Zoochat Big Year 2023

[Najade]

Mostly a driving day with only the afternoon spend birding + a quick Pauraque twitch in the evening. Early start tomorrow.

03.04. - Caño Hondo to Bani, on to Villa Barrancoli, Rabo de Gato Trail

Birds (non-passerines)
35. Feral Rock Pigeon (Columbia livia)
36. Plain Pigeon (Patagioenas inornata)
37. Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita)
38. Key West Quail-dove (Geotrygon chrysia)
39. Least Pauraque (Siphonorhis brewsteri)
40. Bay-breasted Cuckoo (Coccyzus rufigularis)
41. Antillean Palm-swift (Tachornis phoenicobia)
42. Hispaniolan Emerald (Riccordia swainsonii)
43. Vervain Hummingbird (Mellisuga minima)
44. American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
45. Olive-throated Parakeet (Eupsittula nana)
46. Hispaniolan Parakeet (Psittacara chloropterus)
47. Hispaniolan Parrot (Amazona ventralis)

Birds (passerines)
48. Gray Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis)
49. Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus)
50. Green-tailed Ground-tanager (Microligea palustris)
51. Hispaniolan Oriole (Icterus dominicensis)
52. Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)
53. Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)
54. Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina)
55. Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens)

Reptiles
03. Hispaniolan Desert Croaking Gecko (Aristelliger expectations)
04. Hispaniolan Blue-tailed Ameiva (Pholidoscelis taeniurus)

For my OCD I’ll repost the list with the correct count:

Mammals
1. Eurasian Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)
2. Western European House Mouse (Mus domesticus)
———————
01.04.
Birds (non-passerines)
01. Ashy-faced Owl (Tyto glaucops)
———————
02.04.
Mammals
03. Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus jamaicensis)

Birds (non-passerines)
02. Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris)
03. Ruddy Quail-dove (Geotrygon montana)
04. Hispaniolan Lizard-cuckoo (Coccyzus longirostris)
05. Antillean Mango (Anthracothorax dominicus)
06. Limpkin (Aramus guarauna)
07. Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)
08. Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus)
09. Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)
10. Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
11. Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)
12. Great Egret (Ardea alba)
13. Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
14. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
15. Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
16. Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
17. Ridgway’s Hawk (Buteo ridgwayi)
18. Broad-billed Tody (Todus subulatus)
19. Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
20. Antillean Piculet (Nesoctites micromegas)
21. Hispaniolan Woodpecker (Melanerpes striatus)

Birds (passerines)
22. Stolid Flycatcher (Myiarchus stolidus)
23. Hispaniolan Pewee (Contopus hispaniolensis)
24. Black-whiskered Vireo (Vireo altiloquus)
25. White-necked Crow (Corvus leucognaphalus)
26. Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva)
27. Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus)
28. Palmchat (Dulus dominicus)
29. Yellow-faced Grassquit (Tiaris olivaceus)
30. Black-crowned Palm-tanager (Phaenicophilus palmarum)
31. Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger)
32. American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)
33. Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)
34. Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola)
35. Greater Antillean Bullfinch (Melopyrrha violacea)

Reptiles
01. Pointed Snake (Uromacer oxyrhynchus)
02. Dominican Graceful Anole (Anolis ignigularis)

Amphibians
01. Cane Toad (Rhinella marina)
———————
03.04.
Birds (non-passerines)
36.. Feral Rock Pigeon (Columbia livia)
37. Plain Pigeon (Patagioenas inornata)
38. Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita)
39. Key West Quail-dove (Geotrygon chrysia)
40. Least Pauraque (Siphonorhis brewsteri)
41. Bay-breasted Cuckoo (Coccyzus rufigularis)
42. Antillean Palm-swift (Tachornis phoenicobia)
43. Hispaniolan Emerald (Riccordia swainsonii)
44. Vervain Hummingbird (Mellisuga minima)
45. American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
46. Olive-throated Parakeet (Eupsittula nana)
47. Hispaniolan Parakeet (Psittacara chloropterus)
48. Hispaniolan Parrot (Amazona ventralis)

Birds (passerines)
49. Gray Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis)
50. Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus)
51. Green-tailed Ground-tanager (Microligea palustris)
52. Hispaniolan Oriole (Icterus dominicensis)
53. Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)
54. Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)
55. Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina)
56. Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens)

Reptiles
03. Hispaniolan Desert Croaking Gecko (Aristelliger expectations)
04. Hispaniolan Blue-tailed Ameiva (Pholidoscelis taeniurus)

 

[Chlidonias]

Two more birds over the last two days.

