ZooChat Big Year 2021

Some common birds to my area that I have seen in the past 2 weeks or so. I also set up a new bird feeder, I wonder if that will help increase my tally o_O

Birds
9. White-Breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
10. House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)
11. American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
12. Common/European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
 
Day 4 dawned with sunshine replacing the previous evenings rain. We returned to Tolga Scrub for the pre-breakfast bird walk.

Birds
96. Spotted catbird Ailuroedus maculosus
97. White-bellied cuckooshrike Coracina papuensis
98. White-browed scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
99. Atherton scrubwren Sericornis keri
100. Brown gerygone Gerygone mouki
101. Lewin's honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii
102. Varied triller Lalage leucomela
103. Silvereye Zosterops lateralis

After breakfast we headed to Granite Gorge near Mareeba to see the world's earliest-to-see rock wallabies. This is a privately operated facility, and attracts visitors for the wallabies, pools in the creek for swimming, and a camping area. Recently the owners have added a small zoo of the worst sort. It consisted of a roofed deck with around 12 cages similar to those used to commercially transport chickens. Each contained some parrots of various species, apart from one that contained a monitor and another a python. There was no shelter, ability to retreat or any form of enrichment in any of these cages. Randomly distributed nearby were several small garden-style aviaries again containing parrots. Roaming around were a random collection of poultry. All in all a disgusting facility and the fact they are allowed to display animals under these conditions is a blot on the reputation of Queensland.

Mammals
13. Mareeba rock-wallaby Petrogale mareeba

Birds
104. Squatter pigeon Geophaps scripta
105. Great bowerbird Chlamydera nuchalis
106. Oriental dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
107. Spangled drongo Dicrurus bracteatus

Reptiles
3. Saw-shelled turtle Myuchelys latisternum

Invertebrates
27. Scarlet percher Diplacodes haematodes

We drove on to Mareeba for lunch then decided to try the Cattana Wetlands near Cairns, as the route via Cairns wan now the shortest route home. We missed the turnoff for the wetlands which was a fortuitous event as we found a black-necked stork feeding in a drainage ditch a few hundred metres down the road, which was a great prelude for birding the wetlands.

108. Black-necked stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus
109. Double-eyed fig parrot Cyclopsitta diophthalma
110. Black butcherbird Melloria quoyi
111. Rainbow bee-eater Merops ornatus
112. Australian yellow oriole Oriolus flavocinctus
113. Horned friarbird Philemon yorki
114. Shining flycatcher Myiagra alecto
115. Pheasant coucal Centropus phasianinus

The drive home produced one more new bird. Just south of Cairns we noticed four red-tailed black cockatoos flying overhead. Then about ten kilometres further on we saw over 80 birds perched on light poles along about a kilometre stretch.

116. Red-tailed black cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii
 
Day 5 was spent at Mission Beach, with local activities like brunch and preparing for a party on Sunday. Only one new species, found sitting in the driveway:

Reptiles
4. Yellow-spotted monitor Varanus panoptes
 
First February addition from this morning's walk to Avenue Washlands:

Birds:
75. Meadow Pipit - Anthus pratensis

:)
 
MRJ said:
Day 4 dawned with sunshine replacing the previous evenings rain. We returned to Tolga Scrub for the pre-breakfast bird walk.

Birds
96. Spotted catbird Ailuroedus maculosus
97. White-bellied cuckooshrike Coracina papuensis
98. White-browed scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
99. Atherton scrubwren Sericornis keri
100. Brown gerygone Gerygone mouki
101. Lewin's honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii
102. Varied triller Lalage leucomela
103. Silvereye Zosterops lateralis

After breakfast we headed to Granite Gorge near Mareeba to see the world's earliest-to-see rock wallabies. This is a privately operated facility, and attracts visitors for the wallabies, pools in the creek for swimming, and a camping area. Recently the owners have added a small zoo of the worst sort. It consisted of a roofed deck with around 12 cages similar to those used to commercially transport chickens. Each contained some parrots of various species, apart from one that contained a monitor and another a python. There was no shelter, ability to retreat or any form of enrichment in any of these cages. Randomly distributed nearby were several small garden-style aviaries again containing parrots. Roaming around were a random collection of poultry. All in all a disgusting facility and the fact they are allowed to display animals under these conditions is a blot on the reputation of Queensland.

