Zoochat Big Year 2023

[boof]

6/2/2023
130. hoary-headed grebe
131. plumed whistling duck
8/2/2023
132. budgerigar
133. spotted harrier
134. glossy ibis
135. Australian spotted crake
136. intermediate egret
137. cattle egret
138. swamp harrier
139. White-bellied sea eagle
140. white-fronted chat
141. little grassbird
142. singing honeyeater
143. grey shrikethrush
144. tree martin
145. masked woodswallow

 

[MRJ]

On route to Kidepo Valley National Park

I've given up on weather, it is always either very warm, hot or very hot, and fine.

Habitat: Dry thorn savanna.

Mammals
21. African grass rat Arvicanthis niloticus
22. Mountain reedbuck Redunca fulvorufula

Birds

Without doubt the bird of the day is the superb starling. The blue on the back is lighter in colour and brighter than other starlings, giving a wonderful sight in the sun. However until I researched this trip I believed superb starlings lived in rainforests, not in arid zones . I put this down to me only ever seeing them in European and American zoos, mostly in tropical houses. A failure of zoos as educational institutions.
199. Crested francolin Dendroperdix sephaena
200. Ring-necked dove Streptopelia capicola
201. Emerald-spotted wood-dove Turtur chalcospilos
202. Buff-crested bustard Lophotis gindiana
203. Black-headed lapwing Vanellus tectus
204. Brown snake eagle Circaetus cinereus
205. Black-chested snake eagle Circaetus pectoralis
206. Northern red-billed hornbill Tockus erythrorhynchus
207. Greater honeyguide Indicator indicator (new Family)
208. Black-billed barbet Lybius guifsobalito
209. Red-fronted tinkerbird Pogoniulus pusillus
210. Black-throated barbae Tricholaema metanocephala
211. African pygmy falcon Polihierax semitorquatus
212. Marsh Tcharga Bocania minuta
213. Slaty-coloured brobro Laniarius funebris
214. Yellow-billed shrike Corvinella corvina
215. White-billed buffalo weaver Bubalornis albirostris
216. Eastern olivaceous warbler Iduna pallida
217. Rock matin Ptyonoprogne fuligula
218. Northern white-eye Zosterops senegalensise
219. Rufous chatterer Argya rubiginosa
220. Wattled starling Creatophora cinerea
221. Ruppell's starling Lamprotornis purpuoptera
222. Superb starling Lamprotornis superbus
223. White-browed scrub-robin Cercotrichas leucophrys
224. Little rock-thrush Monticola rufocinereus
225. Isabelline wheatear Oenanthe isabellina

Reptiles
5. Graceful chameleon Chamaeleo gracilis

 

[Lota lota]

40 Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata)
41 Caspian gull (Larus cachinnans)
Nice lifer in central stockholm that has been drawing quite some attention the last few days.Caspian gulls are sighted in sweden yearly,but usually only during the autumn.And trying to see it last year was kinda a hit or miss.It being a juvenile made it a little harder to differentiate it from the other gulls.But with the help of other birders at the site who confirmed my suspicion about what individual it was,I was able to tick it of the list.
42 Whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus)

43 Common starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
44 Eurasian treecreeper (Certhia familiaris)

 

[BerdNerd]

2/7/23

72. Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)

73. Red-Bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)- 2/7/23
74. Brown-Headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)- 2/8/23


Total:

Mammals: 5
Birds: 74
Reptiles: 1
Invertebrates: 2

 

[MRJ]

Kidepo Valley National Park

Habitat: Dry thorn scrub

Mammals

23. Ochre bush squirrel Paraxerus ochraceus
24. Cape hare Lepus capensis
25. Savanna hare Lepus victoriae
26. Bunyoro rabbit Poelagus marjorita
27. Black-backed jackal Lupulella mesomelas
28. Plains zebra Equus quagga
29. Kob Kobus kob
30. African buffalo Taurotragus oryx
31. Northern bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus

Edit:

