Zoochat Big Year 2023

[Maguari]

The longest binomial for an animal belongs to the Southeast Asian Soldier Fly, Parastratiosphecomyia stratiosphecomyioides. The longest total is the bacterium Myxococcus llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogochensis.

The irony for me being that having lived a few miles from Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch for a number of years, I find the fly's name significantly harder to say than the bacterium's...

 

[CMP]

My first four days of fieldwork went well with some nice sightings. I also saw some nice odonates and other inverts in June, including 16 species at Homer Lake Forest Preserve alone.

Mammal
Seen in a gravel lot outside of Mount Auburn, Christian Co. IL, July 6th

18. Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)​

Birds
Really nice birds I managed to pickup on a field trip to the East St. Louis area. Unfortunately I didn't bring my camera but I still got good-enough views. The lifer was nice.

Kaskaskia River State Fish and Wildlife Area, July 6th

214. Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens)
​

Wagon Lake, July 6th

215. Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
​

Horseshoe Lake State Park, July 7th

216. Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (Lifer)
​

Kaskaskia River State Fish and Wildlife Area, July 7th

217. Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)​

Insects/Inverts

113. Golden northern bumble bee (Bombus fervidus) (Lifer)
114. Raspberry cane borer (Oberea perspicillata) (Lifer)
115. Seven-spotted lady beetle (Coccinella septempunctata)
116. Large milkweed bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus)
117. Robber fly (Atomosia puella) (Lifer)
118. Compost fly (Ptecticus trivittatus)
119. Margined leatherwing soldier beetle (Chauliognathus marginatus)
120. Black firefly (Lucidota atra)
121. Black and yellow wood soldier fly (Xylomya simillima) (Lifer)
122. Bluegrass billbug weevil (Sphenophorus parvulus)
123. Black damsel bug (Nabis subcoleoptratus) (Lifer)
124. Citrine forktail (Ischnura hastata)
125. Six-spotted fishing spider (Dolomedes triton)
126. Blue dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)
127. Blue-fronted dancer (Argia apicalis)
128. Orange bluet (Enallagma signatum)
129. Eastern pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis)
130. Least skipper (Ancyloxpha numitor)
131. Fire-colored beetle (Neopyrochroa flabellata) (Lifer)
132. Eastern parson spider (Herpyllus ecclesiasticus)
133. North american wheel bug (Arilus cristatus)
134. Ground beetle (Cratacanthus dubius) (Lifer)
135. Little underwing (Catocala minuta) (Lifer)
136. Ailanthus webworm moth (Atteva aurea)
137. Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica)
138. Hackberry emperor (Asterocampa celtis)
139. Synchroa bark beetle (Synchroa punctata) (Lifer)
140. True weevil (Conotrachelus seniculus) (Lifer)
141. Coppery leafhopper (Jikradia olitoria)
142. Twenty-spotted lady beetle (Psyllobora vigintimaculata) (Lifer)
143. Citrus flatid planthopper (Metcalfa pruinosa)
144. Pink-barred pseudeustrotia moth (Pseudeustrotia carneola) (Lifer)
145. Scarlet-winged lichen moth (Hypoprepia miniata) (Lifer)
146. Deadwood borer moth (Scolecocampa liburna) (Lifer)
147. Large maple spanworm moth (Prochoerodes lineola) (Lifer)
148. Oblong woolcarder bee (Anthidium oblongatum) (Lifer)
149. Spined micrathena (Micrathena gracilis)
150. Four-lined silverfish (Ctenolepisma lineatum) (Lifer)
151. Long-legged fly (Plagionerus univittatus) (Lifer)
152. Virginia giant hover fly (Milesia virginiensis)
153. Callirhipid cedar beetle (Zenoa picea) (Lifer)
154. Dictyopharid planthopper (Rhynchomitra microrhina) (Lifer)
155. Flatid planthopper (Ormenoides venusta) (Lifer)
156. Cambium curculio (Conotrachelus anaglypticus) (Lifer)
157. Common gate-keeper ant (Colobopsis impressa) (Lifer)
158. Eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
159. Zebra swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) (Lifer)​

Back at it with more fieldwork for the statewide mosquito survey, this time in the many forest preserves around the DuPage County suburbs.

