ZooChat Big Year 2016

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And now you're back home how about a rundown of your visit to our sunny island! I would love an Americans view on British collections firsthand. ;)

Yes I definitely plan on making a thread. Only reason I didn't make one beforehand was because I knew I wouldn't keep up with it during the trip. I just hope the days don't blend together too much!:p

~Thylo:cool:
 
Quiet month wildlife-wise for me so far, just an invertebrate update (two butterflies and a dragonfly) from around Chesterfield:

90. Holly Blue - Celastrina argiolus
91. Purple Hairstreak - Neozephyrus quercus
92. Southern Hawker - Aeshna cyanea

:)
 
First birds from Afar:

437. Striolated bunting

438. Yellow-bellied barbet
439. Red-fronted warbler
440. European roller

New birds are coming only slowly after 9 weeks in E-African drylands, but I saw bird 899 for my life list:

441. Blackstart
442. Upcher's warbler
443. Eastern yellow-billed hornbill

Mammals

73. Gerenuk

Additionally multiple African golden wolf/jackals, I am amazed by the pelage and size variation among them, where you more often see the larger wolf like animals in pairs / trios and the smaller more uniformly coloured individuals single. I do not think we have heard the last of this taxonomic puzzle...

We also saw very fresh footprints of lion, so we are trying again next week ;)
 
I spent the day at Kaikoura today. I couldn't go out on the boats so I had a wander round the peninsula and did some sea-watching. Not really any tubenoses close enough for IDing, but a couple of cetaceans were.


BIRDS:
53) Grey warbler Gerygone igata

MAMMALS:
4) NZ fur seal Arctocephalus forsteri
5) Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus
6) Dusky dolphin Lagenorhynchus obscurus
 
New birds are coming only slowly after 9 weeks in E-African drylands, but I saw bird 899 for my life list:

441. Blackstart
442. Upcher's warbler
443. Eastern yellow-billed hornbill

Mammals

73. Gerenuk

Additionally multiple African golden wolf/jackals, I am amazed by the pelage and size variation among them, where you more often see the larger wolf like animals in pairs / trios and the smaller more uniformly coloured individuals single. I do not think we have heard the last of this taxonomic puzzle...

We also saw very fresh footprints of lion, so we are trying again next week ;)

I saw my 900th lifer this week with a:

444. Black-crowned sparrow lark

445. White-browed scrub robin
446. Grey wren-warbler
 
Got back from a week in Norfolk - because of the time of year there was little in the way of new birds, but did still manage to add two new species together with one mammal, one amphibian, two butterflies and one dragonfly:

140. Eurasian spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
141. Little stint Calidris minuta

I have had a couple of birding trips since returning from Norfolk. The first was a morning at Rutland Water after spending the previous day at Birdfair. Despite the rough weather, I managed the two main specialty species for the area:

142. Osprey Pandion haliaetus
143. Eurasian tree sparrow Passer montanus

And earlier today I went on a trip down to Heybridge Basin (partly to celebrate it being saved from development) and in doing so managed two new sandpipers for the year, one of them a lifer species:

144. Common sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
145. Curlew sandpiper Calidris ferruginea (Nt)
 
I definitely, definitely need to work out what I have seen in the last few months; I am on the Isle of Arran and in the last 48 hours have picked up about six year-mammals!
 
Finally some new birds for August, from a day communing with the Calidrises at Frampton. Also a new dragonfly and butterfly as a bonus.

Birds:
332. Little Stint - Calidris minuta
333. Curlew Sandpiper - Calidris ferruginea

Invertebrates:
93. Migrant Hawker - Aeshna mixta
94. Comma - Polygonia c-album

Also another grass snake - I'm now up to four individual wild snakes in 2016 after seeing a grand total of two in the preceding five years (and neither of them in the UK).
 
I've been putting this off for way too long, so I finally decided to make work of it! Since it has been quite a while since I updated (and quite frankly I can't remember when) I'll just start again from day one, and since I've been to many countries I split them up per country or trip.

