Zoochat Big Year 2025

Today, seen in the woodland. A new species for the property.

354. Restless flycatcher Myiagra inquieta
 
Last edited:
RatioTile said:
Mammals:

first time wild, first time ever

56. Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida)
57. Desert Pocket Mouse (Chaetodipus penicillatus)
58. Cactus Mouse (Peromyscus eremicus)
Click to expand...
I am intrigued by the two mouse species you have as first time in the wild. I wonder how else you would have seen them, in that they are not typical zoo animals. Good effort for seeing them, though.
 
MRJ said:
I am intrigued by the two mouse species you have as first time in the wild. I wonder how else you would have seen them, in that they are not typical zoo animals. Good effort for seeing them, though.
Click to expand...

Look in the United States - Wildlife gallery. I tagged along with a university small mammal survey where we set traps, checked them the next day to obtain the rodents, collected DNA samples, and released them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MRJ
RatioTile said:
Look in the United States - Wildlife gallery. I tagged along with a university small mammal survey where we set traps, checked them the next day to obtain the rodents, collected DNA samples, and released them.
Click to expand...
Yes, done that a couple of times too.
 
MRJ said:
I am intrigued by the two mouse species you have as first time in the wild. I wonder how else you would have seen them, in that they are not typical zoo animals. Good effort for seeing them, though.
Click to expand...

The Bronx Zoo has a large colony of Cactus Mice that they've maintained for decades.* The species can also be found in some European zoos as well. Wildlife World in Arizona has kept Desert Pocket-Mouse for many years now as well, not sure if these are single wild-caught individuals or a breeding colony, though.

*They also maintain colonies of California and Eastern Deer Mouse.

~Thylo
 
ThylacineAlive said:
After three consecutive days of trying, I finally managed to catch a brief look at one of Connecticut's most elusive birds:

215. Connecticut Warbler, Oporornis agilis

Despite its name, this bird is only an annual visitor to Connecticut, typically viewable only over the course of a 2-3 week period during the fall migration in September and October. This bird is incredible skulky and undoubtedly most go completely unnoticed. They're fast, quiet, and stick to thick underbrush. Usually there are only 2-5 reported sightings a year in CT with most of them being heard-only or a brief glimpse once or twice on a single day before the bird disappears overnight. It's a good year if there are one or two birds that stick around for more than a day in a given spot, and even then you often need a lot of time and luck to find those birds.

This year has been different. No one knows why, but there are a ton of Connecticut Warblers around this year. By a ton I mean maybe a dozen sightings or so. Sightings began while I was in Europe about a month ago, a little earlier than usual, and have continued with at least one or two being found per week. There are a couple of locations about an hour+ southwest of me where numerous birds have been spotted throughout the season, however all have still followed the same single sighting or one day of sightings pattern. These birds have not really been any easier to see than normal, there's just a lot more of them. The individual I saw is a little more special of a case. This bird was first spotted on Friday morning, so five days ago now and is still continuing in a big patch of thick shrubs in an abandoned parking lot about 20 minutes from my place. It's been showing itself maybe once or twice a day or otherwise heard singing or chipping from deep inside the vegetation. For whatever reason no one reported this bird officially until Sunday afternoon and I failed to find it that day. I returned yesterday morning where I heard it singing literally a foot or so in front of me but completely hidden and then heard it chip deeper in the brush about half an hour later. I'm told someone saw it about an hour after I left. I gave it a third go this morning and had it clearly in my sights for a few seconds before it disappeared again. A couple others arrived about a minute after this and we all heard it chipping from deep within one more time before I decided I was satisfied with my sighting and left for work. As I'm typing this, I just got a notice that others have eyes on the bird again now.

This bird now brings me to 34/35 of the New World warblers native to the northeast US, and 41/52 of the species native to the United States (including Puerto Rico). This list is based on the species currently recognized by the AOS but excludes Bachman's Warbler for obvious reasons.

~Thylo
Click to expand...