Mammals
13. Mareeba rock-wallaby Petrogale mareeba

Birds
104. Squatter pigeon Geophaps scripta
105. Great bowerbird Chlamydera nuchalis
106. Oriental dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
107. Spangled drongo Dicrurus bracteatus

Reptiles
3. Saw-shelled turtle Myuchelys latisternum

Invertebrates
27. Scarlet percher Diplacodes haematodes

We drove on to Mareeba for lunch then decided to try the Cattana Wetlands near Cairns, as the route via Cairns wan now the shortest route home. We missed the turnoff for the wetlands which was a fortuitous event as we found a black-necked stork feeding in a drainage ditch a few hundred metres down the road, which was a great prelude for birding the wetlands.

108. Black-necked stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus
109. Double-eyed fig parrot Cyclopsitta diophthalma
110. Black butcherbird Melloria quoyi
111. Rainbow bee-eater Merops ornatus
112. Australian yellow oriole Oriolus flavocinctus
113. Horned friarbird Philemon yorki
114. Shining flycatcher Myiagra alecto
115. Pheasant coucal Centropus phasianinus

The drive home produced one more new bird. Just south of Cairns we noticed four red-tailed black cockatoos flying overhead. Then about ten kilometres further on we saw over 80 birds perched on light poles along about a kilometre stretch.

116. Red-tailed black cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii
Click to expand...
Correction: that should be hornbill friarbird, not horned.
 
birdsandbats said:
Birds
66. Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis

Today I found all three "winter field birds" (Horned Lark, Lapland Longspur, and Snow Bunting) on one small stretch of road! None of these species are common in my area, so that was really exiting!
Click to expand...
Surprise addition towards the end of the day:

Birds
67. Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus
 
Dannelboyz said:
BIRDS
233 - Crescent Honeyeater (Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus)
234 - Large-billed Scrubwren (Sericornis magnirostra)
235 - Rose Robin (Petroica rosea)
Click to expand...
Started two weeks of self-quarantine but luckily there are enough birds around to keep me happy... for now :P

BIRDS
Melbourne, Victoria
241 - Latham's Snipe (Gallinago hardwickii)

Perth, Western Australia
242 - Carnaby's Black Cockatoo (Zanda latirostris)
243 - Laughing Dove (Spilopelia senegalensis)*
244 - Red-tailed Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii)
 
d1am0ndback said:
I went just a bit overboard with a day trip to the Lower Rio Grande Valley yesterday, but it certainly yielded me with a ton of birds. Highlights include significant US vagrants such as Blue Bunting, Crimson-collared Grosbeak, Ruddy Ground Dove, and Golden-crowned Warbler. Highlights also included very significant Texas birds such as Elegant Trogon (the 8th state record) and Black-throated Blue Warbler.

Birds

153. Common Yellowthroat - Geothlypis trichas
154. Purple Martin - Progne subis
155. Redhead - Aythya americana
156. Golden-fronted Woodpecker - Melanerpes aurifrons
157. Harris's Hawk - Parabuteo unicinctus
158. White-tailed Hawk - Geranoaetus albicaudatus
159. Wilson's Warbler - Cardellina pusilla
160. Black-throated Green Warbler - Setophaga virens
161. Yellow Warbler - Setophaga petechia
162. Olive Sparrow - Arremonops rufivirgatus
163. Long-billed Thrasher - Toxostoma longirostre
164. Black-crested Titmouse - Baeolophus atricristatus
165. Green Jay - Cyanocorax yncas
166. Blue-headed Vireo - Vireo solitarius
167. Tropical Kingbird - Tyrannus melancholicus
168. Vermilion Flycatcher - Pyrocephalus rubinus
169. Black Phoebe - Sayornis nigricans
170. Common Black Hawk - Buteogallus anthracinus
171. Tricolored Heron - Egretta tricolor
172. Solitary Sandpiper - Tringa solitaria
173. Black-necked Stilt - Himantopus mexicanus
174. Golden-crowned Warbler - Basileuterus culicivorus
175. Black-throated Gray Warbler - Setophaga nigrescens
176. Clay-colored Thrush - Turdus grayi
177. White-eyed Vireo - Vireo griseus
178. Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis
179. Common Gallinule - Gallinula galeata
180. Fulvous Whistling-Duck - Dendrocygna bicolor
181. Blue Bunting - Cyanocompsa parellina
182. Altamira Oriole - Icterus gularis
183. Curve-billed Thrasher - Toxostoma curvirostre
184. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea
185. Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus
186. Ladder-backed Woodpecker - Dryobates scalaris
187. Gray Hawk - Buteo plagiatus
188. Buff-bellied Hummingbird - Amazilia yucatanensis
189. White-tipped Dove - Leptotila verreauxi
190. Ruddy Ground Dove - Columbina talpacoti
191. Common Ground Dove - Columbina passerina
192. Plain Chachalaca - Ortalis vetula
193. Lesser Goldfinch - Spinus psaltria
194. Green Parakeet - Psittacara holochlorus
195. Black-throated Blue Warbler - Setophaga caerulescens
196. Crimson-collared Grosbeak - Rhodothraupis celaeno
197. Elegant Trogon - Trogon elegans
198. White-faced Ibis - Plegadis chihi
199. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron - Nyctanassa violacea
200. Long-billed Dowitcher - Limnodromus scolopaceus
201. American Avocet - Recurvirostra americana
202. Common Pauraque - Nyctidromus albicollis
203. Inca Dove - Columbina inca
204. Least Grebe - Tachybaptus dominicus
205. Mexican Duck - Anas diazi
206. Cinnamon Teal - Spatula cyanoptera
207. Red-crowned Parrot - Amazona viridigenalis

