BirdsBirds
75. Brown Creeper Certhia americana
76. Greater Prairie-Chicken Tympanuchus cupido
BirdsBirds
75. Brown Creeper Certhia americana
Having birded in Morocco, Ghana and Uganda, I expect him to be overtaken very soon! Not by me, sadly, although I hope to visit 2 other continents this year.Okay, Mehdi won the year. Everyone else can stop now.
Back from Ghana and birded a little in Morocco as well to start the year:
BIRDS:
01/01/2022 (Mole NP, Ghana [#1-106])
1 - Common bulbul, Pycnonotus barbatus
2 - Vinaceous dove, Streptopelia vinacea
3 - Helmeted guineafowl, Numida meleagris
4 - Northern black flycatcher, Melaenornis edolioides
5 - White-crowned robin-chat, Cossypha albicapillus
6 - Lavender waxbill, Glaucestrilda caerulescens
7 - Familiar chat, Oenanthe familiaris
8 - Red-throated bee-eater, Merops bulocki
9 - Laughing dove, Spilopelia senegalensis
10 - Hooded vulture, Necrosyrtes monachus
11 - Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus
12 - Hadada ibis, Bostrychia hagedash
13 - Wire-tailed swallow, Hirundo smithii
14 - Long-tailed glossy starling, Lamprotornis caudatus
15 - Violet turaco, Tauraco violaceus
16 - Western plantain-eater, Crinifer piscator
17 - Shikra, Accipiter badius
18 - Reed cormorant, Microcarbo africanus
19 - Western cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis
20 - Grey heron, Ardea cinerea
21 - Bearded barbet, Lybius dubius
22 - Green wood hoopoe, Phoeniculus purpureus
23 - African grey hornbill, Lophoceros nasutus
24 - Hamerkop, Scopus umbretta
25 - Senegal eremomela, Eremomela pusilla
26 - Black-billed wood dove, Turtur abyssinicus
27 - Northern grey-headed sparrow, Passer griseus
28 - Little weaver, Ploceus luteolus
29 - Brown-throated wattle-eye, Platysteira cyanea
30 - Red-billed quelea, Quelea quelea
31 - Wilson's indigobird, Vidua wilsoni
32 - Bronze mannikin, Spermestes cucullata
33 - Red-eyed dove, Streptopelia semitorquata
34 - Northern puffback, Dryoscopus gambensis
35 - Scarlet-chested sunbird, Chalcomitra senegalensis
36 - Tropical boubou, Laniarius major
37 - Pygmy sunbird, Hedydipna platura
38 - Sahel bush sparrow, Gymnoris dentata
39 - Beautiful sunbird, Cinnyris pulchellus
40 - Copper sunbird, Cinnyris cupreus
41 - Village indigobird, Vidua chalybeata
42 - Pin-tailed whydah, Vidua macroura
43 - Melodious warbler, Hippolais polyglotta
44 - Red-billed firefinch, Lagonosticta senegala
45 - African grey woodpecker, Dendropicos goertae
46 - Ring-necked parakeet, Psittacula krameri
47 - Yellow-crowned gonolek, Laniarius barbarus
48 - Double-spurred francolin, Pternistis bicalcaratus
49 - Red-cheeked cordon-bleu, Uraeginthus bengalus
50 - Black-faced firefinch, Lagonosticta larvata
51 - Senegal batis, Batis senegalensis
52 - Yellow-breasted apalis, Apalis flavida
53 - European pied flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca
54 - African green pigeon, Treron calvus
55 - White-shouldered black tit, Melaniparus guineensis
56 - Striped kingfisher, Halcyon chelicuti
57 - Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica
58 - White-backed vulture, Gyps africanus
59 - Palm-nut vulture, Gypohierax angolensis
60 - Brown-rumped bunting, Emberiza affinis
61 - Yellow-fronted canary, Crithagra mozambica
62 - Yellow-bellied hyliota, Hyliota flavigaster
63 - Rufous cisticola, Cisticola rufus
64 - Cabanis's bunting, Emberiza cabanisi
65 - Grey tit-flycatcher, Myioparus plumbeus
66 - Tree pipit, Anthus trivialis
67 - African spotted creeper, Salpornis salvadori
68 - Brown-backed woodpecker, Dendropicos obsoletus
69 - Spotted flycatcher, Muscicapa striata
70 - Black-crowned tchagra, Tchagra senegalus
71 - Double-toothed barbet, Lybius bidentatus
72 - Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra
73 - Bateleur, Terathopius ecaudatus
74 - Short-winged cisticola, Cisticola brachypterus
75 - Chestnut-backed sparrow-lark, Eremopterix leucotis
76 - White-fronted black chat, Oenanthe albifrons
77 - Greyish eagle-owl, Bubo cinerascens
