Zoochat Big Year 2022

DesertRhino150 said:
Over the past week or so, I have managed a couple more local walks. I have managed to see another two summer migrant birds and have also seen eight new invertebrates. I also managed to see my second species of fish for the year - for some reason the river has remained murky months after winter has ended, so I'm not sure how many other fish I will see:

78. Common whitethroat Curruca communis
79. Common reed warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus

2. Common dace Leuciscus leuciscus

24. Fencepost jumping spider Marpissa muscosa
25. Large red damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula
26. Speckled wood butterfly Pararge aegeria
27. Nursery web spider Pisaura mirabilis
28. St Mark's fly Bibio marci
29. Banded demoiselle Calopteryx splendens
30. European hornet Vespa crabro
31. Green nettle weevil Phyllobius pomaceus
Click to expand...

I have added a few new species to my list since my previous update. Yesterday, I looked out of my bedroom window and happened to see a pair of swift flying over the trees - no doubt heading off towards an urban area as they really don't nest out in the countryside.

Today, I went for an early morning walk and first managed to find a new butterfly for the year among the buttercups. I have been hearing cuckoos for a couple of days now and managed to find a good place to scan an entire avenue of trees where at least two were calling - I spotted one at the top of a tree and also got a good view of it in flight. But perhaps my oddest sighting of the day was a juvenile field vole - I found it immobile and with its eyes closed in the road and at first I thought it was dead. But when I poked it with a piece of grass, it came awake and scuttled off into the verge.

80. Common swift Apus apus
81. Common cuckoo Cuculus canorus

8. Short-tailed field vole Microtus agrestis

32. Common blue butterfly Polyommatus icarus
 
birdsandbats said:
Birds
195. Tennessee Warbler Leiothlypis peregrina
196. Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus
197. Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina
198. Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla
199. Mourning Warbler Geothlypis philadelphia
200. Canada Warbler Cardellina canadensis
201. Bay-breasted Warbler Setophaga castanea
202. Blackpoll Warbler Setophaga striata
Click to expand...
Birds
203. Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris
 
Ituri said:
Another weekend of birding.

BIRDS:
190 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron - Nyctanassa violacea
191 Blackpoll Warbler - Setophaga striata
192 Bobolink - Dolichonyx oryzivorus
193 Bell's Vireo - Vireo bellii
194 Orchard Oriole - Icterus spurius
195 Rose-breasted Grosbeak - Pheucticus ludovicianus
196 Indigo Bunting - Passerina cyanea
197 Purple Martin - Progne subis

REPTILES:
4 Plain-bellied Water Snake - Nerodia erythrogaster

AMPHIBIANS
1 Boreal Chorus Frog - Pseudacris maculata
Click to expand...

BIRDS:
198 Solitary Sandpiper - Tringa solitaria
199 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - Tyrannus forficatus
200 Eastern Wood-Pewee - Contopus virens
 
Mr. Zootycoon said:
I might now disappear for a while. When I'm back you can expect at least 80-90 new birds, hopefully at least a dozen herptiles, multiple insects and perhaps even a couple of mammals. And a significant number of them should be lifers!
Click to expand...

And so I’m back from the Aegean Island of Lesvos, often dubbed migration island. For about two weeks I explored the island with two friends, and most of our waking hours were spent searching for the weird and wonderful fauna that dwells there. We explored ancient olive groves, rocky mountain sides, damp oak forests and coastal wetlands to find a plethora of species.

The number of highlights is simply too long to recite here. We have had absolutely glorious birding days filled with insane moments. To give just one example, we spent one morning at a migrant trap at Faneromeni, where the shrikes and warblers were almost dripping from the branches while endless streams of swifts, swallows and bee-eaters kept flying overhead. I’ll never forget the continuous purring of the bee-eaters as flocks of them landed, foraged for a while before being replaced by the next flock. In between the masses of birds there were oddities left and right, including Levant Sparrowhawk, Eleonora’s Falcon, Barred Warbler and, best of all, a European Roller giving insanely good views. Absolutely unbelievable! There were so many memorable sightings, from pelicans soaring over the saltpans to clouds of terns dancing through the sky like starlings. In some places, every single bush and shrub seemed to have at least one bunting or shrike in it.

Of course, there was more to see than birds. Lesvos is a bit limited when it comes to mammals, but we saw the two species I hoped for the most. The Caucasian Squirrel is especially a highlight. We did very well with reptiles too, even though the snakes were not as cooperative as we hoped for. We got great views of all species of lizards - bar the nocturnal geckos - and chelonians on the island. The Glass Lizard and Greek Tortoise are certainly among my favorites. In terms of butterflies and dragonflies the season had only just started, but we saw many great species. Most memorable were the Dark Spreadwings. We found a little marshland area where literally - and I mean, actually literally! - every patch of sedge we could see was completely covered in spreadwings. On Lesvos, even though the island is predominantly agricultural and little actual wilderness is left, there is an abundance of life that is simply not present anymore in the Netherlands. It made me happy and sad at the same time.

At this moment, I’m a little swamped in work and I cannot do this trip justice in one post. So I’m planning to write a more detailed travel report. However, knowing that I’m very prone to start writing projects without finishing them, I’m first going to write the entire story down and then start posting it bit by bit. It might take a while!


