ZooChat Big Year 2020

[Crowthorne]

Missed from yesterday's list:

16. Carrion Crow, Corvus corone

17. Herring Gull, Larus argentatus
18. Pied Wagtail, Motacilla alba

Also, another one missed from the list for the 1st:

Mammals:
1. Grey Squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis

 

[WhistlingKite24]

A few more additions from the garden today.
Herptiles
3. Garden Skink Lampropholis delicata
4. Asian House Gecko Hemidactylus frenatus

Invertebrates
17. Queensland Fruit Fly Bactrocera tryoni
18 Variable Ladybird Coelophora inaequalis

I had a great day at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and decided to take the scenic route to the zoo (a 6:30am train from Brisbane to Gold Coast). I quite enjoyed spotting birds from the train carriage in the early morning and saw some species I didn’t expect to see so early in the year.
The majority of the waterbirds, turtle and eel came from Currumbin itself. I also picked up an unexpected (and long-overdue) lifer!

Birds
30. Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis
31. Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike Coracina novaehollandiae
32. Tree Martin Petrochelidon nigricans
33. Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea
34. Pale-headed Rosella Platycercus adscitus
35. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
36. House Sparrow Passer domesticus
37. Little Egret Egretta garzetta
38. Hardhead Aythya australis
39. Plumed Whistling Duck Dendrocygna eytoni
40. Wandering Whistling Duck Dendrocygna arcuata
41. Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata
42. Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
43. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
44. Australian King Parrot Alisterus scapularis
45. Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus
46. Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax varius
47. Pied (White-headed) Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus
48. Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
49. Eurasian Coot Fulica atra
50. Chestnut Teal Anas castanea

Herptiles
5. Brisbane River Turtle Emydura macquarii signata

Fish
2. Short-finned Eel Anguilla australis

Invertebrates
19. Australian Cockroach Periplaneta australasiae
20. Blue Triangle Butterfly Graphium sarpedon

 

[Dannelboyz]

I'm removing Paradise Shelduck from my list now. A few experts are now considering the likelihood that it may genuinely be a mutant Australian Shelduck despite the strange appearance. Time will tell but for the time being I'd rather not count it.

BIRDS
83 - Common Blackbird (Turdus merula)
-- Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus) [heard]
84 - Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea)
85 - Australian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus australis)
86 - Spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus)
87 - Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa)
88 - Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis)
89 - Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae)
90 - Musk Lorikeet (Glossopsitta concinna)
91 - Great Egret (Ardea alba)
92 - Spotless Crake (Porzana tabuensis)
93 - New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae)
94 - European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)*
95 - Latham's Snipe (Gallinago hardwickii)
96 - Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops)
97 - Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia)
98 - Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)*

REPTILES
1 - Murray River Turtle (Emydura macquarii)

INVERTEBRATES
-- scorpion sp.
1 - European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)*

BIRDS
99 - White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)
100 - Yellow-faced Honeyeater (Lichenostomus chrysops)
101 - Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla)
102 - White-browed Scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis)
103 - Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans)
-- Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) [heard]
104 - Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa)
105 - White-naped Honeyeater (Melithreptus lunatus)
106 - Red-browed Finch (Neochmia temporalis)
107 - Eastern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria australis)
108 - Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis)
109 - Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus)
110 - Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus)
111 - Australasian Darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae)
112 - Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus)
113 - Olive-backed Oriole (Oriolus sagittatus)
114 - Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris)
-- White-throated Treecreeper (Cormobates leucophaea) [heard]
115 - Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae)

REPTILES
2 - Eastern Long-necked Turtle (Chelodina longicollis)

FISH
1 - Brown Trout (Salmo trutta)*

 

[Chlidonias]

I also picked up an unexpected (and long-overdue) lifer – Black-winged Stilts!

Have you been to Oxley Creek Common? It is easy to get to by public transport and you'll likely pick up a lot of lifers, especially if you get there as early as possible in the morning. I went twice while in Brisbane in October, and saw 45 species on the first visit and 60 species on the second. Four species were lifers for me. It was my favourite of the bird sites I visited.

