Zoochat Big Year 2024

My money is strongly on Blackcap; the two species are renowned for being more confusable by sound than sight. Our wintering Blackcap population is made up of German birds with a newly developed migration strategy; in April they return to Germany as ours return from the Mediterranean.
 
And, most of all, enjoy birding, and don’t be afraid to question things. You should still have the same size year list, and the species we have questioned should all be easy enough in spring. As I said, everyone makes mistakes. I was once birding with an inexperienced companion who pointed out a diver with a pale bill; I thought the shape of bill fitted Great Northern. A couple of weeks later, the first Welsh record of White-billed Diver was found at the same spot. Further reading revealed that the shape of the bill changes during the first winter! Moral - observe closely, and note everything you can; most birds will be the common species, but every now and again, rarities do turn up, but you need the evidence. Good luck for the rest of the year.
 
KiwiBirb said:
A small update from the past 2 days. I’m still hopeful that I can get my first official birding trip of the year in this weekend, although there are still several family members I have to see for Christmas.

Mammals
2) White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Birds
10) White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
Click to expand...
My update begins Friday night, as I waited for a Great Horned Owl to fly out of a tree. After about 30 minutes, the Owl fortunately took flight just as it was getting really cold.

Birds
11) Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)

Saturday morning I took a trip to Alpine Interstate Park, a typically very reliable place to see birds. Surprisingly I only saw 3 total species, 2 of which are new, although I did hear an additional 4 species.

Birds
12) Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
13) Common Raven (Corvus corax)

Heard-only Species
1) Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
2) Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)
3) Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)
4) Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus)
 
Tetzoo Quizzer said:
And, most of all, enjoy birding, and don’t be afraid to question things. You should still have the same size year list, and the species we have questioned should all be easy enough in spring. As I said, everyone makes mistakes. I was once birding with an inexperienced companion who pointed out a diver with a pale bill; I thought the shape of bill fitted Great Northern. A couple of weeks later, the first Welsh record of White-billed Diver was found at the same spot. Further reading revealed that the shape of the bill changes during the first winter! Moral - observe closely, and note everything you can; most birds will be the common species, but every now and again, rarities do turn up, but you need the evidence. Good luck for the rest of the year.
Click to expand...
Thank you for helping with this matter. I’m open to corrections and your ones were very helpful :D
 
Took a walk around La Jolla Cove on January 3, 2024 and saw the following species along with a drive along the coast:

Birds
1. Brandt's Cormorant (Urile penicillatus)
2. Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
3. Heermann’s Gull (Larus heermanni)
4. Western Gull (Larus occidentalis)
5. Ring-Billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)
6. Rock Dove (Columba livia)
7. Double-Crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)
8. Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
9. Willet (Tringa semipalmata)
10. Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
11. Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
12. Black Turnstone (Arenaria melanocephala)


Mammals
1. California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus)
2. Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina)
3. Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
4. California Ground Squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi)
 
January 6th

Birds
24. Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla atricapilla)
25. Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
26. Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
27. Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
28. Scaup (Aythya marila)
29. Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis)
30. Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)
31. Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula hiaticula)
32. Eurasian Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus chloropus)
33. Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
34. Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
35. Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis ispida)
36. Eurasian Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus cristatus)
37. Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
38. Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
39. Dunnock (Prunella modularis)

Amphibians
1. Common Toad (Bufo bufo)
Invertebrates
2. Roman Snail (Helix pomatia)

Total Species: 43
Birds: 39
Mammals: 1
Amphibians: 1
Invertebrates: 2

January 7th

Birds
40. Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
41. Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)!
Mammals
2. European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Total Species: 46
Birds: 41
Mammals: 2
Amphibians: 1
Invertebrates: 2

Notes: On my visit I noted a huge flock of Northern Lapwings, a really impressive and beautiful species. I also watched a huge mix skein of Canada and Greylag geese land which caused a large commotion. Lastly, as I watched the lapwings, not 1 but 2 Snipes came!
 
Another pleasant but brief evening walk today around one of the local reservoirs obtained me these four year ticks:

43) Tawny owl Strix aluco
44) Eurasian siskin Spinus spinus
45) Eurasian sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
46) Common pheasant Phasianus colchicus

@Dr. Loxodonta Glad to hear you managed your snipe. Were they visible or were they flushed accidentally? Just to make sure if it was the latter they called after doing so?
 
The pair of snipe decided to wade out into some shallow water (which is normally a section of the forest!)

I was just watching the lapwings circle when I noticed something through my binoculars. Focusing carefully, the Snipes stood out against the water with those striped markings ect. They didn’t make any sound, but I may have missed them calling due to the cacophony of geese ‘honks’.
 