Two more birds from reviewing some of my California photos more closely:

216. Pelagic Cormorant, Urile pelagicus
217. Hooded Oriole, Icterus cucullatus

~Thylo
 
oflory said:
A successful Global Big Day at Rainham Marshes on Saturday - 51 species of birds seen! But only three new for the year - plus a rather elusive little stint at Staines from today.

I also realise I have counted P. muralis twice - apologies. Marsh frog takes the 6th herp place.

Birds
201. Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)
202. Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
203. Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
204. Little Stint (Calidris minuta)

Herps
6. Marsh Frog (Pelophylax ridibundus)
Click to expand...

A proper old-fashioned twitch on a nice sunny autumnal day. I just need lesser grey shrike now to complete the list of "possible English shrikes". Also takes the pressure off next February birding in Hong Kong, where I am told they are much scarcer in recent winters.

205. Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus)
 
Najade said:
From the same day:

Fish
02. Coastal Manta Ray (Mobula alfredi)
Click to expand...
19.10.25 - Kona pelagic (211-213, 414-420), Konami South Beach Access Road (214), Big Island, Hawai’i, USA

Mammals
211. Rough-toothed Dolphin (Steno bredanensis)
212. Pygmy Killer Whale (Feresa attenuata)
213. Spinner Dolphin (Stenella longirostris)
214. Small Indian Mongoose (Urva auropunctata)

Birds (non-passerines)
414. Common Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus)
415. White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus)
416. Black-winged Petrel (Pterodroma nigripennis)
417. Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis)
418. Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus)
419. Juan Fernández Petrel (Pterodroma externa)
420. Band-rumped Storm-petrel (Hydrobates castro)
 
Najade said:
19.10.25 - Kona pelagic (211-213, 414-420), Konami South Beach Access Road (214), Big Island, Hawai’i, USA

Mammals
211. Rough-toothed Dolphin (Steno bredanensis)
212. Pygmy Killer Whale (Feresa attenuata)
213. Spinner Dolphin (Stenella longirostris)
214. Small Indian Mongoose (Urva auropunctata)

Birds (non-passerines)
414. Common Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus)
415. White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus)
416. Black-winged Petrel (Pterodroma nigripennis)
417. Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis)
418. Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus)
419. Juan Fernández Petrel (Pterodroma externa)
420. Band-rumped Storm-petrel (Hydrobates castro)
Click to expand...
20.10.25 - access road (421, 422), Mohihi-Waialae Trail (423, 19), Kaua’i, Hawai’i, USA

Birds (non-passerines)
421. Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus domesticus)

Birds (passerines)
422. Kauaʻi ʻElepaio (Chasiempis sclateri)
423. ʻAnianiau (Magumma parva)

Amphibians
19. Japanese Wrinkled Frog (Glandirana rugosa)

also Black-tailed Deer
 
Najade said:
20.10.25 - access road (421, 422), Mohihi-Waialae Trail (423, 19), Kaua’i, Hawai’i, USA

Birds (non-passerines)
421. Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus domesticus)

Birds (passerines)
422. Kauaʻi ʻElepaio (Chasiempis sclateri)
423. ʻAnianiau (Magumma parva)

Amphibians
19. Japanese Wrinkled Frog (Glandirana rugosa)

also Black-tailed Deer
Click to expand...
21.10.25 - Hokuala Golf Course, Kaua’i, Hawai’i, USA

Birds (non-passerines)
424. Hawaiian Gallinule (Gallinula galeata sandvicensis)

Birds (passerines)
425. White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus)
 
MOG2012 said:
I took a little trip to Cape Cod and saw many things in the tide pools.

August 30th and 31st, 2025

FISH:
14) Mummichog Fundulus heteroclitus
15) American Eel Anguilla rostrata [WILD LIFER!]