Birds
165. House Martin, Delichon urbicum
166. Feral (Rock) Pigeon, Columba livia
167. European Turtle Dove, Streptopelia turtur
168. Ruddy Shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea
169. Greater Flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus
170. Common Swift, Apus apus
171. Eurasian Hoopoe, Upupa epops
172. Spotted Flycatcher, Muscicapa striata
173. Crested Lark, Galerida cristata
174. Eurasian Scops Owl, Otus scops
175. Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus
176. Little Tern, Sternula albifrons
177. Red-throated Pipit, Anthus cervinus
178. Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra
179. European Bee-eater, Merops apiaster
180. Red-rumped Swallow, Cecropis daurica
181. Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Iduna pallida
182. Spanish Sparrow, Passer hispaniolensis
183. Greater Short-toed Lark, Calandrella brachydactyla
184. Kentish Plover, Charadrius alexandrinus
185. Common Ringed Plover, Charadrius hiaticula
186. Short-toed Eagle, Circaetus gallicus
187. Dunlin, Calidris alpina
188. Squacco Heron, Ardeola ralloides
189. Little Crake, Zapornia parva
190. Little Bittern, Ixobrychus minutus
191. Woodchat Shrike, Lanius senator
192. Sombre Tit, Poecile lugubris
193. Masked Shrike, Lanius nubicus
194. Long-legged Buzzard, Buteo rufinus
195. Black Stork, Ciconia nigra
196. Eurasian Crag Martin, Ptyonoprogne rupestris
197. Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Oenanthe melanoleuca
198. Barred Warbler, Curruca nisoria
199. Cirl Bunting, Emberiza cirlus
200. Marsh Sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis
201. Dalmatian Pelican, Pelecanus crispus
202. Black-headed Bunting, Emberiza melanocephala
203. Zitting Cisticola, Cisticola juncidis
204. Little Stint, Calidris minuta
205. Common Sandpiper, Actictis hypoleuca
206. Curlew Sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea
207. European Serin, Serinus serinus
208. Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Curruca cantillans
209. Rock Sparrow, Petronia petronia
210. Cinereous Bunting, Emberiza cineracea
211. Wood Warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix
212. Red-backed Shrike, Lanius collurio
213. Eastern Orphean Warbler, Curruca crassirostris
214. Blue Rock Thrush, Monticola solitarius
215. European Pied Flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca
216. Rock Nuthatch, Sitta neumayer
217. Isabelline Wheatear, Oenanthe isabellina
218. Montagu’s Harrier, Circus pygargus
219. Alpine Swift, Tachymarptis melba
220. Collared Flycatcher, Ficedula albicollis
221. Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Emberiza caesia
222. Tawny Pipit, Anthus campestris
223. European Shag, Phalacrocorax aristotelis
224. Spotted Crake, Porzana porzana
225. Purple Heron, Ardea purpurea
226. Great Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus arundinaceus
227. Eurasian Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceus
228. Booted Eagle, Hieraaetus pennatus
229. Great Spotted Cuckoo, Clamator glandarius
230. Red-footed Falcon, Falco vespertinus
231. Yelkouan Shearwater, Puffinus yelkouan
232. Scopoli’s Shearwater, Calonectris diomedea
233. Laughing Dove, Streptopelia senegalensis
234. Eurasian Stone-curlew, Burhinus oedicnemus
235. Glossy Ibis, Plegadis falcinellus
236. Collared Pratincole, Glareola pratincola
237. Common Cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
238. Black-crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
239. Temminck’s Sandpiper, Calidris temminckii
240. Citrine Wagtail, Motacilla citreola
241. Krüper’s Nuthatch, Sitta krueperi
242. Great Snipe, Gallinago media
243. Lesser Whitethroat, Curruca curruca
244. European Roller, Coracias garrulus
245. European Golden Oriole, Oriolus oriolus
246. Lesser Grey Shrike, Lanius minor
247. Eleonora’s Falcon, Falco eleonorae
248. Levant Sparrowhawk, Accipiter brevipes
249. European Honey Buzzard, Pernis apivorus
250. Lesser Kestrel, Falco neumanni
251. White-winged Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus
252. Whiskered Tern, Chlidonias hybrida
253. Black Tern, Chlidonias niger
254. Chukar, Alectoris chukar
255. Garden Warbler, Sylvia borin
256. Spur-winged Lapwing, Vanellus spinosus
257. Rüppell’s Warbler, Curruca rupelli
258. Eurasian Hobby, Falco subbuteo
259. Olive-tree Warbler, Hippolais olivetorum
260. Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, Phylloscopus orientalis

Herptiles
08. Balkan Pond Turtle, Mauremys rivulata
09. Levantine Frog, Pelophylax bedriagae
10. Snake-eyed Lizard, Ophisops elegans
11. European Pond Turtle, Emys orbicularis
12. Balkan Green Lizard, Lacerta trilineata*
13. Starred Agama, Stellagama stellio
14. European Green Toad, Bufotes viridis**
15. Eastern Tree Frog, Hyla orientalis
16. Asia Minor Dwarf Racer, Eirenis modestus
17. Snake-eyed Skink, Ablepharus kitaibelii
18. European Glass Lizard, Pseudopus apodus
19. European Grass Snake, Natrix natrix
20. Greek Tortoise, Testudo graeca

* I know there is a good case to be made that the Green Lizards of Lesvos belong to the recently split L. diplochondrodes but for now I’ll put them down as trilineata until more consensus is reached.

** Green toad taxonomy is a nightmare right now. I’ve heard that the form of Lesvos may be part of an eastern European clade that belongs to a different species. Again, for now I’m putting it down as B. viridis but feel free to share your opinion!

Mammals
13. Northern White-breasted Hedgehog, Erinaceus roumanicus*
14. Caucasian Squirrel, Sciurus anomalus

* Again there is some debate which hedgehog species occurs on Lesvos, but the Atlas to Mammals of the Aegean Islands and the IUCN agree that roumanicus, not concolor, should occur there, so that’s what I’m writing down for now.

Butterflies
10. Small Heath, Coenonympha pamphilus
11. Small Copper, Lycaena phlaeas
12. Swallowtail, Papilio machaon
13. Hungarian Skipper, Sialia orbifer
14. Green-underside Blue, Glaucopsyche alexis
15. Eastern Bath White, Pontia edusa
16. Large Wall Brown, Lasiommata meara
17. Wall Brown, Lasiommata megera
18. Spotted Fritillary, Melitaea didyma
19. Eastern Festoon, Zerynthia cerisy
20. Scarce Swallowtail, Iphiclides podalirius
21. Common Blue, Polyommatus icarus
22. Brown Argus, Aricia agestis
23. Large Tortoiseshell, Nymphalis polychloros
24. Nettle-tree Butterfly, Libythea celtis
25. Eastern Dappled White, Euchloe ausonia
26. Clouded Yellow, Colias crocea
27. Aegean Meadow Brown, Maniola telmessia
28. Green Hairstreak, Callophrys rubi

Dragonflies
02. Blue Featherleg, Platycnemis pennipes
03. Black-tailed Skimmer, Orthetrum cancellatum
04. Small Skimmer, Orthetrum taeniolatum
05. Scarce Chaser, Libellula fulva
06. Blue-eye, Erythromma lindenii
07. Odalisque, Epallage fatime
08. Dark Spreadwing, Lestes macrostigma
09. Broad Scarlet, Crocothemis erythraea
10. Small Pincertail, Onychogomphus forcipatus
 
Mr. Zootycoon said:
And so I’m back from the Aegean Island of Lesvos, often dubbed migration island. For about two weeks I explored the island with two friends, and most of our waking hours were spent searching for the weird and wonderful fauna that dwells there. We explored ancient olive groves, rocky mountain sides, damp oak forests and coastal wetlands to find a plethora of species.

The number of highlights is simply too long to recite here. We have had absolutely glorious birding days filled with insane moments. To give just one example, we spent one morning at a migrant trap at Faneromeni, where the shrikes and warblers were almost dripping from the branches while endless streams of swifts, swallows and bee-eaters kept flying overhead. I’ll never forget the continuous purring of the bee-eaters as flocks of them landed, foraged for a while before being replaced by the next flock. In between the masses of birds there were oddities left and right, including Levant Sparrowhawk, Eleonora’s Falcon, Barred Warbler and, best of all, a European Roller giving insanely good views. Absolutely unbelievable! There were so many memorable sightings, from pelicans soaring over the saltpans to clouds of terns dancing through the sky like starlings. In some places, every single bush and shrub seemed to have at least one bunting or shrike in it.

