Zoochat Big Year 2022
- Thread starter Chlidonias
- Start date
Yep - 30 is correct for Coypu - sorry, that was an error on my offline copy of the list that I blindly copied over here..!
Having a social reason to return to northwest Wales yesterday, I decided on the back of my recent cetacean success to have another go at some unfinished business and check again for porpoises at Point Lynas, Anglesey - one of my favourite spots and usually a reliable site but where I missed out on them earlier in the year.
This proved a good decision.
The car park was busier than usual, which I put down to a sunny autumn Saturday and thought no more of it. When I got to the end of the point beneath the lighthouse, the porpoises were pleasingly present and correct and all was good. Well worth the stop. Then it slowly became apparent that there were dozens of people seawatching on the grassy bank below me. Not just the nerds like me, but real people as well. Families with kids even. Then someone asked me if the dolphins had been through yet. I'd accidentally stumbled across the exact time before high tide that a big pod of Risso's Dolphins had gone past the point every day for a week before feeding just offshore.
And sure enough, within 10 minutes, there they were, breaching and everything, mere yards from the end of point at times. A glorious, serendipitous lifer at one of my favourite places. Can't beat that.
Mammals:
31. Harbour Porpoise - Phocoena phocoena
32. Risso's Dolphin - Grampus griseus
This proved a good decision.
The car park was busier than usual, which I put down to a sunny autumn Saturday and thought no more of it. When I got to the end of the point beneath the lighthouse, the porpoises were pleasingly present and correct and all was good. Well worth the stop. Then it slowly became apparent that there were dozens of people seawatching on the grassy bank below me. Not just the nerds like me, but real people as well. Families with kids even. Then someone asked me if the dolphins had been through yet. I'd accidentally stumbled across the exact time before high tide that a big pod of Risso's Dolphins had gone past the point every day for a week before feeding just offshore.
And sure enough, within 10 minutes, there they were, breaching and everything, mere yards from the end of point at times. A glorious, serendipitous lifer at one of my favourite places. Can't beat that.
Mammals:
31. Harbour Porpoise - Phocoena phocoena
32. Risso's Dolphin - Grampus griseus
10/1/22
54. Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia)
55. Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens)
Total:
Mammals: 9
Birds: 84
Reptiles: 6
Amphibians: 4
Fish: 25
Invertebrates: 55
Time for another update after last month's trip to California. This was my daughter's first flight and featured her first wild mammal encounter- a mule deer. Captured on video, no less! The trip also included a wild family lifer for me- Castoridae, which I had previously struck out on over 4 different occasions in the Northeast.
Yosemite NP:
131. Long-eared Chipmunk, Tamias quadrimaculatus (Aug 29)
132. Mule Deer, Odocoileus hemionus (Aug 30)
133. Mountain Cottontail, Sylvilagus nuttallii
134. Belding's Ground Squirrel, Urocitellus beldingi (Aug 31)
135. Lodgepole Chipmunk, Neotamias speciosus
136. Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Callospermophilus lateralis
137. California Ground Squirrel, Otospermophilus beecheyi
138. Alpine Chipmunk, Neotamias alpinus (Sep 1)
139. American Pika, Ochotona princeps
140. Douglas Squirrel, Tamiasciurus douglasii
141. Panamint Chipmunk, Neotamias panamintinus
142. Western Deer Mouse, Peromyscus sonoriensis
Fallen Leaf Lake:
143. Yellow-pine Chipmunk, Neotamias amoenus (Sep 2)
Sacramento:
