ZooChat Big Year 2013

[Hix]

OK, last two species identified from Uganda (so bump up the relevant numbers in my last post by two):

Birds:
403. Slender-billed Weaver
404. Yellow-throated Leaflove



Hix

 

[nanoboy]

158 Rufous Songlark [You Yangs]
159 Common Greenshank [Western Treatment Plant]

160 Yellow-tufted Honeyeater
161 Fuscous Honeyeater
162 Jacky Winter

All ticked in the greater Bendigo National park on New Year's eve. I end the year on 162, though my app where I keep my tally says 163 for some reason. Anyway, my target for 2014 is 175.

 

[Chlidonias]

I didn't quite get to 500 for the year but it was close. I made an even 60 mammals though.

(I took out milky stork from Kuala Selangor because I think they were probably openbills storks (I've seen loads in Burma and from below they appear to have yellow bills for some reason. Weird).

Anyway:

BIRDS:

YANGON (BURMA):
459) Jungle mynah Acridotheres fuscus
460) Lesser whistling duck Dendrocygna javanica

HLAWGA PARK (YANGON, BURMA):
461) Asian openbill stork Anastomus oscitans
462) Red-whiskered bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus
463) Black-naped monarch Hypothymis azurea
464) Rosy minivet Pericrocotus roseus
465) Asian little cormorant Phalacrocorax niger
466) Common iora Aegithina tiphia
467) Scarlet-backed flowerpecker Dicaeum cruentatum
468) Green bee-eater Merops orientalis
469) Ashy drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus
470) Small minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus

BAGAN (BURMA):
471) Vinous-breasted starling Acridotheres burmannicus
472) White-throated babbler Turdoides gularis
473) Pied bushchat Saxicola caprata
474) Burmese shrike Lanius collurioides
475) Streak-eared bulbul Pycnonotus blanfordi
476) Plain prinia Prinia inornata
477) River lapwing Vanellus duvaucelii
478) Yellow-streaked warbler Phyllosopus armandii
479) Tickell's leaf warbler Phylloscopus affinis
480) Burmese bushlark Mirafra microptera
481) Spotted owlet Athene brama
482) Eurasian collared dove Streptopelia decaocto
483) Plain-backed sparrow Passer flaveolus
484) Ashy woodswallow Artamus fuscus
485) Indian roller Coracias benghalensis
486) Scaly-breasted munia (Nutmeg finch) Lonchura punctulata

SHWESETTAW WILDLIFE SANCTUARY (BURMA):
487) Blossom-headed parakeet Psittacula roseata
488) Grey-breasted prinia Prinia hodgsonii
489) Hooded treepie Crypsirina cucullata
490) Black-crested bulbul Pycnonotus melanicterus
491) Greater coucal Centropus sinensis
492) Short-toed snake-eagle Circaetus gallicus
493) Pied harrier Circus melanoleucos
494) Long-billed pipit Anthus similis
495) Hainan blue flycatcher Cyornis hainanensis
496) Golden-fronted leafbird Chlropsis aurifrons
497) White-browed fantail Rhipidura aureola


MAMMALS:

58) Black rat Rattus rattus (in Kuala Lumpur and Yangon)

59) Rhesus macaque Macaca mulatta – Hlawga Park (Yangon, Burma)

60) Irrawaddy squirrel Callosciurus pygerythrus – Bagan (Burma)

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Ah, you saw a Spotted Owlet! Excellent; as you know I rather like owls, and this is a species I have enjoyed observing at the World Owl Trust on a number of occasions.

 

[Chlidonias]

Ah, you saw a Spotted Owlet! Excellent; as you know I rather like owls, and this is a species I have enjoyed observing at the World Owl Trust on a number of occasions.

I thought you liked small carnivores? I am so confused! Spotted owlets are actually pretty easy to find at Bagan because they sit on the pagodas during the day and try to stare you down when you see them. I only saw them in pairs as well, which is a little strange for owls. I even managed to get photos which shall be posted in ....... well, when there is somewhere to post them! Much easier to spot than most owls which seem to prefer to come out at night for some odd reason.

If you like owls you might like the one new bird I saw at Yangon Zoo (I have no idea if they are common in European zoos or not....you can check when you find out what it is!)