On Sunday a Little Egret was reported at the Waikanae Estuary, north of Wellington. Little Egrets are just visitors to New Zealand. They're not hugely rare but certainly not common either - NZ Birds Online says there are two or three in the country most years (Little egret | New Zealand Birds Online) - although when one does turn up it invariably stays put at the same place for, sometimes, years. There has been one further up the coast at the Manawatu Estuary for several years, which I have seen (only the second one I'd seen in New Zealand, after one in Auckland about a decade ago). The one at Waikanae could actually be the same bird as the Manawatu one.

I went up to Waikanae yesterday and found the egret quite easily, although no photos worth posting could be obtained.

There is also a little flock of Brown Teal at the estuary, a species which I haven't seen this year yet. I've checked at the estuary and associated lagoon every time I've been up there this year and I checked again yesterday but still no joy. Somehow I had also managed not to see any at Zealandia this year (normally I would see them there on day one of the year). So, to remedy this, I went back to Zealandia this morning and ticked Brown Teal off the list.


72) Little Egret Egretta garzetta
73) Brown Teal Anas chlorotis

 

[Najade]

For my OCD I’ll repost the list with the correct count:

Mammals
1. Eurasian Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)
2. Western European House Mouse (Mus domesticus)
———————
01.04.
Birds (non-passerines)
01. Ashy-faced Owl (Tyto glaucops)
———————
02.04.
Mammals
03. Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus jamaicensis)

Birds (non-passerines)
02. Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris)
03. Ruddy Quail-dove (Geotrygon montana)
04. Hispaniolan Lizard-cuckoo (Coccyzus longirostris)
05. Antillean Mango (Anthracothorax dominicus)
06. Limpkin (Aramus guarauna)
07. Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)
08. Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus)
09. Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)
10. Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
11. Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)
12. Great Egret (Ardea alba)
13. Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
14. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
15. Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
16. Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
17. Ridgway’s Hawk (Buteo ridgwayi)
18. Broad-billed Tody (Todus subulatus)
19. Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
20. Antillean Piculet (Nesoctites micromegas)
21. Hispaniolan Woodpecker (Melanerpes striatus)

Birds (passerines)
22. Stolid Flycatcher (Myiarchus stolidus)
23. Hispaniolan Pewee (Contopus hispaniolensis)
24. Black-whiskered Vireo (Vireo altiloquus)
25. White-necked Crow (Corvus leucognaphalus)
26. Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva)
27. Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus)
28. Palmchat (Dulus dominicus)
29. Yellow-faced Grassquit (Tiaris olivaceus)
30. Black-crowned Palm-tanager (Phaenicophilus palmarum)
31. Greater Antillean Grackle (Quiscalus niger)
32. American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)
33. Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)
34. Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola)
35. Greater Antillean Bullfinch (Melopyrrha violacea)

Reptiles
01. Pointed Snake (Uromacer oxyrhynchus)
02. Dominican Graceful Anole (Anolis ignigularis)

Amphibians
01. Cane Toad (Rhinella marina)
———————
03.04.
Birds (non-passerines)
36.. Feral Rock Pigeon (Columbia livia)
37. Plain Pigeon (Patagioenas inornata)
38. Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita)
39. Key West Quail-dove (Geotrygon chrysia)
40. Least Pauraque (Siphonorhis brewsteri)
41. Bay-breasted Cuckoo (Coccyzus rufigularis)
42. Antillean Palm-swift (Tachornis phoenicobia)
43. Hispaniolan Emerald (Riccordia swainsonii)
44. Vervain Hummingbird (Mellisuga minima)
45. American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
46. Olive-throated Parakeet (Eupsittula nana)
47. Hispaniolan Parakeet (Psittacara chloropterus)
48. Hispaniolan Parrot (Amazona ventralis)

Birds (passerines)
49. Gray Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis)
50. Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus)
51. Green-tailed Ground-tanager (Microligea palustris)
52. Hispaniolan Oriole (Icterus dominicensis)
53. Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)
54. Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)
55. Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina)
56. Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens)

Reptiles
03. Hispaniolan Desert Croaking Gecko (Aristelliger expectations)
04. Hispaniolan Blue-tailed Ameiva (Pholidoscelis taeniurus)

04.04. - Zapoten to Pedernales via south slope, spotlighting at road to Las Mercedes

Mammals
04. Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus)

Birds (non-passerines)
57. Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus)
58. Scaly-naped Pigeon (Patagioenas squamosa)
59. Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
60. White-fronted Quail-dove (Geotrygon leucometopia)
61. Hispaniolan Nightjar (Antrostomus ekmani)
62. Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani)
63. Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
64. Hispaniolan Trogon (Priotelus roseigaster)
65. Narrow-billed Tody (Todus angustirostris)

