Zoochat Big Year 2024

A proper morning at Rainham Marshes produced a good number of new birds for the year - finally a real birding expedition!

59. Common shelduck
60. Northern pintail
61. Little grebe
62. Collared dove
63. Pied avocet
64. Northern lapwing
65. Eurasian curlew
66. Common snipe
67. Common redshank
68. Great black-backed gull
69. Little egret
70. Western marsh harrier
71. Eurasian sparrowhawk
72. Common buzzard
73. Common kestrel
74. Eurasian jackdaw
75. Rook
76. Eurasian skylark
77. Cetti's warbler
78. European stonechat
79. Common reed bunting

The elusive white-billed diver turned up again this week, so had to go and have another try...

80. Eurasian oystercatcher
81. Grey plover
82. Common ringed plover
83. Red knot
84. Dunlin
85. Common linnet
AND
86. White-billed diver
 
As I got home this afternoon, I was quite surprised to see a pair of Chipmunks on my deck, which is probably the earliest I’ve ever seen them.

Mammals
6) Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

Progress:
Mammals- 6
Birds- 40
Herptiles- 0
Total- 46
Heard-only Species- 2
Took my biggest bird watching trip yet as I drove over an hour to Sandy Hook, and it was my most successful endeavor yet! I saw a total of 23 bird species (2 of which I was unable to completely identify.) It was definitely nice in the morning as the park was completely empty, but had to leave after spotting a seal because it got VERY crowded.

Mammals
7) Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
8) Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina)

Birds
41) American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)
42) Great Black-Backed Gull (Larus marinus)
43) Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Setophaga coranata)
44) Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)
45) Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
46) Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
47) Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) (I love that binomial name)
48) Brant (Branta bernicla)

Progress:
Mammals- 8
Birds- 48
Herptiles- 0
Total- 56
Heard-only Species- 2
 
Took my biggest bird watching trip yet as I drove over an hour to Sandy Hook, and it was my most successful endeavor yet! I saw a total of 23 bird species (2 of which I was unable to completely identify.) It was definitely nice in the morning as the park was completely empty, but had to leave after spotting a seal because it got VERY crowded.

Mammals
7) Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
8) Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina)

Birds
41) American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)
42) Great Black-Backed Gull (Larus marinus)
43) Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Setophaga coranata)
44) Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)
45) Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
46) Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
47) Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) (I love that binomial name)
48) Brant (Branta bernicla)

Progress:
Mammals- 8
Birds- 48
Herptiles- 0
Total- 56
Heard-only Species- 2
After a quite successful trip to Sandy Hook yesterday I didn’t expect to find 4 more species today especially during a walk to the local Van Saun Park. This includes a Killdeer, which are quite rare this time of year and I spent about 5 minutes watching it before it flew away; and a Carolina Wren, which has haunted me the past few weeks as I hear them daily yet haven’t had a confirmed sighting yet.

Birds
49) Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus)
50) Red-Winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
51) Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
52) Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)

Progress:
Mammals- 8
Birds- 52
Herptiles- 0
Total- 60
Heard-only Species- 1
 
My weekend started in the forest. The usual subtle signs of the spring to come are slowly showing in the Netherlands: mistle thrushes and coal tits are singing, the hazels are in flower, and on rainy evenings amphibians are migrating to their ponds. A bit less subtle for me was a European peacock, awoken from its hibernation by the high temperatures, fluttering around at a forest's edge.

Today I went to the river, where the oystercatchers are loudly exclaiming their return from the coast and groups of curlews are passing through. Large flocks of white-fronted geese have gathered on the meadows and fields along the water. Within one flock, numbering perhaps up to a thousand individuals, I managed to find one single pink-footed goose, a local rarity. A short distance away, a white-tailed eagle sat surveying the inundated meadows and marshlands from a small tree, giving no heed to the vast flocks of waterfowl.

Birds
121. Mistle Thrush, Turdus viscivorus
122. Eurasian Skylark, Alauda arvensis
123. Yellowhammer, Emberiza citrinella
124. Great Grey Shrike, Lanius excubitor
125. Marsh Tit, Poecile palustris
126. Pink-footed Goose, Anser brachyrhynchus
127. White-tailed Eagle, Aquila albicilla

Amphibians
1. Common Frog, Rana temporaria

Butterflies
1. European Peacock, Aglais io
 
20. Northern Mockingbird, Mimus Polyglottos, 2-1-2024
21. Pine Siskin, Spinus pinus, 2-3-2024
22. Carolina Wren, Thryothorus Ludovicianus, 2-4-2024
23. Red-Tailed Hawk, Buteo Jamaicensis, 2-5-2024
24. Hooded Merganser, Lophodytes Cucullatus, 2-5-2024
25. Brown-Headed Cowbird, Molothrus Ater, 2-5-2024
26. Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus Leucocephalus, 2-5-2024

Birds: 26
Mammals: 2
Total 28/100
Went for a visit to Eagle Creek Park to try and spot some migrating geese, no luck, but I saw a Mute Swan!
Birds:
Elsewhere:
27. Cooper’s Hawk, Accipiter cooperii, 2-6-2024
28. Downy Woodpecker, Dryobates pubescens, 2-6-2024
29. Red-Winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus, 2-6-2024
30. Pied Grebe, Podilymbus podiceps, 2-9-2024
31. Mourning Dove, Zenaida macroura, 2-10-24
32. Rock Pigeon, Columba livia, 2-10-24
33. Pileated Woodpecker, Dryocopus Pileatus, 2-10-2024
34. Turkey Vulture, Cathartes Aura, 2-10-2024
35. Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Setophaga coronata, 2-10-2024
36. White-Beasted Nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis, 2-10-2024
37. Eastern Bluebird, Sialia sialis, 2-10-2024
38. Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus, 2-11-2024
39. Hairy Woodpecker, Dryobates villosus, 2-11-2024
40. Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus, 2-11-2024