Mammal
I was surprised to see this canid near the busy intersection of Chicago ave. and Naper blvd. at night on July 20th

19. Coyote (Canis latrans)
​

Birds
A nice pair of summer birds at Danada forest preserve, July 20th

218. Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)
219. Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii)​

Insects/Inverts

160. Blue-faced meadowhawk (Sympetrum ambiguum) (Lifer)
161. Painted lichen moth (Hypoprepia fucosa) (Lifer)
162. Double-toothed prominent (Nerice bidentata) (Lifer)
163. Spot-winged glider (Pantala hymenaea) (Lifer)
164. Summer fishfly (Chauliodes pectinicornis) (Lifer)
165. Grapevine beetle (Pelidnota punctata) (Lifer)
166. Great golden digger wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus)
167. False milkweed bug (Lygaeus turcicus)
168. Ground beetle (Notiobia terminata) (Lifer)
169. Common picture-winged fly (Delphinia picta)
170. American Harlequin (Xanthogramma flavipes) (Lifer)
171. Brown lacewing (Microms subanticus) (Lifer)
172. Red-spotted admiral (Limenitis arthemis) Ssp. Red-spotted purple (L.a. astyanax)
173. Stream bluet (Enallagma exsulans)
174. American rubyspot (Hetaerina americana) (Lifer)
175. Leaf-footed bug (Acanthocephala terminalis)
176. Little wood satyr (Megisto cymela)​

 

[ThylacineAlive]

Day 13 brought a few surprises. Most of the day went by typically, with more game transects and a lesson on holistic grazing on the savanna (interesting stuff). In the afternoon, however, it was decided to skip the transects and to just look for some stuff. This ended up being a very fruitful endeavor, with tons of wildlife discovered and some new locations being explored. Found tons of dik-dik today and ultimately one very exciting discovery: a Lioness in an area thought to be uninhabited by Lions. Of course this has been passed on already to the proper networks and my images will be used to either ID or create a new ID log for this animal so they can hopefully track her in the future.

And of course, added a couple new birds:

406) African Grey Hornbill Tockus nasutus
407) Sombre Nightjar Caprimulgus fraenatus

Spotted some new lizards as well, but will need to look into their IDs.

~Thylo

Officially two weeks since I first arrived in Africa! Today we visited Naboisho for a second time to do a couple game transects and then drive around for most of the day to see what we could find. Unfortunately, Leopards have continued to evade me! We had better luck with other large cats, however. We found a coalition of four Cheetahs consisting of a sibling trio (2.1) and a younger male around 14 months who joined up with them. If you know anything about Cheetahs, you'll know this whole situation is highly unusually. Typically it's just the boys who form coalitions, and usually it's only brothers who join together. Additionally, 14 months is considerably young for the unrelated male to have already left his mother, especially considering he's been in this coalition for at least a month.

The day concluded with finding an all-female pride of Lions feasting on a zebra kill, with plenty of hungry vultures, storks, jackals, and hyenas waiting for their piece of what very little remained. Very cool scene to see in person!

408) Kori Bustard Ardeotis kori
409) Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax
410) Green Wood-Hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus
411) Red-Cheeked Cordonbleu Uraeginthus bengalus
412) Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea
413) Magpie Shrike Urolestes melanoleucus
414) Milky Eagle-Owl Bubo lacteus
415) Bearded Woodpecker Chloropicus namaquus
416) White-Bellied Canary Crithagra dorsostriata
417) African Grey Flycatcher Melaenornis microrhynchus

75) Yellow-Spotted Rock Hyrax Heterohyrax brucei
76) Common Slender Mongoose Galerella sanguinea

~Thylo

 

[Ituri]

It should be five total reptiles.

Thanks.

6 Spiny Softshell Apalone spinifera

 

[Chlidonias]

669. Purple-naped spider-hunter Kurochkinegramma hypogrammicum (is this the longest scientific name? Or just the longest for a bird?)