INVERTEBRATES:
42) Long-claw Hermit Crab Pagurus longicarpus
43) European Green Crab Carcinus maenas
44) Atlantic Rock Crab Cancer irroratus

BIRDS: 77 species
MAMMALS: 11 species
REPTILES: 6 species
AMPHIBIANS: 2 species
FISH: 15 species
INVERTEBRATES: 44 species
TOTAL: 154 species
Click to expand...
I haven't seen any new animals recently sadly as I haven't traveled that much (other than to Vermont and Connecticut). I saw a thrush on a lawn, and a large group of starlings were flying above it. It's not likely that I'm going to see any new wild animals into December when I go to Vegas

October 25th, 2025

BIRDS:
78) Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus

BIRDS: 78 species
MAMMALS: 11 species
REPTILES: 6 species
AMPHIBIANS: 2 species
FISH: 15 species
INVERTEBRATES: 44 species
TOTAL: 155 species

Zoochat Big Year
 
Chlidonias said:
The next set of birds and mammals from my Australia trip, these ones from the areas around Broome in Western Australia, and the last few from Darwin today. Details will later be found in my trip thread starting from this post (Chlidonias presents: Bustralia) but there’s nothing currently written for that bit yet and I’m going to East Timor tomorrow so it will be a few weeks.


BIRDS:


613) White-necked (Pacific) Heron Ardea pacifica
614) Double-barred (Owl) Finch Stizoptera bichenovii
615) Far-Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis
616) Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
617) Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris
618) Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus
619) Red-capped Dotterel Charadrius ruficapillus
620) Little Tern Sternula albifrons
621) Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus
622) Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis
623) Red Knot Calidris canutus
624) Black-bellied (Grey) Plover Pluvialis squatarola
625) Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis
626) Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
627) Australian Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon macrotarsa
628) Australian Yellow White-eye Zosterops luteus
629) Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
630) Yellow Chat Epthianura crocea
631) Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciata
632) Tree Martin Petrochelidon migricans
633) Mangrove Fantail Rhipidura phasiana
634) Broad-billed Flycatcher Myiagra ruficollis
635) White-breasted Whistler Pachycephala lanioides
636) Dusky Gerygone Gerygone tenebrosa
637) Leaden Flycatcher Myiagra rubecula
638) Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus
639) Little Curlew Numenius minutus
640) Red-headed Myzomela Myzomela erythrocephala
641) Mangrove Gerygone Gerygone laevigaster
642) Pheasant Coucal Centropus phasianus
643) White-throated Gerygone Gerygone olivacea
644) Torresian Imperial Pigeon Ducula spilorrhoa
645) Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus
646) Orange-footed Scrubfowl Megapodius reinwardt



MAMMALS:

62) Agile Wallaby Macropus agilis
Click to expand...

I have recently been in East Timor for two weeks, which was mostly not very dedicated birding. I have been to West Timor before (the Indonesian side of the island) so that’s why only a few of the birds below are lifers in bold. I saw 78 species there, of which just over 40 were year-birds.

There is a thread starting here: Chlidonias Goes To Asia, part eight: East Timor 2025

Some photos here: East Timor (Timor-Leste) - ZooChat



BIRDS:


647) Drab Swiftlet Collocalia neglecta
648) White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus
649) White-shouldered Triller Lalage sueurii
650) Barred Dove Geopelia maugei
651) Streak-breasted Honeyeater Meliphaga reticulata
652) Timor (White-bellied) Chat Saxicola gutturalis
653) Timor Friarbird Philemon inornatus
654) Indonesian Honeyeater Lichmera limbata (lumped with Brown Honeyeater on eBird)
655) Pied Chat Saxicola caprata
656) Red-chested Flowerpecker Dicaeum maugei
657) Timor Oriole Oriolus melanotis
658) Fawn-breasted Whistler Pachycephala orpheus
659) Black-chested Myzomela Myzomela vulnerata
660) Marigold Lorikeet Trichoglossus capistratus
661) Yellow-eared Honeyeater Lichmera flavicans
662) Olive-headed Lorikeet Trichoglossus euteles
663) Helmeted Friarbird Philemon buceroides
663) Pacific Emerald Dove Chalcophaps longirostris
664) Spectacled Monarch Monarcha trivirgatus
665) Wallacean Drongo Dicrurus densus
666) Ashy-bellied White-eye Zosterops citrinella
667) Supertramp Fantail Rhipidura semicollaris
668) Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris
669) Plain Gerygone Gerygone inornata
670) Timor Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata
671) Wallacean Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina personata
672) Spotted Kestrel Falco moluccensis
673) Flame-breasted Sunbird Cinnyris solaris
674) Singing Bushlark Mirafra javanica
675) Tricoloured Parrotfinch Erythrura tricolor
676) Black-backed Fruit Dove Ptilinopus cinctus
677) Rose-crowned Fruit Dove Ptilinopus regina
678) Timor Blue Flycatcher Cyornis hyacinthinus
679) Sunda Bush-Warbler Cettia vulcania (lumped with Aberrant Bush-Warbler on eBird)
680) Little Pied Flycatcher Ficedula westermanni
681) Sunda Cuckoo Cuculus lepidus
682) Timor Red-winged Parrot Aprosmictus jonquillaceus
683) Little Bronze Cuckoo Chalcites minutillus
684) Iris Lorikeet Trichoglossus iris
685) Tenggara Whistler Pachycephala calliope
686) Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus
687) Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciata
688) Timor Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus presbytes
689) Tawny Grassbird Cincloramphus timorensis
690) Orange-sided Thrush Geokichla peronii
***) undescribed Gunung Mutis Parrotfinch Erythrura sp.
 