78 - Glossy-backed drongo, Dicrurus divaricatus
79 - Abyssinian roller, Coracias abyssinicus
80 - Chestnut-crowned sparrow-weaver, Plocepasser superciliosus
81 - Woolly-necked stork, Ciconia episcopus
82 - Yellow-billed kite, Milvus aegyptius
83 - Northern white-eye, Zosterops senegalensis
84 - White-faced whistling duck, Dendrocygna viduata
85 - African palm swift, Cypsiurus parvus
86 - Yellow-fronted tinkerbird, Pogoniulus chrysoconus
87 - Brubru, Nilaus afer
88 - Northern red-billed hornbill, Tockus erythrorhynchus
89 - Grey-headed kingfisher, Halcyon leucocephala
90 - Red-winged pytilia, Pytilia phoenicoptera
91 - Grey-backed camaroptera, Camaroptera brevicaudata
92 - Yellow penduline tit, Anthoscopus parvulus
93 - European bee-eater, Merops apiaster
94 - Red-necked buzzard, Buteo auguralis
95 - Northern ground hornbill, Bucorvus abyssinicus
96 - Tawny-flanked prinia, Prinia subflava
97 - White-crested helmetshrike, Prionops plumatus
98 - Brown babbler, Turdoides plebejus
99 - Red-faced cisticola, Cisticola erythrops
100 - Dorst's cisticola, Cisticola guinea
101 - Stone partridge, Ptilopachus petrosus
102 - White-throated francolin, Campocolinus albogularis
103 - African scops owl, Otus senegalensis
104 - Northern white-faced owl, Ptilopsis leucotis
105 - Standard-winged nightjar, Caprimulgus longipennis
106 - Long-tailed nightjar, Caprimulgus climacurus
---
02/01/2022 (Mole NP, Ghana [#107-118], En route [#119-122, #127-132], Fufulso-Damongo Rd. ponds, Ghana [#124-127])
107 - African fish eagle, Haliaeetus vocifer
108 - Lizard buzzard, Kaupifalco monogrammicus
109 - Montagu's harrier, Circus pygargus
110 - Vieillot's barbet, Lybius vieilloti
111 - Lanner falcon, Falco biarmicus
112 - Greater honeyguide, Indicator indicator
113 - Yellow-billed shrike, Corvinella corvina
114 - Singing cisticola, Cisticola cantans
115 - Swallow-tailed bee-eater, Merops hirundineus
116 - African golden oriole, Oriolus auratus
117 - Pied crow, Corvus albus
118 - Red-chested swallow, Hirundo lucida
119 - Senegal coucal, Centropus senegalensis
120 - Little swift, Apus affinis
121 - Speckled pigeon, Columba guinea
122 - Purple heron, Ardea purpurea
123 - Speckled pigeon, Buphagus africanus
124 - Spur-winged lapwing, Vanellus spinosus
125 - African jacana, Actophilornis africanus
126 - Malachite kingfisher, Corythornis cristatus
127 - Black-rumped waxbill, Estrilda troglodytes
128 - Grasshopper buzzard, Butastur rufipennis
129 - Common kestrel, Falco tinnunculus
130 - African pied hornbill, Lophoceros fasciatus
131 - Northern fiscal, Lanius humeralis
132 - African pied wagtail, Motacilla aguimp
---
03/01/2022 (Kumasi, Ghana [#133-135, #178], Bobiri Butterfly Reserve, Ghana [#136-177, #179-181])
133 - Splendid starling, Lamprotornis splendidus
134 - Variable sunbird, Cinnyris venustus
135 - Woodland kingfisher, Halcyon senegalensis
136 - Long-tailed hawk, Urotriorchis macrourus
137 - White-throated bee-eater, Merops albicollis
138 - Golden greenbul, Calyptocichla serinus
139 - Grey-headed bristlebill, Bleda canicapillus
140 - Red-billed dwarf hornbill, Lophoceros camurus
141 - West African wattle-eye, Platysteira hormophora
142 - Hairy-breasted barbet, Tricholaema hirsuta
143 - Grey-headed nigrita, Nigrita canicapillus
144 - Black dwarf hornbill, Horizocerus hartlaubi
145 - Mottled spinetail, Telacanthura ussheri
146 - White-crested hornbill, Horizocerus albocristatus
147 - Blue cuckooshrike, Cyanograucalus azureus
148 - Black cuckoo, Cuculus clamosus
149 - Red-billed helmetshrike, Prionops caniceps
150 - Latham's francolin, Peliperdix lathami
151 - Red-fronted parrot, Poicephalus gulielmi
152 - Sharpe's apalis, Apalis sharpii
153 - Little grey greenbul, Eurillas gracilis
154 - Chestnut-capped flycatcher, Erythrocercus mccallii
155 - Olive sunbird, Cyanomitra olivacea
156 - Fanti drongo, Dicrurus atactus
157 - Western oriole, Oriolus brachyrynchus
158 - Yellow-browed camaroptera, Camaroptera superciliaris