Of course, there was more to see than birds. Lesvos is a bit limited when it comes to mammals, but we saw the two species I hoped for the most. The Caucasian Squirrel is especially a highlight. We did very well with reptiles too, even though the snakes were not as cooperative as we hoped for. We got great views of all species of lizards - bar the nocturnal geckos - and chelonians on the island. The Glass Lizard and Greek Tortoise are certainly among my favorites. In terms of butterflies and dragonflies the season had only just started, but we saw many great species. Most memorable were the Dark Spreadwings. We found a little marshland area where literally - and I mean, actually literally! - every patch of sedge we could see was completely covered in spreadwings. On Lesvos, even though the island is predominantly agricultural and little actual wilderness is left, there is an abundance of life that is simply not present anymore in the Netherlands. It made me happy and sad at the same time.

At this moment, I’m a little swamped in work and I cannot do this trip justice in one post. So I’m planning to write a more detailed travel report. However, knowing that I’m very prone to start writing projects without finishing them, I’m first going to write the entire story down and then start posting it bit by bit. It might take a while!


Birds
165. House Martin, Delichon urbicum
166. Feral (Rock) Pigeon, Columba livia
167. European Turtle Dove, Streptopelia turtur
168. Ruddy Shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea
169. Greater Flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus
170. Common Swift, Apus apus
171. Eurasian Hoopoe, Upupa epops
172. Spotted Flycatcher, Muscicapa striata
173. Crested Lark, Galerida cristata
174. Eurasian Scops Owl, Otus scops
175. Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus
176. Little Tern, Sternula albifrons
177. Red-throated Pipit, Anthus cervinus
178. Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra
179. European Bee-eater, Merops apiaster
180. Red-rumped Swallow, Cecropis daurica
181. Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Iduna pallida
182. Spanish Sparrow, Passer hispaniolensis
183. Greater Short-toed Lark, Calandrella brachydactyla
184. Kentish Plover, Charadrius alexandrinus
185. Common Ringed Plover, Charadrius hiaticula
186. Short-toed Eagle, Circaetus gallicus
187. Dunlin, Calidris alpina
188. Squacco Heron, Ardeola ralloides
189. Little Crake, Zapornia parva
190. Little Bittern, Ixobrychus minutus
191. Woodchat Shrike, Lanius senator
192. Sombre Tit, Poecile lugubris
193. Masked Shrike, Lanius nubicus
194. Long-legged Buzzard, Buteo rufinus
195. Black Stork, Ciconia nigra
196. Eurasian Crag Martin, Ptyonoprogne rupestris
197. Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Oenanthe melanoleuca
198. Barred Warbler, Curruca nisoria
199. Cirl Bunting, Emberiza cirlus
200. Marsh Sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis
201. Dalmatian Pelican, Pelecanus crispus
202. Black-headed Bunting, Emberiza melanocephala
203. Zitting Cisticola, Cisticola juncidis
204. Little Stint, Calidris minuta
205. Common Sandpiper, Actictis hypoleuca
206. Curlew Sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea
207. European Serin, Serinus serinus
208. Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Curruca cantillans
209. Rock Sparrow, Petronia petronia
210. Cinereous Bunting, Emberiza cineracea
211. Wood Warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix
212. Red-backed Shrike, Lanius collurio
213. Eastern Orphean Warbler, Curruca crassirostris
214. Blue Rock Thrush, Monticola solitarius
215. European Pied Flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca
216. Rock Nuthatch, Sitta neumayer
217. Isabelline Wheatear, Oenanthe isabellina
218. Montagu’s Harrier, Circus pygargus
219. Alpine Swift, Tachymarptis melba
220. Collared Flycatcher, Ficedula albicollis
221. Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Emberiza caesia
222. Tawny Pipit, Anthus campestris
223. European Shag, Phalacrocorax aristotelis
224. Spotted Crake, Porzana porzana
225. Purple Heron, Ardea purpurea
226. Great Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus arundinaceus
227. Eurasian Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceus
228. Booted Eagle, Hieraaetus pennatus
229. Great Spotted Cuckoo, Clamator glandarius
230. Red-footed Falcon, Falco vespertinus
231. Yelkouan Shearwater, Puffinus yelkouan
232. Scopoli’s Shearwater, Calonectris diomedea
233. Laughing Dove, Streptopelia senegalensis
234. Eurasian Stone-curlew, Burhinus oedicnemus
235. Glossy Ibis, Plegadis falcinellus
236. Collared Pratincole, Glareola pratincola
237. Common Cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
238. Black-crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
239. Temminck’s Sandpiper, Calidris temminckii
240. Citrine Wagtail, Motacilla citreola
241. Krüper’s Nuthatch, Sitta krueperi
242. Great Snipe, Gallinago media
243. Lesser Whitethroat, Curruca curruca
244. European Roller, Coracias garrulus
245. European Golden Oriole, Oriolus oriolus
246. Lesser Grey Shrike, Lanius minor
247. Eleonora’s Falcon, Falco eleonorae
248. Levant Sparrowhawk, Accipiter brevipes
249. European Honey Buzzard, Pernis apivorus
250. Lesser Kestrel, Falco neumanni
251. White-winged Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus
252. Whiskered Tern, Chlidonias hybrida
253. Black Tern, Chlidonias niger
254. Chukar, Alectoris chukar
255. Garden Warbler, Sylvia borin
256. Spur-winged Lapwing, Vanellus spinosus
257. Rüppell’s Warbler, Curruca rupelli
258. Eurasian Hobby, Falco subbuteo
259. Olive-tree Warbler, Hippolais olivetorum
260. Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, Phylloscopus orientalis

Herptiles
08. Balkan Pond Turtle, Mauremys rivulata
09. Levantine Frog, Pelophylax bedriagae
10. Snake-eyed Lizard, Ophisops elegans
11. European Pond Turtle, Emys orbicularis
12. Balkan Green Lizard, Lacerta trilineata*
13. Starred Agama, Stellagama stellio
14. European Green Toad, Bufotes viridis**
15. Eastern Tree Frog, Hyla orientalis
16. Asia Minor Dwarf Racer, Eirenis modestus
17. Snake-eyed Skink, Ablepharus kitaibelii
18. European Glass Lizard, Pseudopus apodus
19. European Grass Snake, Natrix natrix
20. Greek Tortoise, Testudo graeca

* I know there is a good case to be made that the Green Lizards of Lesvos belong to the recently split L. diplochondrodes but for now I’ll put them down as trilineata until more consensus is reached.

** Green toad taxonomy is a nightmare right now. I’ve heard that the form of Lesvos may be part of an eastern European clade that belongs to a different species. Again, for now I’m putting it down as B. viridis but feel free to share your opinion!

Mammals
13. Northern White-breasted Hedgehog, Erinaceus roumanicus*
14. Caucasian Squirrel, Sciurus anomalus

* Again there is some debate which hedgehog species occurs on Lesvos, but the Atlas to Mammals of the Aegean Islands and the IUCN agree that roumanicus, not concolor, should occur there, so that’s what I’m writing down for now.

