Zoochat Big Year 2025

oflory said:
A brief zoo trip to SW Germany over the weekend and some lovely birding in Tierpark Oberwald gets me a few more for the list - including the first herp of the year. I was incredibly lucky with black woodpeckers too - three different birds calling and swooping around the forest, plus lifer of grey-headed woodpecker.

Mammals
10. European Hare (Lepus europaeus)

(no bats seen despite a late night saunter back into quite a creepy Tierpark Oberwald at about 9pm with a bat detector. Two calls recorded but no sightings, a bit too early still)

Birds
147. Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
148. White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
149. Grey-headed Woodpecker (Picus canus)
150. Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
151. Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris)
152. Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)
153. Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
154. Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
155. Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla)
156. Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)

I also saw a pair of feral Yellow-headed Amazon (Amazona oratrix) in Stuttgart, they are supposedly a self-sustaining population but have been removed from the officially 'tickable' German list. I'm not counting them, but included here for interest...

Herps
1. Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)
Click to expand...


One more bird from a sunny trip to Brighton to see friends. I am going to Bermuda next week for another friend's wedding and to see my fiancée's family prior to our own wedding in London in August, so fingers crossed for whales, Bermuda petrel, Bermuda skink and some stray American warblers...

Birds
157. Great Black-Backed Gull (Larus marinus)
 
Another month, another one with lots of birding by public transport in random spots around the Netherlands. So beware, this is going to be a long post. The first location I visited was the IJmuiden dam, which is renowned for seawatching in times of northeasterly winds especially. It is always a bit of 'all-or-nothing' here and on this day the wind gods were not on my side and autumn is usually better here anyway. With intensive scanning I managed some distant flyover red-throated loons, a couple of common scoters and the local purple sandpipers and rock pipits. After spending the morning scanning the sea I then decided I'd had enough of seeing very little birds and decided to go cycling to twitch some of the rarities in the area. The most difficult of these was supposed to be a ring-necked duck that was seen in the dune area sometimes, but as it was flying back and forth between several lakes it was rather difficult to find. So I was very lucky that the first thing I saw after setting up my scope at the Kennemermeer was the ring-necked duck. The glaucous gull at Beverwijk was next, followed by the lesser scaup of the Vogelmeer. All of them cooperated nicely and I got three easy lifers, but I don't think this trip will convert me into a full-time twitcher as I still prefer finding my own birds.

136. Purple sandpiper (Calidris maritima)
137. Rock pipit (Anthus petrosus)
138. Ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris)
139. Glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus)
140. Lesser scaup (Aythya affinis)
141. European stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)

I also took a trip to the area around Diepholz in Germany. This area is renowned for the incredible number of cranes that rest here during migration in spring and autumn and I had always wanted to see these. I was afraid that we would be a bit too late in the season, but as soon as we entered the area we started seeing our first cranes and eventually we found an enormous group of cranes that must have reached triple digits. An absolutely incredible spectacle! Their sound is just amazing. In the evening, all cranes fly from their foraging locations (agricultural fields) to their sleeping spots (inside the marshes that dot the area). There is a particular marsh that is famous for being the best spot to watch this spectacle, but I was stubborn and decided that we should go to another marsh that was closer to the enormous group we had seen earlier. A very good decision. When the sun set, groups of cranes started flying in. And there were many, many of them! The sky was filled with their calls and just about everywhere you looked, there were cranes flying in. I tried to count them but had to give up on this as there were so many. My best estimations were that between 2000 and 3000 cranes had flown past us into the marsh. A breathtaking spectacle and it gave me goosebumps all over. During the day, we also saw a number of other new birds for the list.

142. Black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa)
143. Red kite (Milvus milvus)
144. Ruff (Calidris pugnax)

Another trip was taken to the Zeeuws-Vlaanderen area in the province of Zeeland. Here, it was probably the only time this year that I wasn't happy with our dependency on public transport + OV-bikes. The OV-bike rental area at Vlissingen station was closed off... We had planned to bike for a couple of hours around Zeeuws-Vlaanderen to the areas we wanted to visit, our planned distance was around 40 kilometers. So we thought, we can easily walk that. And so we did. even though I consider myself rather fit, I found this rather exhausting to say the least. But our walk (which ended up being about 35 kilometers) did pay off with an amazing short-eared owl sighting! Mediterranean gull was also new for the year list. And the walk was very beautiful as well!

145. Mediterranean gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus)
146. Short-eared owl (Asio flammeus)

I had heard that in the very south of the country, there were still a couple of fast-flowing rivers that are suitable habitat for white-throated dippers, a species that is found nowhere else in the Netherlands. So of course me and my friend went off to look for them! Our efforts paid off with an amazing sighting of a dipper that we could watch foraging in the scope for at least half an hour. The bird was close enough that we could appreciate that its plumage was absolutely water-repellent and we could even see the white 'eyelid' that the bird places in front of its eye when diving (as a sort of 'diving goggles').