MAMMALS:

Belgium:
1) European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus
2) Eurasian red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris
3) House mouse, Mus musculus
4) Stoat, Mustela nivalis

Netherlands:
5) European hare, Lepus europaeus
6) Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus

Singapore:
7) Lesser dog-faced fruit bat, Cynopterus brachyotis
8) Dusky fruit bat, Penthetor lucasi
9) Malayan colugo, Galeopteris variegatus
10) Crab-eating macaque, Macaca fascicularis
11) Plantain squirrel, Callosciurus notatus
12) Slender squirrel, Sundasciurus tenuis
13) Smooth-coated otter, Lutrogale perspicillata
14) Wild boar, Sus scrofa

Indonesia (Bali + Java):
15) Javan langur, Trachypithecus auratus
16) Indian muntjac, Muntiacus muntjak
17) Javan rusa, Rusa timorensis

Germany + Poland + Czech Republic:
18) Bank vole, Myodes glareolus
19) Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus

Ireland + Northern Ireland:
20) Red fox, Vulpes vulpes

BIRDS:

Belgium:
1) Great crested grebe, Podiceps cristatus
2) Little grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis
3) Great egret, Ardea alba
4) Grey heron, Ardea cinerea
5) White stork, Ciconia ciconia
6) Canada goose, Branta canadensis
7) Mute swan, Cygnus olor
8) Egyptian goose, Alopochen aegyptiaca
9) Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
10) Ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus
11) Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
12) Eurasian coot, Fulica atra
13) Eurasian oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus
14) Herring gull, Larus argentatus
15) Mew gull, Larus canus
16) Black-headed gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
17) Eurasian hobby, Falco subbuteo
18) Rock pigeon, Columba livia
19) Common wood pigeon, Columba palumbus
20) Eurasian collared pigeon, Streptopelia decaocto
21) Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica
22) Eurasian wren, Troglodytes troglodytes
23) Common blackbird, Turdus merula
24) Song thrush, Turdus philomelos
25) Savi's warbler, Locustella luscinioides
26) Common redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus
27) Blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus
28) Great tit, Parus major
29) Carrion crow, Corvus corone
30) Jackdaw, Corvus monedula
31) Common magpie, Pica pica
32) Common starling, Sturnus vulgaris
33) House sparrow, Passer domesticus
34) Eurasian goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis
35) Common chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs

Netherlands:
36) Eurasian teal, Anas crecca

France:
37) Great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
38) Little egret, Egretta garzetta
39) Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna
40) Common buzzard, Buteo buteo buteo
41) Common swift, Apus apus

Singapore:
42) Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis
43) Striated heron, Butorides striata
44) Black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
45) Milky stork, Mycteria cinerea (EN)
46) Painted stork, Mycteria leucocephala
47) Lesser whistling duck, Dendrocygna javanica
48) White-breasted waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus
49) White-bellied sea-eagle, Haliaeetus leucogaster
50) Brahminy kite, Haliastur indus
51) Spotted dove, Spilopelia chinensis
52) Zebra dove, Geopelia striata
53) Pied imperial pigeon, Ducula bicolor
54) Red-breasted parakeet, Psittacula alexandri
55) Long-tailed parakeet, Psittacula longicauda
56) Greater coucal, Centropus sinensis
57) Black-nest swiftlet, Aerodramus maximus
58) Sunda pygmy woodpecker, Yungipicus moluccensis
59) Yellow-vented bulbul, Pycnonotus goiavier
60) Olive-winged bulbul, Pycnonotus plumosus
61) Cream-vented bulbul, Pycnonotus simplex
62) Straw-headed bulbul, Pycnonotus zeylanicus
63) Asian fairy-bluebird, Irena puella
64) White-rumped shama, Copsychus malabaricus
65) Oriental magpie-robin, Copsychus saularis
66) Brown-throated sunbird, Anthreptes malacensis
67) Olive-backed sunbird, Cinnyris jugularis
68) Javan myna, Acridotheres javanicus
69) Asian glossy starling, Aplonis panayensis
70) Eurasian tree sparrow, Passer montanus

Indonesia (Bali + Java):
71) Intermediate egret, Ardea intermedia
72) Great-billed heron, Ardea sumatrana
73) Red junglefowl, Gallus gallus
74) Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus
75) Little tern, Sternula albifrons
76) Common emerald dove, Chalcophaps indica
77) Pink-necked pigeon, Treron vernans
78) Savanna nightjar, Caprimulgus affinis
79) House swift, Apus nipalensis
80) Cave swiftlet, Collocalia linchi
81) Blue-tailed bee-eater, Merops philippinus
82) Collared kingfisher, Todiramphus chloris
83) White-shouldered triller, Lalage sueurii
84) Small minivet, Pericrocotus cinnamomeus
85) Pacific swallow, Hirundo tahitica
86) Black-crested bulbul, Pycnonotus flaviventris
87) Sooty-headed bulbul, Pycnonotus aurigaster
88) Common iora, Aegithina tiphia
89) Grey-headed canary-flycatcher, Culicicapa ceylonensis
90) Pied fantail, Rhipidura javanica
91) Cinereous tit, Parus cinereus
92) Scarlet-headed flowerpecker, Dicaeum trochileum
93) Long-tailed shrike, Lanius schach
94) Ashy drongo, Dicrurus leucophaeus
95) Large-billed crow, Corvus macrorhynchos
96) Bali myna, Leucopsar rothschildi (CR)
97) Streaked weaver, Ploceus manyar
98) Chestnut munia, Lonchura atricapilla
99) Javan munia, Lonchura leucogastroides
100) Scaly-breasted munia, Lonchura punctulata

