Zoochat Big Year 2024

Chlidonias

Chlidonias

Moderator
Staff member
15+ year member
The basic rules as always:

1. Make sure to number your lists.
2. Keep separate numbered lists for whichever animals you are listing (birds, mammals, herptiles, fish, invertebrates)
3. Species must be part of an established wild population or be a natural migrant/vagrant/straggler. Exotics don't count unless they are part of an established breeding population in the country.
4. Animals must be wild.
5. Subspecies do not count towards your total, only full species.
6. Don't bother counting Human on your mammal list - everyone is going to see at least one.
7. Only species seen should be counted on the numbers lists but feel free to add a "plus x species" for heard-only species. So at the end of the year if you stipulate this then your tally will be "x species plus x heard-only".
8. Have fun and go out looking for animals.

*It is helpful if you include scientific names (especially for the mammals because I keep track of them to post a full list at the end of the year).


Links to the previous years can be found here: ZooChat Big Year - Index
 
My long-standing tradition of doing a New Year's Day Big Day has come to an end. I have been sick with covid all week (since Christmas Day) and only tested negative this morning, and I'm not feeling up to anything like a day's birding at the moment. I went out this morning to get some food from the supermarket and so at least managed to see some birds for New Years Day.


Before I opened the curtains I could hear parrots calling as they passed overhead, and there were gibbons calling in the distance which I knew just from location were White-cheeked Gibbons.

The first birds on the list were in the big flowering tree I could see from my window and happily they were an endemic species, a group of Tui chasing each other amongst the branches.

I walked to the supermarket via the nearby sports-field, fringed with bush, which enabled the addition of a mix of introduced and native birds. The supermarket didn't open until 8am so I had twenty minutes to wait but that was okay because I could hear more Kaka calling and soon spotted one flying overhead.

Just going to be spending the rest of the day resting again, so that'll be it for the birds.



1) Tui Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
2) House Sparrow Passer domesticus
3) Southern Black-backed (Kelp) Gull Larus dominicanus
4) European Blackbird Turdus merula
5) Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
6) Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
7) Pied Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa
8) European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
9) Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
10) Grey Warbler Gerygone igata
11) Song Thrush Turdus philomelos
12) Feral Pigeon Columba livia
13) Kaka Nestor meridionalis
 
Mammals
1) Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

Birds
1) Canada goose (Branta canadensis)
2) Carrion crow (Corvus corone)
3) Common buzzard (Buteo buteo)
4) Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
5) Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
6) Grey heron (Ardea cinerea)
7) House sparrow (Passer domesticus)
8) Common wood pigeon (Columba palumbus)
9) Common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
10) European robin (Erithacus rubecula)
 
A small walk around my local patch provided all very expected species for the start of the year:

Mammals:
1) Eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)

Birds:
1) Eurasian magpie (Pica pica)
2) Feral pigeon (Columba livia)
3) European robin (Erithacus rubecula)
4) European herring gull (Larus argentatus)
5) Common starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
6) Great tit (Parus major)
7) Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
8) Common woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)
9) Long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
10) Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
11) Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
12) Coal tit (Periparus ater)
13) Carrion crow (Corvus corone)
14) Eurasian nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
15) Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopus major)
16) Ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
17) Western jackdaw (Corvus monedula)
18) Eurasian wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
19) European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
20) Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius)

Invertebrates:
1) European holly leafminer (Phytomyza ilicis)
 
Although I heard crows before sunrise, the first animal I saw this year was a squirrel. I saw a crow later down the street. Neither are as good as Downy Woodpecker for a first-of-year, but they aren't bad either.