147. White-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus)

And then I still left the local birding, which wasn't bad either. I was reallly really happy with the penduline tits, a very scarce species in the Netherlands and a lifer for me. I got a tip from a friend of mine that they were in the area so I went to look for them which turned out to be easy as there were a couple of other birders and photographers as well. The spring migrants are returning as well, although I still miss a lot of easy ones among those. I am also going to start keeping a butterfly list this year. I visited an area on the Veluwe with my butterfly-crazy friend and there I saw the spectacular Kentish glory (although a bit unsatisfyingly so), which now is my favorite moth and has inspired me to immerse myself in butterflies a bit more.

148. Mistle thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
149. Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
150. White wagtail (Motacilla alba)
151. White-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)
152. Little ringed plover (Charadrius dubius)
153. Garganey (Spatula querquedula)
154. Willow tit (Poecile montanus)
155. Tawny owl (Strix aluco)
156. Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)
157. Penduline tit (Remiz pendulinus)
158. Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus)
159. Common chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)

Butterflies and moths

1. European peacock (Aglais io)
2. Common brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)
3. Peppered moth (Biston betularia)
4. Kentish glory (Endromis versicolora)
5. Comma (Polygonia c-album)
6. Red admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
 
Mammals

8. Gray seal, Halichoerus grypus 30/3/25

Birds

91. Song thrush, Turdus philomelos 30/3/25
92. Common buzzard, Buteo buteo 30/3/25
93. Eurasian oystercatcher, Haematopus ostragelus 30/3/25
94. Barnacle goose, Branta leucopsis 30/3/25
 
Ituri said:
BIRDS:
71 Golden-crowned Kinglet - Regulus satrapa
72 White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis
73 Yellow-rumped Warbler - Setophaga coronata
74 Northern Bobwhite - Colinus virginianus
75 Cooper's Hawk - Astur cooperii
76 Purple Martin - Progne subis
77 Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe
78 Field Sparrow - Spizella pusilla
79 Brown Creeper - Certhia americana
80 American Woodcock - Scolopax minor
Click to expand...

Catch up time:

BIRDS:
81 Greater Roadrunner - Geococcyx californianus
82 Brown-headed Cowbird - Molothrus ater
83 Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula
84 Wild Turkey - Meleagris gallopavo
85 Barred Owl - Strix varia
86 Cedar Waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum
87 Blue-winged Teal - Spatula discors
88 Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura
89 Baird's Sandpiper - Calidris bairdii
90 American Kestrel - Falco sparverius
91 Pied-billed Grebe - Podilymbus podiceps
92 Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor
93 Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica
94 Chipping Sparrow - Spizella passerina
95 Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Corthylio calendula
96 Fox Sparrow - Passerella iliaca
97 White-winged Dove - Zenaida asiatica
98 American Pipit - Anthus rubescens
99 Vesper Sparrow - Pooecetes gramineus
 
DaLilFishie said:
A wild bird on grounds of Ueno Zoo

BIRDS
116 - Brown-headed Thrush Turdus chrysolaus
Click to expand...
Birding at Kasai Rinkai Park (both before and after visiting Tokyo Sea Life Park) proved very productive!

BIRDS
117 - Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica cyanus
118 - Greater Scaup Aythya marila
119 - Common Pochard Aythya ferina
120 - Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris
121 - Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor
122 - Northern Shoveller Spatula clypeata
124 - Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula
 
DaLilFishie said:
Birding at Kasai Rinkai Park (both before and after visiting Tokyo Sea Life Park) proved very productive!

BIRDS
117 - Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica cyanus
118 - Greater Scaup Aythya marila
119 - Common Pochard Aythya ferina
120 - Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris
121 - Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor
122 - Northern Shoveller Spatula clypeata
124 - Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula
Click to expand...
Oops, forgot this from Sunday

HERPS
8 - Pond Slider Trachemys scripta
 
A few from a very pleasant day out on Saturday. First mission was hare spotting on the moors. I decided to try a new site somewhere between my regular and backup hare spots, which looked like it ought to be good but didn't even produce a grouse never mind a hare. So I ended up going to my normal site anyway and sure enough both species were good and visible (indeed there was one very active hare I was able to watch for some time, albeit fairly distantly).

After this I headed across to the Dearne Valley reserves (Adwick Washlands, Old Moor, and Wombwell Ings) hoping to fill some gaps and I was rewarded with some good spots and one species I haven't seen in years in the pipit.

Brown Hares on the drive and European Rabbits at Wombwell Ings meant I scored a rare 100% UK lagomorph count for the day - a first for me.

Mammals:
15. Mountain Hare - Lepus timidus

Birds:
125. Red Grouse - Lagopus scotica
126. Pink-footed Goose - Anser brachyrhynchus
127. Sand Martin - Riparia riparia
128. Common Kingfisher - Alcedo atthis
129. Little Ringed Plover - Charadrius dubius
130. Water Pipit - Anthus spinoletta

Invertebrates:
6. Peacock - Aglais io

:)
 
Still on the lookout for the ever increasing number of incoming spring migrants. I went back to Lumber State Park to try my luck again, and although I heard quite a few Ovenbirds, Northern Parulas, and Louisiana Waterthrushes, I only managed to find one of my target species this time around.