Mammals:
9. Virginia Opossum- Didelphis virginiana
10. Lined Skunk- Mephitis mephitis



Reptiles:
3. Spiny Softshell Turtle- Apalone spinifera
4. Brown Anole- Anolis sagrei
5. Rose-bellied Lizard- Sceloporus variabilis
Click to expand...

Some more birding from the past week or so. Highlights included my lifer Red-necked Grebe, a very rare bird to see in Texas, two Pacific Loons, also a very rare bird to find in Texas, and a Burrowing Owl which is a significant county rarity where it was found.

Birds:
208. Thick-billed Longspur - Rhynchophanes mccownii
209. Lapland Longspur - Calcarius lapponicus
210. Horned Lark - Eremophila alpestris
211. Pacific Loon - Gavia pacifica
212. Red-necked Grebe - Podiceps grisegena
213. Virginia Rail - Rallus limicola
214. Burrowing Owl - Athene cunicularia

Mammals:
11. Nutria- Myocastor coypus
12. Wild Boar- Sus scrofa
 
Vision said:
BIRDS:
134) Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularius
135) Caspian gull, Larus cachinnans
136) Lesser redpoll, Acanthis cabaret
137) Mistle thrush, Turdus viscivorus
138) Grey wagtail, Motacilla cinerea
139) White-throated dipper, Cinclus cinclus
140) Eurasian eagle-owl, Bubo bubo
141) European serin, Serinus serinus
142) Crested lark, Galerida cristata
143) Yellow-legged gull, Larus michahellis

(+9 heard only)

Heard only:
0) Eurasian bullfinch, Pyrrhula pyrrhula
0) Marsh tit, Poecile palustris
0) Willow tit, Poecile montanus
0) Cetti's warbler, Cettia cetti
0) White wagtail, Motacilla alba

MAMMALS:
4) Eurasian red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris

INVERTS:
3) Asian ladybug, Harmonia axyridis
Click to expand...

Bit more waders at the coast including two rare winterers (whimbrel & barwit), followed by a brief brambling visit in the backyard.

BIRDS:
144) Eurasian whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus
145) Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula
146) Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica
147) Common scoter, Melanitta nigra
148) Brambling, Fringilla montifringilla

(+8 heard only)

INVERTS:
4) Dotted border, Agriopis marginaria
 
Ituri said:
Last weekend I went with a group from the Wichita Audubon Society out to Cheney Reservoir west of town. It was very cold and there weren't a ton of birds out, but there were a few, nice year birds including a Northern Shrike which I've not seen in a few years. Unfortunately I had to leave early and ended up missing out on a Northern Waterthrush which is very rare this time of year.

BIRDS:
65 Hairy Woodpecker - Dryobates villosus
66 Golden-crowned Kinglet - Regulus satrapa
67 Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Regulus calendula
68 Cedar Waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum
69 Fox Sparrow - Passerella iliaca
70 Yellow-rumped Warbler - Setophaga coronata
71 Common Loon - Gavia immer
72 Northern Shrike - Lanius borealis
73 House Finch - Haemorhous mexicanus
Click to expand...

