Zoochat Big Year 2024

Sounds like a very successful NT trip!
The chestnut rail was the highlight. It's a bird I've wanted to see for a long time. The Silver-backed butcherbird was recently split from the pied butcherbird, so it was a bonus.
 
A very pleasant day at Burton Mere yesterday
Birds
(Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea - a feral pair; the British status of this species is highly contentious, in my own mind I would be happy to count these)
113 Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus scirpaceus
114 Sedge Warbler - Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
115 Garganey - Spatula querquedula

Invertebrates
36 Comma Polygonia c-album
37 Small White Pieris rapae
38 Red-and-black Frogghopper Cercopis vulnerata
39 Black-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa coccinea
40 Brown-lipped Snail Cepaea nemoralis
41 Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula
42 Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina
43 Zebra Spider Salticus scenicus
44 Gooden’s Nomad Bee Nomada goodeniana
 
At last managed to coincide some free time with some actually warm weather and as a result this post has rather a summery feel. Most of the below are from today pottering around the Idle Valley; top spot goes to the snake, only a few yards from my last sighting of the species two years ago. Also, another year where I see a naturalised anuran before a native one - I really need a reliable local site for Common Frog and/or Common Toad..! (Last year was so bad for herps and fishes for me that today's work already puts me ahead of Last Year Me on UK fishes and amphibs and level on UK reptiles...)


Birds:
157. Common Swift - Apus apus
158. Garden Warbler - Sylvia borin
159. Eurasian Hobby - Falco subbuteo
160. Common Whitethroat - Curruca communis
161. Eurasian Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus scirpaceus

Reptiles:
1. Barred Grass Snake - Natrix helvetica

Amphibians:
2. Marsh Frog - Pelophylax ridibundus

Fishes:
2. Common Carp - Cyprinus carpio
3. Northern Pike - Esox lucius

Invertebrates:
16. Common Green Shieldbug - Palomena prasina
17. Two-spot Ladybird - Adalia bipunctata
18. Brimstone - Gonepteryx rhamni
19. Holly Blue - Celastrina argiolus
20. Seven-spot Ladybird - Coccinella septempunctata
21. Ten-spot Ladybird - Adalia decempunctata
22. Specked Wood - Pararge aegeria
23. Red Admiral - Vanessa atalanta
24. Tree Bumblebee - Bombus hypnorum
25. Comma - Polygonia c-album
26. Brown-lipped Banded Snail - Cepaea nemoralis
27. Copse Snail - Arianta arbustorum
28. Banded Demoiselle - Calopteryx splendens

(honorable mention to a handsome but unidentifiable Ichneumon sp.)

:)
 
Had an incredibly productive day birdwatching
Birds
25. Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)
26. Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
27. American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)
28. Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
29. Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
30. Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)
31. Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)
32. White-Throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
33. Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)
34. Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
35. Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)
36. Orange-Crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata)
37. Ruby-Crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula)
38. Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)
39. Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius)
40. Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)
41. Black-Throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)
42. Northern Rough-Winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
43. Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)
44. Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)
45. Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)
46. Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
47. Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)
48. Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)
49. Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)

Mammals
3. Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)

Total: 49 Birds, 3 Mammals, 1 Reptile
Birds
50. Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)

Total: 50 Birds, 3 Mammal, 1 Reptile
 
Birds
Jan 14, Kaufman Lake
103. Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii)
Jan 14, Fields west of Champaign
104. American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)
105. Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) (Lifer)
Jan 15, Riverbend Forest Preserve
106. Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)
107. Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)
108. Redhead (Aythya americana)
109. Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
110. Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)
Jan 20, Lake Andrea in Kenosha Co. Wisconsin
111. Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
Jan 20, Seen flying in Lake Co. IL on the way to north point marina
112. Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (Lifer)
113. Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) (Lifer)

North Point Marina, Lake Co. IL
114. Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)
115. Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)
116. Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
117. Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) (Lifer)
118. Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)
119. Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
120. Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)
121. Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) (Lifer)
122. Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) (Lifer)

also this subspecies of iceland gull - Kumlien's Gull (Larus glaucoides kumlieni)
123. Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) (Lifer)

Super happy with these winter additions from Jan.

Now that I'm (mostly) done with final exams, it's past time for me to update! At least I should be regular with the second half of migration. Although I haven't been updating this thread regularly, I have been out finding stuff.

