ZooChat Big Year 2015

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I headed for the South coast this weekend with a specific lifer in mind:

127. Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus)

This turned out to be much simpler than I expected and left me with most of Saturday and all of Sunday to pick up some further year ticks:

128. Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
129. Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta)
130. Red-throated Diver (Gavia stellata)
131. Bearded Tit (Panurus biarmicus)
132. Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)
133. Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
134. Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)
135. Smew (Mergellus albellus)

Although I'm not keeping a mammal tally, I was pleased to complete my set of British deer with my first wild Sika at RSPB Arne.
 
zooboy28 said:
I'm on the board now, with a few species from around Melbourne, including some seen around the Yarra Valley yesterday:

Birds:
1 Spotted Turtle Dove Spilopelia chinensis
2 Indian Myna Acridotheres tristis
3 Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
4 Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
5 Common Blackbird Turdus merula
6 Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novehollandiae
7 House Sparrow Passer domesticus
8 Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
9 Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
10 Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
11 Australasian Coot Fulica atra australis
12 Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus
13 Magpie Lark Grallina cyanoleuca
14 Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
15 Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
16 Little Raven Corvus mellori
17 Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
18 Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
19 Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
20 Great Egret Ardea modesta
21 White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae
22 Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos
23 Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio
24 Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
25 Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
26 Suberb Fairy Wren Malurus cyaneus
27 Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
28 Bronzewing Pigeon Phaps chalcoptera
29 Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca
30 Galah Elophus roseicapillus
31 Red-browed Finch Neochmia temporalis
32 Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
33 Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata
34 Chestnut Teal Anas castanea
35 Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
36 Australian King Parrot Alisterus scapularis

Mammals:
1 Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula
2 European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus
3 Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus
Click to expand...

Have seen a few more local species, plus a reasonable number from a trip to Wilson's Promontory National Park and surrounds:

Birds:
37 Musk Lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna
38 Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae novaehollandiae
39 Feral Pigeon Columba livia domestica
40 Black Swan Cygnus atratus
41 White-headed Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus
42 Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis
43 Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
44 Grey Teal Anas gracilis
45 Yellow-billed Spoonbill Platalea flavipes
46 Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis
47 Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius
48 Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides
49 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
50 Hooded Dotteral Thinornis cucullatus
51 Silvereye Zosterops lateralis
52 White-bellied Cuckoo Shrike Coracina papuensis
53 Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis
54 Pacific Gull Larus pacificus
55 Australian Shoveller Anas rhynchotis
56 Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
57 Grey Shrike Thrush Colluricincla harmonica
58 Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
59 Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae
60 White-fronted Chat Epthianura albifrons
61 Blue-winged Parrot Neophema chrysostoma
62 Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus funereus
63 Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus
64 New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
65 Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor
66 Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii
67 Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis
68 Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
69 Red Knot Calidris canutus
70 Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans
71 Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae

Mammals:
4 Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus
5 Short-beacked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus
6 Koala Phascolarctos cinereus
7 Common Wombat Vombatus ursinus
8 Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor
9 Red Fox Vulpes vulpes
 
zooboy28 said:
Have seen a few more local species, plus a reasonable number from a trip to Wilson's Promontory National Park and surrounds:

Birds:
37 Musk Lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna
38 Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae novaehollandiae
39 Feral Pigeon Columba livia domestica
40 Black Swan Cygnus atratus
41 White-headed Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus
42 Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis
43 Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
44 Grey Teal Anas gracilis
45 Yellow-billed Spoonbill Platalea flavipes
46 Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis
47 Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius
48 Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides
49 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
50 Hooded Dotteral Thinornis cucullatus
51 Silvereye Zosterops lateralis
52 White-bellied Cuckoo Shrike Coracina papuensis
53 Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis
54 Pacific Gull Larus pacificus
55 Australian Shoveller Anas rhynchotis
56 Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
57 Grey Shrike Thrush Colluricincla harmonica
58 Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
59 Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae
60 White-fronted Chat Epthianura albifrons
61 Blue-winged Parrot Neophema chrysostoma
62 Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus funereus
63 Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus
64 New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
65 Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor
66 Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii
67 Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis
68 Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
69 Red Knot Calidris canutus
70 Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans
71 Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae

Mammals:
4 Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus
5 Short-beacked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus
6 Koala Phascolarctos cinereus
7 Common Wombat Vombatus ursinus
8 Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor
9 Red Fox Vulpes vulpes
Click to expand...

Very nice!

Where did you see these birds?

- Hooded Dotteral (we call it a Hooded Plover here :D)
- White-bellied Cuckoo Shrike (there hasn't been an eBird record in 2015 of this species within 2 hours drive of Melbourne)
- Blue-winged Parrot
- Eastern Curlew
- Bar-tailed Godwit
- Red Knot
 
nanoboy said:
Very nice!

