Zoochat Big Year 2024

The additions from past weekend are spread over a lot of different groups! A bright early spring morning brought me towards a local estate, where I found by far the loudest and most diverse morning bird chorus of the year so far. There was plenty to see, highlights including multiple firecrests, a displaying pair of black woodpecker, many squirrels running around, and a calling middle spotted woodpecker.

That evening I did my first owl survey of the year and it turned out to be one of the most spectacular I even experienced. The highlight was a displaying pair of barn owls, constantly screeching as they sailed around buildings and stables. The evening also brought the first bats of the year, which have awoken unusually early from their hibernation.

Most other additions where seen more or less opportunistically, though the moths are all from my first successful trial of my moth trap this year. With three species and four individuals it was a good start of the season.

Birds
140. Mandarin Duck, Aix galericulata
141. Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Dendrocoptes medius
142. Black Woodpecker, Dryocopus martius
143. Barn Owl, Tyto alba
144. Tawny Owl, Strix aluco

Mammals
08. European Red Squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris
09. Common Pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus
10. Bank Vole, Myodes glareolus

Butterflies
2. Common Brimstone, Gonepteryx rhamni

Moths
2. Small Quacker, Orthosia cruda
3. Common Quacker, Orthosia cerasi
4. Dotted Border, Agriopis marginaria

Bees
1. Tree Bumblebee, Bombus hypnorum

Gastropods
3. Garden Snail. Cornu aspersum
 
Bisonblake said:
3/2/24
Birds:
104. Pine siskin Spinus pinus
105. Hairy woodpecker Dryobates villosus

Total Species: 135
Birds: 105
Mammals: 8
Reptiles: 5
Fish: 17
Click to expand...
3/4/24
Birds:
106. Northern shoveler Spatula clypeata
107. Green-winged teal Anas crecca
108. Northern Harrier Circus hudsonius
109. Red-shouldered hawk Buteo lineatus
110. Cedar waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
111. Song sparrow Melospiza melodia

Total Species: 141
Birds: 111
Mammals: 8
Reptiles: 5
Fish: 17
 
WalkingAgnatha said:
Any species that you aren't confident on the id of don't go on your year Iist.
Click to expand...
birdsandbats said:
Pretty sure they are referring to the birding concept of giss here. That is, just knowing what a species is by looking at it and not being sure how you know what it is.
Click to expand...
Maguari said:
Yep - think about how most people on here aren't going to need to run through checking off differences to tell an African from an Asian Elephant. You just 'know' which it is, because you've seen a lot of them. That can apply just as well to warblers and thrushes as elephants.

Doesn't mean it's 100% reliable, and you need to know when there's cryptic species, but it's certainly a Thing.
Click to expand...
Only to a degree though. You generally need to already be familiar with the given species in order to be able to identify them by a general impression.

In the case of the freshwater turtles of @Crotalus that wasn't how I read the question of how to identify them with asking "are there clear distinguishing features for the different species?"

If you don't know the distinguishing features in the first place, you can't tell what it is by "eyeballing" it. You'd just be guessing.
 
Chlidonias said:
Only to a degree though. You generally need to already be familiar with the given species in order to be able to identify them by a general impression.

In the case of the freshwater turtles of @Crotalus that wasn't how I read the question of how to identify them with asking "are there clear distinguishing features for the different species?"

If you don't know the distinguishing features in the first place, you can't tell what it is by "eyeballing" it. You'd just be guessing.
Click to expand...

Indeed - I've no idea how well it would apply in this case in practice, just that the general concept is something that does happen. As you say, what actually happens is your brain ticks off the ID points for you because you've trained it to, and gives you an answer if it thinks it can reasonably reach one. That's how birders can amaze Ordinary Folk by seeing a flash of brown bird movement and going 'Dunnock' without a moment's hesitation. Because the brain has read the size, and shape, and the exact shade of brown, and the fact that the head was actually grey, not brown, and so on. But the concept as applied to birds at least includes things like the way an animal moves or behaves that I would imagine to be harder to apply to relatively sluggish and often submerged turtles, as well.
 
Very late start for whatever reason this year, but only a few dozen from London and Cambridgeshire:

1. Canada goose, Branta canadensis
2. Greylag goose, Anser anser
3. Mute swan, Cygnus olor
4. Egyptian goose, Alopochen aegyptiaca
5. Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna
6. Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
7. Red-crested pochard, Netta rufina
8. Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula
9. Common pheasant, Phasianus colchicus
10. Feral pigeon, Columbia livia
11. Common woodpigeon, Columba palumbus
12. Eurasian collared dove, Streptopelia decaocto
13. Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
14. Eurasian coot, Fulica atra
15. Great black backed gull, Larus marinus
16. European herring gull, Larus argentatus
17. Great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
18. Grey heron, Ardea cinerea
19. Eurasian sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus
20. Red kite, Milvus milvus
21. Common buzzard, Buteo buteo
22. Common kestrel, Falco tinnunculus
23. Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus
24. Ring necked parakeet, Psittacula krameri
25. Eurasian jay, Garrulus glandarius
26. European magpie, Pica pica
27. Eurasian jackdaw, Coloeus monedula
28. Carrion crow, Corvus corone
29. Blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus
30. Great tit, Parus major
31. Long tailed tit, Aegithalos caudatus
32. Eurasian blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla
33. Eurasian wren, Troglodytes troglodytes
34. European starling, Sturnus vulgaris
35. European blackbird, Turdus merula
36. European robin, Erithacus rubecula
37. House sparrow, Passer domesticus
38. Pied wagtail, Motacilla alba
39. Common chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs
40. Common goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis
41. Yellowhammer, Emberiza citrinella

1. Red fox, Vulpes vulpes
2. Brown rat, Rattus rattus
3. Eastern grey squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis


Might not be the most fruitful of years, but target is a very optimistic 100.
 
Last edited:
birdsandbats said:
Last year was an incredible year for vagrants in Wisconsin, and this bird that showed up recently is hopefully an indication that this year will be as well! Also, a swan and a couple of mammals seen along the way looking for this wonderful little bird:

Birds
344. Trumpeter Swan Cygnus buccinator
345. Fieldfare Turdus pilaris

Mammals
35. Common Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus
36. Fisher Pekania pennanti
Click to expand...
Mammals
37. Southern Red-backed Vole Clethrionomys gapperi
 
Junklekitteb said:
Anyway, few more additions from an opportunistic birdwalk today. Quite a few species despite it being late morning. Got better views of some birds (eg. the flycatchers I mentioned) that I had not been able to count earlier due to lacking or having only bad views. Towards the end of the walk I disturbed what I thought was a babbler only to find, to my surprise, it was a buttonquail!
Click to expand...
Birds
67. Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus (29th Feb)
68. Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncha (29th Feb)
69. Jerdon’s Nightjar Caprimulgus atripennis (sillhouette but distinct calls heard) (29th Feb)
70. Painted Spurfowl Galloperdix lunulata (1st March)
- Iora Aegithina sp. (1st March)
71. Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus (clear views, but call is the distinctive feature) (1st March)
72. Grey Francolin Ortygornis pondicerianus (6th March)
Reptiles
1. Yellow-green Cat Snake Boiga flaviviridis (7th March) (as usual I cannot count most of the lizards, too many similar species)
 
WhistlingKite24 said:
An end-of-month update from me – lots of waterbirds around but not a lot of small bush birds as their big influx comes later in the year with seasonal movement. The inverts have been absolutely insane – highest densities I have seen for rhino beetles and native bees especially in years and butterflies are having a good year with strong numbers for January. The spider (invert no. 84) was a real highpoint – incredible looking creature. A recent rockpool adventure has grown the diversity of molluscs and crustaceans.

The lizards have been good as well with two recent lifers. Notably, a very large Bar-sided Skink has also moved into my house which is not unheard of for this species to enter dwellings. It is feasting on any insects it comes across and suns itself in the kitchen most mornings. It is gradually becoming bolder but I haven’t managed to get a clear photograph as it pops up out of nowhere. A very welcome guest.

Mammals:
03) Grey-headed Flying Fox Pteropus poliocephalus
04) Black Flying Fox Pteropus alecto
05) Little Red Flying Fox Pteropus scapulatus

Birds:
48) Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus
49) Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
50) Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
51) Eastern Great Egret Ardea modesta
52) Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia
53) Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis
54) Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
55) Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus
56) Beach Stone-Curlew Esacus magnirostris
57) Striated Heron Butorides striata
58) Pied Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus
59) Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta
60) Eastern Osprey Pandion cristatus
61) White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
62) Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
63) Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
64) Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
65) Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus
66) Black Swan Cygnus atratus
67) Eastern Reef Egret Egretta sacra
68) Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata
69) Silvereye Zosterops lateralis
70) Superb Fairywren Malurus cyaneus
71) Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus
72) Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos
73) Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea
74) Long-billed Corella Cacatua tenuirostris
75) Bush Stone-Curlew Burhinus grallarius
76) Pale-headed Rosella Platycercus adscitus
77) White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus
78) Pacific Koel Eudynamys orientalis
79) Topknot Pigeon Lopholaimus antarcticus
80) Rufous Shrike-thrush Colluricincla rufogaster
81) Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus
82) Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
83) Leaden Flycatcher Myiagra rubecula
84) Australian Rufous Fantail Rhipidura rufifrons
85) Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus
86) House Sparrow Passer domesticus
87) Red-backed Fairywren Malurus melanocephalus
88) Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis
89) Channel-billed Cuckoo Scythrops novaehollandiae

Herptiles:
04) Pale-flecked Garden Sunskink Lampropholis guichenoti
05) Eastern Water Skink Eulamprus quoyii
06) Elegant Snake-eyed Skink Cryptoblepharus pulcher
07) Bar-sided Skink Concinnia tenuis
08) Lace Monitor Varanus varius
09) Lively Rainbow-skink Carlia vivax
10) Asian House Gecko Hemidactylus frenatus

Fish:
01) Cocos Frillgoby Bathygobius cocosensis
02) Mozambique Tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus
03) Long-finned Eel Anguilla reinhardtii

Inverts:
25) Common Crow Euploea core
26) Horned Ghost Crab Ocypode ceratophthalmus
27) Light-blue Soldier Crab Mictyris longicarpus
28) Orange-collared Spider Wasp Ferreola handschini
29) Green-head Ant Rhytidoponera metallica
30) Gold-mouthed Conniwink Bembicium auratum
31) Purple Climber Crab Metopograpsus frontalis
32) Radumeris tasmaniensis [flower wasp]
33) Large Grass-Yellow Eurema hecabe
34) Yellow-footed Hermit Crab Clibanarius virescens
35) Squamopleura curtisiana [chiton]
36) Mulberry Whelk Tenguella marginalba
37) Mottled Lightfoot Crab Grapsus albolineatus
38) Striped-mouth Conniwink Bembicium nanum
39) Tropical Periwinkle Planaxis sulcatus
40) Variegated Limpet Cellana tramoserica
41) Blotched Nerite Nerita albicilla
42) Siphonaria denticulata [false limpet]
43) Clypeomorus petrosa [sea snail]
44) Black Sea Cucumber Holothuria atra
45) Milky Oyster Saccostrea scyphophilla
46) Pilosabia trigona [hoof snail]
47) Siphonaria zelandica [false limpet]
48) Zebra Top Snail Austrocochlea porcata
49) Wandering Percher Diplacodes bipunctata
50) Graphic Flutterer Rhyothemis graphiptera
51) Daemel’s Spiny Ant Polyrhachis daemeli
52) Black-headed Strobe Ant Opisthopsis rufithorax
53) 28-Spotted Ladybird Epilachna vigintioctopunctata
54) Large Purple Line-Blue Nacaduba berenice
55) Red-thighed Polyrhachis Polyrhachis rufifemur
56) Fiery Skimmer Orthetrum villosovittatum
57) Blue Skimmer Orthetrum caledonicum
58) Black Soldier Fly Hermetia illucens
59) Blue Riverdamsel Pseudagrion microcephalum
60) Lesser Coconut Weevil Diocalandra frumenti
61) Australian Rhinoceros Beetle Xylotrupes australicus
62) Yellow Tussock Euproctis lutea
63) Asian Tramp Snail Bradybaena similaris
64) Monarch Danaus plexippus
65) Orchard Swallowtail Papilio aegeus
66) Sapphire Rockmaster Diphlebia coerulescens
67) White-banded Line-Blue Nacaduba kurava
68) Splendid Ochre Trapezites symmomus
69) Cruria synpola [day-flying moth]
70) Chrysosoma leucopogon [dolichopodid fly]
71) Pale Hunter Austrogomphus amphiclitus
72) Thin-striped Wattle Cicada Ewartia roberti
73) Blackish Meadow Katydid Conocephalus semivittatus
74) Silver Orb Spider Leucauge dromedaria
75) Bright Cornelian Deudorix diovis
76) Speckled Line-Blue Catopyrops florinda
77) Large Purple Line-Blue Nacaduba berenice
78) Hairy Line-Blue Erysichton lineatus
79) Glasswing Acraea andromacha
80) Didymocantha obliqua [longhorn beetle]
81) Lychee Stink Bug Lyramorpha rosea
82) Four-spined Spiny Orbweaver Gasteracantha quadrispinosa
83) Lydia Lichen Moth Asura lydia
84) Chalky Percher Diplacodes trivialis
85) Small Dusky-Blue Candalides erinus
86) Orange Palm-Dart Cephrenes augiades
87) Orange Grass-Dart Taractrocera anisomorpha
88) Pale Ciliate-Blue Anthene lycaenoides
89) Large Squash Bug Mictis caja
90) Northern Saint Andrew's Cross Spider Argiope aetherea
91) Cephaloconus tenebrosus [fly]
92) Wide-brand Grass Dart Suniana sunias
93) Platymela sticticollis [leaf beetle]
94) Common Eggfly Hypolimnas bolina
95) Giant Grasshopper Valanga irregularis
96) Caper White Belenois java
Click to expand...
Finishing up the summer period with almost 200 inverts in two months with many more not identified to species level. Seven butterfly lifers in this update with the highlight being a new swallowtail – my first confident sighting of Pale Triangle. A relatively good range of birds around – missing a lot of the columbids still especially but those gaps should be filled soon. Little Lorikeet and Azure Kingfisher however are great to have so early in the year. Note: I realised that I put Common Brown Ringlet as both invert #16 and #20 so I have discounted one invert continuing this update from 96.

Mammals:
06) Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula
07) Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus

Birds
90) Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides
91) White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae
92) Grey Teal Anas gracilis
93) Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus
94) Brown Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia phasianella
95) Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
96) Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax varius
97) Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris
98) Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris
99) Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
100) Buff-banded Rail Gallirallus philippensis
101) Azure Kingfisher Alcedo azurea
102) Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum
103) Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus
104) Common Cicadabird Coracina tenuirostris
105) White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaea
106) Great Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii
107) Australian Tern Gelochelidon macrotarsa
108) Little Egret Egretta garzetta
109) Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus
110) Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis
111) White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
112) Black-faced Monarch Monarcha melanopsis
113) Peaceful Dove Geopelia placida
114) Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus
115) Little Lorikeet Glossopsitta pusilla
116) Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis

Herptiles:
11) Eastern Bearded Dragon Pogona barbata
12) Copper-tailed Skink Ctenotus taeniolatus
13) Dark Bar-sided Skink Concinnia martini

Invertebrates:
96)Teddy Bear Bee Amegilla bombiformis
97) Pomaderris Moth Casbia rectaria
98) Australian Cockroach Periplaneta australasiae
99) Brown Huntsman Heteropoda jugulans
100) Chequered Swallowtail Papilio demoleus
101) Lesser Wanderer Danaus petilia
102) Meadow Argus Junonia villida
103) Common Aeroplane Phaedyma shepherdi
104) Red-shouldered Leaf Beetle Monolepta australis
105) Swamp Tiger Danaus affinis
106) Black Tree Ticker Birrima varians
107) Orange Ochre Trapezites eliena
108) Small Green-banded Blue Psychonotis caelius
109) Bordered Rustic Cupha prosope
110) Yellow Admiral Vanessa itea
111) Bottlebrush Sawfly Pterygophorus cinctus
112) Aaaaba nodosus [jewel beetle]
113) Narrow-brand Grass-Dart Ocybadistes flavovittatus
114) Little Black-Knees Methiolopsis geniculata
115) Stable Fly Stomoxys calcitrans
116) White Looper Moth Pingasa chlora
117) Metallic Green Acacia Beetle Calomela ruficeps
118) Hop-bush Leaf Beetle Callidemum hypochalceum
119) Green Jumping Spider Mopsus mormon
120) Austrosciapus connexus [long-legged fly]
121) Oriental Latrine Fly Chrysomya megacephala
122) Calliphora ochracea [blowfly]
123) Iridescent Leaf Cylinder Beetle Aporocera iridipennis
124) Blue Tiger Tirumala hamata
125) Bromocoris souefi [stink bug]
126) Australian Tiger Ictinogomphus australis
127) Australian Emerald Hemicordulia australiae
128) Asian Magpie Moth Nyctemera amicus
129) Muscleman Tree Ant Podomyrma gratiosa
130) Narrow-banded Awl Hasora khoda
131) Japanese Rice Grasshopper Oxya japonica
132) Fire-tailed Resin Bee Megachile mystaceana
133) Australian Tiger Cranefly Nephrotoma australasiae
134) Slender Skimmer Orthetrum sabina
135) Varied Dusky-Blue Erina hyacinthina
136) Migratory Locust Locusta migratoria
137) Short-tailed Line-Blue Prosotas felderi
138) Glistening Pencil-Blue Eirmocides absimilis
139) Green Grass-Dart Ocybadistes walker
140) Pternistria bispina [leaf-footed bug]
141) Krakatauia macalpinei [long-legged fly]
142) Eupanacra splendens [hawk moth]
143) Hawaiian Webworm Moth Spoladea recurvalis
144) Common Bluetail Ischnura heterosticta
145) Sea-green Northern Jumper Cosmophasis thalassina
146) Maculate Ladybird Harmonia octomaculata
147) Tobacco Beetle Lasioderma serricorne
148) Fungus-eating Ladybird Illeis galbula
149) Capaneus Swallowtail Papilio capaneus
150) Clearwing Swallowtail Cressida cressida
151) Australian Leafwing Doleschallia bisaltide
152) Pale Triangle Graphium eurypylus
153) Palemouth Brachydiplax denticauda
154) Grenadier Agrionoptera insignis
155) Erebus terminitincta [moth]
156) Striped Ladybird Micraspis frenata
157) Orange Threadtail Nososticta solida
158) Poinciana Looper Pericyma cruegeri
159) Leptomyrmex rothneyi [spider ant]
160) Samphire Blue Theclinesthes sulpitius
161) Pristhesancus plagipennis [assassian bug]
162) Steelblue Ladybird Nososticta solida
163) Bean Leafroller Omiodes diemenalis
164) Megachile deanii [leafcutter bee]
165) Megachile ignescens [leafcutter bee]
166) Vase-cell Mud-dauber Wasp Sceliphron formosum
167) Orchid Dupe Wasp Lissopimpla excelsa
178) Grass Webworm Herpetogramma licarsisalis
179) White-banded House Jumper Maratus griseus
180) Yellow Albatross Appias paulina
181) Common Flatwing Austroargiolestes icteromelas
182) Aurora Bluetail Ischnura aurora
183) Wandering Ringtail Austrolestes leda
184) Grey Ringlet Hypocysta pseudirius
185) No-brand Grass-Yellow Eurema brigitta
186) Spotted Grass-Blue Zizeeria karsandra
187) Purple Crow Euploea tulliolus
188) Common Gumleaf Grasshopper Goniaea australasiae
189) Grey Wall Jumper Menemerus bivittatus
190) Burgena varia [forester moth]
 
KevinB said:
Mammals
1) Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)
2) Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)

Birds
1) Canada goose (Branta canadensis)
2) Carrion crow (Corvus corone)
3) Common buzzard (Buteo buteo)
4) Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
5) Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
6) Grey heron (Ardea cinerea)
7) House sparrow (Passer domesticus)
8) Common wood pigeon (Columba palumbus)
9) Common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
10) European robin (Erithacus rubecula)
11) Great tit (Parus major)
12) Black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
13) European herring gull (Larus argentatus)
14) Eurasian magpie (Pica pica)
15) Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
16) Western jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
17) Eurasian kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
18) Feral pigeon (Columba livia)
19) Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula)
20) Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
21) Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
22) Common starling/European starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
23) European white stork (Ciconia ciconia)
24) Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
25) Eurasian coot (Fulica atra)
26) Northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
27) Great egret (Ardea alba)
28) Long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus)

Invertebrates
1) Seven-spot ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata)
2) Common brimstone butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni)
3) Firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus)
Click to expand...

Mammals
1) Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)
2) Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)

Birds
1) Canada goose (Branta canadensis)
2) Carrion crow (Corvus corone)
3) Common buzzard (Buteo buteo)
4) Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
5) Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
6) Grey heron (Ardea cinerea)
7) House sparrow (Passer domesticus)
8) Common wood pigeon (Columba palumbus)
9) Common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
10) European robin (Erithacus rubecula)
11) Great tit (Parus major)
12) Black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
13) European herring gull (Larus argentatus)
14) Eurasian magpie (Pica pica)
15) Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
16) Western jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
17) Eurasian kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
18) Feral pigeon (Columba livia)
19) Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula)
20) Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
21) Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
22) Common starling/European starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
23) European white stork (Ciconia ciconia)
24) Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
25) Eurasian coot (Fulica atra)
26) Northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
27) Great egret (Ardea alba)
28) Long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
29) Ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
30) Greylag goose (Anser anser)
31) Common shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)

Invertebrates
1) Seven-spot ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata)
2) Common brimstone butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni)
3) Firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus)
4) Common earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris)
5) Small cabbage white butterfly (Pieris rapae)
6) Common carder bee (Bombus pascuorum)
 
Last edited:
birdsandbats said:
Finally filled in this longtime gap on my life list:

Birds
353. Barrow's Goldeneye Bucephala islandica
Click to expand...
Finally had some decent time to get out and enjoy the spring birds today! The raven is from a few weeks ago and I had forgotten to count it at the time:

Birds
354. Common Raven Corvus corax
355. Gadwall Mareca strepera
356. American Wigeon Mareca americana
357. Canvasback Aythya valisineria
358. Northern Pintail Anas acuta
359. Northern Harrier Circus hudsonius
360. Green-winged Teal Anas crecca
 
Chlidonias said:
Only to a degree though. You generally need to already be familiar with the given species in order to be able to identify them by a general impression.

In the case of the freshwater turtles of @Crotalus that wasn't how I read the question of how to identify them with asking "are there clear distinguishing features for the different species?"

If you don't know the distinguishing features in the first place, you can't tell what it is by "eyeballing" it. You'd just be guessing.
Click to expand...

This is indeed what I meant - I haven't honed my identification skills with turtles well enough to tell one from another. At the very least, I narrowed it down to 3 species (Pond Slider, Painted, River Cooter) which is better than nothing :p That's part of the fun of bird/animal-watching though - getting better and better at recognizing specific "giveaways" and features.

Additionally, I finally got to go out on a rainy night in Birmingham to salamander hunt - and was successful! Last year, I only managed to find one Webster's Salamander, but this year I found another Webster's and an additional species - the Three-Lined Salamander. Gorgeous colors, and I at first mistook it for a skink as a result of its striping and long tail. Plenty of earthworms on the road as well as a few millipedes. Barred Owls were calling from a park across the road and I attempted to call them in, but no luck.

The most exciting observation, though, was a species I have been trying to see for quite a while now. Some cracking twigs and moving brush got my heart rate going and I turned my flashlights into the forest to see something on the ground approaching me. After I got over the initial scare, I pretty quickly realized what it was - my first ever living Nine-Banded Armadillo! It travelled down the bank, took a look at me, and skittered across the road into the undergrowth on the other side. It was a real treat to see one alive after so long. Any trip on the highway will see plenty of roadkill armadillos, so I greatly enjoyed this sighting. This is the 2nd member I can cross off what I call the "Trashcan Four" - the four southern mammal species which love to get into garbage cans and dumpsters: raccoon, armadillo (which of course doesn't eat trash but rather worms and grubs around it), opossum, and skunk. What with this and the beaver, I've had great luck seeing new mammal species this year.

Mammals:
5. Nine-Banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) – 3/08/24


Amphibians:
2. Webster’s Salamander (Plethodon websteri) – 3/08/24
3. Three-Lined Salamander (Eurycea guttolineata) – 3/08/24


Invertebrates:
15. Boxelder Bug (Boisea trivittata) – 3/07/24
16. Traveling Cherry Millipede (Pleuroloma flavipes) – 3/08/24
 
Bactrian Deer said:
66- Lapland Longspur, Calcarius lapponicus, 2-19-2024
67- Snow Bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis, 2-20-2024
68- Cedar Waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum, 2-20-2024
69- White-Crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys, 2-20-2024
70- Red-Shouldered Hawk, Buteo lineatus, 2-20-2024
71- White-Winged Crossbill, Loxia leucoptera, 2-21-2024
72- Black Vulture, Coragyps atratus, 2-23-2024
73- Ring-Necked Duck, Aythya collaris, 2-23-2024
74- Common Grackle, Quiscalus quiscula, 2-23-2024
75- Swamp Sparrow, Melospiza georgiana, 2-23-2024
76- Fish Crow, Corvus ossifragus, 2-25-2024

Total: 79/100
Mammals: 3
Birds: 76
Click to expand...
Birds:
77- Gadwall, Mareca strepera, 2-25-2024
78- Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola, 2-25-2024
79- American White Pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, 2-25-2024
80- Bonaparte’s Gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia, 2-25-2024
81- Redhead, Aythya americana, 2-25-2024
82- Snow Goose, Anser caerulescens, 2-26-2024
83- Greater Scaup, Aythya Marila, 2-28-2024
March
84- Sharp-Shinned Hawk, Accipiter striatus, 3-3-2024
85- American Woodcock, Scolopax minor, 3-3-2024
86- Wilson’s Snipe, Gallinago delicata, 3-3-2024
87- American Wigeon, Mareca americana, 3-3-2024
88- Eastern Phoebe, Sayornis phoebe, 3-3-2024
89- Golden-Crowned Kinglet, Regulus satrapa, 3-3-2024
90- Red-Breasted Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis, 3-4-2024
91- American Coot, Fulica americana, 3-5-2024
92- Trumpeter Swan, Cygnus buccinator, 3-6-2024


Reptiles:
1. Red-Eared Slider, Trachemys scripta elegans, 3-3-2024
Inverts :
1. House Fly, Musca domestica, 2-25-2024
Fish:
1. Bluntnose Minnow, Pimephales notatus, 3-3-2024
2. Blackstripe Topminnow, Fundulus notatus, 3-3-2024
3. Creek Chub, Semotilus atromaculatus, 3-3-2024
4. Spotted Bass, Micropterus punctulatus, 3-3-2024

Mammals:
4. White-Tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus, 3-2-2024
5. Eastern Gray Squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis, 3-3-2024
6.Virginia Opossum, Didelphis virginiana, 3-7-2024

Total: 104
92 Birds (200 goal)
6 Mammals (15 goal)
1 Invert (50 goal)
1 Reptile (10 goal)
4 Fish (20 goal)
0 Amphibians :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top