Zoochat Big Year 2022

A bit behind on updates:

Mammals:

6. Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)
7. Groundhog (Marmota monax)
8. Feral Cat (Felis catus)

Birds:

23. Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)
24. American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)
25. Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)
26. Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)
27. American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)
28. Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
29. Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)
30. American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus)
31. Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
32. Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
33. Great Egret (Ardea alba)
34. Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
35. Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
36. Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
37. Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
38. Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
39. Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)
40. Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
41. Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus)
42. Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
43. Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)
44. House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)
45. Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus)
46. Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
47. Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
48. Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major)

Fish:

1. Eastern Blacknose Dace (Rhinichthys atratulus)

Invertebrates:

3. Common Crayfish (Cambarus bartonii)
4. Atlantic Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus)
5. Atlantic Marsh Fiddler Crab (Minuca pugnax)
6. Atlantic Ribbed Marsh Mussel (Geukensia demissa)

Mammals: 7
Birds: 48
Fish: 1
Invertebrates: 6
Total: 62
 
Although of course much weaker in diversity than, say, a protected area or a wetland, my school is a avian paradise relative to my house in the city. Here the rarest bird one can see is a coppersmith barbet which is often, elesewhere, a bird one will see whether you like it or not. I was cooped up here for much of January during India’s third wave of the virus, and only when the Coronavirus rates slowed down were studentsI allowed to return to school. As such most of the following birds I saw in and around my school.
Speaking of coppersmiths: M. Krishnan, renowned Indian naturalist and writer, once wrote of coppersmiths as heralds of summer. Their call, when pronounced at midday, is a sure sign of an early summer. Perhaps I should have paid more attention to the dumpy little birds outside my classroom, because February this year has been surprisingly hot. By March the heat is expected, but usually the winter cold lasts for much longer than this year.
With the heat comes dryness, and with dryness comes the death and desiccation of most vegetation. This has been conducive to wildfires, I suspect lit by farmers and landowners keen to clear their fields. I did not see many birds hawking near the fire, except for a couple Red-rumped Swallows. These birds are quite odd in supposedly being a resident species in the Western Ghats but a winter visitor further east.
Some trees ‘keep up their spirits’ despite the onset of the dry season. The Palasha (Butea monosperma), Silk Cotton (Bombax ceiba), Bottlebrush (Callistemon) and Banyan (Ficus benghalensis) all send forth their flowers in the late winter/early summer. Each attracts different types of birds to feast on the blooms. The Palasha’s nectar attracts great hordes of sunbirds, including the multicolour Purple-rumped and metallic Purple Sunbirds, as well as many parakeets, white-eyes and mynas. My friend also saw a leafbird, which I unfortunately missed. The banyan’s flowers are packaged in neat little figs which are the favorite of many a barbet, golden oriole, myna, bulbul and rat. With the Callistemonand silk cotton I did not get much of a chance to observe their avian visitors while they were in bloom, but the specific Bombax near my school is especially known among the other birdwatchers as a place where Hair-crested Drongo has been seen before.
Of course the receding winter brings up the question of winter migrants. Despite the name they are given, the birds seem to care less about whether it is still winter here in the South but rather whether it is spring in the North yet, and the majority seemingly stick around until April starts. The Orioles in particular have been especially plentiful, and of course the aforementioned swallows, but a particularly nice bird as well, the Indian Pitta. I had not had the luck of seeing this charming bird until now.
Towards the end of March some sporadic rains broke out, allowing things to regenerate a little bit. I saw a few frogs and toads, but could not identify them conclusively.
The ‘crowning glory’ of this quarter’s with of birding, and probably the rarest bird I have ever seen is the Yellow-throated Bulbul. This bird is entirely endemic to the South Indian Scrubland. I saw it quite unintentionally: a pair dropped by the room we were having class in quite randomly. I never saw them again.