Butterflies
10. Small Heath, Coenonympha pamphilus
11. Small Copper, Lycaena phlaeas
12. Swallowtail, Papilio machaon
13. Hungarian Skipper, Sialia orbifer
14. Green-underside Blue, Glaucopsyche alexis
15. Eastern Bath White, Pontia edusa
16. Large Wall Brown, Lasiommata meara
17. Wall Brown, Lasiommata megera
18. Spotted Fritillary, Melitaea didyma
19. Eastern Festoon, Zerynthia cerisy
20. Scarce Swallowtail, Iphiclides podalirius
21. Common Blue, Polyommatus icarus
22. Brown Argus, Aricia agestis
23. Large Tortoiseshell, Nymphalis polychloros
24. Nettle-tree Butterfly, Libythea celtis
25. Eastern Dappled White, Euchloe ausonia
26. Clouded Yellow, Colias crocea
27. Aegean Meadow Brown, Maniola telmessia
28. Green Hairstreak, Callophrys rubi

Dragonflies
02. Blue Featherleg, Platycnemis pennipes
03. Black-tailed Skimmer, Orthetrum cancellatum
04. Small Skimmer, Orthetrum taeniolatum
05. Scarce Chaser, Libellula fulva
06. Blue-eye, Erythromma lindenii
07. Odalisque, Epallage fatime
08. Dark Spreadwing, Lestes macrostigma
09. Broad Scarlet, Crocothemis erythraea
10. Small Pincertail, Onychogomphus forcipatus
Click to expand...

That is one very impressive update! Looking forwards to hearing the detailed trip report and I'm sure plenty of others will be too!
 
Mr. Zootycoon said:
And so I’m back from the Aegean Island of Lesvos, often dubbed migration island. For about two weeks I explored the island with two friends, and most of our waking hours were spent searching for the weird and wonderful fauna that dwells there. We explored ancient olive groves, rocky mountain sides, damp oak forests and coastal wetlands to find a plethora of species.

The number of highlights is simply too long to recite here. We have had absolutely glorious birding days filled with insane moments. To give just one example, we spent one morning at a migrant trap at Faneromeni, where the shrikes and warblers were almost dripping from the branches while endless streams of swifts, swallows and bee-eaters kept flying overhead. I’ll never forget the continuous purring of the bee-eaters as flocks of them landed, foraged for a while before being replaced by the next flock. In between the masses of birds there were oddities left and right, including Levant Sparrowhawk, Eleonora’s Falcon, Barred Warbler and, best of all, a European Roller giving insanely good views. Absolutely unbelievable! There were so many memorable sightings, from pelicans soaring over the saltpans to clouds of terns dancing through the sky like starlings. In some places, every single bush and shrub seemed to have at least one bunting or shrike in it.

Of course, there was more to see than birds. Lesvos is a bit limited when it comes to mammals, but we saw the two species I hoped for the most. The Caucasian Squirrel is especially a highlight. We did very well with reptiles too, even though the snakes were not as cooperative as we hoped for. We got great views of all species of lizards - bar the nocturnal geckos - and chelonians on the island. The Glass Lizard and Greek Tortoise are certainly among my favorites. In terms of butterflies and dragonflies the season had only just started, but we saw many great species. Most memorable were the Dark Spreadwings. We found a little marshland area where literally - and I mean, actually literally! - every patch of sedge we could see was completely covered in spreadwings. On Lesvos, even though the island is predominantly agricultural and little actual wilderness is left, there is an abundance of life that is simply not present anymore in the Netherlands. It made me happy and sad at the same time.

At this moment, I’m a little swamped in work and I cannot do this trip justice in one post. So I’m planning to write a more detailed travel report. However, knowing that I’m very prone to start writing projects without finishing them, I’m first going to write the entire story down and then start posting it bit by bit. It might take a while!


Birds
165. House Martin, Delichon urbicum
166. Feral (Rock) Pigeon, Columba livia
167. European Turtle Dove, Streptopelia turtur
168. Ruddy Shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea
169. Greater Flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus
170. Common Swift, Apus apus
171. Eurasian Hoopoe, Upupa epops
172. Spotted Flycatcher, Muscicapa striata
173. Crested Lark, Galerida cristata
174. Eurasian Scops Owl, Otus scops
175. Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus
176. Little Tern, Sternula albifrons
177. Red-throated Pipit, Anthus cervinus
178. Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra
179. European Bee-eater, Merops apiaster
180. Red-rumped Swallow, Cecropis daurica
181. Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Iduna pallida
182. Spanish Sparrow, Passer hispaniolensis
183. Greater Short-toed Lark, Calandrella brachydactyla
184. Kentish Plover, Charadrius alexandrinus
185. Common Ringed Plover, Charadrius hiaticula
186. Short-toed Eagle, Circaetus gallicus
187. Dunlin, Calidris alpina
188. Squacco Heron, Ardeola ralloides
189. Little Crake, Zapornia parva
190. Little Bittern, Ixobrychus minutus
191. Woodchat Shrike, Lanius senator
192. Sombre Tit, Poecile lugubris
193. Masked Shrike, Lanius nubicus
194. Long-legged Buzzard, Buteo rufinus
195. Black Stork, Ciconia nigra
196. Eurasian Crag Martin, Ptyonoprogne rupestris
197. Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Oenanthe melanoleuca
198. Barred Warbler, Curruca nisoria
199. Cirl Bunting, Emberiza cirlus
200. Marsh Sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis
201. Dalmatian Pelican, Pelecanus crispus
202. Black-headed Bunting, Emberiza melanocephala
203. Zitting Cisticola, Cisticola juncidis
204. Little Stint, Calidris minuta
205. Common Sandpiper, Actictis hypoleuca
206. Curlew Sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea
207. European Serin, Serinus serinus
208. Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Curruca cantillans
209. Rock Sparrow, Petronia petronia
210. Cinereous Bunting, Emberiza cineracea
211. Wood Warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix
212. Red-backed Shrike, Lanius collurio
213. Eastern Orphean Warbler, Curruca crassirostris
214. Blue Rock Thrush, Monticola solitarius
215. European Pied Flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca
216. Rock Nuthatch, Sitta neumayer
217. Isabelline Wheatear, Oenanthe isabellina
218. Montagu’s Harrier, Circus pygargus
219. Alpine Swift, Tachymarptis melba
220. Collared Flycatcher, Ficedula albicollis
221. Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Emberiza caesia
222. Tawny Pipit, Anthus campestris
223. European Shag, Phalacrocorax aristotelis
224. Spotted Crake, Porzana porzana
225. Purple Heron, Ardea purpurea
226. Great Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus arundinaceus
227. Eurasian Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceus
228. Booted Eagle, Hieraaetus pennatus
229. Great Spotted Cuckoo, Clamator glandarius
230. Red-footed Falcon, Falco vespertinus
231. Yelkouan Shearwater, Puffinus yelkouan
232. Scopoli’s Shearwater, Calonectris diomedea
233. Laughing Dove, Streptopelia senegalensis
234. Eurasian Stone-curlew, Burhinus oedicnemus
235. Glossy Ibis, Plegadis falcinellus
236. Collared Pratincole, Glareola pratincola
237. Common Cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
238. Black-crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
239. Temminck’s Sandpiper, Calidris temminckii
240. Citrine Wagtail, Motacilla citreola
241. Krüper’s Nuthatch, Sitta krueperi
242. Great Snipe, Gallinago media
243. Lesser Whitethroat, Curruca curruca
244. European Roller, Coracias garrulus
245. European Golden Oriole, Oriolus oriolus
246. Lesser Grey Shrike, Lanius minor
247. Eleonora’s Falcon, Falco eleonorae
248. Levant Sparrowhawk, Accipiter brevipes
249. European Honey Buzzard, Pernis apivorus
250. Lesser Kestrel, Falco neumanni
251. White-winged Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus
252. Whiskered Tern, Chlidonias hybrida
253. Black Tern, Chlidonias niger
254. Chukar, Alectoris chukar
255. Garden Warbler, Sylvia borin
256. Spur-winged Lapwing, Vanellus spinosus
257. Rüppell’s Warbler, Curruca rupelli
258. Eurasian Hobby, Falco subbuteo
259. Olive-tree Warbler, Hippolais olivetorum
260. Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, Phylloscopus orientalis