I can never get used to that genus. The Purple-naped Sunbird used to be called Hypogramma hypogrammicum which is easy to say and also easy to remember because it is just duplicating itself. But fairly recently it was realised that Hypogramma had originally been given (in 1852) to a moth genus so it was preoccupied. Ironically that moth had already been named (in 1821) as Acolasis so Hypogramma is a junior synonym and can't be used anyway. So now nothing has Hypogramma as a valid generic name.

 

[OskarGC]

here's another update...

Mammals

• Gold Coast

10. Black Flying-Fox
11. Swamp Wallaby

• Port Macquarie

12. Common Bottlenose-Dolphin
13. Humpback Whale

Birds

• Kumbartcho Sanctuary

145. Rufous Shrike-Thrush

• Golds Scrub Ln (Lake Samsonvale)

146. Chestnut-Breasted Mannikin
147. Comb-Crested Jacana
148. Great Crested Grebe
149. Topknot Pigeon
150. Wandering Whistling-Duck

• Redlands

151. Australian Tern
152. Grey-Tailed Tattler
153. Silver Gull

• Oakey

154. Barn Owl
155. Golden-Headed Cisticola
156. Restless Flycatcher
157. Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo
158. Western Gerygone
159. Zebra Finch

• Nambucca Heads

160. Eastern Whipbird
161. White-Cheeked Honeyeater

• Pacific Motorway (Nambucca Heads to Sydney)

162. Brown Cuckoo-Dove
163. White-Headed Pigeon
164. White-Throated Needeltail

• Port Macquarie

165. White-Bellied Sea-Eagle
166. Wonga Pigeon

• Tingalpa Creek Reservoir

167. Little Egret
168. Little Lorikeet
169. Musk Duck
170. Scarlet Honeyeater
171. Shining Bronze-Cuckoo

Amphibians

• Gold Coast

4. Striped Marsh-Frog

 

[Chlidonias]

669. Purple-naped spider-hunter Kurochkinegramma hypogrammicum (is this the longest scientific name? Or just the longest for a bird?)

The longest binomial for an animal belongs to the Southeast Asian Soldier Fly, Parastratiosphecomyia stratiosphecomyioides. The longest total is the bacterium Myxococcus llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogochensis.

The longest scientific binomen for a bird apparently belongs to the Crowned Slaty Flycatcher, with Griseotyrannus aurantioatrocristatus.

 

[Junklekitteb]

For birds, the breeding season is in full swing. Crows and kites are scrounging around for twigs, barbets and parakeets inspecting nests hollows, bulbuls consorting in reticent pairs and every type of cuckoo is becoming manic at the prospects of their host’s households (even the non-parasitic coucal). A set of Puff-throated Babblers had already hatched a brood in one of their ground nests, but unfortunately mysteriously disappeared. The Baya Weavers are finishing up their lovely bottle shaped pendulous nests with grass and strips of palm leaves, and many of their females seem to be joining in already. I suspect the pair of the following species I saw in an ornamental are also having breeding on their mind - they often build in the eaves of buildings. I haven’t found where their nest may be though.
Birds
160. Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata

The bird additions are starting to drop as I have finished seeing most of the common local species. There are still a few annoying ones that are evading me, especially the Jacobin cuckoo, a bird that is always common, and especially so in the monsoon. However I saw a highly unexpected species from a highly unexpected position - out of a bathroom window. Not the most inspiring conditions to see a threatened endemic, but a fantastic sighting nonetheless. It was fairly close to the place I saw it last year, but I cannot prove any connection between the birds.
Birds
161. Yellow-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus xantholaemus

 

[ThylacineAlive]

Officially two weeks since I first arrived in Africa! Today we visited Naboisho for a second time to do a couple game transects and then drive around for most of the day to see what we could find. Unfortunately, Leopards have continued to evade me! We had better luck with other large cats, however. We found a coalition of four Cheetahs consisting of a sibling trio (2.1) and a younger male around 14 months who joined up with them. If you know anything about Cheetahs, you'll know this whole situation is highly unusually. Typically it's just the boys who form coalitions, and usually it's only brothers who join together. Additionally, 14 months is considerably young for the unrelated male to have already left his mother, especially considering he's been in this coalition for at least a month.