Birds
Feb 2, Busey Woods
124. Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)

Feb 4, Centennial Park
125. Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Feb 25, Meadowbrook Park, went after dusk with a couple friends and saw, but mostly heard, the wonderful woodcock display
126. American Woodcock (Scolopax minor)

Feb 27, Moorman Swine Ponds, nice seeing meadowlark so early
127. Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
128. Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna)

March 10, Middlefork Forest Preserve, South Waterfowl Management Area, Champaign Co.
Started my spring break with a wonderful surprise as a waterfowl rarity was found in my county. It was quite difficult spotting and differentiating it so far out, in the weeds and amongst all the American Wigeons and Green-wings teals, but sure enough, a Eurasian Wigeon!
129. Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)
130. Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)
131. Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
132. Eurasian Wigeon (Marca penelope) (Lifer)

March 12, continuing my spring birding break, I went with a friend to De Witt Co, along the way we saw these flying overhead the interstate
133. American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
We saw more numerous flocks of pelicans circling and landing on Clinton Lake from our destination of the Salt Creek Wildlife Management Area, probably one of the most productive waterfowl spots in east central IL.
134. Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
135. Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
136. Blue-Winged Teal (Anas discors)
137. Bonaparte’s Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)
138. Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)
139. Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)

March 15, Busey Woods, picked up a common trio I had somehow been missing
140. Brown-Headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
141. Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)
142. Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)

March 23, Windsor and 1st pond, picked out a black duck way in the back after my 3rd try
143. American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)

March 29, a small group calling loudly on my way home from class
144. Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)

March 30, I attempted a 'big day' of sorts with two others from UIUC for the Intercollegiate Big Day competition.

We started early, shortly before dawn at Busey Woods, picking up a total of 36 species
145. Yellow Bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)
146. Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)
147. Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)
En route to Homer Lake in some tall grass amongst the cornfields
148. Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
At Homer Lake Forest Preserve, the Tern was quite unexpected!
149. Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)
150. Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)
151. Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri)
152. Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)
153. Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus)
At Moorman Swine Ponds
154. Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)
155. Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)
We checked to see if the Martins had returned to their houses at Porter Family Park
156. Purple Martin (Progne subis)
Some nice spring species at Riverbend Forest Preserve
157. Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)
158. Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
159. Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)
160. Common Loon (Gavia immer)

That brought us to 64 species for the day by about 12:30 PM. I had an exam the next day, and as the only driver, we had to stop at that point. Not bad for late-March in Central IL, those are numbers I would normally only get in peak migration here.

The Intercollegiate Big Day competition was hosted by OSU this year. I suspect a number of members on this thread may be interested in participating next year, please message me if you want more details.
 
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Now that I'm (mostly) done with final exams, it's past time for me to update! At least I should be regular with the second half of migration. Just because I haven't been updating, doesn't mean I haven't been been finding anything!

Mammals
Jan 16, on a frozen lake in Champaign
9. Coyote (Canis latrans)
Jan 20, Across from Lake Andrea in Kenosha Co. Wisconsin
10. White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Birds
Feb 2, Busey Woods
124. Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)

Feb 4, Centennial Park
125. Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Feb 25, Meadowbrook Park, went after dusk with a couple friends and saw, but mostly heard, the wonderful woodcock display
126. American Woodcock (Scolopax minor)

Feb 27, Moorman Swine Ponds, nice seeing meadowlark so early
127. Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
128. Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna)

March 10, Middlefork Forest Preserve, South Waterfowl Management Area, Champaign Co.
Started my spring break with a wonderful surprise as a waterfowl rarity was found in my county. It was quite difficult spotting and differentiating it so far out, in the weeds and amongst all the American Wigeons and Green-wings teals, but sure enough, a Eurasian Wigeon!
129. Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)
130. Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)
131. Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
132. Eurasian Wigeon (Marca penelope) (Lifer)

March 12, continuing my spring birding break, I went with a friend to De Witt Co, along the way we saw these flying overhead the interstate
133. American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
We saw more numerous flocks of pelicans circling and landing on Clinton Lake from our destination of the Salt Creek Wildlife Management Area, probably one of the most productive waterfowl spots in east central IL.
134. Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
135. Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
136. Blue-Winged Teal (Anas discors)
137. Bonaparte’s Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)
138. Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)
139. Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)

March 15, Busey Woods, picked up a common trio I had somehow been missing
140. Brown-Headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
141. Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)
142. Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)

March 23, Windsor and 1st pond, picked out a black duck way in the back after my 3rd try
143. American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)

March 29, a small group calling loudly on my way home from class
144. Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)

March 30, I attempted a 'big day' of sorts with two others from UIUC for the Intercollegiate Big Day competition.