Mammal
My backyard
1. Eastern Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
​
Birds
Down the street
1. American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)​

Mattis Lake
2. Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
3. Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
4. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
5. Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
6. Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens)
7. European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
8. Dark-Eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)​

On the way to Moorman Swine Ponds (And another one there)
9. American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)​

In a row of sweet gum in front of the Ilini Credit Union (Also on the way to Moorman)
10. American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
11. Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus)
​
Moorman Swine Ponds
12. Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
13. Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
14. Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
15. Ring-Billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)
16. Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
​
On the way to Dana Colbert Park (Nothing new actually seen there)
17. American Robin (Turdus migratorius)​

Some interesting additions from my morning out, siskin, snow goose, and ring-billed gull are all very nice and definitely not guaranteed for my location. I'll go out again to look for more passerines, which I am currently very light on. I hope everyone has a great start to their year!
 
Barely recovered from a severe flu I dared to go outside for an afternoon stroll through my local patch today. The weather was wet and dreary, as it has been all winter so far (2023 was the wettest year on record). I mainly went to see how high the water had risen and it was quite surreal. Hectares of young birch forest are flooded. Entire fields have disappeared beneath a layer of water. Some roads have been closed off because they are unsafe. And I don't even live below sea level!

There were not many birds out. I walked far enough to check out a little owl's territory but I didn't see them. I also didn't see the ravens that were calling and the only raptor I saw disappeared before I could get a solid ID, though I do not doubt it was just a regular buzzard. At one point I stumbled upon a small mixed feeding party containing treecreepers, crested tits, blue tits and goldcrests. There was also a willow tit among them which seems to become scarcer every year where I live, so that was a decent bird and the small flock was probably the highlight of the day.

Birds
01. Great Tit, Parus major
02. Eurasian Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto
03. House Sparrow, Passer domesticus
04. Common Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs
05. European Blue Tit, Cyanistes caeruleus
06. Common Wood Pigeon, Columba palumbus
07. Common Blackbird, Turdus merula
08. Eurasian Magpie, Pica pica
09. Stock Dove, Columba oenas
10. Carrion Crow, Corvus corone
11. Eurasian Jay, Garrulus glandarius
12. Willow Tit, Poecile montanus
13. Short-toed Treecreeper, Certhia brachydactyla
14. Goldcrest, Regulus regulus
15. European Crested Tit, Lophophanes cristatus
16. Greylag Goose, Anser anser
17. Eurasian Siskin, Spinus spinus
18. Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea
 
Prochilodus246 said:
A small walk around my local patch provided all very expected species for the start of the year:

Mammals:
1) Eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)

Birds:
1) Eurasian magpie (Pica pica)
2) Feral pigeon (Columba livia)
3) European robin (Erithacus rubecula)
4) European herring gull (Larus argentatus)
5) Common starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
6) Great tit (Parus major)
7) Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
8) Common woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)
9) Long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
10) Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
11) Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
12) Coal tit (Periparus ater)
13) Carrion crow (Corvus corone)
14) Eurasian nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
15) Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopus major)
16) Ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
17) Western jackdaw (Corvus monedula)
18) Eurasian wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
19) European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
20) Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius)

Invertebrates:
1) European holly leafminer (Phytomyza ilicis)
Click to expand...

Oops missed a bird:
21) Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
 
Chlidonias said:
3. Species must be part of an established wild population or be a natural migrant/vagrant/straggler. Exotics don't count unless they are part of an established breeding population in the country.
Click to expand...
Would stray cats in North America be a valid entry? It's often difficult to tell if they are stray or just out for a stroll in the neighborhood.
 
wild boar said:
Would stray cats in North America be a valid entry? It's often difficult to tell if they are stray or just out for a stroll in the neighborhood.
Click to expand...
Generally, the rule is that animals you see have to be part of an established population, meaning that they are reproducing in the wild. So you would have to see feral cats, not stray cats.
 
wild boar said:
Would stray cats in North America be a valid entry? It's often difficult to tell if they are stray or just out for a stroll in the neighborhood.
Click to expand...
CMP said:
Generally, the rule is that animals you see have to be part of an established population, meaning that they are reproducing in the wild. So you would have to see feral cats, not stray cats.
Click to expand...
Yes they have to be part of feral populations, not just individual animals. Cats are a lot more difficult to be sure of than most ferals because they are so common everywhere, but as a general rule if you can't tell if it's not just someone's cat out for a walk then you wouldn't count it.
 
