ZooChat Big Year 2017

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Chlidonias said:
that's a great list! There are three birds there that I haven't seen (banded kingfisher, rusty-naped pitta, and silver pheasant).

I have some questions/comments.

Did you see Javan and Chinese pond herons in breeding plumage?

Are you splitting black-eared kite from black kite?

Peaceful dove is Australian. The Thai species is zebra dove (as I'm sure you know).
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Of those three species, the pitta was found by mealworms in a hide (as I think I mentioned in my thread), the kingfisher was tracked and found by my guide (the species was seen twice with the guide), but the pheasant was totally random chance walking across the road about two thirds of the way from the lower to the upper campsite.

About half of pond herons have been in breeding plumage and I've seen both. Are they not in breeding plumage where you are?

I think I'm splitting Black Kite, yes (I've always split Yellow-billed Kite so this should be the same I believe).

That's embarrassing about the dove :o. Now that you point it out, it's obvious, but I must have just noted down peaceful and never thought about it again and then forgotten when writing out this list from my notes. Zebra dove should be a lifer.
 
LaughingDove said:
About half of pond herons have been in breeding plumage and I've seen both. Are they not in breeding plumage where you are?
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when I was coming through Thailand and Cambodia almost all were in non-breeding plumage, so they just got noted down as "pond heron sp." I've seen them both before (and Indian Pond Heron), I was just wondering what they were like now.
 
LaughingDove said:
I am currently in Thailand and have been for the last few days visiting Kaeng Krachan National Park and a few other birding sites. I’m back in Bangkok now so I have enough internet access to post my list so far. For those who haven’t seen it, I have a travel thread here: LaughingDove Visits Thailand if you want more information.


2nd of April:

Transit in Beijing:
Eurasian Magpie subsp. serica (included just for infromational purposes, not split)

Accommodation in Bangkok
3) Hemidactylus frenatus


3rd of April:

Accommodation in Bangkok
93) Zebra Dove
94) Red turtle Dove
95) Coppersmith Barbet
96) Common Mynah
97) White-vented Mynah
98) Asian palm Swift
99) Spotted Dove
100) Yellow-vented Bulbul
101) Oriental magpie Robin
102) (Eastern) Cattle Egret
103) Streak-eared Bulbul
104) Barn swallow
105) Striated Grassbird
106) Scaly-breasted Munia


Drive from Bangkok to Pak Thale
107) Asian Openbill
108) Javan Pond-heron
109) Intermediate Egret
110) Little Egret
111) Black-winged Stilt
112) Black-capped Kingfisher
113) Eastern Great Egret
114) Black-eared Kite
115) Little Cormorant
116) Large-billed Crow

Stop at some ponds before the main Pak Thale Shorebird Site
117) Marsh Sandpiper
118) Plain Prinia
119) Brown-headed Gull
120) Black-naped Tern
121) Whiskered Tern
122) Spotted Redshank
123) Curlew Sandpiper
124) Bar-tailed Godwit
125) Whimbrel

Main Pak Thale Shorebird Site
126) Greater Sand-plover
127) Temminck’s Stint
128) Common Greenshank
129) Red Knot
130) Common Redshank
131) Red-whiskered Bulbul
132) Straited Heron
133) Red-necked Stint
134) Long-toed Stint
135) Sanderling
136) Ruff
137) House Swift
138) Collared Kingfisher
139) Painted Stork
140) Pied Fantail
141) Plain-backed Sparrow
142) White-rumped Munia
143) Streaked Weaver

Environmental Research Project Area
144) Chinese Pond-heron
145) Red-wattled Lapwing
146) White-winged Tern
147) White-breasted Waterhen
148) Golden-bellied Gerygone
149) Mangrove Whistler
150) Dusky Warbler
151) Black Drongo
152) Greater Coucal

4) Asian Water Monitor

Near Kaeng Krachan:
5) Common four-clawed gecko (G. mutilata)


4th of April:

