Hevden
Well-Known Member
As far as I know it was untwitchable only really being seen for one day and very mobile. The few who did genuinely see it were just very lucky. It could be anywhere by now.
ZooChat Big Year 2016
- Thread starter jbnbsn99
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As far as I know it was untwitchable only really being seen for one day and very mobile. The few who did genuinely see it were just very lucky. It could be anywhere by now.
Another bird just from my bedroom window:
298) House Martin
I should get some more sightings in a week's time and then quite a few more in just over two weeks.
I thought this might be worth making known, John Weigel (mentioned in our other Big Year threads for doing record-breaking Big Years in Australia) is doing a North American Big Year at the moment. Although resident in Australia he is actually an American, so isn't a novice to American birds. His list was last updated as of 14 May when he was on 641 (he is now on Attu for the next two weeks) - Birding For Devils: 2016 - The list so far
There's some more info here - Birding For Devils - saying he hasn't got any blogs yet because of time constraints but most of his sightings are backed up by photos for proof.
There's some more info here - Birding For Devils - saying he hasn't got any blogs yet because of time constraints but most of his sightings are backed up by photos for proof.
Well worth going out of your way for- particularly the males. Can remember them breeding in the New Forest in the 1960's and into the early 70's.
Have not seen one since though juveniles still seem to turn up on migration quite frequently in the autumn.
No big expeditions this weekend but had a few hours' mooch around Avenue Washlands this afternoon:
Birds:
308. Common Whitethroat - Sylvia communis
309. Little Ringed Plover - Charadrius dubius
(UK-only: 170)
Invertebrates:
33. Speckled Wood - Pararge aegeria
34. Brown-lipped Banded Snail - Cepaea nemoralis
35. Four-spotted Chaser - Libellula quadrimaculata
36. Azure Damselfly - Coenagrion puella
37. Dingy Skipper - Erynnis tages
38. Green-veined White - Pieris napi
39. Bishop's Mitre Shieldbug - Aelia acuminata
40. Tree Bumblebee - Bombus hypnorum
Birds:
308. Common Whitethroat - Sylvia communis
309. Little Ringed Plover - Charadrius dubius
(UK-only: 170)
Invertebrates:
33. Speckled Wood - Pararge aegeria
34. Brown-lipped Banded Snail - Cepaea nemoralis
35. Four-spotted Chaser - Libellula quadrimaculata
36. Azure Damselfly - Coenagrion puella
37. Dingy Skipper - Erynnis tages
38. Green-veined White - Pieris napi
39. Bishop's Mitre Shieldbug - Aelia acuminata
40. Tree Bumblebee - Bombus hypnorum
Hevden
Well-Known Member
Well worth going out of your way for- particularly the males. Can remember them breeding in the New Forest in the 1960's and into the early 70's.
They have been breeding again in very small numbers over the last few years but sites are kept secret for obvious reasons. I've only ever seen them on migration, all being first winters other than last weekends adult female, the first I've seen in spring.
I've added one more this weekend which was also my 400th British life tick. Admittedly not as exciting as the lammergeier but a species I've been waiting to see for the last 26 years and by far the commonest bird I still needed. And at least it was a consolation for dipping Gull-billed Tern.
192. European Storm Petrel
I didn't know you got those in the UK - they are just rare vagrants?
I googled and found one is being sighted at Dungeness in Kent and the few days before at Loughor in Glamorgan (assuming either of those latter two words are real
)
Hevden
Well-Known Member
I didn't know you got those in the UK - they are just rare vagrants?
I googled and found one is being sighted at Dungeness in Kent and the few days before at Loughor in Glamorgan (assuming either of those latter two words are real
They are regular but rare vagrants, there's usually a few each year but they never stay long. I went for the Loughor one.
254. White-rumped swift
255. Grosbeak weaver
256. White-necked raven
257. Bristle-crowned starling
258. Hunter’s sunbird
259. Madagascar bee-eater
260. Brubru
261. Speckle-fronted weaver
262. Diederik cuckoo
263. Village indigobird
264. Steel-blue whydah
I have now finally seen one of the green African cuckoos with the Diederik cuckoo
I also saw 2 green chameleons here in the past days and I think the only species of chameleon here in Baringo is the flap-necked chameleon, but I will check this later....
Only 5 days left in Kenya and then on to Ethiopia (Afar again). With Lake Nakuru I visited my first Kenyan national park yesterday, so quite some mammal additions from 1 day, though unfortunately no cats...