144. North American Beaver, Castor canadensis (Sep 3) FINALLY!!!
Walnut Creek:
145. Fox Squirrel, Sciurus niger (Sep 4) introduced
San Fransico:
146. California Sea Lion, Zalophus californianus (Sep 7)
Pinnacles NP:
147. Gray Fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus
148. Pallid Bat, Antrozous pallidus
149. Fringed Myotis, Myotis thysanodes
150. Long-eared Myotis, Myotis evotis
151. Western Small-footed Myotis, Myotis ciliolabrum
152. Townsend's Big-eared Bat, Corynorhinus townsendii
153. Big Brown Bat, Eptesicus fuscus
154. Western Mastiff Bat, Eumops perotis
155. Heermann's Kangaroo Rat, Dipodomys heermanni
156. Striped Skunk, Mephitis mephitis
157. Coyote, Canis latrans
158. Desert Cottontail, Sylvilagus audubonii
159. Black-tailed Jackrabbit, Lepus californicus
Joshua Tree NP:
160. White-tailed Antelope Squirrel, Ammospermophilus leucurus (Sep 10)
Anza Borrego Desert State Park:
161. Dulzura Kangaroo Rat, Dipodomys simulans (Sep 11)
162. Merriam's kangaroo Rat, Dipodomys merriami
Laguna Mountains:
163. Yuma Myotis, Myotis yumanensis (Sep 12)
164. Canyon Bat, Parastrellus hesperus
165. California Myotis, Myotis californicus
166. Western Spotted Skunk, Spilogale gracilis
You haven’t seen American Beaver in the wild up until this year? I must say, I am quite surprised if this is the case
!
He seems to strike out with large brown swimmy rodents a lot. @Giant Eland have you seen Common Muskrat yet?You haven’t seen American Beaver in the wild up until this year? I must say, I am quite surprised if this is the case
Its been a fairly slow fall, but I've still seen a couple of interesting animals, including some that I missed earlier in the year and wasn't sure I'd see them.
Mammal:
Seen galloping in a cornfield off the side of a highway
16. Coyote (Canis latrans)
Birds:
Saw this common fall warbler on Sep 5, Crystal Lake Park
174. Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea)
A rarity a few minutes from my house, in the Moorman swine ponds. One of the coolest birds I've seen even though it was in comparatively duller fall plumage. Was exhibiting the amusing bobbing behavior typical of phalaropes. Sep 23175. Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) (Lifer)
Some pickups from a great visit to Montrose point, on the lakeshore of Chicago, during peak fall migration Sep 26176. Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) (Lifer)
177. Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)
178. Wilson’s Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) (Lifer)
179. Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) (Lifer)
180. Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) (Lifer)
177. Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)
178. Wilson’s Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) (Lifer)
179. Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) (Lifer)
180. Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) (Lifer)
Reptiles:
At the UofI arboretum Sep 18
12. False Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica)
Finally found a softshell, agian at the UofI arboretum, Sep 3013. Spiny Softshell Turtle (Apalone spinifera) (Lifer)
Amphibian:Finally IDed this interesting frog from Seney NWR, Schoolcraft County, UP MI (8/8)
9. Mink Frog (Lithobates septentrionalis) (Lifer)
Herpitile:20. Mink Frog (Lithobates septentrionalis) (Lifer)
21. False Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica)
22. Spiny Softshell Turtle (Apalone spinifera) (Lifer)
21. False Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica)
22. Spiny Softshell Turtle (Apalone spinifera) (Lifer)
Fish:
Two interesting lake Michigan fish seen off the lighthouse pathway
26. Banded killifish (Fundulus diaphanus) (Lifer)
27. Round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) (Lifer)
27. Round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) (Lifer)
Insects/Invertebrates:
220. Red goldenrod aphid (Uroleucon nigrotuberculatum)
221. Scissor grinder (Neotibicen pruinosus) (Lifer)
222. Coneflower mining bee (Andrena rudbeckiae) (Lifer)
223. Ailanthus webworm moth (Atteva aurea)
224. Sachem (Atalopedes campestris) (Lifer)
225. Painted lady (Vanessa cardui) (Lifer)
226. Pentastirine planthopper (Melanoliarus aridus) (Lifer)
227. Common aerial yellowjacket (Dolichovespula arenaria) (Lifer)