Birds (passerines)
66. Hispaniolan Elaenia (Elaenia cherriei)
67. Hispaniolan Kingbird (Tyrannus gabbii)
68. Golden Swallow (Tachycineta euchrysea)
69. Rufous-throated Solitaire (Myadestes genibarbis)
70. La Selle Thrush (Turdus swalesi)
71. Bicknell’s Thrush (Catharus bicknelli)
72. Antillean Euphonia (Chlorophonia musica)
73. Hispaniolan Highland-tanager (Xenoligea montana)
74. Western Chat-tanager (Calyptophilus tertius)
75. Hispaniolan Spindalis (Spindalis dominicensis)
76. Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus)
77. Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)
78. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)

Reptiles
05. Black-throated Stout Anole (Anolis armouri)
06. Hispaniolan Earless Galliwasp (Wetmorena haetiana)
07. La Selle Galliwasp (Celestus macrotus)
08. Hispaniolan Smooth Galliwasp (Panalopus costatus)
09. Slender Hispaniolan Vinesnake (Uromacer frenatus)
10. Desert Gracile Anole (Anolis brevirostris)

Amphibians
02. Southern Pastel Frog (Eleutherodactylus leoncei)


+another Gecko to be IDed

According to the guide the Celestus is only the seventh or eighth specimen ever found and also in a “new” spot outside of Haiti where it was believed to be endemic. Chuffed at (self-)finding that one

Nightjars here are asshole birds.

 

[Chlidonias]

74) Spotted Shag Stictocarbo punctatus

Technically a common bird locally - they breed on Somes Island in the middle of Wellington Harbour - but I don't often see them around the waterfront. I was still missing this species for the year so decided to walk home today along the harbour where, fortuitously, I did indeed see a Spotted Shag.

Here is a photo from last year to show what they look like: Spotted Shag (Stictocarbo punctatus) - ZooChat

 

[Najade]

04.04. - Zapoten to Pedernales via south slope, spotlighting at road to Las Mercedes

Mammals
04. Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus)

Birds (non-passerines)
57. Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus)
58. Scaly-naped Pigeon (Patagioenas squamosa)
59. Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
60. White-fronted Quail-dove (Geotrygon leucometopia)
61. Hispaniolan Nightjar (Antrostomus ekmani)
62. Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani)
63. Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
64. Hispaniolan Trogon (Priotelus roseigaster)
65. Narrow-billed Tody (Todus angustirostris)

Birds (passerines)
66. Hispaniolan Elaenia (Elaenia cherriei)
67. Hispaniolan Kingbird (Tyrannus gabbii)
68. Golden Swallow (Tachycineta euchrysea)
69. Rufous-throated Solitaire (Myadestes genibarbis)
70. La Selle Thrush (Turdus swalesi)
71. Bicknell’s Thrush (Catharus bicknelli)
72. Antillean Euphonia (Chlorophonia musica)
73. Hispaniolan Highland-tanager (Xenoligea montana)
74. Western Chat-tanager (Calyptophilus tertius)
75. Hispaniolan Spindalis (Spindalis dominicensis)
76. Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus)
77. Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)
78. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)

Reptiles
05. Black-throated Stout Anole (Anolis armouri)
06. Hispaniolan Earless Galliwasp (Wetmorena haetiana)
07. La Selle Galliwasp (Celestus macrotus)
08. Hispaniolan Smooth Galliwasp (Panalopus costatus)
09. Slender Hispaniolan Vinesnake (Uromacer frenatus)
10. Desert Gracile Anole (Anolis brevirostris)

Amphibians
02. Southern Pastel Frog (Eleutherodactylus leoncei)


+another Gecko to be IDed

According to the guide the Celestus is only the seventh or eighth specimen ever found and also in a “new” spot outside of Haiti where it was believed to be endemic. Chuffed at (self-)finding that one

Nightjars here are asshole birds.