159 - Olive-green camaroptera, Camaroptera chloronota
160 - Forest wood hoopoe, Phoeniculus castaneiceps
161 - African piculet, Sasia africana
162 - Red-bellied paradise flycatcher, Terpsiphone rufiventer
163 - Congo serpent eagle, Dryotriorchis spectabilis
164 - Blue malkoha, Ceuthmochares aereus
165 - Blue-throated brown sunbird, Cyanomitra cyanolaema
166 - Little green sunbird, Anthreptes seimundi
167 - Blue-headed wood dove, Turtur brehmeri
168 - Slender-billed greenbul, Stelgidillas gracilirostris
169 - Yellow-throated tinkerbird, Pogoniulus subsulphureus
170 - Buff-throated sunbird, Chalcomitra adelberti
171 - Melancholy woodpecker, Dendropicos lugubris
172 - Tambourine dove, Turtur tympanistria
173 - African cuckoo-hawk, Aviceda cuculoides
174 - Buff-spotted woodpecker, Pardipicus nivosus
175 - Crested malimbe, Malimbus malimbicus
176 - Red-chested goshawk, Accipiter toussenelii
177 - Little bee-eater, Merops pusillus
178 - Western violet-backed sunbird, Anthreptes longuemarei
179 - Akun eagle-owl, Bubo leucostictus
180 - Brown nightjar, Veles binotatus
181 - African wood owl, Strix woodfordii
---
04/01/2022 (Kumasi, Ghana [#182], Bobiri Butterfly Reserve, Ghana [#183-202], Atewa Range, Ghana [#204-224])
182 - Feral pigeon, Columba livia
183 - Little greenbul, Eurillas virens
184 - Black-throated coucal, Centropus leucogaster
185 - Red-thighed sparrowhawk, Accipiter erythropus
186 - Collared sunbird, Hedydipna collaris
187 - Yellow-mantled weaver, Ploceus tricolor
188 - Klaas's cuckoo, Chrysococcyx klaas
189 - Green hylia, Hylia prasina
190 - Icterine greenbul, Phyllastrephus icterinus
191 - Sabine's puffback, Dryoscopus sabini
192 - Black-winged oriole, Oriolus nigripennis
193 - Copper-tailed starling, Hylopsar cupreocauda
194 - Purple-throated cuckooshrike, Campephaga quiscalina
195 - Grey longbill, Macrosphenus concolor
196 - Fire-bellied woodpecker, Chloropicus pyrrhogaster
197 - Finsch's rufous thrush, Stizorhina finschi
198 - Honeyguide greenbul, Baeopogon indicator
199 - Johanna's sunbird, Cinnyris johannae
200 - Brown illadopsis, Illadopsis fulvescens
201 - Narina trogon, Apaloderma narina
202 - Naked-faced barbet, Gymnobucco calvus
203 - Common swift, Apus apus
204 - Vieillot's black weaver, Ploceus nigerrimus
205 - Simple greenbul, Chlorocichla simplex
206 - Village weaver, Ploceus cucullatus
207 - Blue-spotted wood dove, Turtur afer
208 - Splendid sunbird, Cinnyris coccinigastrus
209 - Black-necked weaver, Ploceus nigricollis
210 - Bar-breasted firefinch, Lagonosticta rufopicta
211 - Yellow-rumped tinkerbird, Pogoniulus bilineatus
212 - Thick-billed weaver, Amblyospiza albifrons
213 - Red-rumped tinkerbird, Pogoniulus atroflavus
214 - Brown-crowned tchagra, Tchagra australis
215 - Chestnut-breasted nigrita, Nigrita bicolor
216 - Square-tailed saw-wing, Psalidoprocne nitens
217 - Lesser striped swallow, Cecropis abyssinica
218 - Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos
219 - Grey kestrel, Falco ardosiaceus
220 - African paradise flycatcher, Terpsiphone viridis
221 - Western yellow wagtail - Motacilla flava
222 - Western nicator, Nicator chloris
223 - White-breasted nigrita, Nigrita fusconotus
224 - Diederik cuckoo, Chrysococcyx caprius
---
05/01/2022 (Atewa Range, Ghana [#225-264])
225 - Black spinetail, Telacanthura melanopygia
226 - Violet-backed starling, Cinnyricinclus leucogaster
227 - Red-cheeked wattle-eye, Platysteira blissetti
228 - Tit hylia, Pholidornis rushiae
229 - Puvel's illadopsis, Illadopsis puveli
230 - Black bee-eater, Merops gularis
231 - Preuss's weaver, Ploceus preussi
232 - White-tailed alethe, Alethe diademata
233 - Kemp longbill, Macrosphenus kempi
234 - Wood warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix
235 - Grey-throated tit-flycatcher, Myioparus griseigularis
236 - Blue-throated roller, Eurystomus gularis
237 - Fraser's forest flycatcher, Fraseria ocreata
238 - Dusky-blue flycatcher, Muscicapa comitata