265. Jameson’s firefinch
266. African darter
267. Black-shouldered kite
268. Slender-tailed nightjar
269. African woolly-necked stork
270. African silverbill
271. Lesser striped swallow
272. White-breasted cormorant
273. Broad-tailed paradise whydah
274. Long-tailed cormorant
275. Pink-backed pelican
276. Mocking cliff chat
277. Red-billed teal
278. Cape teal
279. Yellow-billed duck
280. Black-chested snake eagle
281. Martial eagle
282. Black-bellied bustard
283. Black-winged stilt
284. Crowned lapwing
285. Grey-headed gull
286. African skimmer
287. African cuckoo
288. Striped kingfisher
289. Broad-billed roller
290. Rufous-naped lark
291. Pied wheatear
292. Speke’s weaver
Mammals
25. Heart-faced bat
26. Common hippo
27. Naivasha dikdik
28. Rotschildt giraffe
29. Defassa waterbuck
30. African buffalo
31. Grant’s gazelle
32. Spotted hyena
33. Black-backed jackal
34. Southern white rhino
35. Eastern black rhino
Speke's Weaver a lifer?! Rather surprised at that...
Since my last update, I have managed to add one new bird, two new butterflies and one new damselfly to my list:
125. Garganey Anas querquedula
8. Common blue butterfly Polyommatus icarus
9. Small copper butterfly Lycaena phlaeas
4. Blue-tailed damselfly Ischnura elegans
Haven't updated this in a while but also haven't seen that much
88. Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
89. Stock Dove (Columba oenas)
90. Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
91. Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)
92. Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis)
93. Bean Goose (Anser serrirostris)
94. Common Swift (Apus apus)
95. European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
07. Common Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus)
08. European Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus)
09. Red Deer (Cervus elaphus)
05. Edible Frog (Pelophylax kl. esculentus)
88. Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
89. Stock Dove (Columba oenas)
90. Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
91. Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)
92. Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis)
93. Bean Goose (Anser serrirostris)
94. Common Swift (Apus apus)
95. European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
07. Common Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus)
08. European Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus)
09. Red Deer (Cervus elaphus)
05. Edible Frog (Pelophylax kl. esculentus)
I do not travel that much in the country and I am mostly stuck in semi-arid areas and montane rainforest and here in Baringo the common yellow weavers are village weaver, lesser masked weaver and little weaver. So that should at least partly explain why I hadn't seen them before, the other thing is that I normally do not look too closely to these yellow Ploceus weavers...
Fireplume
Active Member
Mammals (15 Species)
1. California Ground Squirrel Otospermophilus beecheyi
2. Western Grey Squirrel Sciurus griseus
3. Black-tailed Jackrabbit Lepus californicus
4. Long-tailed Weasel Mustela frenata
5. Southern Sea Otter Enhydra lutris nereis
6. California Sea Lion Zalophus californianus
7. (East) Pacific Harbour Seal Phoca vitulina richardsi
8. Long-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus capensis
9. Risso’s Dolphin Grampus griseus
10. Gray Whale Eschrichtius robustus
11. Columbian Blacktail Deer Odocoileus hemionus columbianus
12. House Mouse Mus musculus
13. California Valley Coyote Canis latrans ochropus
14. Desert Cottontail Sylvilagus audubonii
15. Pronghorn Antilocapra americana
Birds (72 Species)
1. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
2. Northern Pintail Anas acuta
3. American Coot Fulica americana
4. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
5. White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi
6. Great Egret Ardea alba
7. Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
8. Canada Goose Branta canadensis
9. Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii
10. Snow Goose Chen caerulescens
11. Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis
12. Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
13. Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus
14. American Crow Corvus brachyrynchos
15. House Sparrow Passer domesticus
16. Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta
17. American Robin Turdus migratorius
18. Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo
19. Rock Dove Columba livia
20. Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto
21. Western Scrub Jay Aphelocoma californica
22. Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
23. Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
24. Red-shafted Flicker Colaptes auratesp
25. Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus
26. Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
27. Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
28. Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
29. White-tailed Kite Elanus leucerus
30. American Kestrel Falco sparverius
31. California Gull Larus californicus
32. Ringneck Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
33. Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna
34. Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
35. Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
36. Brandt's Cormorant Phalacrocorax penicillatus
37. Pelagic Cormorant Phalacrocorax pelagicus
38. Common Loon Gavia immer
39. Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
40. Western Gull Larus occidentalis
41. Glaucous Winged Gull Larus glaucescens
42. Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata
43. Pigeon Guillemot Cepphus columba
44. Common Murre Uria aalge
45. Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis
46. Common Merganser Mergus merganser
47. Cooper’s Hawk Accipiter cooperii
48. Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus
49. House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus
50. Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
51. Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans
52. American Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
53. Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
54. Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera
55. American Avocet Recurvirostra americana
56. American Pelican Pelecanus erythrorynchos
57. Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus
58. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
59. Merlin Falco columbarius
60. Bufflehead Bucephala albeola
61. Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus
62. Great-horned Owl Bubo virginianus
63. Black-necked Stilt Himanotopus mexicanus
64. American Wigeon Anas americana
65. Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
66. Clark’s Grebe Aechmophorus clarkii
67. Greenwing Teal Anas carolinensis
68. Black-headed Grosbeak Pheuticus melanocephalus
69. Snowy Egret Egretta thula
70. Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
71. Yellow-billed Magpie Pica nuttali
72. Northern Raven Corvus corax
Reptiles (4 Species)
1. Western Pond Turtle Actinemys marmorata
2. Western Fence Lizard Sceloporus occidentalis
3. Western Skink Eumeces skiltonianus
4. Northern Alligator Lizard Elgaria coerulea
Amphibians (3 Species)
1. Western Toad Anaxyrus boreas
2. Pacific Treefrog Pseudacris regilla
3. Northern Leopard Frog Lithobates pipiens
Fish (1 Species)
1. Oceanic Sunfish Mola mola
----------------------------------------------------
Re-posted my very cluttered list; some great new additions including Pronghorn, didn't even know they lived here in the Great Central Valley.
1. California Ground Squirrel Otospermophilus beecheyi
2. Western Grey Squirrel Sciurus griseus
3. Black-tailed Jackrabbit Lepus californicus
4. Long-tailed Weasel Mustela frenata
5. Southern Sea Otter Enhydra lutris nereis
6. California Sea Lion Zalophus californianus
7. (East) Pacific Harbour Seal Phoca vitulina richardsi
8. Long-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus capensis
9. Risso’s Dolphin Grampus griseus
10. Gray Whale Eschrichtius robustus
11. Columbian Blacktail Deer Odocoileus hemionus columbianus
12. House Mouse Mus musculus
13. California Valley Coyote Canis latrans ochropus
14. Desert Cottontail Sylvilagus audubonii
15. Pronghorn Antilocapra americana
Birds (72 Species)
1. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
2. Northern Pintail Anas acuta
3. American Coot Fulica americana
4. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
5. White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi
6. Great Egret Ardea alba
7. Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
8. Canada Goose Branta canadensis
9. Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii
10. Snow Goose Chen caerulescens
11. Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis
12. Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
13. Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus
14. American Crow Corvus brachyrynchos
15. House Sparrow Passer domesticus
16. Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta
17. American Robin Turdus migratorius
18. Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo
19. Rock Dove Columba livia
20. Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto
21. Western Scrub Jay Aphelocoma californica
22. Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
23. Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
24. Red-shafted Flicker Colaptes auratesp
25. Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus
26. Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
27. Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
28. Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
29. White-tailed Kite Elanus leucerus
30. American Kestrel Falco sparverius
31. California Gull Larus californicus
32. Ringneck Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
33. Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna
34. Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
35. Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
36. Brandt's Cormorant Phalacrocorax penicillatus
37. Pelagic Cormorant Phalacrocorax pelagicus
38. Common Loon Gavia immer
39. Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
40. Western Gull Larus occidentalis
41. Glaucous Winged Gull Larus glaucescens
42. Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata
43. Pigeon Guillemot Cepphus columba
44. Common Murre Uria aalge
45. Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis
46. Common Merganser Mergus merganser
47. Cooper’s Hawk Accipiter cooperii
48. Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus
49. House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus
50. Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
51. Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans
52. American Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
53. Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
54. Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera
55. American Avocet Recurvirostra americana
56. American Pelican Pelecanus erythrorynchos
57. Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus
58. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
59. Merlin Falco columbarius
60. Bufflehead Bucephala albeola
61. Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus
62. Great-horned Owl Bubo virginianus
63. Black-necked Stilt Himanotopus mexicanus
64. American Wigeon Anas americana
65. Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
66. Clark’s Grebe Aechmophorus clarkii
67. Greenwing Teal Anas carolinensis
68. Black-headed Grosbeak Pheuticus melanocephalus
69. Snowy Egret Egretta thula
70. Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
71. Yellow-billed Magpie Pica nuttali
72. Northern Raven Corvus corax
Reptiles (4 Species)
1. Western Pond Turtle Actinemys marmorata
2. Western Fence Lizard Sceloporus occidentalis
3. Western Skink Eumeces skiltonianus
4. Northern Alligator Lizard Elgaria coerulea
Amphibians (3 Species)
1. Western Toad Anaxyrus boreas
2. Pacific Treefrog Pseudacris regilla
3. Northern Leopard Frog Lithobates pipiens
Fish (1 Species)
1. Oceanic Sunfish Mola mola
----------------------------------------------------
Re-posted my very cluttered list; some great new additions including Pronghorn, didn't even know they lived here in the Great Central Valley.