Dr. Loxodonta said:
January 6th

Birds
24. Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla atricapilla)
25. Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
26. Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
27. Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
28. Scaup (Aythya marila)
29. Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis)
30. Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)
31. Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula hiaticula)
32. Eurasian Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus chloropus)
33. Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
34. Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
35. Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis ispida)
36. Eurasian Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus cristatus)
37. Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
38. Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
39. Dunnock (Prunella modularis)

Amphibians
1. Common Toad (Bufo bufo)
Invertebrates
2. Roman Snail (Helix pomatia)

Total Species: 43
Birds: 39
Mammals: 1
Amphibians: 1
Invertebrates: 2

January 7th

Birds
40. Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
41. Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)!
Mammals
2. European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Total Species: 46
Birds: 41
Mammals: 2
Amphibians: 1
Invertebrates: 2

Notes: On my visit I noted a huge flock of Northern Lapwings, a really impressive and beautiful species. I also watched a huge mix skein of Canada and Greylag geese land which caused a large commotion. Lastly, as I watched the lapwings, not 1 but 2 Snipes came!
Click to expand...
EDIT: 42. Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
 
A good start to the year yesterday.

Birds
1. Australian Wood Duck
2. Pacific Black Duck
3. Hardhead
4. Australian Grebe
5. Crested Pigeon
6. Pacific Koel
7. Dusky Moorhen
8. Eurasian Coot
9. Australasian Swamphen
10. Masked Lapwing
11. Little PIed Cormorant
12. Little Black Cormorant
13. Australian White Ibis
14. Little Corella
15. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
16. Red-rumped Parrot
17. Superb Fairy Wren
18. Noisy Miner
19. Striated Pardalote
20. Australian Magpie
21. Willie Wagtail
22. Australian Reed Warbler
23. Little Grassbird
24. Welcome Swallow
25. Common (Indian) Mynah
26. Laughing Kookaburra
27. Satin Bowerbird
28. Bell Miner
29. Channel-billed Cuckoo
30. Long-billed Corella
31. Rainbow Lorikeet
32. White-browed Scrubwren
33. Brown Thornbill
34. Australasian Figbird
35. Grey Butcherbird
36. White-winged Chough
37. European Blackbird

:p

Hix
 
DesertRhino150 said:
Fortunately, the heavy rains didn't completely inundate our area, but it did mean that I was basically stuck indoors for two days. In that time, I have added just a single new bird to my list.

23. Common chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs

Heading to Colchester Zoo tomorrow, so I should get some new birds on the journey there and back, plus on the zoo grounds. I will also definitely try and fit in some time to do some more serious birding soon - as well as the obvious, the arrival of the UK's eighth Northern waterthrush by Heybridge Basin (one of my regular birding haunts), I have since learned that a field just a short walk down the road from me has, as well as a wintering marsh harrier, a first-year hen harrier that has been hanging around over the winter.
Click to expand...

The journey to and from Colchester Zoo, plus the walking around on the grounds, allowed me to add another seven new species of bird to my list.

24. Rook, Corvus frugilegus
25. Pied wagtail, Motacilla alba
26. Eurasian wren, Troglodytes troglodytes
27. Feral pigeon, Columba livia
28. Eurasian collared dove, Streptopelia decaocto
29. Grey wagtail, Motacilla cinerea
30. Red kite, Milvus milvus

Rooks were at their rookery along the route from my house to the zoo, the very tame pied wagtail was trotting around near the zoo entrance, the wren was among some bamboo next to the penguins, the feral pigeons were a brief fly-past near the petting zoo area, the collared doves were in the trees along the newer through-route from the red river hogs to the vultures, the grey wagtail was foraging on floating branches in the lower lake and the red kite was seen soaring above the lemur bridge.

Definitely not a bad set of additions (at this time of year, Colchester Zoo is one of the best areas locally where grey wagtails can be seen, and the zoo is the closest place to me where I would say red kites are more likely to be seen than not).
 
KiwiBirb said:
My update begins Friday night, as I waited for a Great Horned Owl to fly out of a tree. After about 30 minutes, the Owl fortunately took flight just as it was getting really cold.

Birds
11) Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)

Saturday morning I took a trip to Alpine Interstate Park, a typically very reliable place to see birds. Surprisingly I only saw 3 total species, 2 of which are new, although I did hear an additional 4 species.

Birds
12) Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
13) Common Raven (Corvus corax)

Heard-only Species
1) Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
2) Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)
3) Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)
4) Hairy Woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus)
Click to expand...
I was a bit shocked that after a week, 3 new species showed up near my feeder within 5 minutes of each other, especially considering that the feeders were nearly empty at the time.

Birds
14) Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
15) Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)
16) Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)
 
Osedax said:
Well, the koel did go all night; and all morning. I tried to locate it Thursday morning but was unsuccessful.
Let's start with one I forgot from the 2nd:

Birds
37. Variegated Fairy Wren (Malurus lamberti)

Had a trip up to Newcastle which is why I've been inactive these past few days, and did some birding.

4/1/24

Mammals
2. Black Flying Fox (Pteropus alecto)
3. Grey-headed Flying Fox (Pteropus poliocephalus)

Birds
38. Fairy Martin (Petrochelidon ariel)
39. Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus)
40. Black Swan (Cygnus atratus)
41. Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
42. Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea)

5/1/24

Mammals
4. Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus)

Birds
43. Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius)
44. Black-shouldered Lapwing (Vanellus novaehollandiae)
45. Torresian Crow (Corvus orru)
46. Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis)

Fern Bay Oyster Farms & Stockton Sandspit:
47. Plumed Egret (Egretta plumifera)
48. Australasian Darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae)
49. Australasian Figbird (Sphecotheres viridis)
50. Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys)
51. White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus)
52. Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis)
53. Red Knot (Calidris canutus)
54. Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis)
55. Great Egret (Ardea alba)
56. White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)
57. Pied Stilt (Himantopus leucocephalus)
58. Australian Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris)
59. Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)
60. Superb Fairy Wren (Malurus cyaneus)
61. Eurasian Starling (Sternus vulgaris)
62. Greater Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii)

Hunter Wetlands Centre
63. Oriental Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis)
64. Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata)
65. Grey Teal (Anas gracilis)
66. Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
67. Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea)
68. Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosus)
69. Australasian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus)

70. Sooty Oystercatcher (Haematopus fuliginosus)

6/1/24

Mammals

Hunter Wetlands Centre
5. Rakali (Hydromys chrysogaster)

Birds
71. Long-billed Corella (Cacatua tenuirostris)

Hunter Wetlands Centre
72. Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus)
73. Wandering Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata)
74. Blue-faced Honeyeater (Entomyzon cyanotus)
75. Pheasant Coucal (Centropus phasianinus)
76. Red-browed Finch (Neochmia temporalis)
77. Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae)
78. Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa)
79. Yellow Thornbill (Acanthiza nana)
80. Large-billed Scrubwren (Sericornis magnirostris)
81. Weebill (Smicrornis brevirostris)
82. White-bellied Sea Eagle (Icthyophaga leucogaster)
83. Bar-shouldered Dove (Geopelia humeralis)
84. Bell Miner (Manorina melanophrys)
85. Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus)
86. Australian Golden Whistler (Phachycephala pectoralis)
87. Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia)

88. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
89. Red Wattlebird (Anthocaera carunculata

Reptiles

Hunter Wetlands Centre
3. Eastern Water Skink (Eulamprus quoyii)
Click to expand...
I have now deduced that the king parrot I briefly saw on New Years Day was actually a Crimson Rosella. However, I have seen actual king parrots many times this year, so the species remains on my list.

Birds
90. Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans)

And some more additions from today:

Birds
91. Galah (Eolophus roseicapillus)
92. White-throated Needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus) - my first ever swift!
 
I had my first twitch for the year today. Nothing too exciting. A Little Curlew has been hanging around the Dubbo sewrage treatment pond since Christmas. A Little Curlew would be a lifer for me and Dubbo is only 160 kilometres from my place. Unfortunately I couldn't find it after half a day looking at the **** pit. Next time.
8/1/2024
99. Australasian Shoveler
100. Australian Spotted Crake
101. Hardhead
102. Latham's Snipe
103. Pink-Eared Duck
104. Silver gull
 
A nice morning birdwatch (albeit a bit quiet) at Sandbach Flashes got me the following:

47) Mistle thrush Turdus viscivorus
48) Eurasian wigeon Mareca penelope
49) Eurasian curlew Numenius arquata
50) Northern shoveler Spatula clypeata
51) Northern lapwing Vanellus vanellus
52) Common pochard Aythya ferina
53) Great black-backed gull Larus marnius
54) Eurasian teal Ana's crecca
55) Fieldfare Turdus pilaris
56) Great crested grebe Podiceps cristatus
 
oflory said:
A quick trip to a group of 14 waxwings about 10 minutes walk from my house before work gets me two more for the year.

Birds
32. Bohemian waxwing
33. Pied wagtail
Click to expand...


Haven't been able to do much birding at all, as am moving house. Two incidentals were seen over the weekend, though. Hopefully next weekend, I will be able to get out a bit more.

Birds
34. Great spotted woodpecker
35. Common gull
 
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