05.04. - Pedernales, Cabo Rojo + ponds, Alcoa Road, spotlighting

Birds (non-passerines)
79. White-cheeked Pintail (Anas bahamensis)
80. Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
81. Common Ground Dove (Columbina passerina)
82. White-collared Swift (Streptoprocne zonaris)
83. Sora (Porzana carolina)
84. Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata)
85. Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
86. Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)
87. Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)
88. Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
89. White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus)
90. Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor)
91. Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) [white phase]
92. American White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)
93. Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)

Birds (passerines)
94. Hispaniolan Palm Crow (Corvus palmarum)
95. Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
96. Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
97. Hispaniolan Crossbill (Loxia megaplaga)
98. Antillean Siskin (Spinus dominicensis)
99. Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis)
100. Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)

Reptiles
11. Barahona Limestone Geckolet (Sphaerodactylus thompsoni)
12. Baoruco Stout Anole (Anolis strahmi)

 

[WalkingAgnatha]

Week back went out birding. The goal was to go to Rangitoto/Motutapu to try and tick off a few nice birds+reptiles, and hopefully attempt for Shore Plover, unfortunately the ferry seemed to be booked out or something all weekend. So, after searching up a few bus-routes on my phone, decided the next best thing would just be to go to Western Springs then Mangere WTP to tick off a few year-birds which I still needed, as well as hopefully find Black Shag (Great Cormorant), which I still have yet to see as a lifebird.. as well as them being reported from both areas quite recently.
Arriving at Western Springs in the morning, it felt at least a bit better than my previous visits here, but after not that long I got a bit sick of it. Walking one of the paths I quickly ticked off a flock of sleeping Feral-Graylags, whilst the white birds all casually sleeping right next to the path didn't feel the most wild, supposedly they all should be genuinely feral birds, and the birds here are ridiculously tame (probably a result of their only limiting factor being how much bread one can cram down their gullet). There was also at least one which wasn't leustic that I could pretend felt more wild. I also got to pass a coot mother and her chicks foraging right next to me which was really cool, such weird feet when they're all splayed out on land. The target birds here were greylags, little-black shags and hopefully black-shags. Unfortunately didn't connect with any of the shags, the roost tree I remembered for the LBS seemed deserted and then the rest of the trees were crowded with little-shags, although passed a really well-showing long-finned eel as I was waling out so it wasn't the worst.
Arriving in Mangere-WTP I walked to the start of the lagoon and immediately saw a trio of little-black shags sunning themselves on the mudflats. And then to be honest not much.. Made my way up Puketutu Canal-(really sad the amounts of genuinely disgusting looking litter there was along the road) and it felt quite empty, no grey-duck candidates which I'd thought I'd maybe try to id here and no shovelers either. So quickly made my way over to the retaining pond to take a look, but even in the late-morning sun it seemed the midges were still ever-abundant, and of course the ground over there even with boots in feels way too unpleasant. So I hurried over, had a quick glance of a shoveler (smaller duck compared to mallard, noticeably down-turned bill) and made my way quickly out. Looking back I probably should've went up to the shell-banks to try for the tattler which is apparently showing there again, but it was low-tide and I didn't feel like staying for too long. [But I still need grey-teal for the year, as well as not the greatest views of shoveler so I'll probably have to come back here soon..]
On the up-side, just saw my first ever katydid on my balcony!

Birds
71. Feral Goose (Anser anser)
72. Little-Black Shag (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris)
73. Australasian Shoveler (Spatula rhynchotis)

Fish -(Ray Finned)
1. Short-Finned Eel (Anguilla australis)
2. Long-Finned Eel (Anguilla dieffenbachii)

INVERTS TALLY: 30
Insects:
21. Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
22. Australian Paper-Wasp (Polistes humilis)
23. Common Garden Katydid (Caedicia simplex)
Crustaceans:
1. Tunneling Mud-Crab (Austrohelice crassa)

Just some inverts. form the past couple weeks, stoked on finding the mantises on my balcony again (could very well be the same bachelors from last year!), as well as the spider being a find whilst out doing trapping at the local reserve behind my school. (Apparently really successful compared to last year, from nothing to 1 hedgehog and at least 2 ship rats in just 2 weeks[checked once a week] of checking them!)

INVERTS TALLY: 34
Insects:
24. Mallada basilis -Lacewing, introduced : (
25. South African Mantis (Miomantis caffra)
26. New Zealand Mantis (Orthodera novaezealandiae)
Arachnids:
3. Nurseryweb Spider (Dolomedes minor)

 

[Kakapo]

From the "to be identified" species mentioned in last paragraph of that field trip, one has been identified already:

INVERTEBRATES:

111. Zygina nivea

Another species from that field trip has been recently identified.