228. Rusty-patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) (Lifer)
229. Transverse-banded flower fly (Eristalis transversa)
230. American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus)
231. White micrathena (Micrathena mitrata) (Lifer)
232. Swift feather-legged fly (Trichopoda pennipes)
233. Locust borer (Megacyllene robiniae) (Lifer)
234. Greenhouse millipede (Oxidus gracilis) (Lifer)
235. Common green darner (Anax junius) (Lifer)
236. Bee fly (Sparnopolius confusus) (Lifer)
237. Dark flower scarab (Euphoria sepulcralis) (Lifer)
238. Common blue mud-dauber wasp (Chalybion californicum)
239. German yellowjacket (Vespula germanica) (Lifer)
221. Scissor grinder (Neotibicen pruinosus) (Lifer)
222. Coneflower mining bee (Andrena rudbeckiae) (Lifer)
223. Ailanthus webworm moth (Atteva aurea)
224. Sachem (Atalopedes campestris) (Lifer)
225. Painted lady (Vanessa cardui) (Lifer)
226. Pentastirine planthopper (Melanoliarus aridus) (Lifer)
227. Common aerial yellowjacket (Dolichovespula arenaria) (Lifer)
228. Rusty-patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) (Lifer)
229. Transverse-banded flower fly (Eristalis transversa)
230. American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus)
231. White micrathena (Micrathena mitrata) (Lifer)
232. Swift feather-legged fly (Trichopoda pennipes)
233. Locust borer (Megacyllene robiniae) (Lifer)
234. Greenhouse millipede (Oxidus gracilis) (Lifer)
235. Common green darner (Anax junius) (Lifer)
236. Bee fly (Sparnopolius confusus) (Lifer)
237. Dark flower scarab (Euphoria sepulcralis) (Lifer)
238. Common blue mud-dauber wasp (Chalybion californicum)
239. German yellowjacket (Vespula germanica) (Lifer)
Not sure how many more updates I'll have for this year as the fall season is dying down and the cooler weather comes in
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On family holiday in Brittany, France atm. Got some birding time in today: 5 out of 5 ain't too bad and an additional unplanned mammal to top off a good day
(Also two unIDed Skuas of the Arctic/Pomarine kind.)
La Gare (Goulven), Observatoire de Trégueiller (Plounéour-Trez), Pointe de Kermorvan (Le Conquet) & Pointe de Saint Mathieu (Plougonvelin), Finistère, France
Mammals
61. Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
Birds (non-passerines)
255.Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
256. Sanderling (Calidris alba)
257. Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
258. Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)
259. Red Knot (Calidris canutus)
260. Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)
261. Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus)
Birds (passerines)
262. Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis)
263. Dartford Warbler (Sylvia undata)
264. Red-Billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax)
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Anyone know if there's any other locations for mammals in the area (like bat roosts f.e.)? Heaps of info on the Pyrenees about but can't find much about the rest of the country or Brittany in particular.
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Tiktaalik
Member
I somehow missed this post, so here is a bit of a belated reply. Our guide Sam was definitely very tall (his nickname was Big Sam for a reason) but he didn't work for Harrier Tours. I have heard good things about this company though and if budget allows I would seriously consider them for a possible next trip to Uganda.
Good catch about the genet, our local guide during the night drive called the species a large-spotted genet and I remember being lazy and just looking up the latin name of that species without doing much research. So thanks a lot for that! And for the list: the large spotted genet can be considered removed from the list, which brings my mammal total back to 21 species. I'm gonna add the rusty-spotted here.
22. Rusty spotted genet (Genetta maculata)
You haven’t seen American Beaver in the wild up until this year? I must say, I am quite surprised if this is the case
@Dhole dude Indeed this was my first! Granted I had only looked 4 times before all in the Northeast: 2 nights in Acadia NP, 1 night in Pennsylvania with @RatioTile and 1 night in New Jersey with both @RatioTile & @Elias. And only began keeping track of wild mammal families in 2020.
