Zoochat Big Year 2022

Quick trip to St James's Park - will this be the year I don't include one of the exotic duck held on the lake? Probably not, but we'll have to see.

Birds

1. Barnacle goose, Branta leucopsis
2. Canada goose, Branta canadensis
3. Mute swan, Cygnus olor
4. Gadwall, Mareca strepera
5. Greylag goose, Anser anser.
6. Egyptian goose, Alopochen aegyptiaca
7. European coot, Fulica atra.
8. Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
9. Feral pigeon, Columba livia
10. Common woodpigeon, Columba palumbus
11. Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula
12. Carrion crow, Corvus corone
13. Rose-ringed parakeet, Psittacula krameri
14. Grey heron, Ardea cinerea
15. Great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
16. Black-headed gull, Croicocephalus ridibundus
17. Herring gull, Larus argentatus
18. Eurasian magpie, Pica pica
19. Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
20. Common pochard, Aythya ferina
21. Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna
22. Great crested grebe, Podiceps cristatus
23. Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope
24. Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula.

Mammals

1. Eastern gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis.

Target for this year, setting it really high for my standards, at 100. With a bit of travel, it should be manageable; trips to South of France and Cyprus are more or less guaranteed this year (unlike last year where I missed Cyprus) and perhaps a couple of other big trips, who knows...?

Foxes came back to my backyard! I now have a breeding pair in my backyard plus a couple I've spotted in neighbouring patches. Unfortunately I may have scared them off because I recognised the vixen from last year so went down to see her, didn't notice the male until he walked almost straight into me having just woken up from a nap. Obviously startled, he bolted and she followed suit, but I did get one nice pic which I'll post in a bit.

Then saw a few fairly common birds at my local park although the Dunnock was a nice end to my stint there and a pair of massive rats which seem to have made an entire burrowing system in the area.

25 - European blackbird, Turdus merula
26 - Blue tit - Cyanistes caeruleus
27 - Dunnock - Prunella modularis
28 - House sparrow - Passer domesticus.

Mammals

2 - Red fox, Vulpes vulpes
3 - Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus
 
I love how all you 'city' folk talk about seeing foxes in your gardens which sounds truly wonderful!
Whereas in my area, the only time you know of the presence of a fox is when they are screaming, on my trail camera or there's a pile of feathers in the hen coop.
 
Mammals
2 Red Fox - Vulpes vulpes - one ran across the road in front of the car, followed by another behind the car.
 
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Mammals:

1. Eastern Gray Squirrel- 1/3/22
2. White-Tailed Deer- 1/5/22


Birds:

1. Northern Mockingbird- 1/2/22
2. Mourning Dove- 1/3/22
3. Canada Goose- 1/5/22
4. Red-Bellied Woodpecker- 1/5/22
5. Song Sparrow- 1/5/22
6. Tufted Titmouse- 1/5/22
 
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I love how all you 'city' folk talk about seeing foxes in your gardens which sounds truly wonderful!
Whereas in my area, the only time you know of the presence of a fox is when they are screaming, on my trail camera or there's a pile of feathers in the hen coop.

Yeah I do tend to see a lot more fox action than most simply because apparently a tiny concrete pit is incredibly appealing to them hehe. I've had about 5 or 6 different foxes live in my backyard in the last three or four years. They're also extremely gutsy and now quite comfortable around humans, though some still do bolt.
 
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Slow start to the year, with other priorities until I heard about a Radjah Shelduck in Sydney (apparently the first record for Sydney), not far from where i live. So, despite the rain yesterday, I made an effort.

Birds
1. Radjah Shelduck
2. Welcome Swallow
3. Australian Magpie
4. Grey Butcherbird
5. Noisy Miner
6. Superb Fairy Wren
7. Little Corella
8. Long-billed Corella
9. Little Black Cormorant
10. Little Pied Cormorant
11. Australian Swammphen
12. Dusky Moorhen
13. Eurasian Coot
14. Crested Pigeon
15. Pacific Black Duck
16. Australian Wood Duck
17. Black Swan

:p

Hix
 
Invertebrates
1. Barn Funnel Weaver Tegenaria domestica
2. Ant-mimic Jumping Spider Myrmarachne formicaria

Birds
17. Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
18. Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus

The ant-mimic was the most surprising part. It looked like an ant and then I noticed the extra pair of legs...
 
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Casual observations at home and work

Mammals
1. European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus

Birds
5. Chestnut teal Anas chlorotis
6. Pacific black duck Anas superciliosa
7. Cape Barren goose Cereopsis novaehollandiae
8. Maned duck Chenonetta jubata
9. Common bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera
10. Tawny frogmouth Podargus strigoides
11. Dusky moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
12. Australasian swamphen Porphyrio melanotus
13. Black-shouldered lapwing Vanellus novaehollandiae
14. Black-shouldered kite Elanus axillaris
15. Yellow-tailed black cockatoo Zanda funereus
16. Superb fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus
17. Red wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata
18. Black-faced cuckooshrike Coracina novaehollandiae
19. Australian magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
20. Common mynah Acridotheres tristis

Invertebrates
1. African black beetle Heteronychus arator
2. Willow-herb moth Phalaenoides tristifica
3. False meadow katydid Conocephalomima barameda