Last edited:
Najade said:
21.10.25 - Hokuala Golf Course, Kaua’i, Hawai’i, USA

Birds (non-passerines)
424. Hawaiian Gallinule (Gallinula galeata sandvicensis)

Birds (passerines)
425. White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus)
Click to expand...
22.10.25 - Ni’ihau and Nāpali Coast tour with Holo Holo Charters (215, 426-430), Kīlauea Point Lighthouse (433), Hanalei NWR (431, 432), Kaua’i, Hawai’i, USA

Mammals
215. Hawaiian Monk Seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi)

Birds (non-passerines)
426. Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor)
427. Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster)
428. Red-footed Booby (Sula sula)
429. Newell’s Shearwater (Puffinus newelli)
430. Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)
431. Hawaiian Duck (Anas wyvilliana)
432. Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)

Birds (passerines)
433. Chestnut Munia (Lonchura atricapilla)

also Western Meadowlark
 
Last edited:
Najade said:
22.10.25 - Ni’ihau and Nāpali Coast tour with Holo Holo Charters (215, 426-430), Kīlauea Point Lighthouse (433), Hanalei NWR (431, 432), Kaua’i, Hawai’i, USA

Mammals
215. Hawaiian Monk Seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi)

Birds (non-passerines)
426. Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor)
427. Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster)
428. Red-footed Booby (Sula sula)
429. Newell’s Shearwater (Puffinus newelli)
430. Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)
431. Hawaiian Duck (Anas wyvilliana)
432. Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)

Birds (passerines)
433. Chestnut Munia (Lonchura atricapilla)

also Western Meadowlark
Click to expand...
23.10.25 - Kalakaua Homes, Honolulu, O’ahu, Hawai’i, USA

Birds (non-passerines)
434. White Tern (Gygis alba)

Birds (passerines)
435. Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)
 
Najade said:
23.10.25 - Kalakaua Homes, Honolulu, O’ahu, Hawai’i, USA

Birds (non-passerines)
434. White Tern (Gygis alba)

Birds (passerines)
435. Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)
Click to expand...
24.10.25 - ‘Aiea Loop trail and ‘Aiea Ridge trail, O’ahu, Hawai’i, USA

Birds (non-passerines)
436. Red-crowned Amazon (Amazona viridigenalis)

Birds (passerines)
437. Oʻahu ʻAmakihi (Chlorodrepanis flava)
438. Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus)
439. Oʻahu ʻElepaio (Chasiempis ibidis)
 
Last edited:
Najade said:
24.10.25 - ‘Aiea Loop trail and ‘Aiea Ridge trail, O’ahu, Hawai’i, USA

Birds (non-passerines)
436. Red-crowned Amazon (Amazona viridigenalis)

Birds (passerines)
437. Oʻahu ʻAmakihi (Chlorodrepanis flava)
438. Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus)
439. Oʻahu ʻElepaio (Chasiempis ibidis)
Click to expand...
No Mariana Swiftlet?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top