We started early, shortly before dawn at Busey Woods, picking up a total of 36 species
145. Yellow Bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)
146. Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)
147. Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)
En route to Homer Lake in some tall grass amongst the cornfields
148. Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
At Homer Lake Forest Preserve, the Tern was quite unexpected!
149. Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)
150. Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)
151. Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri)
152. Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)
153. Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus)
At Moorman Swine Ponds
154. Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)
155. Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)
We checked to see if the Martins had returned to their houses at Porter Family Park
156. Purple Martin (Progne subis)
Some nice spring species at Riverbend Forest Preserve
157. Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)
158. Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
159. Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)
160. Common Loon (Gavia immer)

That brought us to 64 species for the day by about 12:30 PM. I had an exam the next day, and as the only driver, we had to stop there. Not bad for late-March in Central IL, those are numbers I would normally only get in peak migration here.

The Intercollegiate Big Day competition was hosted by OSU this year. I suspect a number of members on this thread may be interested in participating next year, please message me if you want more details.
Mammals
Feb 5, Weaver park
11. Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus)

Early March, WAY too late for this species
12. Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)

March 10, Middlefork River Forest Preserve, South Waterfowl Management Area
13. American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

March 12, in rural De Witt co. Its odd that I see fox squirrels either in rural areas or well-established forests, no in between.
14. Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)
Salt Creek WMA
15. American Mink (Neovison vison)

March 15, Busey woods, a bit early for chipmunks
16. Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

Reptiles
March 12, Salt Creek WMA
1. Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta)
March 13, Mattis Lake
2. Pond slider (Trachemys scripta)

Inverts
3. Western honey bee (Apis mellifera)
4. Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis)
5. Asiatic wall jumping spider (Attulus fasciger)
6. Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina)
7. Common pill woodlouse (Armadillidium vulgare)
8. Nosy pill woodlouse (Armadillidium nasatum)
9. Bean leaf beetle (Cerotoma trifurcata)
10. Long-necked seed bug (Myodocha serripes)
11. Western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis)
12. Spring cankerworm moth (Paleacrita vernata) (Lifer)
13. Red admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

This is going to be a really slow year for inverts for me, a combination of having less time look for them and trying out a new lens with a much further minimum focal distance.
 
Proof that my raptor ID skills are improving!

Birds
140. Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans)
Went to Windang Island / Warilla today. Wasn't expecting to see anything except Silver Gulls, but there were pelicans, spoonbills, Sooty Oystercatchers, crested terns and to my great pleasure...

Birds
141. Double-banded Plover (Anarhynchus bicinctus)

It was raining and I got soaked, but I got a lifer so who cares!
Seen on the way back:

142. Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides)
 
Some sweep netting around the field margins acquired me some beautiful lifers:

78) Four-spotted plant bug Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus
79) Lochmaea crateagi
80) Common cardinal beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis
81) Striped oak bug Rhabdomiris striatellus
 
Includes a very exciting (and beautiful!) first-state-record bird I chased today:

Birds
428. Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius
429. Cape May Warbler Setophaga tigrina
430. Northern Parula Setophaga americana
431. Blackburnian Warbler Setophaga fusca
432. Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora cyanoptera
433. Varied Bunting Passerina versicolor
434. Bonaparte's Gull Chroicocephalus philadelphia
435. Common Tern Sterna hirundo

Herps
52. Green Frog Lithobates clamitans
Birds
436. Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons
 
Mammals
Feb 5, Weaver park
11. Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus)

Early March, WAY too late for this species
12. Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)

March 10, Middlefork River Forest Preserve, South Waterfowl Management Area
13. American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

March 12, in rural De Witt co. Its odd that I see fox squirrels either in rural areas or well-established forests, no in between.
14. Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)
Salt Creek WMA
15. American Mink (Neovison vison)

March 15, Busey woods, a bit early for chipmunks
16. Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

Reptiles
March 12, Salt Creek WMA
1. Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta)
March 13, Mattis Lake
2. Pond slider (Trachemys scripta)

Inverts
3. Western honey bee (Apis mellifera)
4. Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis)
5. Asiatic wall jumping spider (Attulus fasciger)
6. Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina)
7. Common pill woodlouse (Armadillidium vulgare)
8. Nosy pill woodlouse (Armadillidium nasatum)
9. Bean leaf beetle (Cerotoma trifurcata)
10. Long-necked seed bug (Myodocha serripes)
11. Western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis)
12. Spring cankerworm moth (Paleacrita vernata) (Lifer)
13. Red admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

This is going to be a really slow year for inverts for me, a combination of having less time look for them and trying out a new lens with a much further minimum focal distance.
Some very nice lifers from this batch in April

Mammals

17. Groundhog (Marmota monax)
April 9, seen on campus while walking home after class
18. Eastern Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis) (Lifer)

I've long wanted to see a landed and identifiable bat species. I've seen plenty in flight during summer evenings, but those are often only IDed to family level. I was pleasantly surprised on my walk home, when I passed some flowering trees that I glanced at to admire the flowers. On the tree was an odd fuzzy fruit. Interesting, I thought, and almost continued on my way, until it registered, and I did a double take. An eastern red bat! I snapped a couple photos with my phone, wishing I had my camera to take shots of the amazing and well posed creature, but happy to have found it nonetheless.

