Zoochat Big Year 2024

oflory said:
Again, just a singleton avian addition to my year list. I will be in Istanbul the week after next and then on a specifically bird-watching trip to the Gambia, so hopefully will get some nice additions soon!

262. White-winged tern
Click to expand...

A tiny trip to Poland scores me a few more for the year. Plus a mammal!

Mammals
19. Eurasian red squirrel

Birds
263. Hooded crow (feel a bit guilty about counting this, as it sounds as if they are going to be imminently lumped with carrion crow...)
264. Eurasian treecreeper
265. Spotted flycatcher
 
amur leopard said:
Forgot one from the Alps (the most special sighting for me, ironically...)

74. Lammergeier, Gypaetus barbatus
Click to expand...

Spent what felt like a very brief week in Madeira. Somewhat of a mixed bag in terms of wildlife success as it was mainly a hiking/activity focused trip.

Mammals
10. Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus

Birds
75. Red legged partridge, Alectoris rufa
76. Madeiran chaffinch, Fringilla maderensis
77. Cory’s shearwater, Calonectris diomedea
78. European storm petrel, Hydrobates pelagicus
79. Madeiran firecrest, Regulus madeirensis
80. Sandwich tern, Thalasseus sandvicensis
81. Eurasian blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla
82. Atlantic canary, Serinus canarius

And an unbelievably cool (for me) heard only Zino’s petrel at the top of Pico de Arieiro in the pitch black at 6am :p.

Reptiles
4. Madeira lizard, Teira dugesii
5. Loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta

Amphibians
2. Perez’s frog, Pelophylax perezi
 
Lota lota said:
Had a wonderful trip to Härjedalen with some other nature-loving youths.

The trip was completely free and was paid for by Fältbiologerna, the organization that held the trip. It is an organization where anyone interested in nature and between 12-26 can join; they don't even have a membership fee.

Härjdedalen is the most southern part of the distribution in Sweden for many alpine and northerly species.

We spent the 14th–19th of June experiencing the amazing landscape, flora, and fauna. Highlights were all the lifers, albeit there were some disappointing dips like Gyrfalcon, Golden Eagle, Ring, Ouzel, Jack snipe, and Norway Lemming. The first half of the trip was spent at Flatruet and the second half at Fulufjällets National Park. We did a short stop between the two at a place called Nipfjället, which provided us with excellent views of a rock ptarmigan and a heard-only Dotterel.

I really like vagrants, so the Ring duck in a small lake at Fulufjället was probably my favorite.

135 Red-throated loon (Gavia stellata)
136 Sand martin (Riparia riparia)
137 Long-tailed jaeger (Stercorarius longicaudus)
138 European golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
139 Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
140 Red-necked phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)
141 Eurasian three-toed woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus)
142 Dunnock (Prunella modularis)
143 Common greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
144 Northern-hawk owl (Surnia ulula)
145 Willow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus)
146 White-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus)
147 Rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta)
148 Ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris)
149 Common scoter (Melanitta nigra)
150 Siberian jay (Perisoreus infaustus)
151 Common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Click to expand...
I didn't have much time this summer for birding, but I managed to get some nice sightings. A mega rarity in the form of a long-billed dowitcher was nice, and a trip to the outer archipelago to see the Arctic wader migration was also nice.

152 European honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus)
153 Garden warbler (Sylvia borin)
154 Spotted redshank (Tringa erythropus)
155 Bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica)
156 Long-billed dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus)
157 Common linnet (Linaria cannabina)
158 Razorbill (Alca torda)
159 Red knot (Calidris canutus)
160 Curlew sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)
161 Sanderling (Calidris alba)
162 Black-bellied plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
163 Ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
164 Common guillemot (Uria aalge)
165 Lesser whitethroat (Curruca curruca)
166 Thrush nightingale (Luscinia luscinia)
167 Wood warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix)
168 Sedge warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
 
A wander round the fields and woodlands at my new university campus gained me some moths, gall forming hymenoptera, a beetle and a springtail species:

318) Elephant hawk moth Deilephila elpenor
319) The Vapourer Orgyia antiqua
320) Willow redgall sawfly Euura proxima
321) 16-spot ladybird Tytthaspis sedecimpunctata
322) Robin's pincussion gall wasp Diplolepis rosae
323) Pogonognathellus longicornis
 
oflory said:
(feel a bit guilty about counting this, as it sounds as if they are going to be imminently lumped with carrion crow...)
Click to expand...

Not necessarily, although hybridation occurs regularly with Carrion crow, hybridation zones are quite narrow. Birds of the World notes "but striking plumage differences resulting from different melanistic phenotypic expressions, subtle differences in vocalizations, and both narrowness and plasticity of hybrid zones all suggest that speciation has been at least partially achieved, even if very recent in evolutionary time scales" so I doubt Clements is lumping them any time soon (if anything Mesopotamian crow which is considered a subspecies of Hooded might be split) and neither is IOC probably.
 
