Zoochat Big Year 2023

Chlidonias said:
Which sites on eBird are you looking at?
Click to expand...
Just the main site.

https://ebird.org/species/nehhon1#:~:text=A distinctive honeyeater, mostly dark,often down to sea level

There isn't much information on eBird overall. Obviously the records might not be from Port Villa but they are at least from relatively close by. After doing a bit more research I was significantly further outside Port Villa than I initially thought, but if the birds are exclusives to montane rainforests as suggested then it would be unlikely that the birds I saw were Vanuatu Honeyeaters.

I was however only a short drive from a relatively large patch of "hilly" rainforest, and I saw a pair of fruit doves (I wasn't able to identify the exact species) in a tree in a neighboring property, so I'm not really sure. The reason I was so confident was that as far as I can see there isn't any other bird that really looks like that present on the island, although of course I could be wrong.

Does anyone have any opinions?
 
animal_expert01 said:
Just the main site.

https://ebird.org/species/nehhon1#:~:text=A distinctive honeyeater, mostly dark,often down to sea level

There isn't much information on eBird overall. Obviously the records might not be from Port Villa but they are at least from relatively close by.
Click to expand...
Okay but before you specifically said "eBird suggests they have been found relatively close to the city" - but now you cannot actually provide any sites in or near Port Vila from eBird. I would actually like to know if or where and when they have been recorded in Port Vila, because I have never seen any record from there myself.

animal_expert01 said:
f the birds are exclusives to montane rainforests as suggested
Click to expand...
Nobody suggests that.
 
Chlidonias said:
I would be extremely unlikely to have seen Vanuatu Honeyeaters in Port Vila. On the larger islands they are largely birds of hill or mountain forest. I have not seen any records of them from Port Vila.
Click to expand...

Not taking sides or expressing an opinion one way or the other, but ebird has one record of 3 Vanuatu Honeyeaters being sighted in 2017 in Montmartre, which is about 4 kms (as the honeyeater flies) from what I guess would be the Port Vila CBD.
eBird Québec Checklist - 27 Dec 2017 - Montmartre - 16 species

:p

Hix
 
Hix said:
Not taking sides or expressing an opinion one way or the other, but ebird has one record of 3 Vanuatu Honeyeaters being sighted in 2017 in Montmartre, which is about 4 kms (as the honeyeater flies) from what I guess would be the Port Vila CBD.
eBird Québec Checklist - 27 Dec 2017 - Montmartre - 16 species

:p

Hix
Click to expand...
Interesting. That's the kind of record I would want - although, at the same time, given that there is only one record on eBird for the whole province and the list otherwise only includes species of open country and scrubby forest - but doesn't include Dark-Brown Honeyeater which one would expect it to - I'm also inclined to think it could be an inputting error.
 
Chlidonias said:
Interesting. That's the kind of record I would want - although, at the same time, given that there is only one record on eBird for the whole province and the list otherwise only includes species of open country and scrubby forest - but doesn't include Dark-Brown Honeyeater which one would expect it to - I'm also inclined to think it could be an inputting error.
Click to expand...
Honestly I very much believe the latter(as this seems like a common mistake a tourist would make), BOTW only lists them as occurring on the islands north of Efate (these maps are I assume from HBW Alive), there's a single observor report online where someone says they 'seemingly' saw the species on Tanna which is much further south of Efate and where BOTW has its' range listed, but that is one report where the observer isn't even certain so... Although Avibase does list them for the island but I'm not sure which of the sources listed it's from (and i'm not even sure if all the sources are accessible..)
 