Herptiles
08. Balkan Pond Turtle, Mauremys rivulata
09. Levantine Frog, Pelophylax bedriagae
10. Snake-eyed Lizard, Ophisops elegans
11. European Pond Turtle, Emys orbicularis
12. Balkan Green Lizard, Lacerta trilineata*
13. Starred Agama, Stellagama stellio
14. European Green Toad, Bufotes viridis**
15. Eastern Tree Frog, Hyla orientalis
16. Asia Minor Dwarf Racer, Eirenis modestus
17. Snake-eyed Skink, Ablepharus kitaibelii
18. European Glass Lizard, Pseudopus apodus
19. European Grass Snake, Natrix natrix
20. Greek Tortoise, Testudo graeca

* I know there is a good case to be made that the Green Lizards of Lesvos belong to the recently split L. diplochondrodes but for now I’ll put them down as trilineata until more consensus is reached.

** Green toad taxonomy is a nightmare right now. I’ve heard that the form of Lesvos may be part of an eastern European clade that belongs to a different species. Again, for now I’m putting it down as B. viridis but feel free to share your opinion!

Mammals
13. Northern White-breasted Hedgehog, Erinaceus roumanicus*
14. Caucasian Squirrel, Sciurus anomalus

* Again there is some debate which hedgehog species occurs on Lesvos, but the Atlas to Mammals of the Aegean Islands and the IUCN agree that roumanicus, not concolor, should occur there, so that’s what I’m writing down for now.

Butterflies
10. Small Heath, Coenonympha pamphilus
11. Small Copper, Lycaena phlaeas
12. Swallowtail, Papilio machaon
13. Hungarian Skipper, Sialia orbifer
14. Green-underside Blue, Glaucopsyche alexis
15. Eastern Bath White, Pontia edusa
16. Large Wall Brown, Lasiommata meara
17. Wall Brown, Lasiommata megera
18. Spotted Fritillary, Melitaea didyma
19. Eastern Festoon, Zerynthia cerisy
20. Scarce Swallowtail, Iphiclides podalirius
21. Common Blue, Polyommatus icarus
22. Brown Argus, Aricia agestis
23. Large Tortoiseshell, Nymphalis polychloros
24. Nettle-tree Butterfly, Libythea celtis
25. Eastern Dappled White, Euchloe ausonia
26. Clouded Yellow, Colias crocea
27. Aegean Meadow Brown, Maniola telmessia
28. Green Hairstreak, Callophrys rubi

Dragonflies
02. Blue Featherleg, Platycnemis pennipes
03. Black-tailed Skimmer, Orthetrum cancellatum
04. Small Skimmer, Orthetrum taeniolatum
05. Scarce Chaser, Libellula fulva
06. Blue-eye, Erythromma lindenii
07. Odalisque, Epallage fatime
08. Dark Spreadwing, Lestes macrostigma
09. Broad Scarlet, Crocothemis erythraea
10. Small Pincertail, Onychogomphus forcipatus
Click to expand...
What a wonderful experience ! Great report.
 
Mr. Zootycoon said:
And so I’m back from the Aegean Island of Lesvos, often dubbed migration island. For about two weeks I explored the island with two friends, and most of our waking hours were spent searching for the weird and wonderful fauna that dwells there. We explored ancient olive groves, rocky mountain sides, damp oak forests and coastal wetlands to find a plethora of species.

The number of highlights is simply too long to recite here. We have had absolutely glorious birding days filled with insane moments. To give just one example, we spent one morning at a migrant trap at Faneromeni, where the shrikes and warblers were almost dripping from the branches while endless streams of swifts, swallows and bee-eaters kept flying overhead. I’ll never forget the continuous purring of the bee-eaters as flocks of them landed, foraged for a while before being replaced by the next flock. In between the masses of birds there were oddities left and right, including Levant Sparrowhawk, Eleonora’s Falcon, Barred Warbler and, best of all, a European Roller giving insanely good views. Absolutely unbelievable! There were so many memorable sightings, from pelicans soaring over the saltpans to clouds of terns dancing through the sky like starlings. In some places, every single bush and shrub seemed to have at least one bunting or shrike in it.

Of course, there was more to see than birds. Lesvos is a bit limited when it comes to mammals, but we saw the two species I hoped for the most. The Caucasian Squirrel is especially a highlight. We did very well with reptiles too, even though the snakes were not as cooperative as we hoped for. We got great views of all species of lizards - bar the nocturnal geckos - and chelonians on the island. The Glass Lizard and Greek Tortoise are certainly among my favorites. In terms of butterflies and dragonflies the season had only just started, but we saw many great species. Most memorable were the Dark Spreadwings. We found a little marshland area where literally - and I mean, actually literally! - every patch of sedge we could see was completely covered in spreadwings. On Lesvos, even though the island is predominantly agricultural and little actual wilderness is left, there is an abundance of life that is simply not present anymore in the Netherlands. It made me happy and sad at the same time.

At this moment, I’m a little swamped in work and I cannot do this trip justice in one post. So I’m planning to write a more detailed travel report. However, knowing that I’m very prone to start writing projects without finishing them, I’m first going to write the entire story down and then start posting it bit by bit. It might take a while!