Went across town today to spend a couple of hours at the Western Treatment Plant. Saw a total of 39 bird species, including the first three new species for the year as well as my all time favorite duck, the pick-eared duck.
21. Grey teal Anas gracilis
22, Musk duck Biziura lobata
23. Black swan Cygnus atratus
24. Pink-eared duck Malacorhynchus membranaceus
25. Australian shelduck Tadorna tadornoides
26. Spotted turtle-dove Spilopelia chinensis
27, Eurasian coot Fulica atra
28. Spotless crake Zapornia tabuensis
29. Australian pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus
30, White-faced heron Egretta novaehollandiae
31. Straw-necked ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
32. White-necked stilt Himantopus leucocephalus
33. Common sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
34. Sharp-tailed sandpiper Calidris acuminata
35. * Whiskered tern Chlidonias hybrida
36. White-winged black tern Chlidonias leucoptera
37. Silver gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
38. Black kite Milvus migrans
39. Sulphur-crested cockatoo Cacatua galerita
40. White-fronted chat Epthianura albifrons
41. Tawny-crowned honeyeater Gliciphila melanops
42. Australian raven Corvus coronoides
43. Little raven Corvus mellori
44. Eurasian skylark Alauda arvensis
45. Golden-headed cistacola Cisticola exilis
46. Little grassbird Poodytes gramineus
47. Australian reed warbler Acrocephalus australis
48. Welcome swallow Hirundo neoxena
49. European starling Sturnus vulgaris
* New species for my Australian list.

Two-year new species targets
Mammals 0/100
Birds 3/1000
Bonus ectotherms 2
 
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Did some scouting for waterfowl this morning since the water sources are starting to freeze up.

Birds:
26 Gadwall - Mareca strepera
27 American Wigeon - Mareca americana
28 Common Goldeneye - Bucephala clangula
29 American Coot - Fulica americana
30 Horned Lark - Eremophila alpestris
31 House Finch - Haemorhous mexicanus
32 White-crowned Sparrow - Zonotrichia leucophrys
33 Lesser Scaup - Aythya affinis
34 Herring Gull - Larus argentatus
35 Snow Goose - Anser caerulescens
36 Greater White-fronted Goose - Anser albifrons

Birds:
37 Merlin - Falco columbarius
38 Green-winged Teal - Anas crecca
39 Canvasback - Aythya valisineria
40 Ruddy Duck - Oxyura jamaicensis
41 Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus
42 Cooper's Hawk - Accipiter cooperii
43 Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura
44 Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus
45 American Tree Sparrow - Spizelloides arborea
46 Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis
 
Birds:

1. Northern Mockingbird- 1/2/22
2. Mourning Dove- 1/3/22
3. Canada Goose- 1/5/22
4. Red-Bellied Woodpecker- 1/5/22
5. Song Sparrow- 1/5/22
6. Tufted Titmouse- 1/5/22

Using my binoculars, I managed to see a plethora of birds in my backyard, including 3 new species!

7. Eastern Bluebird
8. Carolina Chickadee
9
. Yellow-Rumped Warbler
10
. Pine Warbler
11. Red-Winged Blackbird
12. European Starling
13. American Robin
 
Slow start to the year, with other priorities until I heard about a Radjah Shelduck in Sydney (apparently the first record for Sydney), not far from where i live. So, despite the rain yesterday, I made an effort.

Birds
1. Radjah Shelduck
2. Welcome Swallow
3. Australian Magpie
4. Grey Butcherbird
5. Noisy Miner
6. Superb Fairy Wren
7. Little Corella
8. Long-billed Corella
9. Little Black Cormorant
10. Little Pied Cormorant
11. Australian Swammphen
12. Dusky Moorhen
13. Eurasian Coot
14. Crested Pigeon
15. Pacific Black Duck
16. Australian Wood Duck
17. Black Swan

:p

Hix

Birds
18. Australian Reed Warbler
19. Magpie-lark
20. Spotted Dove
21. Indian (Common) Myna
22. Fairy Martin
23. Australian Raven
24. Red-rumped Parrot
25. Australian White Ibis
26. Australian Pelican
27. Pied Stilt
28. Great Crested Grebe

Reptiles
1. Long-necked Turtle

:p

Hix
 
Birds:

1. Eurasian treecreeper 4/1/22
2. Hooded crow 7/1/22
3. Common blue tit 7/1/22
4. Great tit 7/1/22
5. Eurasian blackbird 7/1/22¨
6. Fieldflare 7/1/22
7. House sparrow 7/1/22
8. Eurasian bullfinch 7/1/22
 
Birds
28. House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)

Today was the first day so far this year that I didn't pick up a new bird (unsurprising - I avoided outside like the plague because of the brutal cold snap), so here are my odds 'n ends updates from this past week:

Birds
29. Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
30. Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
31. Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)
32. American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
33. European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

I made an attempt at looking for Belted Kingfisher, but unfortunately all I got were a few of the grebes.
 
Using my binoculars, I managed to see a plethora of birds in my backyard, including 3 new species!

7. Eastern Bluebird
8. Carolina Chickadee
9
. Yellow-Rumped Warbler
10
. Pine Warbler
11. Red-Winged Blackbird
12. European Starling
13. American Robin

1/7/21

Birds:

14. American Crow
15. Turkey Vulture
 
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