INVERTEBRATES:

112. Apion cruentatum (Lifer!)

 

[BerdNerd]

3/19/23

7. Eastern Meadow Vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus)

4/6/23


8. Groundhog (Marmota monax)


Amphibians:

1. Squirrel Tree Frog (Dryophytes squirellus)


Total:

Mammals: 8
Birds: 86
Reptiles: 5
Amphibians: 1
Invertebrates: 5

 

[WhistlingKite24]

A quick update from me. A nice mix of rainforest species recently like the antechinus, pademelon and a few of the more elusive birds. White-winged Triller was a lovely lifer at a bushland reserve, west of Brisbane. It’s also been a bit of a race to tick off some new butterflies before the cooler months arrive and I’ve been pleased with a few new skippers to add to the list from an unusually late season entering autumn – Swamp Darter especially was a good record at a suburban park. A surprise water skink in an elevator needing a quick rescue was also an interesting titbit of wildlife in the inner city. Lots of interesting inverts around like a monstrous 32-Spotted Katydid that flew straight into my shoulder and took off again with a powerful jump was rather thrilling [32-Spotted Katydid, Ephippitytha trigintiduoguttata - ZooChat].

Mammals
06) Red-necked Pademelon, Thylogale thetis
07) Subtropical Antechinus, Antechinus subtropicus
08) Common Brushtail Possum, Trichosurus vulpecula

Birds
97) Rainbow Bee-eater, Merops ornatus
98) Leaden Flycatcher, Myiagra rubecula
99) Striated Pardalote, Pardalotus striatus
100) Common Cicadabird, Edolisoma tenuirostre
101) White-throated Honeyeater, Melithreptus albogularis
102) Australian Logrunner, Orthonyx temminckii
103) Satin Bowerbird, Ptilonorhynchus violaceus
104) Forest Kingfisher, Todiramphus macleayii
105) Red-browed Finch, Neochmia temporalis
106) Striped Honeyeater, Plectorhyncha lanceolata
107) Little Friarbird, Philemon citreogularis
108) White-winged Triller, Lalage tricolor
109) Black Swan, Cygnus atratus
110) Wandering Whistling-Duck, Dendrocygna arcuata
111) Plumed Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna eytoni
112) Grey Teal, Anas gracilis
113) Australasian Grebe, Tachybaptus novaehollandiae

Reptiles
15) Macquarie Turtle, Emydura macquarii
16) Eastern Water Skink, Eulamprus quoyii

Fish
06) Green Swordtail, Xiphophorus hellerii

Invertebrates
135) Ant-eater Jumping Spider, Zenodorus orbiculatus
136) Anaxidia lozogramma [slug caterpillar moth]
137) Castor Semi-Looper, Achaea janata
138) Dolichoderus scrobiculatus [odorous ant]
139) Orange Ringlet, Hypocysta adiante
140) Anthrax maculatus [bee fly]
141) Blue Tiger, Tirumala hamata
142) Bee-killer Assassin Bug, Pristhesancus plagipennis
000) Treerunner Mantis, Ciulfina sp.
143) Australian Hornet, Abispa ephippium
144) Australian Tiger, Ictinogomphus australis
145) Chauliognathus flavipennis [solider beetle]
146) 32-Spotted Katydid, Ephippitytha trigintiduoguttata
147) Burgena varia [day-flying moth]
148) Narrow-brand Grass-Dart, Ocybadistes flavovittata
149) Chequered Swallowtail, Papilio demolius
150) Australian Emperor, Anax papuensis
151) Swamp Darter, Arrhenes marnas
152) Odontomyia hunteri [solider fly]
153) Lesser Wanderer, Danaus petilia
154) Green Grass-Dart, Ocybadistes walkeri
155) Sugarcane Looper Mocis frugalis
156) No-brand Grass-Yellow Eurema brigitta

As the weather cools here, the changes in season has brought in more birds especially - lots of the smaller bush birds from the southern states and even several birds from out west as it dries gradually. My first Noisy Pitta [My First Wild Pitta! - ZooChat], Red-necked Avocets [Red-necked Avocet - ZooChat] and a pair of Red-capped Robins [Red-capped Robin - ZooChat] that are local celebrities among Brisbane birders now have been the absolute highlights. I tried a few times (not covered in my wildlife thread) for Australian Crake at the wetlands near the airport but didn't get lucky and I was meant to chase Musk Duck at another nearby site today but the weather had other ideas. Also, the migratory waders seem to be delaying their departure to the north allowing me to play catchup with several species. It had been an embarrassingly long time since I had seen a wild Green Tree Frog but fortunately there is a 'frog hotel' at Boondall Wetland's entrance that I've since learnt reliably has at least a few of them tucked inside. Inverts are gradually getting quieter as the butterfly populations die down but there have been been a few nice odds and ends.