Birds
165. House Martin, Delichon urbicum
166. Feral (Rock) Pigeon, Columba livia
167. European Turtle Dove, Streptopelia turtur
168. Ruddy Shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea
169. Greater Flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus
170. Common Swift, Apus apus
171. Eurasian Hoopoe, Upupa epops
172. Spotted Flycatcher, Muscicapa striata
173. Crested Lark, Galerida cristata
174. Eurasian Scops Owl, Otus scops
175. Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus
176. Little Tern, Sternula albifrons
177. Red-throated Pipit, Anthus cervinus
178. Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra
179. European Bee-eater, Merops apiaster
180. Red-rumped Swallow, Cecropis daurica
181. Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Iduna pallida
182. Spanish Sparrow, Passer hispaniolensis
183. Greater Short-toed Lark, Calandrella brachydactyla
184. Kentish Plover, Charadrius alexandrinus
185. Common Ringed Plover, Charadrius hiaticula
186. Short-toed Eagle, Circaetus gallicus
187. Dunlin, Calidris alpina
188. Squacco Heron, Ardeola ralloides
189. Little Crake, Zapornia parva
190. Little Bittern, Ixobrychus minutus
191. Woodchat Shrike, Lanius senator
192. Sombre Tit, Poecile lugubris
193. Masked Shrike, Lanius nubicus
194. Long-legged Buzzard, Buteo rufinus
195. Black Stork, Ciconia nigra
196. Eurasian Crag Martin, Ptyonoprogne rupestris
197. Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Oenanthe melanoleuca
198. Barred Warbler, Curruca nisoria
199. Cirl Bunting, Emberiza cirlus
200. Marsh Sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis
201. Dalmatian Pelican, Pelecanus crispus
202. Black-headed Bunting, Emberiza melanocephala
203. Zitting Cisticola, Cisticola juncidis
204. Little Stint, Calidris minuta
205. Common Sandpiper, Actictis hypoleuca
206. Curlew Sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea
207. European Serin, Serinus serinus
208. Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Curruca cantillans
209. Rock Sparrow, Petronia petronia
210. Cinereous Bunting, Emberiza cineracea
211. Wood Warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix
212. Red-backed Shrike, Lanius collurio
213. Eastern Orphean Warbler, Curruca crassirostris
214. Blue Rock Thrush, Monticola solitarius
215. European Pied Flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca
216. Rock Nuthatch, Sitta neumayer
217. Isabelline Wheatear, Oenanthe isabellina
218. Montagu’s Harrier, Circus pygargus
219. Alpine Swift, Tachymarptis melba
220. Collared Flycatcher, Ficedula albicollis
221. Cretzschmar’s Bunting, Emberiza caesia
222. Tawny Pipit, Anthus campestris
223. European Shag, Phalacrocorax aristotelis
224. Spotted Crake, Porzana porzana
225. Purple Heron, Ardea purpurea
226. Great Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus arundinaceus
227. Eurasian Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceus
228. Booted Eagle, Hieraaetus pennatus
229. Great Spotted Cuckoo, Clamator glandarius
230. Red-footed Falcon, Falco vespertinus
231. Yelkouan Shearwater, Puffinus yelkouan
232. Scopoli’s Shearwater, Calonectris diomedea
233. Laughing Dove, Streptopelia senegalensis
234. Eurasian Stone-curlew, Burhinus oedicnemus
235. Glossy Ibis, Plegadis falcinellus
236. Collared Pratincole, Glareola pratincola
237. Common Cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
238. Black-crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
239. Temminck’s Sandpiper, Calidris temminckii
240. Citrine Wagtail, Motacilla citreola
241. Krüper’s Nuthatch, Sitta krueperi
242. Great Snipe, Gallinago media
243. Lesser Whitethroat, Curruca curruca
244. European Roller, Coracias garrulus
245. European Golden Oriole, Oriolus oriolus
246. Lesser Grey Shrike, Lanius minor
247. Eleonora’s Falcon, Falco eleonorae
248. Levant Sparrowhawk, Accipiter brevipes
249. European Honey Buzzard, Pernis apivorus
250. Lesser Kestrel, Falco neumanni
251. White-winged Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus
252. Whiskered Tern, Chlidonias hybrida
253. Black Tern, Chlidonias niger
254. Chukar, Alectoris chukar
255. Garden Warbler, Sylvia borin
256. Spur-winged Lapwing, Vanellus spinosus
257. Rüppell’s Warbler, Curruca rupelli
258. Eurasian Hobby, Falco subbuteo
259. Olive-tree Warbler, Hippolais olivetorum
260. Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, Phylloscopus orientalis

Herptiles
08. Balkan Pond Turtle, Mauremys rivulata
09. Levantine Frog, Pelophylax bedriagae
10. Snake-eyed Lizard, Ophisops elegans
11. European Pond Turtle, Emys orbicularis
12. Balkan Green Lizard, Lacerta trilineata*
13. Starred Agama, Stellagama stellio
14. European Green Toad, Bufotes viridis**
15. Eastern Tree Frog, Hyla orientalis
16. Asia Minor Dwarf Racer, Eirenis modestus
17. Snake-eyed Skink, Ablepharus kitaibelii
18. European Glass Lizard, Pseudopus apodus
19. European Grass Snake, Natrix natrix
20. Greek Tortoise, Testudo graeca

* I know there is a good case to be made that the Green Lizards of Lesvos belong to the recently split L. diplochondrodes but for now I’ll put them down as trilineata until more consensus is reached.

** Green toad taxonomy is a nightmare right now. I’ve heard that the form of Lesvos may be part of an eastern European clade that belongs to a different species. Again, for now I’m putting it down as B. viridis but feel free to share your opinion!

Mammals
13. Northern White-breasted Hedgehog, Erinaceus roumanicus*
14. Caucasian Squirrel, Sciurus anomalus

* Again there is some debate which hedgehog species occurs on Lesvos, but the Atlas to Mammals of the Aegean Islands and the IUCN agree that roumanicus, not concolor, should occur there, so that’s what I’m writing down for now.

Butterflies
10. Small Heath, Coenonympha pamphilus
11. Small Copper, Lycaena phlaeas
12. Swallowtail, Papilio machaon
13. Hungarian Skipper, Sialia orbifer
14. Green-underside Blue, Glaucopsyche alexis
15. Eastern Bath White, Pontia edusa
16. Large Wall Brown, Lasiommata meara
17. Wall Brown, Lasiommata megera
18. Spotted Fritillary, Melitaea didyma
19. Eastern Festoon, Zerynthia cerisy
20. Scarce Swallowtail, Iphiclides podalirius
21. Common Blue, Polyommatus icarus
22. Brown Argus, Aricia agestis
23. Large Tortoiseshell, Nymphalis polychloros
24. Nettle-tree Butterfly, Libythea celtis
25. Eastern Dappled White, Euchloe ausonia
26. Clouded Yellow, Colias crocea
27. Aegean Meadow Brown, Maniola telmessia
28. Green Hairstreak, Callophrys rubi

Dragonflies
02. Blue Featherleg, Platycnemis pennipes
03. Black-tailed Skimmer, Orthetrum cancellatum
04. Small Skimmer, Orthetrum taeniolatum
05. Scarce Chaser, Libellula fulva
06. Blue-eye, Erythromma lindenii
07. Odalisque, Epallage fatime
08. Dark Spreadwing, Lestes macrostigma
09. Broad Scarlet, Crocothemis erythraea
10. Small Pincertail, Onychogomphus forcipatus
Click to expand...
Sounds great! I've never heard of this place, but you've just added it to my ever-increasing bucket list.
 
