018. The second one was probably the most common species I had been missing still for the year.

19/10/2021 (Champs d'Ifentar, Morocco)
BIRDS:
188 - Eurasian wryneck, Jynx torquilla
189 - Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra

A rare relict species in Morocco that I haven't seen since 2019:

07/11/2021 (Issen, Morocco)
MAMMALS:
8 - Striped ground squirrel, Xerus erythropus
 
14/04/2021 (Eindhoven)
BIRDS:
171) Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea

18/04/21 (Wintelre, Buikheide)
BIRDS:
172) Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago
173) Osprey, Pandion haliaetus
174) Lesser redpoll, Acanthis cabaret

No, he/she is at 281.

@Kazaa67 - number 240 was used twice so you are one out in your total:

240) Eurasian turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur
240) Woodchat shrike, Lanius senator

Why? The above was their last post before the two recent ones, so they underestimated their total by 26 unless I am missing something?
 
Why? The above was their last post before the two recent ones, so they underestimated their total by 26 unless I am missing something?

@Kazaa67 's latest post includes some of those leading up to 174 again, that's all. Compare the species and numbers in the post you quote to the latest list. ;)
 
Finally back at Slimbridge today after far too long (i.e. I'm still annoyed I couldn't go in Jan/Feb this year :D ). Main order of business was to fill in four big gaps from my 2021 UK list (the three below plus Common Crane, which I saw in big numbers in Germany). Fortunately they are all extremely reliable at Slimbridge (and very big and visible birds that hang out in the open) - barely 40 minutes after arriving they were all safely sighted, which made the rest of the day much more relaxing. :D

An escaped Ross's Goose was the weirdest sighting of the day..!

Birds:
195. Bewick's Swan - Cygnus columbianus
196. Barnacle Goose - Branta leucopsis
197. Greater White-fronted Goose - Anser albifrons

(UK: 193 - my lowest for this point of the year since 2015 - but I've much more spare time in December than October/November so 200 still in my sights..!)

:)
 
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