@birdsandbats Haha, I dunno, I've seen plenty of wild Nutria (including in their native range in Chile), and countless wild Capybara in Brazil.
And I did see wild Common Muskrat once in Yellowstone NP in 2020 and also captive at Trailside Museums & Zoo both in 2020 (only a few months before the wild one) and 2022.
Sure thing @Tiktaalik ! The Genets are kinda of ridiculous with their names.
Here was the Sam from our tour- was it the same Sam!?
Log into Facebook
An extremely unexpected though much wanted addition. Must have crossed or walked along the Thames at Battersea Bridge literally hundreds of times in the past few years and almost every time have kept my eyes open for a seal. Today, I finally saw one!
26. Common seal
26. Common seal
The last two trips were excellent for new Families, in fact I saw 16 new Families. As "the mess" also meant I did not report all the new families I thought I'd summarize them here:
Mammals - 1 new Family
- Miniopteridae (Bent-wing bats)
Birds - 6 new Families
- Odontophoridea (New World quail)
- Bombycillidae (Waxwings)
- Certhiidae (Treecreepers)
- Troglodytidae (Wrens)
- Polioptilidae (Gnatcatchers)
- Mimidae (Mockingbirds)
Reptiles - 1 new Family
- Phyllodactylidae (Leaf-toed geckos)
Fish - 2 new Families
- Centrarchidae (Freshwater sunfish)
- Atherinopsidae (Neotropical silversides)
Invertebrates - 6 new Families
- Pentatomidae (Stink bugs)
- Aeshnidae (Darners)
- Agelenidae (Funnel weaver spiders)
- Theraphosidae (Tarantulas)
- Lymnaeidae (Pond snails)
- Rhizostomatidae (Barrel jelly)
Meanwhile, only a small handful of sightings at Moonlit since returning:
Reptiles
8. Long-necked turtle Chelodina longicollis
Invertebrates
65. Yellow admiral Vanessa itea
66. Straight-lined carpet (moth) Chrysolarentia subrectaria
67. Garden wolf spider Tasmanicosa godeffroyi (new Family)
Birds:
24. Song sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
25. Ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)
26. Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
Mammals:
10: American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)
Mammals: 10
Birds: 26
Amphibians: 1
Reptiles: 5
Fish: 3
Total Species: 45
Huge thanks to @lintworm for his advice on where to go birding after a visit to Ouwehands zoo (for the cuscus and not much else...). He recommended a beautiful forest, supposedly an exceptional place for black woodpeckers. Arriving, I pretty much immediately picked up middle spotted woodpecker and short toed treecreeper, but the black woodpecker was frustratingly elusive. Then, in one of those classic pieces of fate, walking along the road to the bus stop, feeling slightly disconsolate, one flew directly over my head.
To Burgers Zoo tomorrow and maybe some crested tits in the park beforehand...
Mammals
27. Red squirrel
Birds
263. Short toed treecreeper
264. Middle spotted woodpecker
265. Black woodpecker (!)
Glad it worked out well
. Crested tit also occur in the Safari area of Burgers'. But they are probably more easily seen in the parks on your way to the zoo. Any place with firs will do normally.
One more mammal sighting while out and about in Cambridgeshire yesterday - this puts me on a personal best 29 British mammal species for the year.
Also an invertebrate I forgot to add last time..!
Mammals:
33. Reeves' Muntjac - Muntiacus reevesi
Invertebrates:
60. Two-spotted Ladybird - Adalia bipunctata
Also an invertebrate I forgot to add last time..!
Mammals:
33. Reeves' Muntjac - Muntiacus reevesi
Invertebrates:
60. Two-spotted Ladybird - Adalia bipunctata
Was it the one just to the west of Rhenen? Black Woodpecker does always seem harder to see than the smaller 'peckers, maybe because they have bigger territories?
Yes, indeed it was. Really lovely place and glad I managed to see one in the end!
One more from my walk to the amazing Burgers Zoo this morning:
Birds
266. Hawfinch