Baan Maka Chalets (accommodation near Kaeng Krachan)
9) Western Striped-squirrel
153) Crow-billed Drongo
154) White-rumped Shama

10) Variable Squirrel

155) Asian Koel
156) Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker
157) Spangled Drongo
158) White-throated Kingfisher
159) Indochinese Bushlark
160) Lesser-necklaced Laughingthrush
161) Indian Roller

Kaeng Krachan National Park Day 1 (no guide)
162) Little Grebe (subspecies poggei)
163) Bronze-winged Jacana
164) Red Junglefowl
165) Greater Flameback Woodpecker
166) Great Hornbill
167) Green-eared Barbet
168) Crested Serpent-eagle

11) Dusky Langur

6) Variable Sun-skink

169) Changeable Hawk-eagle
170) Black-crested Bulbul
171) Dollarbird
172) Lineated Barbet
173) Tickell’s Blue-flycatcher
174) Bronzed Drongo
175) Grey-capped Emerald-dove
176) Siberian Blue-robin
177) Large Hawk-cuckoo
178) Oriental Honey-buzzard
179) Thick-billed Green-pigeon
180) Black-headed Bulbul

12) Long-tailed Macaque

7) Long-tailed Sun-skink

181) Sand martin (subspecies ijimae)
182) Puff-throated Babbler
183) Golden-throated Barbet
184) Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
185) Ochraceous Bulbul
186) Lesser Yellownape
187) Indochinese Cuckooshrike
188) Black Baza
189) Black-hooded Oriole
190) Black-backed Kingfisher
191) Asian Pied Starling
192) Large-tailed nightjar
Heard only: scops owl and wood owl


5th April:

Kaeng Krachan National Park Day 2 (with guide)

13) Golden Jackal

193) White-crested Laughingthrush

14) Yellow-throated Marten

194) Great Barbet
195) Mountain-imperial Pigeon
196) Blue-throated Barbet
197) Mountain Bulbul
198) Grey Treepie

15) Pallas’ squirrel

199) Wedge-tailed Green-pigeon
200) Everett’s White-eye
201) Little Spider-hunter
202) Slaty-backed Forktail
203) Red-headed Trogon
204) Long-tailed Broadbill
205) Asian Fairy-bluebird
Heard only: Tickell’s Brown Hornbill, Common Green-magpie
206) White-browed Scimitar-babbler
207) Black-throated Laughingthrush
208) Banded Kingfisher
209) Vernal Hanging-parrot
210) Blue-winged Leafbird

8) Blanford’s Gliding-lizard

211) Lineated Barbet
212) Silver Pheasant
213) Grey-eyed Bulbul
214) Rufous-browed Flycatcher
215) Rusty-naped Pitta
216) Abbott’s Babbler
217) Golden-fronted Leafbird

16) White-handed Gibbon
17) Red-cheeked Squirrel

218) White-hooded Babbler
219) Blue Whistling-thrush
220) Common Flameback
221) Oriental Pied Hornbill
222) Himalayan Swiftlet
223) Ashy Woodswallow
224) Green-billed Malkoha
225) Heart-spotted Woodpecker
226) Collared Falconet

9) Tokay Gecko


6th April

Kaeng Krachan National Park Day Three (with guide)
227) Laced Woodpecker
Heard only: Red-and-black Broadbill

18) Black Giant Squirrel

228) Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher
229) Ashy Drongo
230) Streak-throated Woodpecker
231) Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo
232) Black-naped Monarch
233) Forest Wagtail
234) Orange-breasted Trogon

10) Long-tailed Lizard (T. sexlineatus)

235) Asian Drongo-cuckoo
236) Grey-rumped Treeswift

19) Grey-bellied Squirrel

237) Silver-breasted Broadbill

20) Leopard

238) Common Green-magpie
239) Flavescent Bulbul
240) Streaked Spiderhunter
241) Blue-eared Barbet
242) Ashy Bulbul
243) Blue-throated Flycatcher
244) Dark-necked Tailorbird
245) Black-throated Sunbird
246) Common Iora
247) Grey-throated Babbler
248) Spot-necked Babbler
249) White-browed Piculet
Phylloscopus sp.
250) Large Scimitar-babbler
251) Orange-bellied Leafbird
252) Brown-backed Needletail
253) Collared Scops-owl