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Hehe, you will note that both my user-image and profile image are owls!

I get to see owls every few weeks in the wild, as Hel lives out in the countryside and three of the five native species are found in her garden; the other two are pretty common in the area too. Takes a bit of patience but there is nothing like seeing a wild owl.

 

[Chlidonias]

If you like owls you might like the one new bird I saw at Yangon Zoo (I have no idea if they are common in European zoos or not....you can check when you find out what it is!)

I checked Zootierliste just now and the owl I saw at Yangon is not at all common in Europe. They do have it at Muncaster (albeit a different subspecies) so you would have seen it already, but it is such a magnificent owl that you'd probably want to see it again.

 

[Chlidonias]

As of right now, here are the standing:

1. Chlidonias - 459
2. Hix - 401
3. Ituri - 302
4. jbnbsn99 - 282
5. Boof - 253
6. lintworm - 247

so are the following final numbers correct? (I only updated mine and Hix's totals and I'm not sure if there's anyone between lintworm and nanoboy, just because nanoboy and zooboy28 were just the last ones to post updated numbers and I didn't want to search the thread for others -- that's jbnbsn99's job! -- but it would be nice to have a "top ten")

1. Chlidonias - 497
2. Hix - 404
3. Ituri - 302
4. jbnbsn99 - 282
5. Boof - 253
6. lintworm - 247
7. nanoboy - 162
8. zooboy28 - 148


Also what were the totals for mammals? I only know that I got to 60 species.

 

[nanoboy]

so are the following final numbers correct? (I only updated mine and Hix's totals and I'm not sure if there's anyone between lintworm and nanoboy, just because nanoboy and zooboy28 were just the last ones to post updated numbers and I didn't want to search the thread for others -- that's jbnbsn99's job! -- but it would be nice to have a "top ten")

1. Chlidonias - 497
2. Hix - 404
3. Ituri - 302
4. jbnbsn99 - 282
5. Boof - 253
6. lintworm - 247
7. nanoboy - 162
8. zooboy28 - 148


Also what were the totals for mammals? I only know that I got to 60 species.

I am aiming for 175 this year. This is fun.

 

[Chlidonias]

I am aiming for 175 this year. This is fun.

that's one of the good things about year lists. I used to think they were silly, going chasing around after common birds you've already seen hundreds of times, but I did my first year list in 2006 and realised what a brilliant thing they actually are. The main thing I like about them is that at the start of the year everything is "new" again, and you look forward to seeing starlings and blackbirds. It gives you a new appreciation for those common birds.

Other good things about year lists are that they make you go out looking for birds instead of just sitting around watching tv or whatever, and that of course is when you do see lifers as well as seeing new places. Obviously the more you're out birding the better you get with IDs etc because you're getting more practice. It is also interesting to compare how long it takes to see certain common species or numbers this year than last year (e.g. last year you might have seen a common mynah first thing, and then this year for some reason you don't see one until day five).

And it is just plain fun seeing if you can beat last year's total!

 

[Chlidonias]

so are the following final numbers correct? (I only updated mine and Hix's totals and I'm not sure if there's anyone between lintworm and nanoboy, just because nanoboy and zooboy28 were just the last ones to post updated numbers and I didn't want to search the thread for others -- that's jbnbsn99's job! -- but it would be nice to have a "top ten")

1. Chlidonias - 497
2. Hix - 404
3. Ituri - 302
4. jbnbsn99 - 282
5. Boof - 253
6. lintworm - 247
7. nanoboy - 162
8. zooboy28 - 148


Also what were the totals for mammals? I only know that I got to 60 species.

a very quick browse and are the top three mammalers these ones? We need jbnbsn99 to give us a proper list.....

1. Chlidonias - 60
2. lintworm - 54
3. Hix - 48

 

[Hix]

so are the following final numbers correct? (I only updated mine and Hix's totals and I'm not sure if there's anyone between lintworm and nanoboy, just because nanoboy and zooboy28 were just the last ones to post updated numbers and I didn't want to search the thread for others -- that's jbnbsn99's job! -- but it would be nice to have a "top ten")

1. Chlidonias - 497
2. Hix - 404
3. Ituri - 302
4. jbnbsn99 - 282
5. Boof - 253
6. lintworm - 247
7. nanoboy - 162
8. zooboy28 - 148


Also what were the totals for mammals? I only know that I got to 60 species.