32. Rock hyrax Procavia capensis (new Order and Family)
33. Bush elephant Loxodonta africana

Birds

226. Mourning collared dove Streptopelia decipiens
227. Swamp nightjar Caprimulgus natalensis
228. White-browed coucal Centropus supercilliosus
229. Black-crowned night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax
230. Tawny eagle Aquila rapax
231. Beaudouin's snake eagle Circaetus beaudouini
232. Lappet-faced vulture Torgos tracheliotos
233. Pearl-spotted owlet Glaucidium perlatum
234. Jackson's hornbill Tockus jacksoni
235. Abyssinian ground-hornbill Bucorvus abyssinicus
236. Swallow-tailed bee-eater Merops hirundineus
237. Three-streaked tchagra Tchagra jamesi
238. Woodland shrike Lanius senator
239. Shining sunbird Cinnyris habessinicus
240. Parrot-billed sparrow Passar gongonesis
241. Plain-backed pipit Anthus leucophrys
242. Yellow-bellied hyliota Hyliota flavigaster (new Family)
243. White-bellied tit Melaniparus albiventris
244. Rufus-naped lark Mirafra africana
245. Red-faced crombec Sylvietta whytii
246. Yellow-billed oxpecker Bughagus africanus
247. Purple starling Lamprotornis purpureus
248. Mocking chiff-chat Thamnolaea cinnamomelventris

Reptiles

6. African five-lined skink Trachylepis quinquetaeniata

 

[Junklekitteb]

The past two weeks have been particularly exciting for me. I managed to ‘mop up’ a lot of the common species I was missing so far, especially those I had missed at the botanical garden, which I ticked instead at Ranganthittu bird sanctuary. I also got to see a number of species which I had merely glimpsed, or suspected of seeing in the past, in clear view for the first time, such as the sensationally vibrant Indian Pitta merely a few feet away from me, or the many spoonbills in Srirangapatna (including a nesting pair). I also went for a night walk, which is always a great pleasure.
Seen Birds
Bangalore, January
62. Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis
63. Grey-breasted Prinia Prinia hodgsonii
64. White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens
65. Pale-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum erythrorhynchos
66. Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura
Srirangapatna, January
67. Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala
68. Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis
69. Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans
70. Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
71. Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
72. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
73. Median Egret Ardea intermedia (according to the guide)
74. Indian Silverbill Euodice malabarica
Bangalore, February
75. Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus (after not seeing a single one at Ranganthittu the best place for them that I know of)
76. Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus (sure took a while)
77. Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense

Mammals
- Civet sp. Viverricula/Paradoxurus sp. (forgot to list it last time)
4. Grey Slender Loris Loris lydekkerianus (previous sightings were just eyeshine)
5. Indian Grey Mongoose Herpestes edwardsii (My friend saw one eating sapodillas!)

Reptiles
1. Mugger-much Crocodylus palustris
2. Indian Chameleon Chamaeleo zeylanicus
3. Bloodsucker Calotes versicolor

I have decided to stop counting insects and spiders, not for the reason that I dislike them or find them unworthy of counting, but because I am simply too much of a tyro at “bug-watching” to actually identify and keep track of the many arthropods I see daily. I’d rather be unrepresentative of my wildlife-watching ‘exploits’ (if you will ) by listing only a portion of what I actually see, rather than misidentify something and post it here.

One of the best ways to see some migrant species, such as the starlings and the Hair-crested Drongo, is by waiting for nectar-yielding tree species to flower. The large Red Silk-cotton nat my school, Bombax ceiba, has already begun, but so far I have seen only orioles visiting it. The school’s Palasha tree, Butea monosperma, however, is stubbornly retaining its leaves for some reason, and it won’t flower until its leaves are gone. This fact was made all the more annoying by the fact that I just saw one brilliantly in flower out of a bus window.
The first bird is actually from January, but I wanted to discuss the ID with a few others before posting. It is far from a bad ‘first lifer’ for the year, and brings me to a solid 75 birds for January, excluding a few that I could not ID beyond genus or family level.
Seen Birds
78. Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea
79. Common Hawk-cuckoo Heirococcyx varius
80. Black-headed Cuckooshrike Lalage melanoptera
81. Jerdon’s Leafbird Chloropsis jerdoni
82. White-eyed Buzzard Butastur teesa
83. Large Cuckooshrike Coracina macei
I also got to see a pitta roosting, allowing one to see its stunning colours up close.
My heard-only bird count is down by one, as I finally saw one of the ‘brain fever birds’ as the English called them that constantly call at unearthly hours.