Germany + Poland + Czech Republic:
101) Greylag goose, Anser anser
102) Bean goose, Anser fabalis
103) Common crane, Grus grus
104) Ring-necked parakeet, Psittacula krameri
105) White wagtail, Motacilla alba
106) Eurasian nuthatch, Sitta europaea
107) Common raven, Corvus corax
108) Hooded crow, Corvus cornix

Ireland + Northern Ireland:
109) Northern fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis
110) European storm petrel, Hydrobates pelagicus
111) Northern gannet, Morus bassanus
112) European shag, Phalacrocorax aristotelis
113) Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres
114) Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos
115) Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus
116) Great black-backed gull, Larus marinus
117) Black guillemot, Cepphus grylle
118) Merlin, Falco columbarius
119) Meadow pipit, Anthus pratensis
120) Coal tit, Periparus ater
121) Rook, Corvus frugilegus
122) Dunnock, Prunella modularis

REPTILES:

Singapore:
1) Green iguana, Iguana iguana
2) Brown anole, Norops sagrei
3) Oriental garden lizard, Calotes versicolor
4) Common gliding lizard, Draco sumatranus
5) Common house gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus
6) Asian water monitor, Varanus salvator

Indonesia (Bali + Java):
7) Green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas (EN)
8) Hawksbill sea turtle, Eretmochelys imbricate (CR)
9) Olive ridley sea turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea

Germany + Poland + Czech Republic:
10) Sand lizard, Lacerta agilis

AMPHIBIANS:

Belgium:
1) Common toad, Bufo bufo

Indonesia (Bali + Java):
2) Asian common toad, Duttaphrynus melanostictus

Germany + Poland + Czech Republic:
3) Edible frog, Pelophylax kl. Esculentus

I'll try to keep up from now on! :D
 
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REPTILES:
Singapore:
1) Green iguana, Iguana iguana
2) Brown anole, Norops sagrei
3) Oriental garden lizard, Calotes versicolor
4) Common gliding lizard, Draco sumatranus
5) Common house gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus
6) Asian water monitor, Varanus salvator
I hadn't heard Brown Anoles were found in Singapore now! I did a quick Google and found some articles about how they have been accidentally introduced to the Gardens By The Bay.
e.g. Brown Anole, a new exotic lizard for Singapore – Bird Ecology Study Group

Were they easy to find there?

I think it might be a good idea if the authorities eradicated them before they get start to spread, though.
 
I did know they were around, but didn't go looking for them at all; would much rather have filled that part of the list with native species, of course. I did see a male and two females in Gardens by the Bay, despite not actively looking for them, so yes, very easy to find.

And yes indeed eradicating them would be the best thing to do, Singapore has enough problems with invasive species already...
 
And earlier today I went on a trip down to Heybridge Basin (partly to celebrate it being saved from development) and in doing so managed two new sandpipers for the year, one of them a lifer species:

144. Common sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
145. Curlew sandpiper Calidris ferruginea (Nt)

A visit to a local coastal site allowed me to pick up a new wader for my life list, that had been hanging around in the area for several days. And on arriving back at home, also saw a large swarm of a lifer dragonfly species.

146. Pectoral sandpiper Calidris melanotos

12. Migrant hawker dragonfly Aeshna mixta
 
totals for the end of August:


BIRDS:

LaughingDove – 587
lintworm – 446
jbnbsn99 – 398
robmv – 352
Ituri – 335
Maguari – 333
boof – 237
Hevden – 220
DesertRhino150 – 146
ThylacineAlive – 144
TeaLovingDave – 130
Vision – 122
KevinVar – 105
Macaw16 – 96
Fireplume – 76
Mr. Zootycoon – 60
Chlidonias – 53
BeardsleyZooFan – 40
Hix – 33
canaryboy2 – 28
zooboy28 – 25
Pleistohorse – 9