I'm actually on 406 - a couple of late ID's from Uganda.

everything is "new" again, and you look forward to seeing starlings and blackbirds. It gives you a new appreciation for those common birds......

......for the first two hours of January 1, then you loathe them again for the rest of the year.



Hix

 

[Chlidonias]

I'm actually on 406 - a couple of late ID's from Uganda.

the slender-billed weaver and yellow-throated leaflove? Or two more new ones?

......for the first two hours of January 1, then you loathe them again for the rest of the year.

better to be loved for two hours than never at all.....

 

[jbnbsn99]

We need jbnbsn99 to give us a proper list.....

Why do I have to do it? Harrumph.

 

[Hix]

the slender-billed weaver and yellow-throated leaflove? Or two more new ones?

Yup.

And I've just realised what I have done, silly me. 404 is correct. I shouldn't try maths at 2am.



Hix

 

[nanoboy]

that's one of the good things about year lists. I used to think they were silly, going chasing around after common birds you've already seen hundreds of times, but I did my first year list in 2006 and realised what a brilliant thing they actually are. The main thing I like about them is that at the start of the year everything is "new" again, and you look forward to seeing starlings and blackbirds. It gives you a new appreciation for those common birds.

Other good things about year lists are that they make you go out looking for birds instead of just sitting around watching tv or whatever, and that of course is when you do see lifers as well as seeing new places. Obviously the more you're out birding the better you get with IDs etc because you're getting more practice. It is also interesting to compare how long it takes to see certain common species or numbers this year than last year (e.g. last year you might have seen a common mynah first thing, and then this year for some reason you don't see one until day five).

And it is just plain fun seeing if you can beat last year's total!

Yeah and birding is also something I do together with my wife (who missed Latham's Snipe and Spotted Crake in 2013), so it's a great bonding thing for couples to build the relationship yadda yadda. It beats going to the pub with the boys.

 

[Chlidonias]

I've just been updating my animal lists on my laptop, and it turns out I listed jungle mynah twice (I had already seen it in Samoa before going to Asia) but I had forgotten to put on purple heron in Malaysia so the year total actually remains the same.

However I ended the year with 61 mammals not 60. As far as I can make out this is because I added in Moupin pika as a late identification and it screwed the numbers a little.

 

[Hix]

Ignoring species I saw on a daily basis around the house or driving to work etc. (so those sighted specifically on birding trips) the species I saw most frequently in Australia was the Willie Wagtail (on 30 different birding days, out of 55 birding days) and the species I saw the most numbers of was the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, with at least 485. However, this is just an estimate from my records as many species - like Eurasian Coot and Superb Blue wrens - may have been grossly undercounted.

In Uganda, out of a total of 17 birding days, the species seen most frequently was the Speckled Mousebird (on 13 days), and the greatest numbers belonged to the Western Cattle Egret and the Pied Kingfisher with around 250 birds of each species seen (although I'm sure for the Kingfisher that's a gross underestimate).



Hix

 

[Chlidonias]

Below is the full 2013 Big Year Mammal List.

Total number of species is 219.

I'm not doing the bird list because it would be too time-consuming, nor herptiles simply because they are less recognisable/more obscure than mammal species.



Short-beaked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus

Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula
Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus
Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus
Common Wallaroo Macropus robustus
Red Kangaroo Macropus rufus
Red-necked Wallaby Macropus rufogriseus
Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor
Black-footed Rock Wallaby Petrogale lateralis
Koala Phascolarctus cinereus
Virginian Opossum Didelphis virginiana