 

[Kakapo]

Today I had a small surprise under the same bridge where I saw the great egret the other day.

BIRDS:

24. Common stonechat (Saxicola torquata)

And in the outside of the building where I work there was a small spider resting, after comparing photos of several related species I concluded that is a:

INVERTEBRATES:

19. Enoplognatha mandibularis

Today I had a pleasing day in urban wildlife sights. I went in the morning to take money out and in the chinese privet trees that are nearby the bank I heard the unmistakable chatting of blackcap, a bird that many years ago was a daily sight in winter-spring months but nowadays became alarmingly much rarer in my city. After some search in the trees, I saw the bird quickly but surely as it flied chatting while pursuing another bird - I don't know if another blackcap or just a sparrow, it was too quick -.
As every day when I see a new speces for the yearly list, I went especially attentive to wildlife sightings. So when I went to my parent's garden and besides the usual woodlice and slugs, under a stone was a magnific big centipede that was again a new species for the year.
I passed the bridge over the river and saw the usual cormorants - all swimming, none perched - a couple mallards, few black-heade gulls, wagtails and little egrets, while I heard the loud and repentine song of a Cetti's warbler. A little wader took of, it was a too brief sight for identify nothing, most probably a common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos), but I cannot rule out other waders or even a plover, so I can't count it for the list.
Once arrived to my work place, I saw a beautiful red kite soaring. Still too early for black kites here. Inside the work place, in one of the containers we use was resting a seven-spotted ladybug. Another new species for the year, yeah! Three in a single day!

So...

BIRDS:

25. Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)

INVERTEBRATES:

20. Himantarium mediterraneum
21. Coccinella septempunctata

 

[Great Argus]

Well due to a later than intended start the day was not quite as productive species-wise as I'd hoped, but due to what I did get I'm far from disappointed. Finally ending a seven year unlucky run, I finally properly added Greater Roadrunner to the lifelist. I've heard them a couple of times, taunting me from behind fences I couldn't cross, and made multiple attempts at every spot they're known to occur. But finally today, at the most reliable site, in chilly North winds, there was one hanging out on the hillside. About time! Seeing a Coyote on my way back across the plains made it all the better, the fellow must have been on his way to try out his latest scheme.

Mammals:

4. Coyote (Canis latrans)

Birds:

65. Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)
66. Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)
67. Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
68. Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)

4-68-0-0-0-3

Not much to report other than the warmer weather has been slowly bringing out more species. Reptiles and amphibians both have kicked off the year finally but I don't expect them to go up much for awhile other than the two aquatic turtles. Lots of activity from the gophers eating my plants but getting eyes on them is zero in my favor so far. Highlight of recent sightings was a immature Cooper's Hawk bushwhacking for sparrows, always interesting to see them diving in and out of brush. This particular hawk came up empty-handed after the towhee beat it over to the blackberry tangle, but certainly not from lack of trying!

Mammals:

5. Brazilian Free-tailed Bat (Tararida brasiliensis)

Birds:

69. Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica)
70. Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus)
71. White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
72. Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperi)

Reptiles:

1. Western Fence Lizard (Sceleporus occidentalis)

Amphibians:

1. Pacific Treefrog (Pseudacris regilla)

Invertebrates:

4. Bordered Plant Bug (Largus cinctus)
5. European Honeybee (Apis mellifera)
6. European Earwing (Forficula auricularia)

5-72-1-1-0-6

 

[Kakapo]