239 - Chocolate-backed kingfisher, Halcyon badia
240 - Bristle-nosed barbet, Gymnobucco peli
241 - Maxwell's black weaver, Ploceus albinucha
242 - Yellow-billed turaco, Tauraco macrorhynchus
243 - Yellow-spotted barbet, Buccanodon duchaillui
244 - Red-tailed greenbul, Criniger calurus
245 - Blue-moustached bee-eater, Merops mentalis
246 - Red-chested cuckoo, Cuculus solitarius
247 - Red-headed malimbe, Malimbus rubricollis
248 - Shining drongo, Dicrurus atripennis
249 - African emerald cuckoo, Chrysococcyx cupreus
250 - Yellow-chinned sunbird, Anthreptes rectirostris
251 - Little green woodpecker, Campethera maculosa
252 - Willcock's honeyguide, Indicator willcocksi
253 - Black-capped apalis, Apalis nigriceps
254 - Fraser's sunbird, Deleornis fraseri
255 - Western bearded greenbul, Criniger barbatus
256 - Yellow-billed barbet, Trachyphonus purpuratus
257 - Crowned eagle, Stephanoaetus coronatus
258 - Speckled tinkerbird, Pogoniulus scolopaceus
259 - African shrike-flycatcher, Megabyas flammulatus
260 - Little grey flycatcher, Muscicapa epulata
261 - West African batis, Batis occulta
262 - Levaillant's cuckoo, Clamator levaillantii
263 - Superb sunbird, Cinnyris superbus
264 - Yellow-throated cuckoo, Chrysococcyx flavigularis
---
06/01/2023 (Shai Hills RR, Ghana [#265-278], En route [#279-282], Kalakpa RR, Ghana [#283-289])
265 - Superb starling, Lamprotornis superbus
266 - African thrush, Turdus pelios
267 - Senegal parrot, Poicephalus senegalus
268 - Yellow-throated greenbul, Arizelocichla chlorigula
269 - Guinea turaco, Tauraco persa
270 - Northern crombec, Melocichla mentalis
271 - White-crowned cliff chat, Thamnolaea coronata
272 - Red-shouldered cuckooshrike, Campephaga phoenicea
273 - Croaking cisticola, Cisticola natalensis
274 - Flappet lark, Mirafra rufocinnamomea
275 - Oriole warbler, Hypergerus atriceps
276 - African barred owlet, Glaucidium capense
277 - Black-bellied bustard, Lissotis melanogaster
278 - Rufous-crowned roller, Coracias naevius
279 - Blue-bellied roller, Coracias cyanogaster
280 - Black-and-white mannikin, Spermestes bicolor
281 - Short-toed snake-eagle, Circaetus gallicus
282 - Gabar goshawk, Micronisus gabar
283 - Moustached grass warbler, Melocichla mentalis
284 - Ahanta spurfowl, Pternistis ahantensis
285 - Black-winged kite, Elanus caeruleus
286 - African firefinch, Lagonosticta rubricata
287 - Black-shouldered nightjar, Caprimulgus nigriscapularis
288 - Nkulengu rail, Himantornis haematopus
289 - Senegal thick-knee, Burhinus senegalensis
---
07/01/2023 (Ho, Ghana [#290-291], Kalakpa RR, Ghana [#292-295])
290 - Piapiac, Ptilostomus afer
291 - Lesser blue-eared starling, Lamprotornis chloropterus
292 - Capuchin babbler, Turdoides atripennis
293 - Forest robin, Stiphrornis erythrothorax
294 - Spotted honeyguide, Indicator maculatus
295 - African harrier-hawk, Polyboroides typus
---
08/01/2023 (Mohammed VI Airport, Casablanca, Morocco [#296-297], Agadir, Morocco [#298-299])
296 - Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus
297 - Little owl, Athene noctua
298 - Maghreb magpie, Pica mauritanica
299 - Spotless starling, Sturnus unicolor
---
09/01/2023 (Agadir, Morocco [#300-304])
300 - Eurasian collared dove, Streptopelia decaocto
301 - House bunting, Emberiza sahari
302 - Sardinian warbler, Curruca melanocephala
303 - Yellow-legged gull, Larus michahellis
304 - Common blackbird, Turdus merula
---
10/01/2023 (Agadir, Morocco [#305])
305 - House sparrow, Passer domesticus
---
12/01/2023 (Agadir, Morocco [#306])
306 - White wagtail, Motacilla alba
---
14/01/2023 (Issen, Morocco [#307-308])
307 - Crested lark, Galerida cristata
308 - Eurasian thick-knee, Burhinus oedicnemus
---
15/01/2023 (Issen, Morocco [#309-310])
309 - Eurasian hoopoe, Upupa epops
310 - European greenfinch, Chloris chloris
---
18/01/2023 (Aéroport El Massira, Morocco [#311-318])
311 - Common chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs
312 - Black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus
313 - European serin, Serinus serinus
314 - European stonechat, Saxicola rubicola
315 - Eurasian blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla
316 - African blue tit, Cyanistes teneriffae
317 - Common chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita
318 - Moussier's redstart, Phoenicurus moussieri
---
22/01/2023 (Issen, Morocco [#319])
319 - Great grey shrike, Lanius excubitor
---
24/01/2023 (Estuaire de l'Oued Massa, Morocco [#320-349])
320 - Common wood pigeon, Columba palumbus
321 - Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa
322 - Great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
323 - Pallid swift, Apus pallidus
324 - Little egret, Egretta garzetta
327 - Greater flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus
328 - Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
329 - Western marsh harrier, Circus aeruginosus
330 - Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea
331 - Brown-throated martin, Riparia paludicola
332 - Eurasian crag martin, Ptyonoprogne rupestris
333 - Common linnet, Linaria cannabina
334 - Glossy ibis, Plegadis falcinellus
335 - Osprey, Pandion haliaetus
336 - Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna
337 - Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata
338 - Eurasian teal, Anas crecca
339 - Eurasian coot, Fulica atra
340 - Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus
341 - Northern bald ibis, Geronticus eremita
342 - European robin, Erithacus rubecula
343 - Northern pintail, Anas acuta
344 - Sanderling, Calidris alba
345 - Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago
346 - Mediterranean gull, Ichthyaetus melanocephalus
347 - Common crane, Grus grus
348 - Common house martin, Delichon urbicum
349 - White stork, Ciconia ciconia
348 - Bonelli's eagle, Aquila fasciata
349 - Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus
---
25/01/2023 (Embouchure de l'Oued Souss, Morocco [#350-354])
350 - Sandwich tern, Thalasseus sandvicensis
351 - Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia
352 - Common redshank, Tringa totanus
353 - Pied avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta
354 - Grey wagtail, Motacilla cinerea
MAMMALS:
01/01/2023 (Mole NP, Ghana [#1-8])
1 - Green monkey, Chlorocebus sabaeus
2 - Northern bushbuck, Tragelaphus scriptus
3 - Common warthog, Phacochoerus africanus
4 - Kob, Kobus kob
5 - Striped ground squirrel, Xerus erythropus
6 - African savanna elephant, Loxodonta africana
7 - Guinea baboon, Papio papio
8 - Senegal galago, Galago senegalensis
---
02/01/2023 (Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary, Ghana [#9-10])
9 - Lowe's mona monkey, Cercopithecus lowei
10 - Ursine colobus, Colobus vellerosus
---
03/01/2023 (Kumasi, Ghana [#11], Bobiri Butterfly Reserve, Ghana [#12-16])
11 - Straw-coloured fruit bat, Eidolon helvum
12 - Fire-footed rope squirrel, Funisciurus pyrropus
13 - Small sun squirrel, Heliosciurus punctatus
14 - Pel's anomalure, Anomalurus pelii
15 - Demidoff's dwarf galago, Galagoides demidoff
16 - Western tree hyrax, Dendrohyrax dorsalis
---
06/01/2023 (Shai Hills RR, Ghana [#17-18], Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary, Ghana [#19], Kalakpa RR, Ghana [#20])
17 - Tantalus monkey, Chlorocebus tantalus
18 - Egyptian tomb bat, Taphozous perforatus
19 - Common mona monkey, Cercopithecus mona
20 - Benin tree hyrax, Dendrohyrax interfluvialis
---
08/01/2023 (Aéroport Mohammed VI, Casablanca, Morocco [#21], Aéroport El Massira, Agadir, Morocco [#22])
21 - European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus
22 - Red fox, Vulpes vulpes
---
24/01/2023 (Massa, Morocco [#23])
23 - Barbary ground squirrel, Atlantoxerus getulus
BirdsBirds
76. Greater Prairie-Chicken Tympanuchus cupido
Today, despite being a freezing day, I saw a new species for the year when coming to work place. A flock of three delightfully colorful goldfinches taking off from the grass, scared by my presence.