Eagle Creek:
41. Mute Swan, Cygnus olor, 2-11-2024
42. Green-Winged Teal, Anas crecca, 2-11-2024
43. Canvasback, Aythya valisineria, 2-11-2024
44. Lesser Scaup, Aythya affinis, 2-11-2024
45. White-Winged Scooter, Melanitta deglandi, 2-11-2024
46. Common Goldeneye, Bucephala clangula, 2-11-2024
47. Common Merganser, Mergus merganser, 2-11-2024
48. Red-Breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator, 2-11-2024
49. Common Loon, Gavia Immer, 2-11-2024
50. Horned Grebe, Podiceps Auritus, 2-11-2024
51. Ring-Billed Gull, Larus delawarensis, 2-11-2024
52. Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, 2-11-2024
53. Fox Sparrow, Passerella iliaca, 2-11-2024
54. American Tree Sparrow, Spizelloides arborea, 2-11-2024

Mammals:
3. Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus, 2-7-2024

Total: 57/100
54 Birds
3 Mammals
 
As soon as I stepped out the door, snow geese became my first animal of the year in the form of a distant flyover. I spent the morning birding around the local lake and got lucky with an elusive, long-continuing, red-throated loon!

January 1, 2024

Birds
My Backyard
1. Snow goose (Anser caerulescens)
2. American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
3. European starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
4. Blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

On the drive to the visitor center
5. Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
6. American robin (Turdus migratorius)

Jerry Litton Visitor Center
7. Red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
8. Common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
9. Common merganser (Mergus merganser)
10. Ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis)
11. Canada goose (Branta canadensis)
12. Red-throated loon (Gavia stellata)
13. Common loon (Gavia immer)
14. Pied-billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)
15. Yellow-rumped warbler (Setophaga coronata)
16. Dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis)
17. Black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Little Platte Recreation Area
18. Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
19. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
20. Green-winged teal (Anas crecca)

Drive to the marina
21. American kestrel (Falco sparverius)
22. House sparrow (Passer domesticus)
23. Red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Camp Branch Marina
24. Bonaparte’s gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)

Crows Creek Campground
25. Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
26. Eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis)
27. Northern flicker (Colaptes auratus)
28. American tree sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)
29. Song sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
30. Greater white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons)
31. Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Crows Creek Picnic Area
32. Common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
33. Great blue heron (Ardea herodias)
34. Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)

My Backyard
35. White-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
36. White-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

Mammals
Little Platte Recreation Area
1. Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
2. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

My Backyard
3. Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)

Invertebrates
Under an oak log in the backyard
1. Horned passalus beetle (Odontotaenius disjunctus)
Birds
Roadside - Jan 3
37. Rock pigeon (Columba livia)
Kansas City Zoo - Jan 3
38. American goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
39. Downy woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)
40. Belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
41. Tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)
Camp Branch Marina - Jan 4
42. Ross’s goose (Anser rossii)
43. Herring gull (Larus argentatus)
44. Hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
Crows Creek Campground - Jan 4
45. Cooper’s hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
Jerry Smith Park - Jan 5
46. Townsend’s solitaire (Myadestes townsendi)
McGee Family Conservation Area - Jan 6
47. Loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
48. Northern harrier (Circus hudsonius)
Crows Creek Picnic Area - Jan 6
49. Eastern meadowlark (Sturnella magna)
Jerry Litton Visitor Center - Jan 7
50. Merlin (Falco columbarius)
Crows Creek Picnic Area - Jan 7
51. Northern shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge - Jan 10
52. Trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator)
53. Tundra swan (Cygnus columbianus)
54. Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
55. Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
56. American coot (Fulica americana)
57. Northern pintail (Anas acuta)
Kansas City Zoo - Jan 21
58. Cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)
Jerry Litton Visitor Center - Jan 30
59. Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
Backyard - Jan 31
60. House finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)
Little Platte Recreation Area - Jan 31
61. Ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
Roadside - Jan 31
62. Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura)
Little Platte Recreation Area - Feb 4
63. Lesser scaup (Aythya affinis)
Jerry Litton Visitor Center - Feb 6 to 8
64. Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)
65. Redhead (Aythya americana)
66. Long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis)
67. Red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator)
Smith’s Fork Park - Feb 9
68. Carolina wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
Jerry Litton Visitor Center - Feb 9
69. Double-crested cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)
70. American wigeon (Mareca americana)
Bilby Ranch Conservation Area - Feb 11
71. Ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
72. Horned lark (Eremophila alpestris)
73. Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
Smithville Lake Dam - Feb 11
74. Greater scaup (Aythya marila)

Mammals
Trimble Wildlife Management Area - Jan 6
4. Fox squirrel (Sciurus niger)

Fish
Second Creek - Jan 31
1. Suckermouth minnow (Phenacobius mirabilis)

Invertebrates
2. Nosy pill woodlouse (Armadillidium nasatum)
3. Brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys)
4. Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea)
5. Western honey bee (Apis mellifera)
 
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