Today I had a pleasing day in urban wildlife sights. I went in the morning to take money out and in the chinese privet trees that are nearby the bank I heard the unmistakable chatting of blackcap, a bird that many years ago was a daily sight in winter-spring months but nowadays became alarmingly much rarer in my city. After some search in the trees, I saw the bird quickly but surely as it flied chatting while pursuing another bird - I don't know if another blackcap or just a sparrow, it was too quick -.
As every day when I see a new speces for the yearly list, I went especially attentive to wildlife sightings. So when I went to my parent's garden and besides the usual woodlice and slugs, under a stone was a magnific big centipede that was again a new species for the year.
I passed the bridge over the river and saw the usual cormorants - all swimming, none perched - a couple mallards, few black-heade gulls, wagtails and little egrets, while I heard the loud and repentine song of a Cetti's warbler. A little wader took of, it was a too brief sight for identify nothing, most probably a common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos), but I cannot rule out other waders or even a plover, so I can't count it for the list.
Once arrived to my work place, I saw a beautiful red kite soaring. Still too early for black kites here. Inside the work place, in one of the containers we use was resting a seven-spotted ladybug. Another new species for the year, yeah! Three in a single day!

So...

BIRDS:

25. Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)

INVERTEBRATES:

20. Himantarium mediterraneum
21. Coccinella septempunctata

Today I had a very sought after sight. Daily I cheeked a baldland where rabbits are usual. They don't appeared here until today. A quiet couple in the morning sun.
I also had a very good sight at a robin that was resting very quiet and exposed at sun in the border of a garden shrub.

MAMMALS:

2. Common rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

 

[ThylacineAlive]

Finally had a moment to catch up on some turtle IDs and update my mammals. Spoiler, my mammals and reptiles lists are not as robust as my bird list... yet.

For mammals, the first five are from CT, the last two were seen in Florida.

Mammals
1) Eastern Grey Squirrel (Neo)Sciurus carolinensis
2) Red Fox Vulpes vulpes
3) White-Tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus
4) Eastern Chipmunk Tamias striatus
5) Northern Raccoon Procyon lotor
6) Bobcat Lynx rufus
7) Marsh Rabbit Sylvilagus palustris

Reptiles
1) American Alligator Alligator mississipiensis
2) Pond Slider Trachemys scripta
3) Peninsula Cooter Pseudemys peninsularis
4) Florida Softshell Turtle Apalone ferox

~Thylo

Realized I forgot a mammal:

8) Groundhog Marmota monax

~Thylo

 

[Great Argus]

Realized I forgot a mammal:

8) Groundhog Marmota monax

~Thylo

Didn't perchance happen to be on February 2nd?

 

[ThylacineAlive]

Didn't perchance happen to be on February 2nd?

It was actually back in mid-January when I was looking for warblers. Which is a little unusual!

~Thylo

 

[MRJ]

At Mt, Moroto, Uganda.

249. African paradise-flycatcher Terpiphone viridis

On route from Kidepo Valley NP to Murchison Falls NP. Longest day trip yet, twelve hours long. Most birding done in the first quarter of the trip, notably the KVNP buffer zone.

250. Dusky turtle dove Streptopelia lugens
251. Blue-spotted wood dove Turtur afer
252. White-bellied bustard Eupodotis senegalensis
253. Western osprey Pandion haliaetus
254. Black scimitarbill Rhinopomastus aterrimus
255. Lesser honeyguide Indicator minor
256. Brown-backed woodpecker Dendropicos obsoletus
257. Black-breasted barbet Lybius rolleti (stunning bird, certainly bird of the day)
258. African golden oriole Oriolus auratus
259. Piapiac Ptilostomus afer
260. Beautiful sunbird Cinnyris pulchellus
261. Black-winged bishop Euplectes hordeaceus
262. Black-bellied firefinch Lagonosticta rara
263. Mouse-coloured penduline-tit Anthoscopus musculus
264. Pale prinia Prinia somalica
265. Red-rumped swallow Cecropis daurica
266. White-fronted black chat Oenanthe albifrons

 

[Coelacanth18]

Birds

125. Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)

Have made some additions so far in February with a couple of brief birding ventures.