Seen Birds
1. Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus
2. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
3. Indian Pond-Heron Ardeola grayii
4. Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus
5. Red Spurfowl Galloperdix spadicea
- Quail sp. Coturnix/Perdicula sp.
6. Grey Junglefowl Gallus sonneratii
7. Rock Pigeon Columba livia
8. Laughing Dove Streptopelia sengalensis
- Spotted/Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis/chinensis
9. Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus
- Hawk Accipiter sp.
10. Black Kite Milvus migrans
11. Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
12. Rock Eagle-Owl Bubo benghalensis
13. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropsis daurica
14. Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis
15. Blue-faced Malkoha Phaenicophaeus viridirostris
16. Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea
- Hawk-Cuckoo Heirococcyx sp.
17. Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri
18. White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
19. Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis
20. Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis
21. Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
22. Indian Grey Hornbill Ocyceros birostris
23. Coppersmith Barbet Psilopogon haemacephalus
24. White-cheeked Barbet Psilopogon viridis
- Flameback Woodpecker Chrysocolaptes/Dinopium sp.
25. Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda
26. House Crow Corvus splendens
27. Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchus
28. Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura
29. Indian Robin Copsychus fulicatus
30. Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis
31. Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae
32. Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata
33. Indian Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi
34. Spot-breasted Fantail Rhipidura albigularis
36. Bay-backed Shrike Lanius vittatus
37. Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer
38. Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus
39. Yellow-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus xantholaemus
40. White-browned Bulbul Pycnonotus luteolus
41. Puff-throated Babbler Pellorneum ruficeps
42. Yellow-billed Babbler Turdoides affinis
43. Tawny-bellied Babbler Dumetia hyperythra
- Cinereous/White-naped Tit Parus cinereus/nuchalis
44. Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius
- Iora sp. Aegithina sp.
45. Indian White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus
46. Purple-rumped Sunbird Leptocoma zeylonica
47. Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus
48. White-browned Wagtail Motacilla maderaspatensis
- Bushlark sp. Mirafra sp.
49. House Sparrow Passer domesticus
50. Indian Golden Oriole Oriolus kundoo
51. Common Myna Acridotheres tristis
52. Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus
53. White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens
- Dark Drongo sp. Dicrurus sp.

Heard Only Birds
1. Grey Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus
2. Jerdon’s Nightjar Caprimulgus atripennis

Mammals
1. Bonnet Macaque Macaca radiata
2. Indian Grey Mongoose Herpestes edwardsii
3. Three-striped Palm Squirrel Funambulus palmarum
 
More animals seen at the Cape of Good Hope yesterday.

Mammals
21. Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus)
22. Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis)
23. Chacma Baboon (Papio ursinus)
24. Bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus)

Birds
137. African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus)
138. Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
139. Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)
140. Grey-Headed Gull (Larus cirrocephalus)
141. Cape Wagtail (Motacilla capensis)
142. Common Ostrich (Struthio camelus)
143. Speckled Pigeon (Columba guinea)
144. African Darter (Anhinga rufa)

Mammals: 24
Birds: 144
Reptiles: 12
Amphibians: 1
Fish: 3
Invertebrates: 2

Birds
145. African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)
146. Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
147. House Crow (Corvus splendens)

Mammals: 24
Birds: 147
Reptiles: 12
Amphibians: 1
Fish: 3
Invertebrates: 2
 
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Inverts
28. Western Carpenter Bee Xylocopa californica

29. Common Pillbug Armadillidium vulgare

Finally saw my first crustacean!
 
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5/4/2022
178. Australasian gannet
179. Green rosella
180. Hooded plover
181. New Holland honeyeaters
182. Pacific gull
183. Scarlet robin
184. Tasmanian native hen
185. Tasmanian scrubwren
186. Tree Martin
187. Yellow wattle bird
Day 1 of a driving holiday with my family in Tasmania. It’s my third trip to tassie. I have already seen the 12 endemics on my previous trip so I’m not going after them too hard.
I am going on a pelagic birdwatching trip out of Eaglehawk neck this coming Sunday. I can’t wait. I’ve been on a few Pelagic trips from Wollongong and Kiama before but I’m looking forward to going out down here. Fingers crossed for some lifers
 
Some more additions from the past week and a half.

Mammal:
8. Groundhog (Marmota monax)

Birds:
Seen in the harbors around Shedd Aquarium
57. Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) (Lifer)
58. Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
59. Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) (Lifer)
60. Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) (Lifer)
61. Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) (Lifer)


Seen at various lakes in my vicinity

62. Blue-Winged Teal (Anas discors)
63. Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)
64. Pied-Billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)
65. Greater White-Fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)

Seen at Riverbend Forest Preserve, along with more Horned Grebes. I've seen Loons before in Michigan, but they are new to my lists, hence a 'lister' instead of a lifer. I'm still very glad to see them again.

66. Common Loon (Gavia immer) ('Lister')

It was nice to finally spot some spring peepers after hearing them for many springs but never actually getting a visual on one.
Herptiles:
3. Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) (Lifer)

4. Common slider (Trachemys scripta) (Ssp. Red eared slider (T.s. elegans)

Amphibian:
2. Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) (Lifer)
Reptile:

2. Common slider (Trachemys scripta) (Ssp. Red eared slider (T.s. elegans)

Insect/Invertebrate:
25. Wooly Bear Caterpillar/Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia isabella)
More spring additions from the past week

Birds:
67. American Coot (Fulica americana)
68. Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
69. Brown-Headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
70. Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)

Herptiles:
5. American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)
Amphibian:
3. American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)

Insect/Invertebrate:
26. Varied carpet beetle (Anthrenus verbasci) ('Lister')
27. Eastern parson spider (Herpyllus ecclesiasticus)
28. Flea jumping spider (Naphrys pulex) (Lifer)
29. Dirt-colored seed bug (Pseudopachybrachius basalis) (Lifer)
 