Where did you see these birds?

- Hooded Dotteral (we call it a Hooded Plover here :D)
- White-bellied Cuckoo Shrike (there hasn't been an eBird record in 2015 of this species within 2 hours drive of Melbourne)
- Blue-winged Parrot
- Eastern Curlew
- Bar-tailed Godwit
- Red Knot
Click to expand...

Thanks. I went out to Wilson's Prom for a long weekend (Fri-Sun), and spent Friday heading along the Bass Coast to Walkerville (where we stayed for the trip). The Hooded Plovers (a pair) were spotted at The Oaks, a beach on Cape Patterson. The White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrikes were spotted a little further along at another lookout, but they shouldn't yet be on the list as I haven't definitely figured out what they were (I'm fairly bad at IDs, so they're probably something else if not found around Melbourne).

On Saturday, (awful weather in the morning) we spent the day at the Prom, and our first walk was out to Cotter's Beach, and en route we saw a flock of some 15 parrots, which I think were Blue-wingeds. Unless they were Orange-bellieds, but they didn't have any orange, and I think thats unlikely.

On Sunday we headed further east, and visited the Toora bird hide which looks across Corner Inlet, a Ramsar site. There were large numbers of birds here, including those last three species, as well as lots of Black Swans, which was a bit odd (seeing them in salt water).

I'll put a couple of photos up in the To Be Id'd gallery, and you (and everyone else) can check the ones I'm unsure about.
 
Nice. I'm no good with waders myself.

It could well be a White-bellied Cuckooshrike, but it is more probably a Black-faced Cuckooshrike. A pic should tell.

The 15 parrots were probably Blue-winged Parrots rather than OBPs. ;)
 
zooboy28 said:
Birds:
52 White-bellied Cuckoo Shrike Coracina papuensis
Click to expand...

So, I'll take this one out as it was mis-ID'd, and replace it with:
52. Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla

And add in a species seen today:
72. Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia
 
lintworm said:
Still a lot of working inside all day, without any real opportunity to go outside, but I managed 2 new bird species when bicycling to and from the train station

72. Song trush
73. Goldfinch
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From a bicycle trip to Germany and back to get some good German bread and Kuchen :p

74. Gadwall
75. Rook

and after an Ajax soccer match:
6. European rabbit
 
Went on a brief recce to Abberton Reservoir today. As well as having very good views of a male goosander and a male smew, also managed to add another two new birds for the year list:

90. Water rail Rallus aquaticus
91. Greater white-fronted goose Anser albifrons

Also investigated a new nearby site called Shut Heath Wood with lots of potential - there have been recent and regular sightings of lesser spotted woodpeckers, marsh tits, woodcock, nuthatch and treecreeper (all scarce birds in our neck of the woods). Going to go back this Saturday for a full visit.
 
Ituri said:
127 Eurasian Wigeon
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Took a very quick trip over to the Seattle area and back. Didn't have much time for birding but I did pick up a few year birds and mammals.

From the waterfront near Olympic Sculpture Park:

128 Surf Scoter
129 Horned Grebe
130 Red-necked Grebe
131 Pelagic Cormorant
132 Pigeon Guillemot
133 Bushtit

From the Seattle-Winslow Ferry
134 Common Loon
135 Glaucous-winged Gull

From Fort Ward State Park on the south end of Bainbridge Island:
136 Harlequin Duck
137 Western Gull
138 Anna's Hummingbird
139 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
140 Golden-crowned Sparrow

Ituri said:
MAMMALS
12 Long-tailed Weasel
Click to expand...

Also picked up a few year mammals:
13 Douglas's Squirrel
14 Harbor Seal
15 California Sea Lion
16 Eastern Gray Squirrel
 
DesertRhino150 said:
Also investigated a new nearby site called Shut Heath Wood with lots of potential - there have been recent and regular sightings of lesser spotted woodpeckers, marsh tits, woodcock, nuthatch and treecreeper (all scarce birds in our neck of the woods). Going to go back this Saturday for a full visit.
Click to expand...

