ZooChat Big Year 2014

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Hevden said:
After a trip down south

167. Dartford Warbler
168. Tree Pipit
169. Whitethroat
170. Ringed Plover
171. Kentish Plover
172. Cirl Bunting
173. Sedge Warbler
174. Cuckoo
175. Hobby
176. Garden Warbler
177. Swift
178. Great White Egret
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A weekend in Norfolf may have been a bit early but added a few more to my year list.

179. Corn Bunting
180. Red-crested Pochard
181. Arctic Tern
182. Common Tern
183. Little Tern
184. Sandwich Tern
185. Bar-tailed Godwit
186. Bearded Tit
187.Green Sandpiper
188. Egyptian Goose
189. Nightjar
190. Stone Curlew
191. Turtle Dove

A few surprising changes since my last visit to Norfolk. Apparently Nightingale haven't been at salthouse heath for two years. Nobody seemed to know of a reliable Honey Buzzard or Montague's Harrier site (it may have just been too early). Turtle Doves and Yellow Wagtails have become extremely rare.
 
Good effort Hevden! I'm hoping to catch up with several of those species myself over the coming weekend. Was the Nightjar sighting at Salthouse Heath? Where did you manage to catch up with the Turtle Dove in the end?
 
Hix said:
Well...... echidna - twice!

:p

Hix
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Well then. I don't think I have anything that can top that for mammals this year. Though my manatee from last year might. I'll be back in Florida later this year so maybe I'll see another one. Until then, you've won this round Hix!!;)

~Thylo:cool:
 
I would love to see a manatee in the wild - that's one species you've seen that I haven't!

:p

Hix
 
robmv said:
Good effort Hevden! I'm hoping to catch up with several of those species myself over the coming weekend. Was the Nightjar sighting at Salthouse Heath? Where did you manage to catch up with the Turtle Dove in the end?
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Yes the Nightjar was at Salthouse Heath but not as easy as they have been in the past. Although at least four were churring only one was actually seen and it was an ideal night. I only heard one Turtle Dove purr briefly at Weeting at the top of the woodland walk, I also had Woodlark and Tree Pipit up there. Follow the footpath to the top of the hill but instead of following the walk around to the left go straight ahead for a few hundred yards. Turtle Doves and Yellow Wagtails are also regularly seen at Choseley but I've heard it's better in the evenings, Corn Buntings are easy there. I was told that Kelling Heath still has Nightingale and it's worth going for Dartford Warbler. Also of note Golden Oriole are practically impossible. Only one at Lakenheath last year and none so far this year. If you hear any information on things I missed please let me know I may make a return trip in a few weeks.
 
mstickmanp said:
Went birding before work today and got two more birds!

198. Hermit Warbler
199. Warbling Vireo

At the beginning of the year my goal was to hopefully see 100 birds for my first year of birding. When I reached that goal I changed it to 200. Now I'm only one bird away, so my new goal is 250.
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So I finally got my 200th bird, and in my backyard!

200. MacGillivray's Warbler
 
Hevden - thanks for the tips. I plan on visiting most, if not all, of the places you mention so it will be interesting to compare notes when I return.
 
MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA):

BIRDS:

On the way to, and at, the Royal Botanic Gardens:
455) Silver gull Larus novaehollandiae
456) Little black cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
457) Rainbow lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
458) Dusky moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
459) Spur-winged (Masked) plover Vanellus miles
460) Australian magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca
461) Australian crested pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
462) Little wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
463) Australian magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
464) Bell miner Manorina melanophrys
465) Pacific black duck Anas superciliosa
466) Welcome swallow Hirundo neoxena
467) Australian darter Anhinga novaehollandiae
468) Willy wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
469) White-browed scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
470) European blackbird Turdus merula
471) Waxeye Zosterops lateralis
472) Grey fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
473) Little pied cormorant Phalacrocorax melanoleucos
474) Nankeen night heron Nycticorax caledonicus
475) Noisy miner Manorina melanocephala
476) Little raven Corvus mellori

Sherbrooke Forest (the Dandenongs):
477) Greater sulphur-crested cockatoo Cacatua galerita
478) Common kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
479) Brown thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
480) Crimson rosella Platycercus elegans
481) Long-billed corella Cacatua tenuirostris
482) Galah Cacatua roseicapilla
483) Eastern spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
484) Eastern yellow robin Eopsaltria australis
485) White-throated treecreeper Cormobates leucophaea
486) Grey shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica
487) Superb lyrebird Menura novaehollandiae

Banyule Flats Reserve:
488) Redrump parakeet Psephotus haematonotus
489) Superb fairy wren Malurus cyaneus
490) Chestnut teal Anas castanea
491) Grey teal Anas gracilis
492) White-eyed duck Aythya australis
493) Australian little grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
494) Crested shrike-tit Falcunculus frontatus
495) Spotted pardalote Pardalotus punctatus
496) Yellow-faced honeyeater Lichenostomus chrysops
497) Straw-necked ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
498) Australian wood duck Chenonetta jubata
499) White-faced heron Ardea novaehollandiae
500) Golden whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
501) Banded rail Gallirallus philippensis
502) Pied currawong Strepera graculina

St. Kilda:
503) Red wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata
504) Black swan Cygnus atrata
505) Little blue penguin Eudyptula minor

Lillydale Lake Park:
506) Australian white ibis Threskiornis molucca
507) Australian raven Corvus coronoides
508) Grey butcherbird Cracticus torquatus



MAMMALS:


Banyule Flats Reserve:
66) Eastern grey kangaroo Macropus giganteus
67) Swamp wallaby Wallabia bicolor

Flagstaff Gardens:
68) Common brush-tailed possum Trichosurus vulpecula
 
thanks. I didn't quite get there last year. If I can get to 535 it will be my biggest year list yet -- and that won't be hard to reach now.
 
mstickmanp said:
So I finally got my 200th bird, and in my backyard!