Nine-Banded Armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus

Eurasian Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris
Eastern Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis
Arizona Grey Squirrel Sciurus arizonensis
Eastern Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger
American Red Squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
Siberian Chipmunk Tamias sibiricus
Eastern Chipmunk Tamias striatus
Red-tailed Chipmunk Tamias ruficaudus
Yellow Pine Chipmunk Tamias amoenus
Swinhoe's Striped Squirrel Tamiops swinhoei
Maritime Striped Squirrel Tamiops maritimus
Himalayan Striped Squirrel Tamiops macclellandi
Grey-bellied Squirrel Callosciurus caniceps
Plantain Squirrel Callosciurus notatus
Irrawaddy Squirrel Callosciurus pygerythrus
Pallas' (Red-bellied) Squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus
Slender Squirrel Sundasciurus tenuis
Red-legged Sun Squirrel Heliosciurus rufobrachium
Striped Ground Squirrel Xerus erythropus
Pere David's Rock Squirrel Sciurotamias davidianus
European Souslik Spermophilus citellus
Long-tailed Ground Squirrel Spermophilus undulatus
Piute Ground Squirrel Spermophilus mollis
Mexican Ground Squirrel Spermophilus mexicanus
Columbian Ground Squirrel Spermophilus columbianus
California Ground Squirrel Otospermophilus beecheyi
Rock Squirrel Otospermophilus variegatus
Harris's Antelope Squirrel Ammospermophilus harrisii
Idaho Ground Squirrel Urocitellus brunneus
Uinta Ground Squirrel Urocitellus armatus
Franklin's Ground Squirrel Poliocitellus franklinii
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel Callospermophilus lateralis
Black-tailed Prairie Dog Cynomys ludovicianus
Groundhog Marmota monax
Yellow-bellied Marmot Marmota flaviventris
Alpine marmot Marmota marmota
Siberian Marmot Marmota sibirica
Common Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus
Coypu/Nutria Myocastor coypus
House Mouse Mus musculus/domesticus
Long-tailed Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus
Yellow-necked Wood Mouse Apodemus flavicollis
Striped Field Mouse Apodemus agrarius
Harvest Mouse Micromys minutus
Black Rat Rattus rattus
Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus
Cotton Hispid Rat Sigmodon hispidus
Australian Water Rat Hydromys chrysogaster
Edible dormouse Glis glis
Bank Vole Myodes glareolus
Northern Water Vole Arvicola terrestris/amphibius
Mongolian Five-toed Jerboa Allactaga sibirica
Mongolian Three-toed Jerboa Dipus sagitta
American Beaver Castor canadensis
North American Porcupine Erethizon dorsatum

Pallas' Pika Ochotona pallasii
Black-lipped (Plateau) Pika Ochotona curzoniae
Gansu Pika Ochotona cansus
Moupin Pika Ochotona thibetana
European Brown Hare Lepus europaeus
Tolai Hare Lepus tolai
Snowshoe Hare Lepus americanus
Black-tailed Jack-rabbit Lepus californicus
European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus
Eastern Cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus
Desert Cottontail Sylvilagus audubonii
Mountain Cottontail Sylvilagus nuttallii

Grey-headed Flying Fox Pteropus poliocephalus
Samoan Flying Fox Pteropus samoensis
Long-tongued Fruit Bat Eonycteris spelaea
Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus
Nathusius' Pipistrelle Pipistrellus nathusii
Savi's Pipistrelle Hypsugo (Pipistrellus) savii
Serotine Bat Eptesicus serotinus
Big Brown Bat Eptesicus fuscus
Daubenton's Bat Myotis daubentonii
Little Brown Bat Myotis lucifugus
Long-fingered (Cappacini's) Bat Myotis capaccinii
Geoffrey's Bat Myotis emarginatus
Greater Mouse-eared Bat Myotis myotis
Common Noctule Nyctalus noctula
Greater Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum
Lesser Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus hipposideros
Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus euryale
Grey Long-eared Bat Plecotus austriacus
Brown Long-eared Bat Plecotus auritus
European Free-tailed Bat Tadarida teniotis
Yellow-winged Bat Lavia frons

Greater Hedgehog Tenrec Setifer setosus

European Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus
Eurasian Common Shrew Sorex araneus
Greater White-toothed Shrew Crocidura russula
Pygmy Shrew Sorex minutus
Chinese Mole-shrew Anourosorex squamipes
European Mole Talpa europaea