The day concluded with finding an all-female pride of Lions feasting on a zebra kill, with plenty of hungry vultures, storks, jackals, and hyenas waiting for their piece of what very little remained. Very cool scene to see in person!

408) Kori Bustard Ardeotis kori
409) Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax
410) Green Wood-Hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus
411) Red-Cheeked Cordonbleu Uraeginthus bengalus
412) Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea
413) Magpie Shrike Urolestes melanoleucus
414) Milky Eagle-Owl Bubo lacteus
415) Bearded Woodpecker Chloropicus namaquus
416) White-Bellied Canary Crithagra dorsostriata
417) African Grey Flycatcher Melaenornis microrhynchus

75) Yellow-Spotted Rock Hyrax Heterohyrax brucei
76) Common Slender Mongoose Galerella sanguinea

~Thylo

Day 15 was more of a free day and I spent the morning taking a walking birding tour through the surrounding landscape. We walked from the camp to a nearby river which we followed for a bit. The plan was to then cut up the hill into the less frequently visited habitat but a herd of elephants ended up blocking our path, so we just headed back to camp. I wish I'd gotten at least a few more species given the cost, but can't complain in finally nabbing one of my most wanted birds in the paradise-flycatcher! Also finally got some photos of the sandgrouse.

418) Mariqua Sunbird Cinnyris mariquensis
419) Brimstone Canary Crithagra sulphurata
420) Rufous-Naped Lark Mirafra africana
421) African Black-Headed Oriole Oriolus larvatus
422) African Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis
423) Amethyst Starling Cinnyricinlus leucogaster
424) White-Browed Coucal Centropus superciliosus

This evening, we went for a night drive hoping to find some owls and Aardvarks (and maybe, just maybe, a pangolin...). After a few hours of silent plains and foothills, it was decided to head back to camp, where on the way we came across one new addition:

77) White-Tailed Mongoose Ichneumia albicauda

~Thylo

 

[Crotalus]

A trip to Sloss Furnaces resulted in a few new invertebrates (including a new dragonfly - I'm fascinated by the diversity of species here), and while storms prevented any birdwatching at Lake Martin, on the way back I saw something in the road and was able to pull over and move an Eastern Box Turtle. I'm always glad to get the chance to help animals off the road, and turtles are one of my favorites to encounter.


Reptiles:
6. Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) - 7/22/23


Invertebrates:
36. Argentine Ant (Linepithema humile) – 7/23/18
37. Swift Setting (Dythemis velox) – 7/23/18
38. Greenhouse Millipede (Oxidus gracilis) – 7/23/18

 

[Macaw16]

I had been meaning to update for a while, and then realised I hadn't posted anything this year...

In June I spent a few weeks in Sabah, Borneo - my first trip outside of Europe! Most of my time was spent on a university field trip in the Danum Valley, however I also spent some time on the Kinabatangan River and a couple of nights in Kota Kinabalu. Otherwise, everything else is from various locations around the UK (but mostly within the Midlands).

I haven't had chance to add scientific names for any of my UK sightings, but happy to clarify any species if needed.

Mammals
1. Eastern grey squirrel
2. Roe deer
3. Brown rat
4. Red fox
5. European rabbit
6. Brown hare
7. Reeves’s muntjac
8. Chinese water deer
9. Common pipistrelle
10. Prevost’s squirrel Callosciurus prevostii
11. Southern pig-tailed macaque Macaca nemestrina
12. Long-tailed macaque Macaca fascicularis
13. Proboscis monkey Nasalis larvatus
14. Silvery langur Trachypithecus cristatus
15. Asian palm civet Paradoxurus hermaphroditus
16. Bornean pygmy elephant Elephas maximus borneensis
17. Sambar Rusa unicolor
18. Bornean orangutan Pongo pygmaeus
19. Red leaf monkey Presbytis rubicunda
20. Sunda colugo Galeopterus variegatus
21. Banded palm civet Hemigalus derbyanus
22. Red giant flying squirrel Petaurista petaurista
23. Least pygmy squirrel Exilisciurus exilis