Chlidonias said:
1) Tui Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
2) House Sparrow Passer domesticus
3) Southern Black-backed (Kelp) Gull Larus dominicanus
4) European Blackbird Turdus merula
5) Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
6) Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
7) Pied Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa
8) European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
9) Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
10) Grey Warbler Gerygone igata
11) Song Thrush Turdus philomelos
12) Feral Pigeon Columba livia
13) Kaka Nestor meridionalis
Click to expand...

I went to the zoo this morning and saw a couple of wild birds along the way.
14) Dunnock (Hedge Sparrow) Prunella modularis
15) Red-billed Gull Larus novaehollandiae
 
CMP said:
Although I heard crows before sunrise, the first animal I saw this year was a squirrel. I saw a crow later down the street. Neither are as good as Downy Woodpecker for a first-of-year, but they aren't bad either.

Mammal
My backyard
1. Eastern Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
​
Birds
Down the street
1. American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)​

Mattis Lake
2. Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
3. Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
4. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
5. Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
6. Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens)
7. European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
8. Dark-Eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)​

On the way to Moorman Swine Ponds (And another one there)
9. American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)​

In a row of sweet gum in front of the Ilini Credit Union (Also on the way to Moorman)
10. American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
11. Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus)
​
Moorman Swine Ponds
12. Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
13. Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
14. Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
15. Ring-Billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)
16. Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
​
On the way to Dana Colbert Park (Nothing new actually seen there)
17. American Robin (Turdus migratorius)​

Some interesting additions from my morning out, siskin, snow goose, and ring-billed gull are all very nice and definitely not guaranteed for my location. I'll go out again to look for more passerines, which I am currently very light on. I hope everyone has a great start to their year!
Click to expand...
Came back from riverbend forest preserve.

Birds
On a wire overlooking the copper slough next to Robert C. Porter Family Park
18. Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)​
Riverbend Forest Preserve
19. Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)
20. Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus)
21. Red Bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
22. Black-Capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)
23. Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
24. White-Breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
25. Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
26. White-Throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
27. Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
28. Greater White-Fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)​
On the drive back home
29. Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
​
It looks like for the first time ever I'm leading in birds. Until those traveling and in more bird-diverse locations add their updates of course :D
 
Last edited:
A fairly classic New Year's Day wander to get things started - although a slightly atypical list in places, in particular the egrets are not a common sighting so close to home.

After managing to arrange for Red Deer to be my first mammal last year, this year the usual American interloper has reclaimed its position as Mammal One.

Mammals:
1. Eastern Grey Squirrel - Sciurus carolinensis

Birds:
1. Western Jackdaw - Coloeus monedula
2. Common Woodpigeon - Columba palumbus
3. European Magpie - Pica pica
4. House Sparrow - Passer domesticus
5. European Robin - Erithacus rubecula
6. European Blackbird - Turdus merula
7. Carrion Crow - Corvus corone
8. Black-headed Gull - Chroicocephalus ridibundus
9. European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris
10. Coal Tit - Periparus ater
11. European Blue Tit - Cyanistes caeruleus
12. Rook - Corvus frugilegus
13. Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos
14. European Coot - Fulica atra
15. Tufted Duck - Aythya fuligula
16. Greater Canada Goose - Branta canadensis
17. European Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus
18. Goosander - Mergus merganser
19. Eurasian Siskin - Spinus spinus
20. Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus fuscus
21. Eurasian Jay - Garrulus glandarius
22. Goldcrest - Regulus regulus
23. Little Egret - Egretta garzetta
24. Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea
25. Song Thrush - Turdus philomelos

:)
 
Birds
1. Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus)
2. Noisy Miner (Manorina melanocephala)
3. Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina)
4. Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus)
5. Noisy Friarbird (Philemon corniculatus)
6. Common Mynah (Acridotheres tristis)
7. Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena)
8. Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes)
9. Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula)
10. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita)
11. Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo (Zanda funerea)
12. Australian King Parrot (Alisterus scapularis)
13. Satin Bowerbird (Ptilinorhynchus violaceus)
14. Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris)
15. Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca)
 
Deciding to give this game a go this year. While not an experienced birder, I hope doing this can improve my skills.
First this morning I watched my feeders for a good 30 minutes, unfortunately it didn’t even attract many birds today.

