Zoochat Big Year 2024

KiwiBirb said:
Looking at the pictures of it again I think you’re right, although I think it’s a bit to colored to be a rail of any sorts. It honestly looks something like an American Bittern, which was my first assumption which I nearly put in, only changing it at the last minute. I was reluctant to put that, and still am due to its wintering range being 70-100 miles south. I think that due to this, I’ll just not count this species.
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There’s a massive size difference between a rail and American Bittern!
 
Tetzoo Quizzer said:
There’s a massive size difference between a rail and American Bittern!
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Yeah the more I look at it, it’s definitely not a rail. I also don’t it’s a Bittern due to its size, shape and winter status. I shouldn’t’ve put that as an entry as I was not confident at all in my findings. (in fact I’m more confident I saw a Carolina Wren earlier in the day.)
 
KiwiBirb said:
Looking at the pictures of it again I think you’re right, although I think it’s a bit to colored to be a rail of any sorts. It honestly looks something like an American Bittern, which was my first assumption which I nearly put in, only changing it at the last minute. I was reluctant to put that, and still am due to its wintering range being 70-100 miles south. I think that due to this, I’ll just not count this species.
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American Bittern is probably slightly more likely, but I think you made the right call if you didn't have a good enough look to tell if it was a bittern or a rail.

KiwiBirb said:
Yeah the more I look at it, it’s definitely not a rail. I also don’t it’s a Bittern due to its size, shape and winter status. I shouldn’t’ve put that as an entry as I was not confident at all in my findings. (in fact I’m more confident I saw a Carolina Wren earlier in the day.)
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It's much more rewarding (and more in line with the rules) if you only list sightings you are confident for. That way you always have another sighting to look forward to of a bird you haven't properly seen before, and only count good views you are sure of. It is perfectly fine to chalk something up to 'I have no clue what that was,' and leave it at that.
 
CMP said:
It's much more rewarding (and more in line with the rules) if you only list sightings you are confident for. That way you always have another sighting to look forward to of a bird you haven't properly seen before, and only count good views you are sure of. It is perfectly fine to chalk something up to 'I have no clue what that was,' and leave it at that.
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Yes, certainly nothing to be ashamed of. I do this pretty much every day. I know it's annoying sometimes (I probably saw a good 5-10 more hummingbird species in Costa Rica than I actually managed to ID), but it's what must be done.
 
Bactrian Deer said:
I’ve been at my local pond recently and managed to come across a small group of American Black Ducks for the first time, before that only Mallards and Canadian Geese came.

Birds:
16. Black-Capped Chickadee, Poecile atricapillus, 1-22-2024
17. White-Crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia Leucophrys, 1-25-2024
18. Chipping Sparrow, Spizella Passerina, 1-28-2024
19. American Black Duck, Anas Rubripes, 1-29-2024

Mammals:
2. Eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus, 1-27-2024 - It was roadkill :( but I saw another one the following day

Total: 21
19 Birds
2 Mammals
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20. Northern Mockingbird, Mimus Polyglottos, 2-1-2024
21. Pine Siskin, Spinus pinus, 2-3-2024
22. Carolina Wren, Thryothorus Ludovicianus, 2-4-2024
23. Red-Tailed Hawk, Buteo Jamaicensis, 2-5-2024
24. Hooded Merganser, Lophodytes Cucullatus, 2-5-2024
25. Brown-Headed Cowbird, Molothrus Ater, 2-5-2024
26. Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus Leucocephalus, 2-5-2024

Birds: 26
Mammals: 2
Total 28/100
 
Osedax said:
Birds
103. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
104. New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae)
105. Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
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Went to Orange on the weekend. While primarily the trip was to visit family, I did get time for some birding on Sunday.