Birds
1. European robin
2. Eurasian blue tit
3. Common blackbird
4. Dunnock
5. European herring gull
6. Common woodpigeon
7. Eurasian wren
8. Carrion crow
9. Eurasian magpie
10. Common starling
11. Western jackdaw
12. Common buzzard
13. Coal tit
14. Eurasian sparrowhawk
15. Green woodpecker
16. Eurasian bullfinch
17. Common moorhen
18. Great cormorant
19. Common chaffinch
20. Mute swan
21. Mallard
22. Common pochard
23. Tufted duck
24. Common shelduck
25. Goosander
26. Northern shoveller
27. Gadwall
28. Black-headed gull
29. Northern lapwing
30. Common gull
31. Canada goose
32. Eurasian wigeon
33. Common kestrel
34. Stock dove
35. Eurasian teal
36. Long-tailed tit
37. Little grebe
38. Eurasian coot
39. Feral pigeon
40. Little egret
41. Pied wagtail
42. Meadow pipit
43. Great crested grebe
44. Common goldeneye
45. Fieldfare
46. Great northern diver
47. Lesser redpoll
48. Redwing
49. Lesser black-backed gull
50. Grey wagtail
51. Glaucous gull
52. Greylag goose
53. Grey heron
54. Common chiffchaff
55. Goldcrest
56. European goldfinch
57. Red kite
58. Great spotted woodpecker
59. Great tit
60. Song thrush
61. House sparrow
62. Bewick’s swan
63. Dunlin
64. Black-tailed godwit
65. Northern pintail
66. European golden plover
67. Rook
68. Barnacle goose
69. Greater white-fronted goose
70. Common snipe
71. Common crane
72. Great white egret
73. Red-crested pochard
74. Common pheasant
75. Sanderling
76. Common reed bunting
77. Greenfinch
78. Eurasian nuthatch
79. Eurasian jay
80. Eurasian treecreeper
81. Eurasian oystercatcher
82. Water rail
83. Marsh tit
84. Cetti’s warbler
85. Eurasian collared dove
86. Common sandpiper
87. Peregrine
88. Common raven
89. Long-tailed duck
90. Eurasian skylark
91. Northern wheatear
92. Barn swallow
93. Northern fulmar
94. Mandarin duck
95. European stonechat
96. Common whitethroat
97. Sedge warbler
98. Eurasian blackcap
99. Common tern
100. Common swift
101. Red-legged partridge
102. Corn bunting
103. Common linnet
104. House martin
105. Mistle thrush
106. House swift Apus nipalensis
107. Large-billed crow Corvus macrorhynchos
108. Common mynah Acridotheres tristis
109. Eurasian tree sparrow Passer montanus
110. Asian glossy starling Aplonis panayensis
111. White-bellied woodpecker Dryocopus javensis
112. Spotted dove Spilopelia chinensis
113. Indigo flycatcher Eumyias indigo
114. Pacific swallow Hirundo tahitica
115. Common hill mynah Gracula religiosa
116. Rhinoceros hornbill Buceros rhinoceros
117. Green imperial pigeon Ducula aenea
118. Buffy fish owl Ketupa ketupu
119. Yellow-bellied warbler Abroscopus superciliaris
120. Stork-billed kingfisher Pelargopsis capensis
121. Blue-eared kingfisher Alcedo meninting
122. White-breasted waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus
123. Black-and-red broadbill Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos
124. White-bellied sea eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
125. Oriental darter Anhinga melanogaster
126. Oriental pied hornbill Anthracoceros albirostris
127. Purple heron Ardea purpurea
128. Storm’s stork Ciconia stormi
129. Crested serpent eagle Spilornis cheela
130. Greater coucal Centropus sinensis
131. Bushy-crested hornbill Anorrhinus galeritus
132. Wrinkled hornbill Rhabdotorrhinus corrugatus
133. Lesser adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus
134. Black hornbill Anthracoceros malayanus
135. Wallace’s hawk-eagle Nisaetus nanus
136. Grey-headed fish eagle Haliaeetus ichthyaetus
137. Slender-billed crow Corvus enca
138. Collared kingfisher Todiramphus chloris
139. White-breasted woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus
140. House crow Artamus leucorynchus
141. Great argus Argusianus argus
142. Whiskered treeswift Hemiprocne comata
143. White-crowned shama Copsychus stricklandii
144. Yellow-bellied bulbul Alophoixus phaeocephalus
145. Grey-hooded babbler Cyanoderma bicolor
146. Bold-striped tit-babbler Mixornis bornensis
147. Rufous-fronted babbler Cyanoderma rufifrons
148. Hairy-backed bulbul Tricholestes criniger
149. Little spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra
150. Lesser green leafbird Chloropsis cyanopogon
151. Ferruginous babbler Pellorneum bicolor
152. Bornean black magpie Platysmurus aterrimus
153. Blue-crowned hanging parrot Loriculus galgulus
154. Brown-throated sunbird Anthreptes malacensis
155. Orange-bellied flowerpecker Dicaeum trigonostigma
156. Malaysian honeyguide Indicator archipelagicus
157. Oriental magpie-robin Copsychus saularis
158. Glossy swiftlet Collocalia esculenta
159. Yellow-breasted flowerpecker Prionochilus maculatus
160. Silver-rumped spinetail Rhaphidura leucopygialis
161. Streaked bulbul Ixos malaccensis
162. Greater green leafbird Chloropsis sonnerati
163. Yellow-eared spiderhunter Arachnothera chrysogenys
164. Spectacled bulbul Ixodia erythropthalmos
165. Bornean bristlehead Pityriasis gymnocephala
166. Grey-rumped treeswift Hemiprocne longipennis
167. Great slaty woodpecker Mulleripicus pulverulentus
168. Bornean crested fireback Lophura ignita
169. Black-winged flycatcher-shrike Hemipus hirundinaceus
170. Plain sunbird Anthreptes simplex
171. Black-crowned pitta Erythropitta ussheri
172. Malaysian blue flycatcher Cyornis turcosus
173. White-crowned Forktail Enicurus leschenaultia
174. Rufous-collared Kingfisher Actenoides concretus
175. Grey-chested jungle flycatcher Cyornis umbratilis
176. Chestnut-naped forktail Enicurus ruficapillus
177. Oriental dwarf kingfisher Ceyx erithaca
178. Bornean black-capped babbler Pellorneum capistratoides
179. Yellow-rumped flowerpecker Prionochilus xanthopygius
180. Paddyfield pipit Anthus rufulus
181. Rufous-tailed tailorbird Orthotomus sericeus
182. Striated heron Butorides striata
183. Crimson sunbird Aethopyga siparaja
184. Malaysian pied fantail Rhipidura javanica
185. Intermediate egret Ardea intermedia
186. Chestnut munia Lonchura atricapilla
187. Common iora Aegithina tiphia
188. Blue-naped parrot Tanygnathus lucionensis
189. Little green pigeon Treron olax
190. Zebra dove Geopelia striata
191. Eurasian hobby
192. Sand martin
193. Egyptian goose