Mammals
09) Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Macropus giganteus
10) Common Ringtail Possum, Pseudocheirus peregrinus

Birds
114) Bar-tailed Godwit, Limosa lapponica
115) Pacific Golden Plover, Pluvialis fulva
116) Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Calidris acuminata
117) Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus
118) Pied Stilt, Himantopus leucocephalus
119) Royal Spoonbill, Platalea regia
120) Eastern Osprey, Pandion cristatus
121) White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Haliaeetus leucogaster
122) Pheasant Coucal, Centropus phasianinus
123) Hardhead, Aythya australis
124) Australasian Darter, Anhinga novaehollandiae
125) Pale-vented Bush-hen, Amaurornis moluccana
126) Scarlet Honeyeater, Myzomela sanguinolenta
127) White-headed Pigeon, Columba leucomela
128) Topknot Pigeon, Lopholaimus antarcticus
129) Noisy Pitta, Pitta versicolor
130) Varied Triller, Lalage leucomela
131) Red-capped Robin, Petroica goodenovii
132) Eurasian Coot, Fulica atra
133) Brown Goshawk, Accipiter fasciatus
134) Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, Lonchura castaneothorax
135) Brahminy Kite, Haliastur indus
136) Comb-crested Jacana, Irediparra gallinacea
137) Grey-crowned Babbler, Pomatostomus temporalis
138) Red-necked Stint, Calidris ruficollis
139) Red-kneed Dotterel, Erythrogonys cinctus
140) Red-necked Avocet, Recurvirostra novaehollandiae
141) Chestnut Teal, Anas castanea
142) Tawny Frogmouth, Podargus strigoides
143) Varied Sittella, Daphoenositta chrysoptera
144) Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Lichenostomus chrysops
145) Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Zanda funerea

Herptiles
17) Green Tree Frog, Litoria caerulea

Fish
07) River Garfish, Hyporhamphus regularis
08) Banded Toadfish, Marilyna pleurosticta

Invertebrates
157) Yellow-headed Flower Wasp, Scolia verticalis
158) Scarlet Tree-spined Mangrove Crab, Neosarmatium trispinosum
159) Red-thighed Polyrhachis, Polyrhachis rufifemur
160) Haswell's Crab, Helograpsus haswellianus
161) Brown Flower Beetle, Glycyphana stolata
162) Striped Ladybird, Micraspis frenata
163) Green and Black Planthopper, Desudaba psittacus
164) Red and Blue Beetle, Dicranolaius bellulus
165) Small Round Orbweaver, Araneus rotundulus

 

[Kakapo]

Another species from that field trip has been recently identified.

INVERTEBRATES:

112. Apion cruentatum (Lifer!)

The identification of the previous weevil was corrected by a better expert (Carlo Giusto), and it's Apion frumentarium instead Apion cruentatum. Anyways also a lifer for me because I only had Apion haematodes previously. By other hand the ichneumon wasp also have been identified.

INVERTEBRATES:

112. Apion frumentarium (Lifer!)
113. Xylophrurus augustus (Lifer!)

 

[Kakapo]

The identification of the previous weevil was corrected by a better expert (Carlo Giusto), and it's Apion frumentarium instead Apion cruentatum. Anyways also a lifer for me because I only had Apion haematodes previously. By other hand the ichneumon wasp also have been identified.

INVERTEBRATES:

112. Apion frumentarium (Lifer!)
113. Xylophrurus augustus (Lifer!)

Today I did some gardening in my parents garden. Carpenter bees were very abundant, and a great tit went very vocal giving me four different kinds of sounds in just few minutes. House martins fly high in the sky and I saw first swallow of the year, very badly and quickly seen across a screen of leaves of the plane trees of the nearby street, but the ID is ensured as it was singing and the song is unmistakable, Got some new insects for the year, including a not common one (in fact, checking my life list I saw that I didn't seen one since 2015, which surprises me).

BIRDS:

48. Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)

INVERTEBRATES:

114. Menemerus semilimbatus
115. Attagenus trifasciatus (inside a calla lily flower)
116. Choreutis nemorana (even when the fig tree that dominates my garden is still sprouting)
117. Cetonia carthami, a quite small and coppery individual inside a rose.