Birds
103 Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus
104 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

Invertebrates
28 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
 
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Herps:
3. Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)
4. Gulf Coast Toad (Incilius nebulifer)

Mammals:
4. Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Invertebrates:
6. Gulf Fritillary (Dione vanillae)
7. Guinea Paper Wasp (Polistes exclamans)
8. Common European Greenbottle Fly (Lucilia sericata)
9. Spinybacked Orbweaver (Gasteracantha cancriformis)
10. Small Honey Ant (Prenolepis imparis)
11. Broad-headed Sharpshooter (Oncometopia orbona)
12. Eastern Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)
13. Basilica Orbweaver (Mecynogea lemniscata)
14. Convergent Lady Beetle (Hippodamia convergens)
 
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After the first lockdowns in mid 2020 I gave myself the objective of seeing both the larger species of glider in Victoria, the greater glider and the yellow-bellied glider. I chose Mortimer Picnic Ground in the Bunyip State Park as it was the closest suitable habitat and both species have been observed there. It took three trips to see the yellow-bellied glider, but I finally saw one in November '20. Going back in 2021 we continued to find yellow-bellied gliders, I guess more so as we understood where to look, however greater gliders eluded us. I decided I needed to knock that one out so last night I headed up to Badger Weir near Healesville, as I had read some excellent reports both here and elsewhere. We did indeed see a greater glider, as well as a series of great sightings of yellow-belled gliders. I also saw what I can only assume was a feathertail glider running up a tree in my thermal scope., however my headlamp battery had just died so I could not get enough light on it to confirm. Given the distance we decided to stay the night and go back this morning for some birding . We got 17 species, but nothing new.

Mammals
10. Southern greater glider Petauroides volans
11. Yellow-bellied glider Petaurus australis

A couple of new invertebrates at Moonlit Sanctuary
26. Brown shield bug Poecilometis strigatus (new Family)
27. Meadow argus Junonia villida

Two-year new species targets
Mammals 3/100
Birds 14/1000
Bonus ectotherms 29
 
6/4/2022
188. Black-headed honeyeater
189. Crescent honeyeater
190. Dusky robin
191. Flame robin
192. Golden whistler
193. Grey goshawk ( white form )
194. Strong-billed honeyeater
195. Tasmanian Thornbill
196. Tawny-crowned honeyeater
197. Yellow-throated honeyeater
 
I have already seen the 12 endemics on my previous trip so I’m not going after them too hard.
Go for fluffies then ;)
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Had a great day today at Birdworld, mostly enjoying the captive birds but a few wild ones popped up as well along the course of the day! Some very pleasant sightings indeed, including my first confirmed Red kite.

50 - Coal tit, Periparus ater
51 - Common pheasant, Phasianus colchicus
52 - Western jackdaw, Coloeus monedula
53 - Red kite, Milvus milvus

Plus a dead Serotine on the side of the road. Not entirely sure on the ID but the size, colouration, ears etc. point me in that direction...

And I'm in Cyprus now so hopefully a few nice additions in the coming days - in the meantime here are a few of the more widespread species I found on a quick walk today - hopefully I will make it to a couple of more fruitful spots in the coming days which could yield some nice raptors, but who knows. Fairly happy with the first haul though.

54 - Laughing dove, Streptopelia senegalensis
55 - Common swift, Apus apus
56 - Yellow-legged gull, Larus micahellis
57 - Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus
58 - European shag, Gulosus aristotelis
59 - Crested lark, Galerida cristata
60 - Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica
61 - Spanish sparrow, Passer hispaniolensis
62 - Western yellow wagtail, Motacilla flava (two or three ssp.)
63 - White wagtail, Motacilla alba
64 - Red-throated pipit, Anthus cervinus.

36 to go for my target...
 
got some various invertebrates I saw a while ago identified (thank you inaturalist!)

Inverts
8 - Northern Saint Andrew's Cross Spider
9 - Swift's Ant-Hunter Spider
10 - Great Eggfly
11 - Wandering Percher
12 - Brown Pansy
13 - Red Arrow
14 - Dodd's Bunyip
 
Birds
145. African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)
146. Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
147. House Crow (Corvus splendens)

Mammals: 24
Birds: 147
Reptiles: 12
Amphibians: 1
Fish: 3
Invertebrates: 2
Although I have returned from South Africa, there were still three species I saw I have not mentioned yet. It was a truly and amazing trip I will never forget, and it was amazing for birding.

Birds
148. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
149. Swift Tern (Thalasseus bergi)
150. Red-Eyed Dove (Streptopelia semitorquata)

Mammals: 24
Birds: 150
Reptiles: 12
Amphibians: 1
Fish: 3
Invertebrates: 2
 
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