164 black tern Chlidonias niger
165 common swift Apus apus
166 thrush nightingale Luscinia luscinia
167 common nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos
common nightingale is a rarity in sweden this is around the 88 record probebly the same bird i just herd last year. so a sean lifer
herd only
great snipe
had no way of seingn it duo to being to dark
 
oflory said:
Very grateful to a polite Iberian chiffchaff for sticking around in Regent's Park until I got back from Denmark...

145. Iberian chiffchaff
Click to expand...


Another gorgeous morning twitch in the home counties for a female red-footed falcon, serenaded by very visible cuckoos and a very invisible nightingale.

146. Common tern
147. Red-footed falcon
 
DesertRhino150 said:
I have added a few new species to my list since my previous update. Yesterday, I looked out of my bedroom window and happened to see a pair of swift flying over the trees - no doubt heading off towards an urban area as they really don't nest out in the countryside.

Today, I went for an early morning walk and first managed to find a new butterfly for the year among the buttercups. I have been hearing cuckoos for a couple of days now and managed to find a good place to scan an entire avenue of trees where at least two were calling - I spotted one at the top of a tree and also got a good view of it in flight. But perhaps my oddest sighting of the day was a juvenile field vole - I found it immobile and with its eyes closed in the road and at first I thought it was dead. But when I poked it with a piece of grass, it came awake and scuttled off into the verge.

80. Common swift Apus apus
81. Common cuckoo Cuculus canorus

8. Short-tailed field vole Microtus agrestis

32. Common blue butterfly Polyommatus icarus
Click to expand...

I went out for another walk this morning and had some great sightings of some species I have previously seen - the river is now beginning to clear some more and there are huge shoals of minnow and young dace gathering in the shallower sections, I had a prolonged view of a common shrew trying to drag away a dry leaf and I also got a very close view of a cuckoo in a nearby tree, before a nearby jackdaw decided to chase it away.

Today I added several more invertebrates to my list - I saw my first dragonflies of the year (two different species) as well as another damselfly. I also saw a reasonably common butterfly in the process of mud-puddling at the edge of a drying cattle pond. I have never seen any British butterflies doing this before, which certainly made for an interesting sighting.

33. Broad-bodied chaser dragonfly Libellula depressa
34. Hairy dragonfly Brachytron pratense
35. Green-veined white butterfly Pieris napi
36. Common blue damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum
 
WalkingAgnatha said:
After not being able to go to Mangere last week because of dodgy buses and having to resort to somewhere closer to home and getting nothing for the year. I was finally able to head to Mangere on Saturday for the one goal I've had the past few weeks, see a wrybill.
Arriving at around 3-4 PM I only really birded for about an hour or so, but i'd say it was a pretty productive hour. Arriving at the central lagoon thing which connects the shellbanks and Puketutu island, I spied upon a weird cluster of white perched in the middle of the lagoon (at this point the tide was starting to recede), and upon fixing my binoculars on the flock I realised it was a flock of royal spoonbills! A nice addition to the year list and a nice lifer as well although they all had their heads tucked in with the telltale bill only being flashed enough for me to get a conclusive id. (Thankfully I had much better sightings later on, seeing maybe around 20? of them, which was really nice for a lifer). Looking up I bared witness to probably one of the largest flocks of birds I've seen in my life, seeing maybe 100 or so? pied stilts all flying from Puketutu Island to the lagoon on the Ambury side was really cool. Also saw a line of what I believe were LBS/shags of some kind in a huge line-up swimming from shore to shore back and forth presumably corralling fish, too bad I didn't take any pictures. I was going to had to the shell-banks as I'd assumed it was still around high tide but seeing massive flocks all on the mudflats decided to go up to Puketutu Island instead, gazing upon lineups of shorebirds which I wouldn't be surprised if half were wrybills but never could get a conclusive id sadly. Also saw a tern shape around the size of a pied stilt which might've been a caspian but I don't know so won't count it. Nothing else happened walked up Island Rd along the canal, seeing a foraging flock of spoonbills next to the road, and picking up my second lifer a mated pair of shovelers which was neat. Heading back home at around 5 as to not be stranded at Mangere in the dark, overall considering I got 2 nice lifers it was a nice day, tough I'll have to return again to try and get wrybill and brown teal as well as they're supposed to be in the waterways on Puketutu.

Birds

51. Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia)
52. Australasian Shoveler (Spatula rhynchotis)
Click to expand...

Went to Mangere again today unfortunately I could only make it out when it was low tide, which eliminated all my chances of shorbs, with the only things on the vast plains of mud being pied stilts(which even then only numbered in around 10 or so), so I walked up Island Road instead in hopes of pateke. Which I failed to find, and not quite sure where to really find them so will have to try consult the birdingnz forums later. Although it was made up for with 3 pairs of Aus. shovelers seen and a new year bird having seen a few mobs of canada geese, otherwise fairly uneventful although I was absolutely mobbed by a midge swarm for a km, and had to sprint to catch 2 buses on the way back but made it home anyways. Hoping those midges weren't sucking my blood, but ig I'll find out tomorrow morning if i'm covered in itchy bites or not.

53. Canada Geese (Branta canadensis)
 
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5/14/22


Amphibians:

1. Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris)


Total:

Mammals: 3
Birds: 49
Reptiles: 1
Amphibians: 1
Invertebrates: 12
 
red river hog said:
Birds:

87. Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)
88. Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)
89. Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
90. Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)
91. White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
92. Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)
93. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)
94. Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
95. Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichias)
96. Tree Swallow (Tachycineata bicolor)

Herptiles:

13. American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)

Mammals: 9
Birds: 96
Herptiles : 13
Fish: 10
Invertebrates: 19
Total: 147
Click to expand...
Birds:

97. Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)
98. Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)
99. House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)

Mammals: 9
Birds: 99
Herptiles : 13
Fish: 10
Invertebrates: 19
Total: 150
 
red river hog said:
Birds:

97. Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)
98. Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)
99. House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)

Mammals: 9
Birds: 99
Herptiles : 13
Fish: 10
Invertebrates: 19
Total: 150
Click to expand...
Birds:

100. Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius)
101. Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus)

Invertebrates:

20. Dark Paper Wasp (Polistes fuscatus)
21. Eastern Black Carpenter Ant (Camponotus pennsylvanicus)
22. Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia)

Mammals: 9
Birds: 101
Herptiles : 13
Fish: 10
Invertebrates: 22
Total: 155
 
Najade said:
Squirrel seen on my way to work a couple days ago. Pretty late for my first squirrel this year. Also went out on a NABU excursion for fire salamander in Wuppertal on friday. Found heaps of larvae but no adults as it's been very dry. But at least I have a spot to look for 'em now if/when there's rain again. (Gonna wait for an adult to put them on the list.) The pipit was found in the morning about a half hour away from where I live so my quiet day in turned into a 3 hour waiting game at a lake in DU-Rheinhausen Homberg/Beeckerwerth. Got good prolonged views once the other birders had given up (They told me not to tell them if I got lucky, so of course I put it up on the whatsapp group chat immediately :D).