WalkingAgnatha said:
Honestly I very much believe the latter(as this seems like a common mistake a tourist would make), BOTW only lists them as occurring on the islands north of Efate (these maps are I assume from HBW Alive), there's a single observor report online where someone says they 'seemingly' saw the species on Tanna which is much further south of Efate and where BOTW has its' range listed, but that is one report where the observer isn't even certain so... Although Avibase does list them for the island but I'm not sure which of the sources listed it's from (and i'm not even sure if all the sources are accessible..)
Click to expand...
They are certainly found on Efate - they are found throughout the central to northern islands of Vanuatu (Efate is central).

e.g. see https://birdsofmelanesia.net/vanuatu8html/efate.pdf

Several bird species in Vanuatu are found entirely or mainly in mountain forests on the large islands, but down to sea-level on small islands, and the Vanuatu Honeyeater is one of those species. Most foreign birders don't spend much time in Port Vila (they tend to go straight to Santo) but most resident birders live in Port Vila - because it is the capital and the only "city" in the islands - so there should be Vanuatu Honeyeaters reported pretty frequently if they are found around the city rather than only or mainly in the inland hill forests.

It's possible @animal_expert01 did see some, but I think it was more likely a misidentification.
 
Last edited:
Chlidonias said:
They are certainly found on Efate - they are found throughout the central to northern islands of Vanuatu (Efate is central).

e.g. see https://birdsofmelanesia.net/vanuatu8html/efate.pdf

Several bird species in Vanuatu are found entirely or mainly in mountain forests on the large islands, but down to sea-level on small islands, and the Vanuatu Honeyeater is one of those species. Most foreign birders don't spend much time in Port Vila (they tend to go straight to Santo) but most resident birders live in Port Vila - because it is the capital and the only "city" in the islands - so there should be Vanuatu Honeyeaters reported pretty frequently if they are found around the city rather than only or mainly in the inland hill forests.

It's possible @animal_expert01 did see some, but I think it was more likely a misidentification.
Click to expand...
Sorry, I should have added that the 2017 report I mentioned is the only record in eBird for Efate. All other records are from islands North of Efate - Malekula, Ambrym, Espiritu Santo, Ambae, Gaua and Vanua Lava.
I should also point out that these records are the ones freely available for the public to see - eBird may have more records which are hidden or otherwise not available for the public to see.

:p

Hix
 
Chlidonias said:
Okay but before you specifically said "eBird suggests they have been found relatively close to the city" - but now you cannot actually provide any sites in or near Port Vila from eBird. I would actually like to know if or where and when they have been recorded in Port Vila, because I have never seen any record from there myself.
Click to expand...
I never said eBird records confirm they have been sighted in the city, just that, as pointed out by Hix, they have been sighted in relative proximity to the city (obviously though eBird isn't always a reliable source).

Chlidonias said:
Nobody suggests that.
Click to expand...
"Several bird species in Vanuatu are found entirely or mainly in mountain forests on the large islands, but down to sea-level on small islands, and the Vanuatu Honeyeater is one of those species." You suggest this?

Chlidonias said:
They are certainly found on Efate - they are found throughout the central to northern islands of Vanuatu (Efate is central).

e.g. see https://birdsofmelanesia.net/vanuatu8html/efate.pdf

Several bird species in Vanuatu are found entirely or mainly in mountain forests on the large islands, but down to sea-level on small islands, and the Vanuatu Honeyeater is one of those species. Most foreign birders don't spend much time in Port Vila (they tend to go straight to Santo) but most resident birders live in Port Vila - because it is the capital and the only "city" in the islands - so there should be Vanuatu Honeyeaters reported pretty frequently if they are found around the city rather than only or mainly in the inland hill forests.

It's possible @animal_expert01 did see some, but I think it was more likely a misidentification.
Click to expand...
I will keep the bird off the list due to the possibility of a misidentification.
 
Last edited:
animal_expert01 said:
"Several bird species in Vanuatu are found entirely or mainly in mountain forests on the large islands, but down to sea-level on small islands, and the Vanuatu Honeyeater is one of those species."
Click to expand...
Yes that is what I wrote. But that is not what you said which was "...if the birds [Vanuatu Honeyeaters] are exclusives to montane rainforests as suggested..." - nobody has suggested that Vanuatu Honeyeaters are "exclusives to montane rainforests".
 