3/2/24

Birds
106. Double-barred Finch (Taenopygia bichenovii)

4/2/24

Mammals
8. Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus)

Birds
107. Yellow-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa)
108. Buff-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza reguloides)
109. Western Gerygone (Gerygone fusca)
110. Little Raven (Corvus mellori)
Gosling Creek Reserve:
111. Red-rumped Parrot (Psephotus haematonotus)
112. Musk Duck (Biziura lobata)
113. Dusky Woodswallow (Artamus cyaneus)
114. White-plumed Honeyeater (Ptilotula penicillata)
115. Yellow-faced Honeyeater (Caligavis chrysops)
116. Australian Reedwarbler (Acrocephalus australis)

And one more from yesterday:

5/2/24

Birds
117. White-necked Heron (Ardea pacifica)
 
KiwiBirb said:
My update begins yesterday as I saw a lone waterfowl species standing on a rock while I was driving along the Passaic River.

Birds
37) Red-Breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)

Today I took a ride to Overpeck County Park where I saw 4 new Aquatic bird species, including a King Rail, which would definitely be a lifer for me, however since I only started keeping track this year, I will not count any species as a lifer until next year.

Birds
38) Double-Crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)
39) Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
40) King Rail (Rallus elegans)
41) Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)

Progress:
Mammals- 5
Birds- 41
Herptiles- 0
Total- 46
Heard-only Species- 2
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As I got home this afternoon, I was quite surprised to see a pair of Chipmunks on my deck, which is probably the earliest I’ve ever seen them.

Mammals
6) Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

Progress:
Mammals- 6
Birds- 40
Herptiles- 0
Total- 46
Heard-only Species- 2
 
Osedax said:
Went to Orange on the weekend. While primarily the trip was to visit family, I did get time for some birding on Sunday.

3/2/24

Birds
106. Double-barred Finch (Taenopygia bichenovii)

4/2/24

Mammals
8. Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus)

Birds
107. Yellow-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa)
108. Buff-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza reguloides)
109. Western Gerygone (Gerygone fusca)
110. Little Raven (Corvus mellori)
Gosling Creek Reserve:
111. Red-rumped Parrot (Psephotus haematonotus)
112. Musk Duck (Biziura lobata)
113. Dusky Woodswallow (Artamus cyaneus)
114. White-plumed Honeyeater (Ptilotula penicillata)
115. Yellow-faced Honeyeater (Caligavis chrysops)
116. Australian Reedwarbler (Acrocephalus australis)

And one more from yesterday:

5/2/24

Birds
117. White-necked Heron (Ardea pacifica)
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Mammals
9. Common Ringtail Possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus)

This possum is currently eating the flowers from my crepe myrtle. First time I've ever seen one in my backyard!
 
Birding has been a low-key event this past month - a lot of the regulars, but I haven't actually made that many deliberate attempts to visit state parks or forests to bird. Fortunately, a relative in South Carolina has an absolute plethora of bird feeders and a small lake on their property, allowing me to see not only many common birds that I haven't seen this year, but also a new lifer! No new mammals, reptiles, amphibians, or fish yet - but one new invertebrate. I thought I have seen this species before, but maybe I've just forgotten to mark it - either way, I'm now counting it as a lifer.

The Great Egret is not a species I usually associate with being common in South Carolina but it seems to be a year-round resident on the property, sometimes associating with a local Great Blue Heron.

Birds:
27. Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) - 2/03/24
28. Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) – 2/03/24
29. Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) – 2/03/24
30. Great Egret (Ardea alba) – 2/03/24


Invertebrates:
4. German Cockroach (Blattella germanica) – 2/06/24
 
KevinB said:
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)
11) Great tit (Parus major)
12) Black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
13) European herring gull (Larus argentatus)
14) Eurasian magpie (Pica pica)
15) Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
16) Western jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
17) Eurasian kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
18) Feral pigeon (Columba livia)
19) Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula)
20) Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
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Saw a red fox crossing the road this morning.

Mammals
1) Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)
2) Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)

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)
11) Great tit (Parus major)
12) Black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
13) European herring gull (Larus argentatus)
14) Eurasian magpie (Pica pica)
15) Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
16) Western jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
17) Eurasian kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
18) Feral pigeon (Columba livia)
19) Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula)
20) Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
 
Osedax said:
Mammals
9. Common Ringtail Possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus)

This possum is currently eating the flowers from my crepe myrtle. First time I've ever seen one in my backyard!
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Got my first frog of the year today, and not one I would expect.

Amphibians
1. Peron's Tree Frog (Litoria peronii)
 
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