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Have you been to Oxley Creek Common? It is easy to get to by public transport and you'll likely pick up a lot of lifers, especially if you get there as early as possible in the morning. I went twice while in Brisbane in October, and saw 45 species on the first visit and 60 species on the second. Four species were lifers for me. It was my favourite of the bird sites I visited.

No I haven’t, but it sounds great! I will definitely try and make the effort to visit it in the near future.

 

[MRJ]

I also picked up an unexpected (and long-overdue) lifer – Black-winged Stilts!

Black-winged stilts have been split into 5 species. In Australia they are Himantopus leucocephalus, the pied or white-headed stilt. Unless of course you don't accept the split. Whatever way you go you still get a lifer - congratulations!

 

[Vision]

A nice little bird at my feeders again, after 2 years of absence from the garden! Hopefully I see it a few more times, as it's a species I still need good pictures of.

BIRDS:
79) Coal tit, Periparus ater

 

[boof]

4/1/2020
49. Australasian darter
50. little pied cormorant
51. Purple swamphen

 

[birdsandbats]

Birds
26. Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

New Year's Birding:

Birds
1. European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
2. Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus
3. Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
4. White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis
5. Hairy Woodpecker Leuconotopicus villosus
6. House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus
7. American Goldfinch Spinus tristis
8. Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis
9. Downy Woodpecker Dryobates pubescens
10. Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor
11. Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
12. Canada Goose Branta canadensis
13. Trumpeter Swan Cygnus buccinator
14. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
15. Redhead Aythya americana
16. Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
17. House Sparrow Passer domesticus
18. American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
19. Rock Pigeon (Feral) Columba livia
20. Common Merganser Mergus merganser
21. Herring Gull Larus argentatus
22. American Black Duck Anas rubripes
23. Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus

Every year I try to see what the most interesting bird I can see before a Mallard is. I think Trumpeter Swan takes the cake over the previous record holder, the Cooper's Hawk.

Mammals
1. Eastern Gray Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis

Birds
27. White-winged Scoter Melanitta deglandi
28. Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
29. Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus

Mammals
2. American Red Squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

 

[Maguari]

Went for my regular first-weekend-of-January tour of some productive local sites to get the list boosted. Shillito Wood (and Big Moor for deer), Stubbing Court Pond, Ogston Reservoir, Cromford Canal and Carsington Water is my classic 'round'. This year, by being more disciplined with my departure time in the morning and following some luck in seeing key species quickly, I was able to extend the day into Notts with a late-afternoon hour at Attenborough for an unusual inland grebe and a bonus egret. Almost managed to double the year list - great day. Not sure what I've done to upset all the reed buntings though; at least three of the sites usually have them but not-a-one today.

Birds:
35. Coal Tit - Periparus ater
36. Common Pheasant - Phasianus colchicus
37. Yellowhammer - Emberiza citrinella
38. Great Spotted Woodpecker - Dendrocopos major
39. Brambling - Fringilla montifringilla
40. Common Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus
41. Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea
42. Goosander - Mergus merganser
43. Common Teal - Anas crecca
44. European Pochard - Aythya ferina
45. Little Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis
46. Great Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus
47. Greater Black-backed Gull - Larus marinus
48. Long-tailed Tit - Aegithalos caudatus
49. Eurasian Jay - Garrulus glandarius
50. Stock Dove - Columba oenas
51. Eurasian Bullfinch - Pyrrhula pyrrhula
52. Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo
53. Northern Lapwing - Vanellus vanellus
54. Song Thrush - Turdus philomelos
55. Great Northern Diver - Gavia immer
56. Barnacle Goose - Branta leucopsis
57. Eurasian Tree Sparrow - Passer montanus
58. Willow Tit - Poecile montanus
59. Common Redshank - Tringa totanus
60. Gadwall - Mareca strepera
61. Egyptian Goose - Alopochen aegypticus
62. Northern Shoveler - Spatula clypeata
63. Slavonian Grebe - Podiceps auritus
64. Western Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis
65. Little Egret - Egretta garzetta
66. Greylag Goose - Anser anser