Chlidonias said:
Yes that is what I wrote. But that is not what you said which was "...if the birds [Vanuatu Honeyeaters] are exclusives to montane rainforests as suggested..." - nobody has suggested that Vanuatu Honeyeaters are "exclusives to montane rainforests".
Click to expand...
Okay I see what you mean now. I do agree that a bird being exclusive to montane rainforests and being almost entirely exclusive to montane forest on certain islands is two different things, although I feel pointing out the difference is a bit pedantic in this scenario (in other scenarios such as describing a birds habitat n a field guide, it would be entirely reasonable).

We were both referring to the same distribution habits of the species bringing the sighting into doubt, just with my statement being slightly misworded.
 
CMP said:
Amphibian
While looking through my lists, I surprisingly didn't include my most commonly seen amphibian for the year
6. American toad (Anaxyrus americanus)​

Insects/Inverts
Some final insect IDs
302. Carolina grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina)
303. Yellow case-bearing leaf beetle (Pachybrachis tridens) (Lifer)
304 Soybean stem borer (Dectes sayi) (Lifer)​

and finally, I've made an informed decision on my shrew ID.

Mammal
23. Northern Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda) (Lifer)​


Totals: 23 (m), 244 (b), 6 (r), 6 (a), 12 (f), 304 (i)
Bold = Personal Best, by far my best for birds and mammals, but I slacked off when it came to fish and inverts. For herps, I think I just didn't visit the right locations.

Overall, a great year, although definitely a much more front heavy one. The three days in California were probably the three best in my life, with a great number of lifer mammals and birds. I hope everyone has a good new year, and that those traveling have a productive and safe time. Hopefully next year brings some fun new species and good views of familiar favorites to us all!
Click to expand...
If the tally is not out yet, then I suppose I'll add these three insects:

Insects/Inverts
305. Black blister beetle (Epicauta pensylvanica) (Lifer)
306. Celery leaftier moth (Udea rubigalis)
307. Pondside crambid moth (Elophila icciusalis) (Lifer)​
 