Mammals
19. Eurasian Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

Birds
30. Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus)
Click to expand...
Went out looking for Fire Salamander in Wuppertal again as we had some rain today but no luck. By the time it got dark the forest floor was pretty much dry again. It's supposed to rain again on Thursday/Friday. Might give it another shot then. Did end up with a surprise mammal-lifer though, which is of course heaps better :)

Mammals
20. Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Amphibians
03. Common Toad (Bufo bufo)
 
ChunkyMunky pengopus said:
My most productive weekend and day of birding yet, including 12 (!) lifers. Spring is in full swing, and the warblers are here! Most of these additions were seen at Busey Woods and the adjacent Crystal Lake Park, which are hotspots for spring migratory birds. The low-lying shrubs are perfect for warblers, which have finally arrived in large numbers. Oh, and I've passed 100 birds, which took me until December last year to see.

Mammal:
A common mammal regularly seen at Busey Woods, so it was about time I picked it up.
9. Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

Birds:
Seen in my backyard. It's about time, there are usually a couple of thrushes that visit every April.
80. Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)

On Friday, I went to Kaufman Lake and picked up a surprising Sora lifer across a stream hiding in the bank, along with the first warbler of many.
81. Sora (Porzana carolina) (Lifer)
82. Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)
83. Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)

I knew I had to make it over to Busey Woods on Saturday, and I'm sure glad I drove over there. The number of lifers, and fairly uncommon ones in my area at that, was staggering. Had I tried this last year, due to inexperience I would have missed out on a good number of them. The Chat, in particular, was surprising. I saw a small bird in the bushes and thought it was the Titmouse that was calling, but upon looking through the viewfinder of my camera, I recognized the distinctive face and yellow chest of the Chat deep in the brambles. Reading through my bird guide paid off, as it also did with the Broad-winged Hawk flyby which I would have dismissed as 'just another red-tailed' a year ago.
84. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)
85. Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius) (Lifer)
86. Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)
87. House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
88. Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) (Lifer)
89. Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)
90. Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina) (Lifer)
91. Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens) (Lifer)
92. Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)
93. Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) (Lifer)

After success in the woods, and getting a taste of warbler fever, I decided to try out the shrubbery along the saline branch. Suffice to say, I'm glad I did, as many of the warblers I picked up like the Hooded and Praire are fairly rare in my county. New World Warblers have to be one of my favorite little things, they are so brightly colored, always hopping around, and these ones were even sallying out right in front of my face to catch insects. All six of these as well as a kinglet, some more gnatcatchers, Yellow-rumped, and Palm warblers, for a total of ten little insect-catching species of passerines, were all flying about a 400ft stretch of thicket next to a clearing on the side of the creek. I've never experienced this level of spring migration activity, so it really left an impression on me.
94. Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina) (Lifer)
95. Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) (Lifer)
96. Black-throated Green Warbler (Lifer)
97. Black-and-white Warbler (Lifer)
98. Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)
99. Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) (Lifer)

These final two additions that pushed past the 100 bird mark were seen out and about and while driving. The swallow is another one that I would have missed if I didn't learn to listen to their calls for identification.
100. Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)
101. Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) (Lifer)

Insect/Invertebrate:
More spring inverts, seen at home and in the woods.
31. Eastern calligrapher (Toxomerus geminatus)
32. Western honey bee (Apis mellifera)
33. Asiastic wall jumping spider (Attulus fasciger)
34. White-margined burrower bug (Sehirus cinctus)
35. Six-spotted green tiger beetle (Cicindela sexguttata)
36. Eastern carpenter bee (Xylocopa virginica)
37. Odd beetle (Thylodrias contractus) (Lifer)
38. Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis)
39. Metric paper wasp (Polistes metricus)
40. American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis)
Click to expand...
I was quite buisy these past few weeks until about a few days ago, so I was not really able to get out much to look for wildlife. That being said, with spring migration being in full swing and many herps and inverts starting to emerge during this time period, I still managed to find some nice lifers and I've surpassed my Bird and Amphibian totals from last year already.

Birds:
First seen around town, before becoming nearly ubiquitous in my neighborhood
102. Grey Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
104. Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)

When I opened the daily eBird rarity alert, I certainly did not expect that there would be a White-faced Ibis a few minutes from me, in an area I normally go on runs or bike to from my house. In a scrubby area next to the large flooded corn fields, there were many other passerines. Out in the floodle, there were many sandpipers but the star of the show was the ibis. Very rare in my county, only a few records ever, and a bit of a state-wide rarity apart from perhaps Emiquon and Chautauqua NWRs in the Illinois river valley. It wasn't in the fields initially, but once it flew over into the open fields and then back into the brush I got good views of a rare lifer. (30/4/22)
103. Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) (Lifer)
105. Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)
106. Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) (Lifer)
107. Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) (Lifer)
108. White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) (Lifer)

More birds from around my yard.
109. Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)
110. Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus) (Lifer)
111. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)

Picked this one up at a picknick at Lake of the Woods. (8/5/22)
112. White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)

A visit to Busey Woods and Crystal Lake park again yielded many new birds. It was nice to get the Nighthawk already, I mainly see them later in the year. The scarlet tanager was also very nice, such vibrant birds, and the male I saw had the definitive striking black and deep red contrast. (11/5/22)
113. Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)
114. Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) (Lifer)
115. Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)
116. Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)
117. Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)
118. Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)
119. Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) (Lifer)

I picked up more shorebirds with a quick return to the same flooded fields that I saw the Ibis in. (13/5/22)
120. Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) (Lifer)
121. Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) (Lifer)

I'm glad I saw this warbler during a quick trip to the Chicago suburbs at Herrick Lake, it is much less common farther south where I live. (14/5/22)
122. Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis philadelphia) (Lifer)

Reptile:
I happily stumbled upon this snake lifer in Busey Woods. It was suprisingly small and stood still for a while until slithering back into the leaf litter. I'm hoping there will be a good handful more snake lifers this year, especially with the location I'm headed for hopefully next week.
7. Dekay’s Brownsnake (Storeria dekayi) (Lifer)
Amphibians:
I normally find a toad in the yard each year. I saw another one in a forest park in the suburbs.
8. American toad (Anaxyrus americanus)
Herptiles:
7. Dekay’s Brownsnake (Storeria dekayi) (Lifer)
8. American toad (Anaxyrus americanus)

Insects/Invertebrates:
Some more nice inverts, especially the increasing butterflies and odonates. Seen in the yard or at the various locations I went to.
41. Eastern comma butterfly (Polygonia comma)
42. Chestnut carpenter ant (Camponotus castaneus)
43. Juvenal’s duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis) (Lifer)
44. Common whitetail (Plathemis lydia)
45. Eastern forktail (Ischnura verticalis)
46. Woodland ground beetle (Poecilus chalcites) (Lifer)
47. European paper wasp (Polistes dominula)
48. Tan jumping spider (Platycryptus undatus)
49. Chickweed geometer moth (Haematopis grataria)
50. Question mark (Polygonia interrogationis)

It is nice to finally have some more free time to be able to go out and look for things, hopefully I'll be able to increase this list more in the coming weeks.
 
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