Birds
126. Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)
127. California Gull (Larus californicus)
128. Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
129. Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)
130. Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
131. Oak Titmouse (Baeolophus inornatus)
132. Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Also got my first reptile for the year:

Reptiles
1. Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

 

[ifesbob]

Would it be appropriate for me to go back and post what I saw earlier in the year? I have decent records of what I saw when I was in Costa Rica.

 

[birdsandbats]

Would it be appropriate for me to go back and post what I saw earlier in the year? I have decent records of what I saw when I was in Costa Rica.

As long as you saw all of the animals in the wild in 2023.

 

[birdsandbats]

Mammals
8. North American Porcupine Erethizon dorsatum

Mammals
9. Northern Raccoon Procyon lotor

 

[MRJ]

Would it be appropriate for me to go back and post what I saw earlier in the year? I have decent records of what I saw when I was in Costa Rica.

Yes of course. Anything seen in 2023.

 

[MRJ]

Missed from Kidepo Valley National Park:

267. Bruce's green pigeon Treron waalia

Murchison National Park

Habitat: Guinea savanna

Mammals

34. African crested porcupine Hystrix cristata (new Family)
35. Kemp's gerbil Gerbilliscus kempi
36. Yellow-winged bat Lavia frons (new Family)
37. Sundevall's leaf-nosed bat Hipposideros caffer (new Family)
38. Noack's leaf-nosed bat Hipposideros ruber
39. Little free-tail bat Chaerephon pumilus
40. Angolan free-tail bat Mops condylurus
41. Lion Panthera leo
42. Rusty-spotted genet Genetta maculata
43. Pousargues's mongoose Dologale dybowskii
44. Slender mongoose Galerella sanguinea
45. Ichneumon (Egyptian mongoose) Herpestes ichneumon
46. White-tailed mongoose Ichneumia albicauda
47. Side-striped jackal Lupulella adusta
48. Common hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius
49. Bush duiker Sylvicapra grimmia

Birds

268. White-faced whistling duck Dendrocygna viduata
269. Black-billed wood-dove Turtur abyssinicus
270. House (little) swift Apus affinis
271. Scarce swift Schoutedenapus myoptilus
272. Mottled swift Tachimarptis aequatorialis
273. Chattering yellowbill Ceuthmochares aereus
274. Jacobin cuckoo Clamator jacobininus
275. Black-bellied bustard Lissotis melanogaster
276. Abdim's stork Ciconia abdimii (very large flock)
277. Saddlebill stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis
278. Goliath heron Ardea goliath
279. Intermediate egret Ardea intermedia
280. Black-winged stilt Himantopus himantopus
281. Common ringed plover Charadrius alexandrinus
282. Tri-banded plover Charadrius tricollaris
283. Spur-winged lapwing Vanellus spinosus
284. Common greenshank Tringa nebularia
285. Green sandpiper Tringa ochropus
286. Rock pratincole Glareola nuchalis (new Family)
287. Ovambo sparrowhawk Accipiter ovampensis
288. Grasshopper buzzard Butastur rufipennis
289. Ruppell's griffon vulture Gyps rueppelli
289. Yellow-fronted tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus
290. Red-throated bee-eater Merops bulocki
291. European roller Coracias garrulus
292. Grey falcon Falco ardosiaceus
293. Red-necked falcon Falco chicquera
294. Red-backed shrike Lanius collurio
295. Pygmy sunbird Hedydipna platura
296. Little weaver Ploceus luteolus
297. Spectacled-fronted weaver Sporopipes frontalis
298. Bar-breasted firefinch Lagonosticta rufopicta
299. Pale-eyed black tit Melaniparus guineensis
300. Northern crombec Sylvietta brachyura
301. Banded martin Neophedina cincta
302. Sand martin Riparia riparia
303. Spotted morning (palm)-thrush Cichladusa guttata

Reptiles

7. Smooth chameleon Chamaeleo laevigatus

 

[Chlidonias]

30. African buffalo Taurotragus oryx

African Buffalo, or Eland?