21.Eurasian goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
34 Eurasian bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)31 Western jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
32 Black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
33 Eurasian tree-sparrow (Passer montanus)
BirdsBirds
77. White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
Mammals
Seen in a yard in Lincoln, IL
4. Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)Seen near Clinton Lake
5. White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
Birds
Seen near
Mammals
Seen in a yard in Lincoln, IL (From the road)
4. Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)
Seen near Clinton Lake (From the road)
5. White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
Birds
Seen in the overspill creek of the Clinton lake dam (From the road)
25. Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)Retry at Riverbend forest preserve, and, success! Saw both the Trumpeter and Tundra swans that have been overwintering there.
26. Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)
27. Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)
28. Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)
29. Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
30. Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)
31. Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
32. Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
BirdsBirds
Forgot to add this bird heard and briefly seen diving at Riverbend
33. Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
Seen at Homer Lake
34. Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)Seen at Colbert Park
35. Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus)
36. Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii)
37. Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
Technically it completes the North American swan trio.Birds
Seen at Whalon Lake Forest Preserve, Will County IL, 1/15
38. Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
39. Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
40. American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)
41. Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
42. American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)
43. American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
44. Ring-Billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)
45. Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)
46. Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) (Lifer)
47. Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
48. Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)
Seen on the way to Homer Lake, Champaign County IL 1/21, and additional massive flocks flying overhead of both species since
49. Greater White-Fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)First bird lifer of the year rounds out my midwest swan trio. Nice to hit 50 species in January already. I have a hunch I'll hopefully match and exceed that in February...
50. Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens)
![]()
I visited Hammonasset Beach State Park for the first time this year yesterday. I missed a number of species which I thought would be shoe-ins, including the vagrant Townsend's Solitaire which is still present and reported to ebird almost daily. One of those generally easy species I coincidentally picked up driving on the highway earlier today.
45) Merlin Falco columbarius
46) American Black Duck Anas rubripes
47) Northern Harrier Circus hudsonius
48) Red-Breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
49) American Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus
50) Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
51) Dunlin Calidris alpina
52) Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
53) Red-Throated Loon Gavia stellata
54) Common Eider Somateria mollissima
55) Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
56) Sanderling Calidris alba
57) Common Loon Gavia immer
58) Bufflehead Bucephala albeola
----
59) Greater Black-Backed Gull Larus marinus
Will need to catch-up on mammals soon, though my sightings for those so far as far less and less exciting.
~Thylo
A few updates from me – the humid weekends in Brisbane have been surprisingly productive and I’m finally developing some consistent momentum to reach a lot of my wildlife watching targets for 2023. The undoubtable highlight has been the Australian Owlet-Nightjar [Australian Owlet-Nightjar - ZooChat] at Wynnum Boardwalk. It’s a bit of a local celebrity among the Brisbane birders and has been well-visited as a finally reliable way to see this cryptic species. The boardwalk also provided my first ever wild sea turtles surfacing for air in the mangroves and a large shovelnose ray during high tide as the seawater floods the site.A quick update from me - I've been doing the rounds at the mangroves and rainforests around the fringes and picked up a few nice invert lifers especially the Lychee Stink Bug (wow, that colour!), the Christmas Jewel Spider that had been long on the wish list and the Small Green-banded Blue which is a small butterfly species with a striking blue and white patterning [Small Green-banded Blue - ZooChat]. Closest thing so far to an avian lifer was hearing my first ever Paradise Riflebird at Mary Cairncross on the Sunshine Coast today - an incredible hiss that travels far across the rainforest. I didn't see it after much searching but it's a step in the right direction at least. I did stumble across some well-camouflaged emerald doves by complete surprise to keep me happy!