Mammals
1) Eastern Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)

Birds
1) Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
2) Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
3) Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)
4) House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

I then went over to the Bergen County Zoo where I saw a pair of Mallards swimming through the creek. I unfortunately didn’t have time to go through the rest of the park today, but I hope to go somewhere this weekend.

Birds
5) Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
 
New Year’s Day is definitely one of the best birding days of the year (especially in Florida! :D). It’s the only day of the year when every blackbird and great tit are the most interesting birds in the world. With that being said, my first day went well, with me seeing most of the same birds I saw during my first day in Florida. My goal for this year is 200 birds, which is slightly ambitious for me but I’m sure with enough dedication, I’ll be able to reach it.

Birds

1. Common grackle, Quiscalus quiscula 1/1/24
2. Loggerhead shrike, Lanius ludovicianus 1/1/24
3. Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura 1/1/24
4. Palm warbler, Setophaga palmarum 1/1/24
5. White ibis, Edocimus albus 1/1/24
6. Great egret, Ardea alba 1/1/24
7. Northern mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos 1/1/24
8. Eurasian-collared dove, Streptopelia decaocto 1/1/24
9. Muscovy duck, Cairina moschata 1/1/24
10. Fish crow, Corvus ossigalus 1/1/24
11. Anhinga, Anhinga anhinga 1/1/24
12. Boat-billed grackle, Quiscalus major 1/1/24
13. Little blue heron, Egretta caerulea 1/1/24
14. Turkey vulture, Catharthes aura 1/1/24
15. Snowy egret, Egretta thula

Reptiles

1. Florida softshell turtle, Apalone ferox 1/1/24
2. Brown anole, Anolis sagrei 1/1/24

Goal: 15/200
 
Started off 2024 with a bit of a shortened birding foray due to a planned family trip to OKC. Luckily the birds were a bit more active this morning than they have been the week prior.


1 Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis
2 Canada Goose - Branta canadensis
3 Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos
4 Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto
5 Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis
6 American White Pelican - Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
7 Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias
8 Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus
9 Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus
10 Downy Woodpecker - Dryobates pubescens
11 Hairy Woodpecker - Dryobates villosus
12 Pileated Woodpecker - Dryocopus pileatus
13 Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus
14 Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata
15 American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos
16 Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus
17 Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor
18 European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
19 Eastern Bluebird - Sialia sialis
20 House Finch - Haemorhous mexicanus
21 American Tree Sparrow - Spizelloides arborea
22 Dark-eyed Junco - Junco hyemalis
23 Harris's Sparrow - Zonotrichia querula
24 Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis
25 House Sparrow - Passer domesticus
 
As soon as I stepped out the door, snow geese became my first animal of the year in the form of a distant flyover. I spent the morning birding around the local lake and got lucky with an elusive, long-continuing, red-throated loon!