Reptiles
1. Asian water monitor Varanus salvator
2. Saltwater crocodile Crocodylus porosus

Amphibians
1. Smooth newt
2. Common toad
3. Common frog
4. Great crested newt
5. Wallace’s flying frog Rhacophorus nigropalmatus
6. Dark-eared tree frog Polypedates macrotis

 

[Bisonblake]

I wasn't expecting to go birding today, but the weather cleared up at the last minute. There was some decent bird activity, but the best animal sighting I had was an American beaver. I was able to spot it swimming through the lake with a stick in its mouth. I officially have more wild beaver sightings than at the Detroit Zoo.

7/15/23
Birds:
102. Savannah sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
103. Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla

Mammals:
15. American beaver Castor canadensis

Herptiles:
10. Blanchard's cricket frog Acris blanchardi

Total Species: 130
Birds: 103
Mammals: 15
Herptiles: 10
Fish: 2

7/23/23
Birds:
104. Purple martin Progne subis
105. Baltimore oriole Icterus galbula

Total Species: 132
Birds: 105
Mammals: 15
Herptiles: 10
Fish: 2

 

[birdsandbats]

Lifer bird and easily my coolest wild fish sighting:

Birds
227. Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens
228. Yellow-throated Warbler Setophaga dominica

Fish
10. American Paddlefish Polyodon spathula

Finally, my most needed state bird!:

Birds
229. Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra

 

[MRJ]

It's now 8.38pm and I am sitting sipping wine and writing this report in Changi Airport. I should be jetting my way towards home, however my flight has been delayed till 1.15am tomorrow.