7th April

Morning birding at Baan Maka Chalets
254) Scarlet Minivet
255) Hainan Blue-flycatcher
256) Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush
257) Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike
258) Olive-backed Sunbird
259) Banded Bay-cuckoo

Drive to Bangkok + stop at Petchaburi Rice Fields
260) Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
261) Striated Swallow
262) Baya Weaver

11) Changeable Crested-lizard

263) Asian Golden-weaver
264) (Asian) Red-rumped Swallow
265) Brown Shrike
266) Zitting Cisticola (subspecies malaya)
267) Purple Heron (subspecies manilensis)
268) Black-collared Starling
269) Plaintive Cuckoo
270) Eastern Marsh-harrier
271) Black-headed Munia


I still have three bird species and quite a few amphibians to identify, but I’ll have to get those later. Let me know if you think there are any errors with the list, since it's quite long they could possibly have slipped in (though of course I will go through everything properly myself when I'm back in Warsaw).
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Today was a zoo day (Dusit Zoo and Siam Ocean World) so there were not many new species seen, but still some new things for the list:

272) Black-crowned Night-heron
273) Spot-billed Pelican


21) Greater Short-nosed Fruit Bat
Variable Squirrel (subspecies C. f. bocourti - the subspecies already added in Kaeng Krachan was I think C. f. folletti)
 
Macaw16 said:
A rather nice addition from today:

90. Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor
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Although I'm pretty sure I have seen this species before, I have never been able to be certain. Today from York Minster (8/4/2017):

91. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
 
New additions from Potteric Carr today (except the bee, which was in my work's car park yesterday). A slow day for new birds (but not for birds in general!), but the shallow rivers and drainage channels combined with good light meant a bumper fish day and the warm weather ensured some good spring insects.

Birds:
127. Black-necked Grebe - Podiceps nigricollis

Fishes:
2. Northern Pike - Esox lucius
3. European Perch - Perca fluviatilis
4. European Chub - Squalius cephalus
5. Common Rudd - Scardinus erythrophthalmus
6. Three-spined Stickleback - Gasterosteus aculeatus

Invertebrates (one bee, one beetle, four butterflies):
12. Red-tailed Bumblebee - Bombus lapidarius
13. Common Brimstone - Gonepteryx rhamni
14. Orange Tip - Anthocharis cardamines
15. Green Tiger Beetle - Cicindela campestris
16. Speckled Wood - Pararge aegeria
17. Green-veined White - Pieris napi

:)
 
LaughingDove said:
Today was a zoo day (Dusit Zoo and Siam Ocean World) so there were not many new species seen, but still some new things for the list:

272) Black-crowned Night-heron
273) Spot-billed Pelican


21) Greater Short-nosed Fruit Bat
Variable Squirrel (subspecies C. f. bocourti - the subspecies already added in Kaeng Krachan was I think C. f. folletti)
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good you saw the bats. They are pretty cool wee things.

Are you basing your bocourti on colour? If you have time in Bangkok you should go to Chatuchak Park and you should be able to see a range of Variable Squirrel subspecies from around the country (it seems to be a regular dumping ground for unwanted pet squirrels). There are also tree shrews there, if you don't see any at Khao Yai.

Interestingly, I haven't seen Variable Squirrels at Kaeng Krachan, perhaps because I haven't really spent any time outside the park (you only saw them at Baan Maka, yes?).
 
Chlidonias said:
good you saw the bats. They are pretty cool wee things.

Are you basing your bocourti on colour? If you have time in Bangkok you should go to Chatuchak Park and you should be able to see a range of Variable Squirrel subspecies from around the country (it seems to be a regular dumping ground for unwanted pet squirrels). There are also tree shrews there, if you don't see any at Khao Yai.

Interestingly, I haven't seen Variable Squirrels at Kaeng Krachan, perhaps because I haven't really spent any time outside the park (you only saw them at Baan Maka, yes?).
Click to expand...

Yeah, the bats were cool.

Unfortunately I won't have time to do anything else in Bangkok, I leave Bangkok tomorrow morning and on the two days that I had I already tried to fit in way more than is reasonable with the amount of time it takes to get anywhere in traffic (in planning I was just looking at google maps driving times, not taking into account three million hours sitting in traffic).

Yeah, I'm basing the variable squirrel subspecies on colour (the Francis mammal guide just says 'Thailand' for the distribution of a number of subspecies). I only saw them at Baan Maka (and all along the sides of the dirt road leading to Baan Maka) and there were absolutely loads of them. They were cream coloured with slight black/brown tips at the end of the tail. I have plenty of pictures so you can have a look when I eventually get uploading pictures.
 
Variable Squirrel subspecies are a mess. I try to keep track of subspecies for the mammals I see, but for some species like Variable Squirrel I often have to just put "unknown subspecies" and the localities. I've seen colours where the local subspecies should look quite different (in the wild, not near towns), and almost everything in Bangkok goes down as "unknown". The only ones I've seen that I'm confident in naming are bocourti in Khao Yai, floweri in Bangkok, cinnamomeus and annellatus in Cambodia, and harmandi on Phu Quoc Island.
 
LaughingDove said:
Today was a zoo day (Dusit Zoo and Siam Ocean World) so there were not many new species seen, but still some new things for the list:

272) Black-crowned Night-heron
273) Spot-billed Pelican


21) Greater Short-nosed Fruit Bat
Variable Squirrel (subspecies C. f. bocourti - the subspecies already added in Kaeng Krachan was I think C. f. folletti)
Click to expand...

There were lots of misadventures while trying to get to birding this morning (which will be described in my thread when I get around to it) meaning I only started birding around midday, but I still saw a fairly large number of things.

Muang Boran Fishponds:
274) Oriental Pranticole
275) Common Moorhen
276) Black-browed Reed-warbler
277) Watercock
278) White-browed crake
279) Yellow Bittern
280) Manchurian Reed-warbler
281) Blue-tailed Bee-eater
282) Yellow-bellied Prinia
283) Cinnamon Bittern
284) Oriental Reed-warbler
285) Pheasant-tailed Jacana
286) Common Tailorbird
287) Eastern Yellow Wagtail
288) Oriental Skylark
289) Ruddy-breasted Crake
290) Slaty-breasted Rail

Bang Poo:
291) Oriental White-eye
292) Grey-tailed Tattler
293) Great Crested Tern
294) Black-tailed Godwit
295) Pacific Golden-plover
296) Lesser Sand-plover
297) Kentish Plover
298) Ashy Minivet

Sri Nakhon Khuean Khan Park:
299) Pink-necked Green-pigeon
300) Chestnut-winged Cuckoo
301) Vinous-breasted Starling
302) Hoopoe

12) Many-lined Sun-skink (E. multifasciata)
 
Chlidonias said:
Variable Squirrel subspecies are a mess. I try to keep track of subspecies for the mammals I see, but for some species like Variable Squirrel I often have to just put "unknown subspecies" and the localities. I've seen colours where the local subspecies should look quite different (in the wild, not near towns), and almost everything in Bangkok goes down as "unknown". The only ones I've seen that I'm confident in naming are bocourti in Khao Yai, floweri in Bangkok, cinnamomeus and annellatus in Cambodia, and harmandi on Phu Quoc Island.
Click to expand...

I specifically mentioned the subspecies because they look so different, and it was pretty cool to see such different ones in Baan Maka and Bangkok. I'll have at look for variable squirrels in Khao Yai and see if they look the same as the Kaeng Krachan ones.
 
LaughingDove said:
That's embarrassing about the dove :eek:. Now that you point it out, it's obvious, but I must have just noted down peaceful and never thought about it again and then forgotten when writing out this list from my notes. Zebra dove should be a lifer.
Click to expand...

I've just seen that the Robson field guide calls it peaceful dove, so that will be where the error came from.
 
Hix said:
Birds
81. Eastern Reef Heron
82. Great Egret
83. CI Hawk-Owl
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Birds
84. Abbott's Booby
85. White Wagtail (M.a.baicalensis)

Inverts
21. Nudibranch (Phidiana indica)

Fish
236. Zebra Lionfish
237. Rainbow Runner
238. Blacktail Snapper
239. Speckled Wrasse
240. Twospot Goby
241. Very Longnose Butterflyfish
242. Spotbanded Butterflyfish

:p

Hix
 
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Spent today pottering around a very sunny Peak District picking up a few new species on the way:

Birds:
128. Red Grouse - Lagopus lagopus
129. White-throated Dipper - Cinclus cinclus

Mammals:
18. Mountain Hare - Lepus timidus

Invertebrates:
18. Green Hairstreak - Callophrys rubi
19. Red Admiral - Vanessa atalanta

The hare was still all in white, which surprised me - I think the sunny weather conned me into thinking it was later in the year that it was. It certainly helped with the hare-spotting that it was white, not brown...!
 
A long overdue update, starting with a couple of stragglers from the last few weeks:
134. Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
135. Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)

A stop-off on the way back from a work trip added a few species midweek:
136. Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
137. Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
138. Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)

Then sleepy old Shropshire, which is hardly a hotbed of avian excitement, delivered some great birds this weekend:
139. Iberian Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus ibericus)
140. Night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
141. Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
142. Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
143. Shore Lark (Eremophila alpestris)
144. Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
145. Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)
146. Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
147. Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)

The night-heron was the second lifer this year to come from my local nature reserve (that I visit most weekends!).
 
A bunch more additions from the past week; 89-90 from a day of Pairi Daiza, 91-102 from a day of birding in Lauwersmeer, and then 103-104 plus my first squirrel this year from Weltvogelpark Walsrode!

BIRDS
89) Ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus
90) White wagtail, Motacilla alba
91) Garganey, Anas querquedula
92) Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa
93) Reed bunting, Emberiza schoeniclus
94) Western marsh harrier, Circus aeruginosus
95) Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres
96) Ruff, Philomachus pugnax
97) Great black-backed gull, Larus marinus
98) Northern pintail, Anas acuta
99) Sand martin, Riparia riparia
100) White-tailed sea-eagle, Haliaeetus albicilla
101) Meadow pipit, Anthus pratensis
102) Black redstart, Phoenicurus ochruros
103) Common house martin, Delichon urbicum
104) Northern goshawk, Accipiter gentilis

MAMMALS
7) Eurasian tree squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris
 
LaughingDove said:
There were lots of misadventures while trying to get to birding this morning (which will be described in my thread when I get around to it) meaning I only started birding around midday, but I still saw a fairly large number of things.

Muang Boran Fishponds:
274) Oriental Pranticole
275) Common Moorhen
276) Black-browed Reed-warbler
277) Watercock
278) White-browed crake
279) Yellow Bittern
280) Manchurian Reed-warbler
281) Blue-tailed Bee-eater
282) Yellow-bellied Prinia
283) Cinnamon Bittern
284) Oriental Reed-warbler
285) Pheasant-tailed Jacana
286) Common Tailorbird
287) Eastern Yellow Wagtail
288) Oriental Skylark
289) Ruddy-breasted Crake
290) Slaty-breasted Rail

Bang Poo:
291) Oriental White-eye
292) Grey-tailed Tattler
293) Great Crested Tern
294) Black-tailed Godwit
295) Pacific Golden-plover
296) Lesser Sand-plover
297) Kentish Plover
298) Ashy Minivet

Sri Nakhon Khuean Khan Park:
299) Pink-necked Green-pigeon
300) Chestnut-winged Cuckoo
301) Vinous-breasted Starling
302) Hoopoe

12) Many-lined Sun-skink (E. multifasciata)
Click to expand...

Additions from an afternoon and evening at Bang Pra Non-hunting Area:

303) Shikra
304) Green Bee-eater
305) Black-naped Oriole
306) White-bellied Sea-eagle
307) Osprey
308) Chinese Francolin
309) Long-tailed Shrike
310) Bright-capped Cisticola
311) Grey-headed Lapwing
312) Rufescent Prinia
313) Racket-tailed Treepie
314) Lesser Adjutant
315) Chestnut-capped Babbler
316) Brown-throated Sunbird
318) Grey-breasted Prinia
319) Greater Painted-snipe

22) Berdmore's Ground Squirrel
 
Ituri said:
MAMMALS:
8 White-tailed Deer - Odocoileus virginianus

BIRDS:
130 Brown Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum
131 Blue-headed Vireo - Vireo solitarius
132 Orange-crowned Warbler - Oreothlypis celata
133 Northern Parula - Setophaga americana
134 Painted Bunting - Passerina ciris
135 Dunlin - Calidris alpina
136 Least Sandpiper - Calidris minutilla
137 Long-billed Dowitcher - Limnodromus scolopaceus
138 Western Kingbird - Tyrannus verticalis
139 Cedar Waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum
140 Brown-headed Cowbird - Molothrus ater
141 Northern Rough-winged Swallow - Stelgidopteryx serripennis
142 Solitary Sandpiper - Tringa solitaria
143 American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis
144 Swallow-tailed Kite - Elanoides forficatus
145 Prairie Warbler - Setophaga discolor
146 White-winged Dove - Zenaida asiatica
147 Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Archilochus colubris
148 Buff-bellied Hummingbird - Amazilia yucatanensis
149 Black-throated Blue Warbler - Setophaga caerulescens
150 Short-tailed Hawk - Buteo brachyurus
151 Seaside Sparrow - Ammodramus maritimus *Cape Sable subspecies
152 White-crowned Pigeon - Patagioenas leucocephala
153 Black-necked Stilt - Himantopus mexicanus
154 Mangrove Cuckoo - Coccyzus minor
155 Ovenbird - Seiurus aurocapilla
156 American Redstart - Setophaga ruticilla
157 Common Myna - Acridotheres tristis
158 Monk Parakeet - Myiopsitta monachus
159 Brown-headed Nuthatch - Sitta pusilla
160 Eastern Bluebird - Sialia sialis
161 Wood Duck - Aix sponsa

NOTE: The numbering appears off, this is because I had to delete Short-billed Dowitcher as doubt was raised regarding my sighting.

REPTILES:
9 Banded Water Snake - Nerodia fasciata
10 American Crocodile - Crocodylus acutus
Click to expand...

MAMMALS:
9 Virginia Opossum - Didelphis virginianus

BIRDS:
162 Semipalmated Plover - Charadrius semipalmatus
163 Western Sandpiper - Calidris mauri
164 Red-eyed Vireo - Vireo olivaceus
165 Eastern Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus
166 Black-whiskered Vireo - Vireo altiloquus
167 Louisiana Waterthrush - Parkesia motacilla
168 Cape May Warbler - Setophaga tigrina
169 Swamp Sparrow - Melospiza georgiana

AMPHIBIANS:
1 Southern Leopard Frog - Lithobates sphenocephalus
2 Cuban Tree Frog - Osteopilus septentrionalis
 
Macaw16 said:
A productive day on the Yorkshire Coast at various locations gave me some nice ones (even if at the first location I only saw a couple of very common birds!):

73. Great Northern Diver Gavia immer
74. European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis
75. Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla
76. Northern Gannet Morus bassanus
77. Common Guillemot Uria aalge
78. Razorbill Alca torda
79. Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis
80. Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica
81. Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
82. Tree Sparrow Passer montanus

7. Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus
8. Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena
9. Least Weasel Mustela nivalis
10. European Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus
Click to expand...

From inside Tropical World in Leeds today (10/4/2017):

11. Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus
 
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