January 1, 2024

Birds
My Backyard
1. Snow goose (Anser caerulescens)
2. American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
3. European starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
4. Blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

On the drive to the visitor center
5. Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
6. American robin (Turdus migratorius)

Jerry Litton Visitor Center
7. Red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
8. Common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
9. Common merganser (Mergus merganser)
10. Ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis)
11. Canada goose (Branta canadensis)
12. Red-throated loon (Gavia stellata)
13. Common loon (Gavia immer)
14. Pied-billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)
15. Yellow-rumped warbler (Setophaga coronata)
16. Dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis)
17. Black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Little Platte Recreation Area
18. Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
19. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
20. Green-winged teal (Anas crecca)

Drive to the marina
21. American kestrel (Falco sparverius)
22. House sparrow (Passer domesticus)
23. Red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Camp Branch Marina
24. Bonaparte’s gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)

Crows Creek Campground
25. Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
26. Eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis)
27. Northern flicker (Colaptes auratus)
28. American tree sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)
29. Song sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
30. Greater white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons)
31. Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Crows Creek Picnic Area
32. Common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
33. Great blue heron (Ardea herodias)
34. Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)

My Backyard
35. White-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
36. White-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

Mammals
Little Platte Recreation Area
1. Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
2. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

My Backyard
3. Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)

Invertebrates
Under an oak log in the backyard
1. Horned passalus beetle (Odontotaenius disjunctus)
 
Last edited:
Another year started with house sparrow as number one.
I set myself a challenge of getting 100 birds on the first day of 2024. I live in Central NSW. I didn't quite make it. I missed a few common species. My goal is to beat my 2023 tally. I only list my Aussie list on here. I didn't travel out of state last year so numbers were low. I did visit Singapore and got about 30 new birds over there. Anyway, enjoy the birds in 2024 everyone.

1/12024
1. House sparrow
2. Common starling
3. Grey shrike thrush
4. Galah
5. Rainbow lorikeet
6. Red-winged parrot
7. Fairy martin
8. Common blackbird
9. Crested pigeon
10. Willie wagtail
11. Eurasian coot
12. Plumed whistling duck
13. Grey teal
14. White-faced heron
15. Magpie-lark
16. Whistling kite
17. Australian raven
18. Yellow-billed spoonbill
19. Masked lapwing
20. nankeen Kestrel
21. Black-shouldered kite
22. Yellow throated miner
23. Emu
24. Australian magpie
25. Australasin dater
26. Little black cormorant
27. Sacred kingfisher
28. Eastern yellow robin
29. Little friarbird
30. White-plumed honeyeater
31. Black kite
32. Blue bonnet
33. Peaceful dove
34. White-winged fairy wren
35. Pied butcherbird
36. Red rumped parrot
37. Australian wood duck
38. Australasian pipit
39. Spotted bowerbird
40. Black-faced woodswallow
41. Brown falcon
42. Little crow
43. White-fronted chat
44. Wedge-tailed eagle
45. Masked woodswallow
46. Tree martin
47. White-breasted woodswallow
48. Zebra finch
49. Welcome swallow
50. Swamp harrier
51. Pacific black duck
52. Australian pelican
53. Purple swamphen
54. Black swan
55. Australian reed-warbler
56. Little grassbird
57. Australian shelduck
58. Dusky moorhen
59. Superb fairy wren
60. Little pied cormorant
61. Great egret
62. Brown songlark
63. Jacky winter
64. Rufous songlark
65. Black-faced cuckoo-shrike
66. intermediate egret. (plumed egret)
67. Common myna
68. Noisy miner
69. Australian white ibis (bin chicken)
70. Feral pigeon
71. Weebill
72. Western gerygone
73. Brown treecreeper
74. Yellow-rumped thornbill
75. Straw-necked ibis
76. Pied stilt
77. Black-fronted dotterel
78. Spiny-cheeked honeyeater
79. Laughing kookaburra
80. Grey-crowned babbler
81. Apostlebird
82. Australasian grebe
83. Pied cormorant
84. Magpie goose
85. Great cormorant
86. Plum-headed finch
87. Common bronzewing
88. Restless flycatcher
89. Rainbow bee-eater
90. Bar-shouldered dove
91. Major Michell's cockatoo
92. Variegated fairy wren

2/1/2024
93. Brown honeyeater
94. Blue-faced honeyeater
95. Littke corella
96. Australian ringneck (mallee ringneck)
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top