Birds
April 4, I surveyed the country roads looking for Smith's longspurs, one of the best annually occurring birds in my area. I tried once unsuccessfully last year and was determined to find one this year. Found many Vesper sparrows in the country and the swallow at Riverbend forest preserve along the way. The male smiths in breeding plumage are really strikingly beautiful.
161. Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)
162. Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
163. Smith’s Longspur (Calcarius pictus) (Lifer)

Went with some friends to refind the smiths for them and also check out the 'county line floodle' where we had a large flock of one of my highly wanted species, one of the more common ones I'd been missing.
164. Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)
165. American Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica) (Lifer)

April 10, my backyard
166. Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)

April 12, one of my other most wanted IL birds was especially showy among the reeds at dusk at Weaver Park
167. Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) (Lifer)

April 13, A nice pair of thrashers at McKee Marsh in Dupage Co, no county 1st or one of less than 10 state records or anything :p
168. Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)
169. Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus) (Wild)

If someone told me I'd have Sage Thrasher this year, I'd believe them but only because I was in northern Arizona in January. Got pretty lucky with this bird as I was in the area and showed up to the spot right as it perched beautifully and then hid until the next day. Did miss out on a well-seen Burrowing Owl at Montrose, however I'll take the thrasher over the owl.


Reptiles
At McKee marsh April 13
3. Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)

Fish
April 8, at Sam Parr state park in Jasper Co, where I went after watching the eclipse. No new species while watching the eclipse but I saw a lot of interesting behavior from Tree Swallows and even heard and saw Soras vocalizing.
3. Western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis)

Inverts
14. Greater bee fly (Bombylius major) (Lifer)
Also at Sam Parr, bee flies and other mimic flies are always really cool to find
 
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Some very nice lifers from this batch in April

Mammals

17. Groundhog (Marmota monax)
April 9, seen on campus while walking home after class
18. Eastern Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis) (Lifer)

I've long wanted to see a landed and identifiable bat species. I've seen plenty in flight during summer evenings, but those are often only IDed to family level. I was pleasantly surprised on my walk home, when I passed some flowering trees that I glanced at to admire the flowers. On the tree was an odd fuzzy fruit. Interesting, I thought, and almost continued on my way, until it registered, and I did a double take. An eastern red bat! I snapped a couple photos with my phone, wishing I had my camera to take shots of the amazing and well posed creature, but happy to have found it nonetheless.

Birds
April 4, I surveyed the country roads looking for Smith's longspurs, one of the best annually occurring birds in my area. I tried once unsuccessfully last year and was determined to find one this year. Found many Vesper sparrows in the country and the swallow at Riverbend forest preserve along the way. The male smiths in breeding plumage are really strikingly beautiful.
161. Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)
162. Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
163. Smith’s Longspur (Calcarius pictus) (Lifer)

Went with some friends to refind the smiths for them and also check out the 'county line floodle' where we had a large flock of one of my highly wanted species, one of the more common ones I'd been missing.
164. Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)
165. American Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica) (Lifer)

April 10, my backyard
166. Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)

April 12, one of my other most wanted IL birds was especially showy among the reeds at dusk at Weaver Park
167. Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) (Lifer)

April 13, A nice pair of thrashers at McKee Marsh in Dupage Co, no county 1st or one of less than 10 state records or anything :p
168. Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)
169. Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus) (Wild)

If someone told me I'd have Sage Thrasher this year, I'd believe them but only because I was in northern Arizona in January. Got pretty lucky with this bird as I was in the area and showed up to the spot right as it perched beautifully and then hid until the next day. Did miss out on a well-seen Burrowing Owl at Montrose, however I'll take the thrasher over the owl.


Reptiles
At McKee marsh April 13
3. Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)

Fish
April 8, at Sam Parr state park in Jasper Co, where I went after watching the eclipse. No new species while watching the eclipse but I saw a lot of interesting behavior from Tree Swallows and even heard and saw Soras vocalizing.
3. Western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis)

Fish
14. Greater bee fly (Bombylius major) (Lifer)
Also at Sam Parr, bee flies and other mimic flies are always really cool to find
Minnesota has a Sage Thrasher right now, too. Hopefully Wisconsin will get one.
 
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