Went to Shut Heath Wood earlier this morning. Although the lesser spotted woodpecker remained elusive, did manage to add three new birds to the year list:

92. Mistle thrush Turdus viscivorus
93. Eurasian nuthatch Sitta europaea
94. Common treecreeper Certhia familiaris
 
48) Kea Nestor notabilis
49) NZ Tomtit Petroica macrocephala
50) Rock Wren Xenicus gilviventris
51) Rifleman Acanthisitta chloris
52) Grey Warbler Gerygone igata
53) NZ Robin Petroica australis
54) Redpoll Carduelis flammea
55) Brown Creeper Mohoua (Finschia) novaeseelandiae

These birds were from this weekend at Arthurs Pass, in the Southern Alps. Of note (for those nerdy in both birds and taxonomy) the Rock Wren and Rifleman are the only two surviving species in the NZ-endemic family Acanthisittidae. There were formerly seven species until humans arrived in the country. Four of the extinct species were almost certainly flightless (which is unusual amongst passerines), and the fifth was weakly-flighted (that last one was the Bush Wren which became extinct in the 1970s). Riflemen are still pretty common in NZ forests (imagine a feather-covered golfball and you've got a good likeness) but the Rock Wren - poorly-flighted and entirely terrestrial - is an alpine inhabitant because only above the tree-line is it largely free of the introduced mammalian predators. It is a particularly cool little bird because it lives amongst boulder screes and in the winter when everything is covered in thick blankets of snow, it just carries on life as normal under the snow, cruising around between the crevices in the boulders.
 
Birds:
1. Common Raven
2. Black-billed Magpie
3. Rock Dove
4. Bohemian Waxwing
5. Black-capped Chickadee
6. Bald Eagle
7. Mallard
8. Steller Jay
9. European Starling

Mammals:
1. Red-backed Vole
2. Red Fox
3. Moose
4. Arctic Fox
 
mstickmanp said:
Did some birding before work today.

173. Yellow-headed Parrot
174. Red-crowned Parrot
175. Mitred Parakeet
176. Blue-crowned Parakeet
177. Red-breasted Merganser
178. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Today was parrot morning. They were everywhere!
Click to expand...

Birding before work again, but only got one new bird.

179. Cliff Swallow
 
lintworm said:
From a bicycle trip to Germany and back to get some good German bread and Kuchen :p

74. Gadwall
75. Rook

and after an Ajax soccer match:
6. European rabbit
Click to expand...

After a day of walking / birding in the Sallandse heuvelrug:


76. Lesser spotted woodpecker
77. Greater spotted woodpecker
78. Green woodpecker
79. Goldcrest
80. Firecrest
81. Sparrowhawk
82. Redwing
83. Treecreeper
84. Crossbill
85. European partridge
86. Reed bunting

We missed the great grey shrike and the last black grouse of the Netherlands, but it was still an enjoyable day.
 
Last edited:
Some north-west birding added a few more this weekend:

136. Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)
137. Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
138. Willow Tit (Poecile montana)
139. Great White Egret (Ardea alba)
140. Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)
141. Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)

Also, a mammal lifer for the second weekend in succession with a Harvest Mouse (Micromys minutus) stranded by the high tide at Parkgate.
 
LaughingDove said:
I just thought that I would mention that tomorrow I will be going for a short trip to Tanzania, and although it will be a largely community service trip, I am hoping to fit a bit of birding and maybe some mammaling in as well. So I will be back in 8 days with hopefully a few species to add to my year list and life list.
:)
Click to expand...


I have just got back from my trip to Tanzania, I have a few species that I need identifying so will be uploading pictures to the gallery and I will also shortly be writing up a little trip report but I have over 100 bird species from the trip which in the end turned out to be more like half birding and safari and half community service. It's nice to be back in a wifi zone though :p!
 
Was back in Bangor this weekend for a (fantastic) Uni reunion, allowing some good North Walian birding - including one massively overdue lifer (which turned up first where it was meant to be, Holyhead harbour, and then had the barefaced cheek to show up in numbers at Bangor pier, less than half a mile from where I used to live!).

85. Common Scoter - Melanitta nigra
86. Eurasian Rock Pipit - Anthus petrosus
87. European Shag - Phalacrocorax aristotelis
88. Black Guillemot - Cepphus grylle
89. Red-breasted Merganser - Mergus serrator
90. Common Guillemot - Uria aalge
91. Northern Fulmar - Fulmarus glacialis
92. Razorbill - Alca torda
93. Red-billed Chough - Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
94. Common Raven - Corvus corax
95. European Stonechat - Saxicola rubicula
96. Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres
97. Common Greenshank - Tringa nebularia

5. Harbour Porpoise - Phocoena phocoena


:)
 
Hevden said:
A few more fairly locally this weekend

123. Waxwing
124. Garganey
125. Tawny owl
126. Long-eared owl
127. Stock dove
Click to expand...

A long drive to cornwall this weekend gave me what might be the best days birding this year and included my first two tick day for many years.

128. King Eider
129. Fulmar
130. Gannet
131. Ring-billed Gull
132. Slavonian Grebe
133. Great Northern Diver
134. Pacific Diver
135. Little Bunting
136. Stonechat

And a few more on the way home today

137. Avocet
138. Greenshank
139. Cirl Bunting (thanks to Robmv for an excellent site for what can be a difficult species)
 
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