Mammals
03) Red-legged Pademelon, Thylogale stigmatica
Birds
39) Grey Butcherbird, Cracticus torquatus
40) Intermediate Egret, Ardea intermedia
41) Great Egret, Ardea alba
42) Little Pied Cormorant, Microcarbo melanoleucos
43) Little Black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
44) Superb Fairywren, Malurus cyaneus
45) Australian Brush-turkey, Alectura lathami
46) Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua galerita
47) Australian Wood Duck, Chenonetta jubata
48) Silver Gull, Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
49) Pied Cormorant, Phalacrocorax varius
50) Tree Martin, Petrochelidon nigricans
51) Australian Pelican, Pelecanus conspicillatus
52) Rufous Fantail, Rhipidura rufifrons
53) Mangrove Honeyeater, Lichenostomus fasciogularis
54) Torresian Kingfisher, Todiramphus sordidus
55) Mangrove Gerygone, Gerygone levigaster
56) Long-billed Corella, Cacatua tenuirostris
57) Variegated Fairywren, Malurus lamberti
58) Spectacled Monarch, Symposiachrus trivirgatus
59) Spangled Drongo, Dicrurus bracteatus
60) Large-billed Scrubwren, Sericornis magnirostra
61) Brown Gerygone, Gerygone mouki
62) Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Sericornis citreogularis
63) Pacific Emerald Dove, Chalcophaps longirostris
64) Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Macropygia phasianella
65) Pale-yellow Robin, Tregellasia capito
66) Eastern Yellow Robin, Eopsaltria australis
67) Australian Golden Whistler, Pachycephala pectoralis
68) Black-faced Monarch, Monarcha melanopsis
69) Lewin’s Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii
70) Green Catbird, Ailuroedus crassirostris
71) Eastern Whipbird, Psophodes olivaceus
72) Russet-tailed Thrush, Zoothera heinei
Herptiles
06) Asian House Gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus
Fish
02) Longfin Eel, Anguilla reinhardtii
03) Yellowfin Bream, Acanthopagrus australis
04) Common Toadfish, Tetractenos hamiltoni
Invertebrates
23) Blue-banded Bee, Amegilla cingulata
24) Cabbage White, Pieris rapae
25) Water Prince, Hydrobasileus brevistylus
26) Aurora Bluetail, Ischnura aurora
27) Saint Andrew’s Cross Spider, Argiope keyserlingi
28) Orange Palmdart, Cephrenes augiades
29) Wide-banded Grass-dart, Suniana sunias
30) Yellow Tussock, Euproctis lutea
31) Australian Tiger Crane Fly Nephrotoma australasiae
32) Small Grass-Yellow, Eurema smilax
33) Common Egglfy, Hypolimnas bolina
34) Orchard Swallowtail, Papilio aegeus
35) Variable Ladybird, Coelophora inaequalis
36) Lychee Stink Bug, Lyramorpha rosea
37) Camptorhinus dorsalis [weevil]
38) Australian Cockroach, Periplaneta australasiae
39) Grey Wall Jumping Spider, Menemerus bivittatus
40) Hairy Line-Blue, Erysichton lineata
41) Scarlet Percher, Diplacodes haematodes
42) Green Jumping Spider, Mopsus mormon
43) Wandering Percher, Diplacodes bipunctata
44) Tortoise-shelled Ladybird Harmonia testudinaria
45) Common Albatross, Appias paulina
46) Swamp Tiger, Danaus affinis
47) Fiddler Beetle, Eupoecila australasiae
48) Purple Cerulean, Jamides phaseli
49) Ornate Spiny Ant, Polyrhachis ornata
50) Caper White, Belenois java
51) Lined Nerite, Nerita balteata
52) Australian Painted Lady, Vanessa kershawi
53) Small Green-banded Blue, Psychonotis caelius
54) Pilacmonotus sabulosus [owlfly]
55) Common Brown Ringlet, Hypocysta metirius
56) Christmas Jewel Spider, Austracantha minax
57) Yellow-tipped Tigertail, Choristhemis flavoterminata
58) Golden-tailed Sugar Ant, Camponotus aeneopilosus
59) Black Jezebel, Delias nigrina
60) Richmond Birdwing, Ornithoptera richmondia
There's a VERY good chance any Mottled Ducks you saw were hybrids with Mallard.Update time! So I was hoping to pick up a 60th bird for the year to give me a clean 60 going into this past weekend's activities. I went out birding a few times over the last week and while I saw plenty of birds, I unfortunately didn't pick up anything new.. That is, until I was standing outside work on break Friday afternoon and nabbed one more welcome addition:
60) House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus
So what did I do this weekend? Well to celebrate a few personal milestones in my life, I decided to make a short getaway to the sunshine state, Florida. Sarasota and Punta Gorda to be specific. My trip was short with only one and half days worth of actual activity, but I made the most of it.
Day One: my first day began a little rough, I had a very late night flight in, which was further delayed. I ended up spending the night in the airport which equated to maybe only an hour and half of sleep... Not great, but once the sun was up I was off! Funny enough, the very first bird I saw were more House Finches! From the airport I first drove to a small spot right on the coast near the airport. Sarasota doesn't really have much in the way of preserved coastal habitat and as such I decided I wasn't going to make much of an attempt at searching for seabirds. I did want to make some effort, however, so I popped in to a small marina at first light.
After that, I headed south to Oscar Scherer State Park to spend some time in Florida's sand pine scrub habitat on a search for scrub-jays. I spent about four hours in the park, but sadly didn't find any of the resident jays.
After the park, I continued south to Punta Gorda where I visited my only zoo of the trip: Iguanaland. Following the zoo visit, I made my way towards the Prairie Creek Preserve. There was no particular target for this site, it's just near the zoo and I wanted to get a little more birding in before sunset. Unfortunately, a fallen pine across the road meant I had two options: quit and head to the hotel early or take a very large detour to get around the tree. After some contemplation and confirming that there weren't any other good birding sites nearby, I decided to call it a day and go get some sleep. Fate would have it, however, that the roads leading up to the preserve are very remote and specious themselves. The drive back out would take me past some telephone lines featuring my initial target bird, the elusive scrub-jay!