BerdNerd said:
3/7/25

4. Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)
Click to expand...


4/1/25


5. Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus)

BerdNerd said:

3/27/25

74. White-Eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus)
75. Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)
76. Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)
Click to expand...


4/1/25


77. Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)
78. Yellow-Throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica)


Total:
Mammals: 5
Birds: 78
Reptiles: 2
Invertebrates: 1
 
Dr. Wolverine said:
Updates from my Singapore Trip last week, as well as one day at Kasai!

Mammals:

5. Brown Rat
6. Lesser Mousedeer
7. Crab Eating Macaque
8. Sunda Colugo
9. Common Treeshrew
10. Slender Squirrel
11. Plantain Squirrel
12. Horsefield’s Flying Squirrel
13. Wild Boar
14. Smooth Coated Otter

Birds:

114. Javan Myna
115. Great Egret
116. House Crow
117. Black Nest Swiftlet
118. White Nest Swiftlet
119. Red Junglefowl
120. Asian Koel
121. Spotted Dove
122. Grey Headed Fish Eagle
123. Banded Woodpecker
124. Long Tailed Parakeet
125. Asian Glossy Starling
126. Chestnut Munia
127. Oriental Magpie Robin
128. Ornate Sunbird
129. Olive Winged Bulbul
130. Zebra Dove
131. Brahminy Kite
132. Pin Tailed Snipe
133. Pacific Reef heron
134. White Breasted Waterhen
135. Yellow Bittern
136. Zitting Cisticola
137. Paddyfield Pipit
138. Red Wattled lapwing
139. Blue tailed bee eater
140. Oriental Honey Buzzard
141. Asian Openbill
142. Eastern Cattle Egret
143. Purple Heron
144. Medium Egret
145. Large Tailed Nightjar
146. Whimbrel
147. Common Redshank
148. Lesser Adjutant
149. Painted Stork
150. Milky Stork
151. Von Schrenck’s Bittern
152. Great Billed Heron
153. White Bellied Sea Eagle
154. Buffy Fish Owl
155. Blue Throated Bee Eater
156. Collared Kingfisher
157. White Throated Kingfisher
158. Lineated Barbet
159. Red Breasted Parakeet
160. Straw Headed Bulbul
161. Common Myna
162. White Rumped Shama
163. Scarlet Backed Flowerpecker
164. Brown throated sunbird
165. Striated Heron
166. Chinese Pond Heron
167. Common Iora
168. Oriental Pied Hornbill
169. Laced Woodpecker
170. Pied triller
171. Asian Brown Flycatcher
172. Common Kingfisher
173. Collared Scops Owl
174. Stork Billed Kingfisher
175. Common Flameback
178. Monk Parakeet
179. Blue Winged Pitta
180. Yellow Vented Bulbul
181. Brown Boobook
182. Cinammon Bittern
183. Black Swan
184. Mute Swan
185. Crested Serpent Eagle
186. Taimyr gull
Click to expand...

Birds:

187) Stejneger’s Scoter

188) Sanderling

189) Bar Tailed Godwit

190) Grey Plover

191) Eurasian Oystercatcher
 
Birds

95. Common reed bunting, Emberiza shoeniclus 1/4/25
96. Eurasian wigeon, Anas penelope 1/4/25
97. Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus 1/4/25
98. Red-throated diver, Gavia stellata 1/4/25
99. White wagtail, Motacilla alba 1/4/25
100. Water rail, Rallus aquaticus 2/4/25
101. European kestrel, Falco tinnunculus 2/4/25
102. Common crane, Grus grus 2/4/25
103. Red-throated loon, Podiceps grisegena 3/4/25

Amphibians

1. Common frog, Rana temporaria 31/3/25
 
Bisonblake said:
Went up to northern Michigan for the week. Didn't do a whole lot of birding, but I had a couple of nice sightings. I saw my second northern shrike of the year and a rough-legged hawk on the same hike. I wasn't sure I'd see one this year because I skipped an opportunity to see them a month ago in East Lansing, and I was worried that was my only chance this year.

Birds:
3/23/25
79. Common Raven Corvus corax
3/26/25
80. American Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus
81. Rough-Legged Hawk Buteo lagopus
82. Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum

Mammals:
11. Red fox Vulpes vulpes

Total species: 93
Birds: 82
Mammals: 11
Click to expand...
3/30/25
Birds:
83. Wood Duck Aix sponsa
84. Blue-Winged Teal Spatula discors
85. American Coot Fulica americana
86. Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum
87. Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla

4/3/25
Birds:
88. Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
89. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
90. Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus
91. Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna

Herptiles:
1. Painted turtle Chrysemys picta
2. Common pond slider Trachemys scripta

Total species: 104
Birds: 91
Mammals: 11
Herptiles: 2
 
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