An evening stroll throguh some fields not too far from my house got another bird for the year (26/5/2016):
78. Grey Partridge Perdix perdix
Went on another walk down the river today - although there were some very interesting sightings, including a female bullfinch and a blackcap gathering insects for their young, a nesting pair of great spotted woodpeckers and a fox that very closely investigated a trio of pheasants there was not much new seen.
The one new species I did see were possibly hundreds of tiny fingernail-sized young flatfish that swam up into the tidal part of the river. Looking at which species are most common in Essex, the ones that enter freshwater and generally considering the shape of these flatfish, I concluded they were:
5. European flounder Platichthys flesus
I had my first chance to go out birding this summer today so I got quite a few nice additions from a nature reserve on the Vistula just outside Warsaw
299) Garden Warbler
300) Common Tern
301) Little Tern
302) Little Ringed-plover
303) Sand Martin
304) Greater Whitethroat
305) Mistle Thrush
306) Barred Warbler (second ever sighting)
307) Common Cuckoo
308) Marsh Warbler
309) Pied Flycatcher
310) Black-necked Grebe
And probably the highlight of the day, several gorgeous:
311) Red-backed Shrikes (first in Europe)
Also saw at least two more warbler species that I couldn't identify
Also two herps:
5) Moor Frog
and an absolutely huge 6) Grass Snake
Back to old haunts with Potteric Carr and Blacktoft Sands today, looking to catch up with some species I dipped on last time. I also got a bonus mammal parking the car when I got home, just as it was getting dark - fortunately I had my detector to hand!
Birds:
310. Black-necked Grebe - Podiceps nigricollis
311. Eurasian Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus scirpaceus
312. Sedge Warbler - Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
313. Bearded Reedling - Panurus biarmicus
Mammals:
49. Common Pipistrelle - Pipistrellus pipistrellus
Fishes:
4. Common Rudd - Scardinus erythropthalmus
5. Common Minnow - Phoxinus phoxinus
Invertebrates:
41. Harlequin Ladybird - Harmonia axyridis
42. Blue-tailed Damselfly - Ischnura elegans
43. Large Red Damselfly - Pyrrhosoma nymphula
44. Red-and-black Froghopper - Cercopis vulnerata
45. Common Blue Damselfly - Enallagma cyathigerum
46. White-lipped Banded Snail - Cepaea hortensis
47. Green Tiger Beetle - Cicindela campestris
48. Green-legged Sawfly - Tenthredo mesomela
(I'm sure I've seen some of those damselflies before but I haven't been keeping a list before now! )
Birds:
310. Black-necked Grebe - Podiceps nigricollis
311. Eurasian Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus scirpaceus
312. Sedge Warbler - Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
313. Bearded Reedling - Panurus biarmicus
Mammals:
49. Common Pipistrelle - Pipistrellus pipistrellus
Fishes:
4. Common Rudd - Scardinus erythropthalmus
5. Common Minnow - Phoxinus phoxinus
Invertebrates:
41. Harlequin Ladybird - Harmonia axyridis
42. Blue-tailed Damselfly - Ischnura elegans
43. Large Red Damselfly - Pyrrhosoma nymphula
44. Red-and-black Froghopper - Cercopis vulnerata
45. Common Blue Damselfly - Enallagma cyathigerum
46. White-lipped Banded Snail - Cepaea hortensis
47. Green Tiger Beetle - Cicindela campestris
48. Green-legged Sawfly - Tenthredo mesomela
(I'm sure I've seen some of those damselflies before but I haven't been keeping a list before now!
)
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