Day Two: today, my second and last day, was considerably simpler. I visited a lovely and lesser known spot known as The Celery Fields. Owned by the Audubon, this area consists of a large manmade hill and walking trails surrounded on all sides by a series of manmade wetlands and flood retention pools with some roads crossing through. This creates a series of varied aquatic habitats and woodlands that can be hiked around and in-between. The famous Myakka River State Park is definitely more well-known and certainly more of a guarantee for Limpkins, however TCF is free to visit, opens earlier, and features a lot more diversity at any given time, a fact confirmed by several of the local birders I bumped into throughout the day.
As far as Limpkins go, I had planned on also stopping by Myakka if I had time, but I learned that the Limpkins had stopped frequenting the site following Hurricane Ian. It sounds as though they are starting to return, thankfully, but the site is no longer the guarantee for the species it once was. That said, TCF is also a local hotspot for the species, but they are far less common there than Myakka. Despite this, I managed to find four of the birds, which are quite the disappear artists as it turns out.
Another benefit of the site is that it's pretty much a guarantee for Marsh Rabbits. In fact, searching iNaturalist for rabbit sightings in Sarasota is how I initially discovered the place. Hispid Cotton Rats are also regularly seen here, though I did not find any. As far as the rabbits are concerned, I found about a dozen with no effort!
I spent pretty my entire day exploring and revisiting different parts of the TCF. I really didn't need to go anywhere else and I kept finding new stuff throughout the day. When it came time to head to the airport, I left and made a final quick revisit to the same marina I started off with the day before, just to check since I had the time.
Altogether, I had a very busy, very fun, and very successful weekend here in Florida. I highly recommend anyone visiting the area spend some time at The Celery Fields if you can! Now without further ado, the birds:
The Marina
61) American White Ibis Eudocimus albus
62) Snowy Egret Egretta thula
63) Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis
64) Double-Crested Cormorant Nannopterum auritum
65) Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla
66) Boat-Tailed Grackle Quiscalus major
Oscar Scherer State Park
67) Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea
68) Great Egret Ardea alba
69) Osprey Pandion haliaetus
70) Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula
71) Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus
72) Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
73) Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
74) Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
75) Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus
76) Palm Warbler Setophaga palmarum
77) Black-and-White Warbler Mniotilta varia
78) Grey Catbird Dumetella carolinensis
79) Red-Shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus
80) Pied-Billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
Punta Gorda Back Roads
81) Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea
82) Red-Headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus
83) American Robin Turdus migratorius
84) Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe
85) Florida Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma coerulescens
86) Sandhill Crane Antigone canadensis
87) Anhinga (American Darter) Anhinga anhinga
88) Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
The Celery Fields (Sarasota Audubon)
89) Nanday Conure Aratinga nenday
90) Purple Martin Progne subis
91) Brown-Headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
92) Red-Winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
93) Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina
94) Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata
95) American Coot Fulica americana
96) Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
97) American Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinicus
98) Blue-Winged Teal Spatula discors
99) North American Wood Duck Aix sponsa
100) Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor
101) Grey-Headed Swamphead Porphyrio poliocephalus
102) Wood Stork Mycteria americana
103) Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla
104) Sora Porzana carolina
105) Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
106) Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula
107) Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja
108) Limpkin Aramus guarauna
109) Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii
110) Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri
111) Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata
112) Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
The Marina (return)
113) Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
I still have a handful of photos to ID once I'm home, but I don't really expect this list to grow much if at all.
Of course, one small downside to this trip is that I picked up a lot of CT summer birds, meaning the warmer weather won't have as much for me this year as usual! Guess I'll just need to travel elsewhere some more...
I have a mammals and now also reptiles update to post soon as well.
~Thylo
There's a VERY good chance any Mottled Ducks you saw were hybrids with Mallard.
Nearly the entire Florida population is hybridized now. It's a shame because the Florida population is probably a separate endemic species. There's a few remote areas with small numbers of pure birds still, but honestly if IUCN assessed the Florida population of Mottled Duck it would almost certainly be Critically Endangered.I saw one that definitely was, seemingly paired with a wood duck which I found bizarre.
I saw quite a number of Mottled Ducks at various points throughout the day, is the west coast population known to be particularly hybridized because surely the entire species doesn't consist of hybrids?
~Thylo
MammalsMammals
6. Southern Red-backed Vole Myodes gapperi
7. Northern Short-tailed Shrew Blarina brevicauda
A very anodine new species for year, certainly not an exciting one but I had to put here anyway:
INVERTEBRATES:
16. Plodia interpunctella, the first of the year appeared in my parent's kitchen.