The last couple of days have been pretty tiring and I am still a little confused as to what exactly was seen, especially when it comes to babblers and bubuls. So this report just includes those species I am sure of and once things are sorted out I'll be adding a few more species.

I do know what has not been seen. The Panti Forest is regarded as one of the best places to see the unusual Malaysian rail-babbler. We heard it call a number of times, got close a couple of times, but it was not to be. We also heard the call of the red-bearded bee-eater, and the Malaysian honeyguide was also possible, but alas we missed on these too.

Mammals
103. Southern pig-tailed macaque Macaca nemestrina (EN)
We also heard siamangs and white-handed gibbons.

Birds
676. Whiskered tree-swift Hemiprocne comata
677. Banded bay cuckoo Cacomantis sonneratii
678. Raffle's malkoha Rhinortha chlorophaea
679. Red-billed malkoha Zanclostomus javanicus
680. Diard's trogon Harpactes diardii (NT)
681. Red-naped trogon Harpactes kasumba (NT)
682. Black hornbill Anthracoceros malayanus (VU)
683. Banded woodpecker Chrysophlegma miniaceum
684. Olive-backed woodpecker Gecinulus rafflesii (NT)
685. Gray and buff woodpecker Hemicircus concretus
686. Buff-necked woodpecker Meiglyptes tristis
687. Crimson-winged woodpecker Picus puniceus
688. Orange-backed woodpecker Reinwardtipicus validus
689. Blue-throated bee-eater Merops viridis
690. White-throated kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
691. Banded kingfisher Lacedo pulchella
692. Blue-rumped parrot Psittinus cyanurus
693. Dusky broadbill Corydon sumatranus (new Family)
694. Banded broadbill Eurylaimus javanicus
695. Black and yellow broadbill Eurylaimus ochromalus
696. Green iora Aegithina viridissima
697. Tiger shrike Lanius tigrinus
698. Large-billed crow Corvus macrorhynchos (crows seen in town)
699. House crow Corvus splendens
700. Plain sunbird Anthreptes simplex
701. Spectacled spidereater Arachnothera flavigaster
702. Asian fairy bluebird Irena puella (new Family)
703. Lesser green leafbird Chloropsis cyanopogo (NT)
704. Greater leafbird Chloropsis sonnerati
705. Dark-necked tailorbird Orthotomus atrogularis
706. Rufous-tailed tailorbird Orthotomus sericeus
707. Velvet-fronted nuthatch Sitta frontalis

Reptiles
23. Browning's supple skink Subdoluseps bowringii

Invertebrates
67. Royal Assyrian Terinos terpander
68. Scarlet skimmer Crocothemis servilia
69. Variable sentinel Orchithemis pulcherrima

Two-year new species targets
Mammals 91/100
Birds 709/1000
Bonus ectotherms 196

 

[birdsandbats]

Herps
10. Northern Leopard Frog Lithobates pipiens

Mammals
19. Least Chipmunk Neotamias minimus

Mammals
20. Southern Bog Lemming Synaptomys cooperi

 

[ThylacineAlive]

Day 15 was more of a free day and I spent the morning taking a walking birding tour through the surrounding landscape. We walked from the camp to a nearby river which we followed for a bit. The plan was to then cut up the hill into the less frequently visited habitat but a herd of elephants ended up blocking our path, so we just headed back to camp. I wish I'd gotten at least a few more species given the cost, but can't complain in finally nabbing one of my most wanted birds in the paradise-flycatcher! Also finally got some photos of the sandgrouse.