200. MacGillivray's Warbler
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So today I went to the San Bernardino mountains by my house to look for Black Swifts, American Dippers, and other mountain species. I had the possibility of getting around 20 species, but I only got 7...

201. Hairy Woodpecker
202. Mountain Chickadee
203. Red-breasted Nuthatch
204. White-breasted Nuthatch
205. American Dipper
206. Purple Finch
207. Cassin's Finch

I will give this place another try next week to get the species I missed.
 
Rotten day (and week) at work so, in need of cheering up, I took myself off up Stanage Edge this evening to try to break another of my more frustrating multiple-misses of the past, as well as hopefully pick up a couple of other upland passerines I was still missing for the ol' Big Year. Three species targeted, and three achieved! Rare for things to go that smoothly with wildlife! :D

248. European Stonechat - Saxicola rubicola
249. Ring Ouzel - Turdus torquatus
250. Northern Wheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe

:)
 
Rained off even earlier than I expected at Carr Vale today, but not before seeing:

251. Common Tern - Sterna hirundo
 
Hevden said:
179. Corn Bunting
180. Red-crested Pochard
181. Arctic Tern
182. Common Tern
183. Little Tern
184. Sandwich Tern
185. Bar-tailed Godwit
186. Bearded Tit
187.Green Sandpiper
188. Egyptian Goose
189. Nightjar
190. Stone Curlew
191. Turtle Dove
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Managed an early trip to Anglesey today before the rain set in.

192. Razorbill
193. Manx Shearwater
194. Chough
195. Rock Pipit
196. Black Guillemot

Off to chesterfield now, hopefully Nottinghamshire will give me a few more.
 
Last of the spring migrants today. Summer is right around the corner, which means no more new birds around here for a while.

280 White-rumped Sandpiper - Calidris fuscicollis
281 Yellow-billed Cuckoo - Coccyzus americanus
282 Olive-sided Flycatcher - Contopus cooperi
283 Blackburnian Warbler - Setophaga fusca
284 Upland Sandpiper - Bartramia longicauda

With bird 284, I officially passed last year's total of 283. :D
 
Maguari said:
Rained off even earlier than I expected at Carr Vale today, but not before seeing:

251. Common Tern - Sterna hirundo
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Local pottering continued to Avenue Washlands, Cromford and Carsington over the weekend and bank holiday Monday, with a steady trickle of new species for the year:

252. Common Chiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita
253. White-breasted Dipper - Cinclus cinclus
254. Little Ringed Plover - Charadrius dubius

16. Common Frog - Rana temporaria


Just for interest, my UK-only bird list is at 113 (Sparrowhawk, Barn Swallow and Sand Martin seen first overseas but since then in the UK - Green Woodpecker still frustratingly only seen in Germany!).


:)
 
Just back from a long and exhausting, but highly enjoyable, weekend in East Anglia. All together, I managed 117 species, of which 23 were new for the year. Here's the full list with the year ticks 161 to 183 in bold:

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor), Greylag Goose (Anser anser), Canada Goose (Branta canadensis), Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis), Brent Goose (Branta bernicla), Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca), Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna), Wigeon (Anas penelope), Gadwall (Anas strepera), Teal (Anas crecca), Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Garganey (Anas querquedula), Shoveler (Anas clypeata), Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina), Pochard (Aythya ferina), Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula), Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa), Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix), Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), Bittern (Botaurus stellaris), Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis), Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus), Red Kite (Milvus milvus), Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), Hobby (Falco subbuteo), Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus), Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), Coot (Fulica atra), Stone-curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus), Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola), Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius), Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula), Curlew (Numenius arquata), Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa), Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica), Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), Knot (Calidris canutus), Dunlin (Calidris alpina), Redshank (Tringa totanus), Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), Little Tern (Sternula albifrons), Sandwich Tern (Sterna sandvicensis), Common Tern (Sterna hirundo), Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Common Gull (Larus canus), Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus), Herring Gull (Larus argentatus), Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus), Stock Dove (Columba oenas), Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto), Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur), Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), Barn Owl (Tyto alba), Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus), Swift (Apus apus), Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis), Magpie (Pica pica), Jay (Garrulus glandarius), Jackdaw (Corvus monedula), Rook (Corvus frugilegus), Carrion Crow (Corvus corone), Goldcrest (Regulus regulus), Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), Great Tit (Parus major), Coal Tit (Periparus ater), Bearded Tit (Panurus biarmicus), Woodlark (Lullula arborea), Skylark (Alauda arvensis), Sand Martin (Riparia riparia), Swallow (Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Delichon urbicum), Cetti's Warbler (Cettia cetti), Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus), Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus), Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin), Whitethroat (Sylvia communis), Dartford Warbler (Sylvia undata), Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella naevia), Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus), Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), Blackbird (Turdus merula), Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos), Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus), Robin (Erithacus rubecula), Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos), Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros), Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola), Dunnock (Prunella modularis), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea), Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba), Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis), Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis), Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), Greenfinch (Chloris chloris), Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), Siskin (Carduelis spinus), Linnet (Carduelis cannabina), Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella), Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus), Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra)

The Grasshopper Warbler and Woodcock were life ticks, a relief in the case of the latter as this was easily the commonest species missing from my life list.

It was also a decent weekend for mammals with good views of Brown Hare, Stoat and Roe Deer. Bizarrely, a Mole appeared out of nowhere at Lakenheath Fen, charged down the path towards me, ran straight into my shoe and then veered off into the undergrowth. And so went my first encounter with a live mole!
 
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