 

[Ituri]

BIRDS:
78 Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus
79 Merlin Falco columbarius
80 White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica
81 Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
82 Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla
83 Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
84 Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula
85 Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor

REPTILES:
1 Common Slider Trachemys scripta

BIRDS:
86 Blue-winged Teal Spatula discors
87 Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis
88 Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum
89 Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
90 Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca
91 Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii
92 Green-winged Teal Anas crecca
93 American Avocet Recurvirostra americana
94 Franklin's Gull Leucophaeus pipixcan
95 Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii

REPTILES
2 Western Painted Turtle Chrysemys picta belli

 

[Kakapo]

Today I did some gardening in my parents garden. Carpenter bees were very abundant, and a great tit went very vocal giving me four different kinds of sounds in just few minutes. House martins fly high in the sky and I saw first swallow of the year, very badly and quickly seen across a screen of leaves of the plane trees of the nearby street, but the ID is ensured as it was singing and the song is unmistakable, Got some new insects for the year, including a not common one (in fact, checking my life list I saw that I didn't seen one since 2015, which surprises me).

BIRDS:

48. Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)

INVERTEBRATES:

114. Menemerus semilimbatus
115. Attagenus trifasciatus (inside a calla lily flower)
116. Choreutis nemorana (even when the fig tree that dominates my garden is still sprouting)
117. Cetonia carthami, a quite small and coppery individual inside a rose.

Forgot one!

INVERTEBRATES:

118. Icerya purchasi. Intensely attended by an ant. It was full of nymphs that ended in the stomach of my aquarium fishes.

 

[MRJ]

My stay in Mission Beach did not allow much time for wildlife watching so this list is fairly short compared to what it might have been if I had "gone hard' and so the list is from casual observations.

Mammals

92 Short-beaked echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus
93. Agile wallaby Macropus agilis

Birds

611, Torresian imperial pigeon Ducula spilorrhoa
612. Peaceful dove Geopelia placida
613. White-bellied sea-eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
614. Red-tailed black-cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii
615. Yellow-spotted honeyeater Meliphaga notata
616. Broad-billed flycatcher Myiagra ruficollis
617. Metallic starling Aplonis metallica

Reptiles

17. Lace monitor Varanus varius
18. Red-throated rainbow skink Carlia rubrigularis
19. Cream-striped shining-skink Cryptoblepharus virgatus

Amphibians

1. Cane toad Rhinella marina
2. White-lipped tree frog Nyctimystes infrafrenatus (worlds largest tree frog)

Invertebrates

17. Lemon migrant Catopsillia pomona
18. Common grass yellow Eurema hecabe
19. Small white (cabbage white) Pieris rapae
20. Dingy bush brown Mycalesis perseus
21. Cairns birdwing Ornithoptera euphorion
22. Ulysses butterfly Papilio ulysses
23. Giant grasshopper Valanga irregularis
24. Serrated bush katydid Paracaedicia serrata
25. Sp. true cricket Cardiodactylus novaeguineae
26. Giant golden orb-weaver Nephila pilipes

Missed one

618. Bush stone-curlew Burhinus grallarius

 

[Giant Eland]

Slow year so far...hope to change that soon

The same three I began with last year...Brooklyn's finest:

1. Eastern Gray Squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis (Jan 2)
2. Common Raccoon, Procyon lotor (Feb 15)
3. Brown Rat, Rattus norvegicus (Feb 16)

Following 3 weeks in South Africa, where I lead my first safari, I managed to see 70 more mammal species on the year, featuring 3 wild family lifers (WFL) including my first ever Golden Moles! Species in bold were my first time in the wild.

!Khwa ttu Nature Reserve:
4. Common Duiker, Sylvicapra grimmia (Mar 3)
5. Karoo Bush Rat, Otomys unisulcatus
6. Four-striped grass mouse, Rhabdomys pumilio
7. Springbok, Antidorcas marsupialis

Papkuilsfontein Guest Farm Nieuwoudtville:
8. Namaqua Rock Rat, Aethomys namaquensis
9. Cape Gerbil, Gerbilliscus afra
10. Scrub Hare, Lepus saxatilis
11. Cape gray mongoose, Herpestes pulverulentus (Mar 4)
12. Cape Rock Sengi, Elephantulus edwardii
13. Cape Porcupine, Hystrix africaeaustralis (Mar 5)
14. Bat-eared Fox, Otocyon megalotis
15. Steenbok, Raphicerus campestris
16. Cape Fox, Vulpes chama
17. Rock hyrax, Procavia capensis
18. Yellow mongoose, Cynictis penicillata

Cape Town:
19. Cape Golden Mole, Chrysochloris asiatica (Mar 7) (WFL)
20. Cape Mole-rat, Georychus capensis
21. Natal Long-fingered Bat, Miniopterus natalensis