Colugo Cynocephalus variegatus

Greater Tree-shrew Tupaia glis

Demidoff's Bushbaby Galagoides demidovii
Rufous Mouse Lemur Microcebus rufus
Grey Bamboo Lemur Hapalemur griseus
White fronted Lemur Eulemur albifrons
Black & White Ruffed Lemur Varecia variegata
Diademed Sifaka Propithecus diadema
Indri Indri indri
Red-tailed Monkey Cercopithecus ascanius
L'Hoests Monkey Cercopithecus lhoesti
Vervet Monkey Chlorocebus pygerythrus
Patas Monkey Erythrocebus patas
Grey-cheeked Mangabey Lophocebus albigena
Olive Baboon Papio anubis
Tibetan Macaque Macaca thibetanus
Crab-eating Macaque Macaca fascicularis
Southern Pig-tailed Macaque Macaca nemestrina
Rhesus Macaque Macaca mulatta
Eastern Guereza Colobus guereza
Ugandan Red Colobus Piliocolobus tephrosceles
Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Rhinopithecus bieti
White-thighed Langur Presbytis siamensis
Dusky Langur Trachypithecus obscurus
Silvered Langur Trachypithecus cristatus
Siamang Symphalangus syndactylus
Common Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes
Mountain Gorilla Gorilla beringei

Przewalski's Horse Equus ferus przewalskii
Feral Horse Equus caballus
Plains Zebra Equus quagga

Southern White Rhino Ceratotherium simum

Reeves' Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi
Chinese Water Deer Hydropotes inermis
European Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus
European Fallow Deer Dama dama
White-Tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus
Mule Deer Odocoileus hemionus
Red Deer Cervus elaphus
Wapiti Cervus canadensis
Sika Cervus nippon
Sambar Cervus unicolor
Pere David's Deer Elaphus davidianus
Caribou Rangifer tarandus
Moose Alces americanus

Pronghorn Antilocapra americana

Tibetan Gazelle Procapra picticaudata
Impala Aepyceros melampus
Common Duiker Sylvicapra grimmia
Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus
Kob Kobus kob
Bushbuck Tragelaphus sylvaticus
Oribi Ourebia ourebi
Hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus
Topi Damaliscus lunatus

Dall Sheep Ovis dalli
Bighorn Sheep Ovis canadensis
Argali Ovis ammon
Siberian Ibex Capra sibirica
Chamois Rupicapra rupicapra
Pyrenean chamois Rupicapra pyrenaica
Bharal (Blue Sheep) Pseudois nayaur
Takin Budorcas taxicolor
Musk-Ox Ovibos moschatus

African Buffalo Syncerus caffer
American Bison Bison bison

Common Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius

Wild Pig Sus scrofa
Common Warthog Phacochoerus africanus

Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis

African Elephant Loxodonta africana

West Indian Manatee Trichechus manatus

Brown Bear Ursus arctos
American Black Bear Ursus americanus
Dingo Canis dingo
Coyote Canis latrans
Red Fox Vulpes vulpes
Arctic Fox Vulpes lagopus
Tibetan fox Vulpes ferrilata
American Grey Fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus
Raccoon Dog Nyctereutes procyonoides
Lion Panthera leo
Leopard Panthera pardus
Bobcat Lynx rufus
Feral Cat Felis (silvestris) catus
Leopard Cat Prionailurus bengalensis
Spotted Hyaena Crocuta crocuta
Red Panda Ailurus fulgens
Least Weasel Mustela nivalis
Stoat Mustela erminea
Mountain Weasel Mustela altaica
American Mink Neovison vison
Beech Marten Martes foina
Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale perspicillata
Eurasian Badger Meles meles
Hog Badger Arctonyx collaris
American Badger Taxidea taxus
Striped Skunk Mephitis mephitis
Dwarf Mongoose Helogale parvula
Ring-tailed Mongoose Galidia elegans
Brown-tailed Mongoose Salanoia concolor
Common Raccoon Procyon lotor

Harbor/Common Seal Phoca vitulina
California Sea Lion Zalophus californianus
Australian Fur Seal Arctocephalus pusillus
New Zealand Fur Seal Arctocephalus forsteri
Northern Elephant Seal Mirounga angustirostris

Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus
Short-beaked Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis
Hector’s Dolphin Cephalorhynchus hectori
Killer Whale/Orca Orcinus orca
Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae