ZooChat Big Year 2020

First of all, some additions from the past few days. My first ever yellow-browed warbler away from the coast was very fun, found by someone else in one of my local spots!

BIRDS:
258) Yellow-browed warbler, Phylloscopus inornatus

HERPS:
7) Common frog, Rana temporaria

INVERTS:
152) Common darter, Sympetrum striolatum

But then today I saw what is and probably will be my best reptile ever... A leatherback! It was found in the Oosterschelde, Zeeland, Netherlands yesterday, but I wrongly assumed it was just a brief view of a distant one that would be impossible to find again after that (as happens often with larger sea animals, including bottlenose whales in the same location earlier this summer). It turned out to be fairly twitchable until 4PM yesterday, so after reading that I was quite bummed about not going. Today it wasn't reported for most of the day so I was losing hope, but then suddenly this afternoon it got reported again! Got there immediately and saw it a few times sticking its head and back out of the water. Unfortunately didn't get the best, nor closest views, but what immediately stood out was the sheer size of the thing (estimated between 2-2,5m by most others), the massive head, and even the ridges along the back. Insane!

HERPS:
8) Leatherback sea turtle, Dermochelys coriacea
 
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Dannelboyz said:
BIRDS
278 - Topknot Pigeon (Lopholaimus antarcticus)
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So I finally got around to checking my list as there were some discrepancies with my eBird list... I thought this was to do with birds I had only heard this year, but it turns out I've now seen every bird I've identified by call this year. I had completely forgotten to list #81 - Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis) and #220 - Scarlet Robin (Petroica boodang), which means Topknot Pigeon was actually bird #280 for the year :P

281 - Red Knot (Calidris canutus)
 
birdsandbats said:
I'm going to redo my mammal list, it was a little screwy:

Mammals
1. Eastern Gray Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis
2. American Red Squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
3. White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus
4. Northern Raccoon Procyon lotor
5. Eastern Cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus
6. Meadow Vole Microtus pennsylvanicus
7. Eastern Chipmunk Tamias striatus
8. Common Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus
9. Southern Red-backed Vole Myodes gapperi
10. Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel Ictidomys tridecemlineatus
11. Woodchuck Marmota monax
12. Bobcat Lynx rufus
13. Red Fox Vulpes vulpes
14. American Mink Neovison vison
15. Virginia Opossum Didelphis virginiana
16. Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger
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Mammals
17. Least Weasel Mustela nivalis
 
It's taken me until after the autumn equinox, but a wander on Ramsley Moor this afternoon finally produced a UK reptile for me, to join my one from Vienna.

Reptiles:
2. Common Lizard - Zootoca vivipara

:)
 
Coelacanth18 said:
Long overdue update:

Birds
56. Green Heron (Butorides virescens)
57. Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)
58. Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
59. Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
60. Western Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
61. Great Egret (Ardea alba)
62. Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
63. Brewer’s Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)
64. Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)
65. Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)
66. MacGillivray’s Warbler (Geothlypis tolmiei)
67. Wilson’s Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)
68. Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
69. Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)
70. Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus)
71. Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus)
72. Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)
73. Common Raven (Corvus corax)
74. Hammond’s Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii)
75. Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
76. California Gull (Larus californicus)
77. Franklin’s Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan)
78. American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)
79. Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)
80. Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
81. Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)
82. Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)
83. American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
84. Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)
85. White-headed Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus albolarvatus)
86. Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans)
87. Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
88. California Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica)
89. Western Bluebird (Sialis mexicana)
90. Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)
91. Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
92. White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
93. Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)
94. American Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus)
95. Pygmy Nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea)
96. Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)
97. Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber)
98. Black-throated Gray Warbler (Setophaga nigrescens)
99. Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)
100. Spotted Sandpiper (Actitus macularius)
101. Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus)
102. Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)
103. Clark’s Nutcracker (Lucifraga columbiana)
104. Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus)
105. White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi)
106. California Quail (Callipepla californica)
107. Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)
108. Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

Mammals
10. Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
11. Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana)
12. White-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys leucurus)
13. Least Chipmunk (Tamias minimus)
14. American Bison (Bison bison)
15. Coyote (Canis latrans)
16. Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)
17. California Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi)
18. Western Gray Squirrel (Sciurus griseus)
19. Douglas Squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii)
20. Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Callospermophilus lateralis)
21. Lodgepole Chipmunk (Neotamias speciosus)
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A few more updates:

Birds
109. Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis)
110. Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)
111. Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna)
112. Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
113. California Towhee (Melozone crissalis)
114. Oak Titmouse (Baeolophus inornatus)

Mammals
22. Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)
23. Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus)
 
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The heaviest storm I've ever experienced brought with it the best seawatching I've ever experienced! In total we got about 100 jaegers, 100 gannets, 65 waders, 25 tubenoses and very large numbers of terns/gulls, among which a few real highlights! My first storm-petrels, my first pomarine jaegers and my first migrating phalaropes were all things I've been looking forward to for ages so I'm extremely happy to finally have gotten them. Unfortunately I narrowly missed a Sabine's gull, but that was more than made up by the other lifers, rarities, and great views of birds I almost never see well. Storms are fantastic!

BIRDS:
259) Great skua, Stercorarius skua
260) Arctic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus
261) Manx shearwater, Puffinus puffinus
262) Leach's storm-petrel, Oceanodroma leucorhoa
263) Sooty shearwater, Ardenna grisea
264) Red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius
265) Northern fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis
266) Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus
267) Red-throated loon, Gavia stellata
 
Falco eleonorae
Mehdi said:
A totally non-birding related trip to Casablanca gave me enough time to plan a visit to one of the last major hotspots in that region (Daya de Dar Bouazza) in company of one of the best birders in Morocco (in my opinion) as well as some of his avid wildlife-watcher friends.

Well, it was awesome...

05/09/2020 (Daya de Dar Bouazza, Morocco)
BIRDS:
141 - Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago
142 - Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola
143 - Garganey, Spatula querquedula
144 - Eurasian teal, Anas crecca
145 - Water rail, Rallus aquaticus
146 - Squacco heron, Ardeola ralloides
147 - Black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax

MAMMALS:
3 - European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus

HERPS:
9 - Spanish pond turtle, Mauremys leprosa

All-in-all, 53 species of birds observed (beating my record of species seen at a single spot), my second time ever trying a scope (that was more than useful to find all these species, especially the rail), endless discussions about the birds of Morocco and an amazing experience in general.

As for the species seen, two were unusual in term of pheonology (Eurasian teal and Common snipe which are both quite early in their migration), three are expected lifers that I was eager to finally get one day (Eurasian teal, Squacco heron and Wood sandpiper), my first rail ever, my second (and third) Garganey ever and my first night-heron in Morocco!

06/07/2020 (Lahouaza, Morocco)
BIRDS:
148 - Hen harrier, Circus cyaneus

On my way back to Agadir, I also saw my first identifiable "grey-backed" harrier on the highway, the rarest of the two we get in Morocco, a great sighting to end this great weekend.
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What. A. Day.

When the plan of going birding not once but twice on Saturday was coming closer to fruition, including at a spot at which I've never been before but looked interesting, it seemed like I could potentially get one or two nice species for the year list, and boy did it not disappoint:

26/09/2020 (Ifentar, Morocco)
BIRDS:
149 - Sand martin, Riparia riparia
150 - Moustached warbler, Acrocephalus melanopogon
151 - European pied flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca
152 - Western subalpine warbler, Curruca iberiae
153 - Northern wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe

INVERTS:
14 - Speckled wood, Pararge aegeria

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(Embouchure de l'Oued Souss, Morocco)
BIRDS:
154 - Common kingfisher, Alcedo atthis ssp. atthis
155 - Eleonora's falcon, Falco eleonorae

Many things to be excited about, namely beating my record of bird species seen in a single day (71 now) without truly trying to do so, passing the 150th bird species seen mark which was my goal for the end of the year, as well as beating once again my personal record of species seen at my local spot (now at 47)

Species-wise, the Moustached warbler and a beautiful dark-morph Eleonora's falcon chasing one of three Bonelli's eagles seen at my local spot were probably the two best species today. These latter are especially tricky to get if you're not in one of their two breeding grounds in Morocco (Essaouira and Salé) so getting this one as a passage migrant was unexpected and welcomed!

The pied flycatcher was a long-awaited lifer as well as it's supposedly a common species during migration and finally getting kingfisher in Morocco was awesome as well. Other highlights include a group of about 20 Spanish pond turtles, 3 Bonelli's eagles as said before but also a Great spotted cuckoo, many Cetti's warblers, 4 tern species as well as 5 swallow species and many others...

All-in-all, probably one of my best day birding!
 
birdsandbats said:
Now I'm curious about other people's records for most bird species seen in one day. Mine's 104.
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I don't really keep that record but the one day that does stand out was in Mannar, Sri Lanka, when we saw 85 species within the period of 3-4 hours. We would have seen quite a few later in the day as we moved on to a new area, but I only recorded two new species. That day must have got close to your figure.
 
Gordon Rolfe Reserve

317. Crescent honeyeater Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus

The 5km limit for travel under lockdown is now proving thin pickings. Hopefully that comes off in 3 weeks which will give more opportunities. Still Gordon Rolfe has proved to be a great little reserve and good for honeyeaters.
 
birdsandbats said:
Going through some of my old photos and found this in a photo took back in spring of a flock of Glaucous Gulls. It was hiding in plain sight this whole time!:

Birds
243. Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides
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Birds
244. Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus
245. American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica
 
HERPS:
2 - Slowworm (Anguis fragilis)
3 - Viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara)
4 - grass snake ( Natrix helvetica)

MAMMALS:
7 - Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

INVERTS:
64 - Blue-winged grasshopper (Oedipoda caerulescens)
65 - Mosquito (Mikiola fagi)
66 - Gall wasp ( Cynips quercusfolii)
67 - Speckled wood (Pararge aegeria)
68 - Shiny woodlouse (Oniscus asellus)
69 - beetle ( Loricera pilicornis)
70 - bulldozer beetle (Abax parallelepipedus)
71 - spring dor beetle (Geotrupes vernalis)
72 - Gall wasp (Neuroterus numismalis)
73 - Ruddy darter (Sympetrum sanguineum)
74 - Rhododendron leafhopper (Graphocephala fennahi)
75 - Oak gall bug thing (Neuroterus quercusbaccarum)
76 - Holly leaf miner (Phytomyza ilicis)


BIRDS:
49 - Little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

Today I got to twitch a very unique bird, and my first Critically Endangered, or any form of Endangered wild species, ever!!!! Very glad I got it!

50: Sociable lapwing (Vanellus gregarius)
 
Ursus said:
:
BIRDS:
49 - Little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

Today I got to twitch a very unique bird, and my first Critically Endangered, or any form of Endangered wild species, ever!!!! Very glad I got it!
Click to expand...
Little grebe?
 
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