Karoo Gariep Nature Reserve:
22. Cape Ground Squirrel, Geosciurus inauris (Mar 9)
23. West-Central South African Four-striped Grass Rat, Rhabdomys bechuanae
24. Gemsbok, Oryx gazella
25. Meerkat, Suricata suricatta
26. Common Eland, Taurotragus oryx
27. Blesbok, Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi
28. Roan Antelope, Hippotragus equinus
29. Sable Antelope, Hippotragus niger
30. Common Warthog, Phacochoerus africanus
31. South African Springhare, Pedetes capensis
32. Aardwolf, Proteles cristatus
33. African Buffalo, Syncerus caffer (Mar 10)
34. Cape Short-eared Gerbil, Desmodillus auricularis
35. Egyptian Free-tailed Bat, Tadarida aegyptiaca
36. Hippo, Hippopotamus amphibius
37. African Wildcat, Felis lybica
38. Small-spotted genet, Genetta genetta
39. Aardvark, Orycteropus afer (WFL)
40. Cape Hare, Lepus capensis
41. Highveld Gerbil, Gerbilliscus brantsii (Mar 11)
42. Cape Serotine, Laephotis capensis
43. Impala, Aepyceros melampus
44. Eastern Rock Sengi, Elephantulus myurus
45. Vervet, Chlorocebus pygerythrus (Mar 12)

Mokala National Park:
46. Burchell’s Zebra, Equus quagga burchellii
47. Lowland Nyala, Tragelaphus angasii (Mar 13)
48. Red Hartebeest, Alcelaphus buselaphus caama
49. Greater Kudu, Tragelaphus strepsiceros
50. Chacma Baboon, Papio ursinus
51. Common Tsessebe, Damaliscus lunatus lunatus
52. Black-backed Jackal, Lupulella mesomelas
53. Blue wildebeest, Connochaetes taurinus
54. White Rhino, Ceratotherium simum
55. Black wildebeest, Connochaetes gnou

Marrick Safari:
56. African Pygmy Mouse, Mus minutoides

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park:
57. Hairy-footed Gerbil, Gerbillurus paeba (Mar 14)
58. Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus (Mar 15)
59. Long-tailed Serotine, Eptesicus hottentotus
60. Brant’s Whistling Rat, Parotomys brantsii 3.16
61. Southern Giraffe, Giraffa giraffa
62. African Leopard, Panthera pardus pardus
63. Slender Mongoose, Herpestes sanguineus
64. African Lion, Panthera leo
65. Spotted Hyena, Crocuta crocuta (Mar 17)
66. Honey badger, Mellivora capensis (Mar 18)

Augrabies Falls National Park:
67. Klipspringer, Oreotragus oreotragus
68. Marsh Mongoose, Atilax paludinosus
69. Hartman’s Mountain Zebra, Equus zebra hartmannae (Mar 19)

Goegap Nature Reserve:
70. Dassie Rat, Petromus typicus (Mar 20) (WFL)
71. Western Rock Sengi, Elephantulus rupestris

Port Nolloth:
72. Heaviside's Dolphin, Cephalorhynchus heavisidii

Cape Town:
73. Cape Fur Seal, Arctocephalus pusillus (Mar 23)

 

[MRJ]

Congratulations on becoming a wildlife guide! Is this a new full-time occupation or a once off or occasional event? And which company were you working for?

 

[Tetzoo Quizzer]

Indeed; If you are leading another Golden mole trip in the future, and you want a fellow zoochatter on board....

 

[birdsandbats]

Birds
121. Barred Owl Strix varia
122. Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon

Birds
123. Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
124. Osprey Pandion haliaetus

 

[Maguari]

A few odds and sods from the last two days, including a close encounter with one of my favourite local mammals and the first reptile of the year, both from Bleaklow today, and one extra bird from Idle Valley yesterday.

Mammals:
16. Mountain Hare - Lepus timidus

Birds:
147. Green Sandpiper - Tringa ochropus

Reptiles:
1. Common Lizard - Zootoca vivipara

Invertebrates:
5. Small Tortoiseshell - Aglais urticae
6. Dark-edged Bee-fly -Bombylius major
7. Peacock - Aglais io

 

[Kakapo]

Forgot one!

INVERTEBRATES:

118. Icerya purchasi. Intensely attended by an ant. It was full of nymphs that ended in the stomach of my aquarium fishes.

Just about a coulpe of minutes ago, coming back to my home, I saw in the glass of the door of the neighbour house block. New insect for the year and a very nice one.

INVERTEBRATES:

119. Agapanthia cardui