MAMMALS:

lintworm – 73
LaughingDove – 67
Maguari – 54
Ituri – 31
jbnbsn99 – 23
ThylacineAlive – 23
Fireplume – 22
DesertRhino150 – 21
Vision – 20
TeaLovingDave – 16
KevinVar – 16
Mr. Zootycoon – 7
Pleistohorse – 7
BeardsleyZooFan – 7
Macaw16 – 7
Chlidonias – 6
Hix – 3
zooboy28 – 1


HERPTILES:

Ituri – 26 Herptiles total (20 Reptiles, 6 Amphibians)
LaughingDove – 21 Herptiles total (16 Reptiles, 5 Amphibians)
lintworm – 18 Herptiles total (13 Reptiles, 5 Amphibians)
ThylacineAlive – 17 Herptiles total (6 Reptiles, 11 Amphibians)
Vision – 13 Herptiles total (10 Reptiles, 3 Amphibians)
Maguari – 11 Herptiles total (6 Reptiles, 5 Amphibians)
Fireplume – 7 Herptiles total (4 Reptiles, 3 Amphibians)
DesertRhino150 – 6 Herptiles total (3 Reptiles, 3 Amphibians)
KevinVar – 6 Herptiles total (1 Reptiles, 5 Amphibians)
TeaLovingDave – 5 Herptiles total (0 Reptiles, 5 Amphibians)
Macaw16 – 5 Herptiles total (1 Reptiles, 4 Amphibians)
Hix – 2 Herptiles total (2 Reptiles, 0 Amphibians)
Mr. Zootycoon – 2 Herptiles total (2 Reptiles, 0 Amphibians)


FISH:

Hix – 283
DesertRhino150 – 9
Maguari – 9
Fireplume – 1


INVERTEBRATES:

Maguari – 94 various
lintworm – 6 Butterflies, 37 Molluscs
Hix – 43 various
DesertRhino150 – 17 Butterflies, 12 Damsel/Dragonflies, 6 Bumblebees, 1 Hornet
robmv – 10 Butterflies, 6 Damsel/Dragonflies
ThylacineAlive – 3 insects
 
A visit to a local coastal site allowed me to pick up a new wader for my life list, that had been hanging around in the area for several days. And on arriving back at home, also saw a large swarm of a lifer dragonfly species.

12. Migrant hawker dragonfly Aeshna mixta

I managed to visit both Abberton Reservoir and go on a walk locally today. No new birds (even though there are some lurking around at Abberton that remained hidden) but I did manage one new fish, two new butterflies and a new dragonfly.

10. Common dace Leuciscus leuciscus

18. Small heath butterfly Coenonympha pamphilus
19. Clouded yellow butterfly Colias croceus

13. Brown hawker dragonfly Aeshna grandis
 
Some bird additions from the last couple of weeks:

106. Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
107. Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
108. Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)

109. European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
110. Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
 
So I was looking through HBW.com today and I noticed that they have split Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) and it turns out the birds I saw in Cairns were actual Vanellus miles but the ones I saw in Brisbane/Gold Coast were Black-shouldered Lapwings (Vanellus novaehollandiae).

This is one of three splits that adds to my year list that I have not included (the other two being Gilbert's/White-naped Honeyeater, and Western/Golden Whistler) but the lapwing split is the only one that is included in HBW which is where I keep my wild bird sightings so I mostly go with that taxonomy.

If the other two splits are included in HBW at a later date (possibly with the publication of the Illustrated Checklist of Birds of the World Volume 2) then I will include them, but for now:

588) Black-shouldered Lapwing
 
So I was looking through HBW.com today and I noticed that they have split Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) and it turns out the birds I saw in Cairns were actual Vanellus miles but the ones I saw in Brisbane/Gold Coast were Black-shouldered Lapwings (Vanellus novaehollandiae).


588) Black-shouldered Lapwing
I've never seen anything on genetics for that split, it seems to be on appearance alone.
 
So I was looking through HBW.com today and I noticed that they have split Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) and it turns out the birds I saw in Cairns were actual Vanellus miles but the ones I saw in Brisbane/Gold Coast were Black-shouldered Lapwings (Vanellus novaehollandiae).

This is one of three splits that adds to my year list that I have not included (the other two being Gilbert's/White-naped Honeyeater, and Western/Golden Whistler) but the lapwing split is the only one that is included in HBW which is where I keep my wild bird sightings so I mostly go with that taxonomy.

If the other two splits are included in HBW at a later date (possibly with the publication of the Illustrated Checklist of Birds of the World Volume 2) then I will include them, but for now:

588) Black-shouldered Lapwing

The Clements Checklist recognises it only as a subspecies. However it splits Gilberts, Western Golden Whistler and the Emerald Doves into full species.

:p

Hix
 
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