Mammals:
2. Red Deer - Cervus elaphus

 

[birdsandbats]

Birds
27. White-winged Scoter Melanitta deglandi
28. Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
29. Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus

Mammals
2. American Red Squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

Birds
30. Northern Harrier Circus hudsonius
31. Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus
32. Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus

 

[drill]

Mammals
1. Eastern gray squirrel
dogs don't count, right?

 

[birdsandbats]

Mammals
1. Eastern gray squirrel
dogs don't count, right?

Was it a feral dog or a captive one?

 

[drill]

Was it a feral dog or a captive one?

feral

 

[birdsandbats]

feral

Then yes.

 

[Ituri]

BIRDS:
34 Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura
35 Greater White-fronted Goose - Anser albifrons
36 Redhead - Aythya americana
37 Greater Scaup - Aythya marila
38 Bufflehead - Bucephala albeola
39 Hooded Merganser - Lophodytes cucullatus
40 Ruddy Duck - Oxyura jamaicensis
41 Pied-billed Grebe - Podilymbus podiceps
42 Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus
43 Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia

BIRDS:
44 Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus
45 Loggerhead Shrike - Lanius ludovicianus
46 White-crowned Sparrow - Zonotrichia leucophrys
47 Harris's Sparrow - Zonotrichia querula
48 Spotted Towhee - Pipilo maculatus
49 Brewer's Blackbird - Euphagus cyanocephalus
50 Great Egret - Ardea alba
51 American Coot - Fulica americana
52 Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura
53 Great-tailed Grackle - Quiscalus mexicanus

 

[Chlidonias]

dogs don't count, right?

Was it a feral dog or a captive one?

feral

Then yes.

Are there feral dogs in the USA?

Stray dogs don't count any more than if there was a cockatiel living in your garden.

 

[Junklekitteb]

Then yes.

Then...
Mammals
2. Feral Dog Canis lupus

Also I went birding at a nearby lake in a park
Birds
6. Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii
7. Little Cormorant Microcarbo niger
8. Little Egret Egretta garzetta
9. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
10. Great Egret Ardea alba
11. Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
12. Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus phillipensis
13. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
14.Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
15. Jungle Crow Corvus culminatus
16. Common Mynah Acridotheris tristis
17. Eurasian Coot Fulica atra
18. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
19. Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio
20. Indian Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha
21. White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus
22. Anhinga Anhinga anhinga
23. Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala

 

[Chlidonias]

Most of the below are from the Waikanae Estuary (with a few at the beginning and end being seen on the way there and back). I usually only go up there once a year because I have to take two buses and a train to get there, which takes me three hours - partly due to distance and partly due to waiting times between connections - and the birds there are mostly common species which I merely "need" to see so that the year list isn't too pathetic.


32) Black Swan Cygnus atrata
33) White-faced Heron Ardea novaehollandiae
34) Caspian Tern Sterna caspia
35) White-headed (Pied) Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus
36) Pukeko (Purple Gallinule) Porphyrio porphyrio
37) Song Thrush Turdus philomelos
38) White-fronted Tern Sterna striata
39) Variable Oystercatcher Haematopus unicolor
40) Banded Dotterel Charadrius bicinctus
41) Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia
42) European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris
43) New Zealand Dotterel Charadrius obscurus
44) New Zealand Dabchick Poliocephalus rufopectus
45) Australasian Coot Fulica atra
46) Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella
47) Australasian Shoveller Anas rhynchotis
48) Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
49) Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus
50) Canada Goose Branta canadensis
51) Australasian Harrier Circus approximans
52) Spotted Shag Stictocarbo punctatus

 

[Yoshistar888]

Birds

28. House Sparrow

Mammals

1. Grey Headed Flying Fox