This weekend I took a little jaunt down to north Texas and picked up quite a few year species and a couple lifers.

BIRDS
74 Ring-necked Duck - Aythya collaris
75 Black Vulture - Coragyps atratus
76 LeConte's Sparrow - Ammospiza leconteii
77 Great-tailed Grackle - Quiscalus mexicanus
78 Northern Pintail - Anas acuta
79 White-winged Dove - Zenaida asiatica
80 Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus fuscus
81 Neotropic Cormorant - Phalacrocorax brasilianus
82 Great Egret - Ardea alba
83 Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe
84 Blue-headed Vireo - Vireo solitarius
85 Carolina Chickadee - Poecile carolinensis
86 Purple Finch - Haemorhous purpureus
87 Pine Siskin - Spinus pinus
88 Bonaparte's Gull - Chroicocephalus philadelphia
89 Monk Parakeet - Myiopsitta monachus
90 American Wigeon - Mareca americana
91 Red-shouldered Hawk - Buteo lineatus
92 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - Sphyrapicus varius
93 Brown-headed Cowbird - Molothrus ater
94 Rusty Blackbird - Euphagus carolinus
95 Green-winged Teal - Anas crecca
96 Common Yellowthroat - Geothlypis trichas
97 Lesser Goldfinch - Spinus psaltria
98 Lincoln's Sparrow - Melospiza lincolnii
99 Lark Bunting - Calamospiza melanocorys
100 Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura

MAMMALS
3 Nutria - Myocastor coypus
 
TZDugong said:
44. White-Throated Sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis
45. American Crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos
46. Black-Crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
47. Snowy Owl, Bubo scandiacus

2 owl species in a month! Snowy Owls are not a species I'd usually associate with Toronto, and I never thought I'd actually see them! It took a few tries but I finally saw one today; good long view of a resting owl. Just an amazing, amazing species that I'm very fortunate to have seen in the wild.
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48. Brown-Headed Cowbird, Molothrus ater
49. Hairy Woodpecker, Dryobates villosus
50. Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia
51. Swamp Sparrow, Melospiza georgiana
52. Eastern Screech Owl, Megascops asio

Another owl species! I was really happy to see a Screech Owl, terrific species that's also pretty hard to find in the wild. I don't think I've seen any in zoos so this is a full lifer which is nice. I'm very, very happy that I became more active at birding this year; it's resulted in some of my favourite animal experiences.
 
Great Argus said:
Finally another update, a mountain species mysteriously appearing in small numbers in my lowland area at the moment.

65. Cassin's Finch (Haemorhous cassini)

4-65-3-2-0-6
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It's been a crazy year for this species. There are records from western lowlands coming in like crazy, and the Great Lakes region had their first record of this species ever last fall when a male showed up in upper Michigan. I was tempted to make the 5 hour drive to go see it, but it didn't stay long.
 
birdsandbats said:
It's been a crazy year for this species. There are records from western lowlands coming in like crazy, and the Great Lakes region had their first record of this species ever last fall when a male showed up in upper Michigan. I was tempted to make the 5 hour drive to go see it, but it didn't stay long.
Click to expand...

Yeah they live in my area year round up in the mountains, but they never drop to the valley. Late last week they've suddenly started appearing everywhere, and they are indeed Cassin's. Very strange, particularly as nothing else is irrupting in our area currently.
 
Just going to pop some forgotten species I saw on my woodland walk:

Birds:
18. Common Wood-Pigeon (Columba palumbus)

Mammals:
1. Eastern Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
 
Corrections and additions

Birds

84. Graceful honeyeaters have been split and the ones we saw are cryptic honeyeaters Microptilotis imitatrix.

93. Musk duck was out of range so with the rain and distance we must have misidentified. All subsequent birds will have to be put back one.

Invertebrates

Addition from Granite Gorge:
28. Spinifex termite Nasutitermes triodiae (new Family)
 
Great Argus said:
particularly as nothing else is irrupting in our area currently.
Click to expand...
The exact opposite of the insane superflight we are getting over here, then. For about two months in October and November, the Pine Siskin was the most common bird in my area. I had only seen one once before. :p
 
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