418) Mariqua Sunbird Cinnyris mariquensis
419) Brimstone Canary Crithagra sulphurata
420) Rufous-Naped Lark Mirafra africana
421) African Black-Headed Oriole Oriolus larvatus
422) African Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis
423) Amethyst Starling Cinnyricinlus leucogaster
424) White-Browed Coucal Centropus superciliosus

This evening, we went for a night drive hoping to find some owls and Aardvarks (and maybe, just maybe, a pangolin...). After a few hours of silent plains and foothills, it was decided to head back to camp, where on the way we came across one new addition:

77) White-Tailed Mongoose Ichneumia albicauda

~Thylo

Day 16 down which went pretty much the same as most of the days this past week. Today was our last day of game transects in Pardamat which ended in a couple new birds and a surprise new mammal.

Before the tallies, however, I'm going to remove one additional bird. The wheatear that was identified by another in field on our first day in Pardamat. I'm not familiar with wheatears so took his word for it, however upon reviewing the photos I think the birds are quite clearly African Grey Flycatchers. I might be wrong, but until I can look at my photos more in-depth I feel better removing the listing.

424) Blue-Naped Mousebird Urocolius macrourus
425) Grey-Crested Helmetshrike Prionops poliolophus

78) Natal Long-Fingered Bat Miniopterus natalensis

~Thylo

 

[ThylacineAlive]

Mammals
20. Southern Bog Lemming Synaptomys cooperi

Jealous of this one!

~Thylo

 

[Zooish]

Eradication would be a fair call, given they are introduced. Ironic, though, given the number of times I have visited Singapore, that they seem to be effectively gone just as I discover they are there!

The squirrels appear to still be doing fine in Bidadari despite the construction:

There's a colony of Chip 'n' Dale-lookalike squirrels that can only be found in Bidadari. We went down to find them.

 

[ThylacineAlive]

Day 16 down which went pretty much the same as most of the days this past week. Today was our last day of game transects in Pardamat which ended in a couple new birds and a surprise new mammal.

Before the tallies, however, I'm going to remove one additional bird. The wheatear that was identified by another in field on our first day in Pardamat. I'm not familiar with wheatears so took his word for it, however upon reviewing the photos I think the birds are quite clearly African Grey Flycatchers. I might be wrong, but until I can look at my photos more in-depth I feel better removing the listing.

424) Blue-Naped Mousebird Urocolius macrourus
425) Grey-Crested Helmetshrike Prionops poliolophus

78) Natal Long-Fingered Bat Miniopterus natalensis

~Thylo

Day 17 saw us visiting the Masai Mara National Reserve for the day. By far my favorite place from a wildlife perspective so far, though Naboisho is a very close second (and Naboisho has better managed wildlife-tourist interactions, it's a bit of a free for all at the National Reserve). Some good new birds to add including the return of one previously removed species, as well as a surprise mammal I honestly did not expect to see wild. To my surprise, absolutely no whydahs or widowbirds out on the plains, and still very few raptors to be found.

The biggest pain of the day (and trip) remains Leopards. Today is particularly painful as we got word of a sighting out in the open but by the time we got there it had moved into a forested area. We were able to follow a road into the forest where we came across today's turaco addition. Apparently while most of us watched the turaco, the Leopard walked through a clearing briefly in the background. Two people saw it, the rest (including myself), did not. I clearly have severely underestimated the difficulty of finding this species, as this record was the only report of one all day and there were never any reports of them from Naboisho either day we were there.

426) African Wattled Lapwing Vanellus senegallus
427) Red-Necked Spurfowl Francolinus afer
428) Black Coucal Centropus grillii
429) Sooty Chat Myrmecocichla nigra
430) Grey Kestrel Falco ardosiaceus
431) African Woolly-Necked Stork Ciconia microscelis
432) Black-Bellied Bustard Lissotis melanogaster
433) Schalow's Turaco Turaco schalowi
434) Reichenow's Seedeater Crithagra reichenowi
435) Yellow-Spot Bush Sparrow Gymnoris pyrgita

79) Steenbok Raphicerus campestris

~Thylo

 

[Coelacanth18]

I clearly have severely underestimated the difficulty of finding this species, as this record was the only report of one all day and there were never any reports of them from Naboisho either day we were there.

Interesting; when I was in northern Tanzania I saw multiple leopards while on safari. They were always sleeping in a lone tree on the savanna. 30 Jeeps would all crowd on the road to watch one cat; I'm not sure how any leopards in the parks manage to rest.