Organized by taxonomic class

BIRDS: 21 lifers
  1. Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
  2. House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
  3. Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
  4. Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
  5. Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)
  6. Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)
  7. Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
  8. Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
  9. Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
  10. Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
  11. Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
  12. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
  13. American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)
  14. Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)
  15. Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)
  16. Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
  17. American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
  18. Brant (Branta bernicla)
  19. Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
  20. Common Loon (Gavia immer)
  21. American Wigeon (Mareca americana)
  22. Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
  23. Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
  24. Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
  25. Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)
  26. Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
  27. White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi)
  28. Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata)
  29. Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
  30. Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)
  31. Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
  32. Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope)
  33. European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
  34. Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
  35. Cooper’s Hawk (Accipter cooperii)
  36. Common Raven (Corvus corax)
  37. Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator)
  38. Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
  39. Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)
  40. Hoary Redpoll (Acanthis hornemanni)
  41. Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea)
  42. Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus)
  43. Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)
  44. Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens)
  45. Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)
  46. Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus)
  47. Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus)
  48. McKay’s Bunting (Plectrophenax hyperboreus)
  49. Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
  50. American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)
  51. Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis)
  52. Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
  53. Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)
  54. Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)
  55. Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)
  56. White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
  57. American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
  58. Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)
  59. Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)
  60. Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii)
  61. Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)
  62. Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)
  63. Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata)
  64. Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)
  65. American Pipit (Anthus rubescens)
  66. Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
  67. Wilson’s Snipe (Gallinago delicata)
  68. Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)
  69. Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
  70. Long-tailed Jaeger (Stercorarius longicaudus)
  71. Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)
  72. Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)
  73. Merlin (Falco columbarius)
  74. Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)
  75. Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)
  76. Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus)
  77. Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus)
  78. Pacific Golden-Plover (Pluvialis fulva)
  79. Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
  80. Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri)
  81. Short-billed Gull (Larus brachyrhynchus)
  82. Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica)
  83. Black Turnstone (Arenaria melanocephala)
  84. Wilson’s Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)
  85. Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis)
  86. Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)
  87. Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena)
  88. Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis)
  89. Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)
  90. Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)
  91. Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius)
  92. Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)
  93. Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)
  94. Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)
  95. Wandering Tattler (Tringa incana)
  96. Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)
  97. Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
  98. Pelagic Cormorant (Urile pelagicus)
  99. Spruce Grouse (Canachites canadensis)
  100. Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata)
  101. Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
  102. Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis)
  103. Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum)
  104. Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus)
  105. Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina)
  106. Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica)
  107. Hairy Woodpecker (Dryobates villosus)
  108. Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus)
  109. Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica)
  110. Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)
  111. Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
  112. Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus)
  113. White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera)
  114. Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
  115. Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)
  116. Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)
  117. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)
  118. White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia alibicollis)
  119. Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
  120. White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
  121. Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
  122. Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)
  123. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula)
  124. Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)
  125. Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)
  126. Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)
  127. Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus)
  128. Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)
  129. Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
  130. House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)
  131. Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)
  132. Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
  133. Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
  134. American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)
  135. Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
  136. Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
  137. Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)
  138. Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)
  139. Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)
  140. Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
  141. Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
  142. Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)
  143. Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)
  144. Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)
  145. Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
  146. Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)
  147. Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)
  148. Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
  149. Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)
  150. American Coot (Fulica americana)
  151. Sanderling (Calidris alba)
  152. Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens)
  153. Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)
  154. American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
  155. Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
MAMMALS: 7 lifers
  1. Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
  2. Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus)
  3. Beringian Stoat (Mustela erminea)
  4. Moose (Alces alces)
  5. American Mink (Neogale vison)
  6. American Beaver (Castor canadensis)
  7. Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus)
  8. North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)
  9. American Red Squirrel (Tamasciurus hudsonicus)
  10. North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis)
  11. Thinhorn Sheep (Ovis dalli)
  12. Brown Bear (Ursus arctos)
  13. Caribou (Rangifer tarandus)
  14. Arctic Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus parryii)
  15. Collared Pika (Ochotona collaris)
  16. Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
  17. Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)
  18. Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)
  19. White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
  20. Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus)
FISH: 13 lifers
  1. Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)
  2. Round Whitefish (Prosopium cylindraceum)
  3. Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
  4. Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)
  5. Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)
  6. Alaska Blackfish (Dallia pectoralis)
  7. Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)
  8. Slimy Sculpin (Cottus cognatus)
  9. Burbot (Lota lota)
  10. Prickly Nine-spined Stickleback (Pungitius pungitius)
  11. Northern Pike (Esox lucius)
  12. Bering Cisco (Coregonus laurettae)
  13. Arctic Grayling (Thymallus arcticus)
  14. Longnose Sucker (Catostomus catostomus)

HYPEROARTIA: 1 lifer
  1. Arctic Lamprey (Lethenteron camtschaticum)

REPTILES:
  1. Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta)
  2. Pond Slider (Trachemys scripta)
AMPHIBIANS:
  1. Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus)
INSECTS (Didn't actively document all insects, but these are the ones documented): 3 lifers
  1. American Emerald (Cordulia shurtleffii)
  2. Cryptic Bumblebee (Bombus cryptarum)
  3. Holarctic Blowfly (Protophormia terraenovae)
  4. Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys)
  5. Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
  6. Seaside Grasshopper (Trimerotropis maritima)
  7. Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis)
MALACOSTRACANS:
  1. Common Rough Woodlouse (Porcellio scaber)
  2. Common Shiny Woodlouse (Oniscus asellus)
 
CMP said:
Sounds like a very nice Alaskan trip!
Click to expand...
I was living in southwestern Alaska for much of 2022 and 2023; the McKay's happened to be seen on a lunch break! Wish I had gotten a photo but the overall whiteness of the bird distinguished it compared to Snow Buntings I had seen with mottled backs of dark and tan plumage. Followed up with a birder who had been seeing McKay's in the area at the same time too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top