Spent last week on a zoo tour of the island of Ireland for the Dublin Zoohistorica meeting. As well as ten zoological collections* and a wander on the Giant's Causeway, there is a little bit of wild business to deal with.

The outbound ferry was in the daytime and I was able to have a good long sea watch - just one new addition though - a single Great Skua right in the middle of the Irish Sea. The only new landbird for the year was the widespread Hooded Crow seen on both sides of the border (because I've always labelled my 'British' list as 'UK' I've decided to honour that and count the NI birds towards the UK total - the skua was too far out to be justifiably counted as UK though, so the gap opens back up to three).

Birds:
193. Great Skua - Stercorarius skua
194. Hooded Crow - Corvus cornix

(UK: 191)

Although there were no new wild mammals for the year, there are two subspecies 'ticks' of note - a very lively and showy Irish Stoat (M. e. hibernica) in the grounds of Fota Wildlife Park and a brief view of Irish Hare (a Mountain Hare subspecies - L. t. hibernicus) in a field edge in Co. Tyrone. (A captive rescue animal of the latter gave us a closer view later that day at Wild Ireland!)

:)


*Dublin, Fota, Secret Valley, National Reptile Zoo, Exploris, Castle Espie WWT, Belfast, Tropical World Letterkenny, Wild Ireland, Emerald Park - all but Dublin were new for me
 
Whilst looking through my database in which I store the species I record every year, I realised that this species that I saw at RSPB Frampton Marsh on 31/08 was missing:

141) Common ringed plover Charadrius hiaticula

Yesterday I went on a university field trip, or tour should I say of Rutland Water. The site was a bit quiet on the bird front with the only highlights being five great white egret & a female marsh harrier but Plenty of interesting hydrophyte species and the odd common darter dragonfly. I did however, make one insect lifer which were on the osiers:

324) Giant willow aphid Tuberolachnus salignus
 
Updating my year to date mammal species count.

From the North Pacific Ocean out of Seward Alaska to the Beaufort Sea. From the Matanuska Valley across the continental divide in British Columbia. From the Aroostook River to the Cape Fear and the Atlantic Coast to the Shenandoah Valley....here is what I've seen so far:

1. Moose - Alces alces
2. Caribou - Rangifer tarandus
3. Thinhorn Sheep - Ovis dalli (Dall and Stone morphs)
4. Arctic Fox - Vulpes lagopus
5. Red Fox - Vulpes vulpes
6. River Otter - Lontra canadensis
7. American Black Bear - Ursus americanus
8. Beringian Lemming - Lemmus nigripes
9. House Mouse - Mus musculus
10. Muskrat - Ondatra zibethicus
11. North American Porcupine - Erethizon dorsatum
12. Hoary Marmot - Marmota caligata
13. American Red Squirrel - Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
14. Brown Bear - Ursus arctos
15. Muskox - Ovibos moschatus
16. Snowshoe Hare - Lepus americanus
17. North American Beaver - Castor canadensis
18. Arctic Ground Squirrel - Urocitellus parryii
19. Mule Deer - Odocoileus hemionus
20. Elk - Cervus canadensis
21. White-tailed deer - Odocoileus virginianus
22. Eastern Grey Squirrel - Sciurus carolinensis
23. American Bison - Bison bison athabascae (Wood Bison subspecies)
24. Groundhog - Marmota monax
25. Eastern Chipmunk - Tamias striatus
26. Raccoon - Procyon lotor
27. Coyote - Canis latrans var. (Eastern Coyote)
28. Virginia Opossum - Didelphis virginiana
29. Striped Skunk - Mephitis mephitis
30. Sea Otter - Enhydra lutris
31. Harbor Seal - Phoca vitulina richardsi (Pacific Harbor Seal)
32. Mountain Goat - Oreamnos americanus
33. Humpback Whale - Megaptera novaeangliae
34. Steller Sea Lion - Eumetopias jubatus
35. Polar Bear - Ursus maritimus
36. Fox Squirrel - Sciurus niger

Another year in which I've been able to spot each species of North American Bear...well over 30 sightings of black bears, six sightings of brown bears, and three of polar bears.

For the last quarter of 2024....if I am extremely lucky...the Grey Wolf, the Wolverine, and the Canada Lynx are still out there. A bit of patience might net me a few more small rodents or shrews (the Northern Red-backed Vole and the Brown Rat the most likely). And another trip to North Carolina in late October could get me a bat species, the Nine-banded Armadillo, or a dolphin.

Otherwise at 36 species...not a bad year...
 
WhistlingKite24 said:
There is something a bit special about seeing Zebra Finches and Cockatiels in the wild. Budgies will have to be next to complete the pet shop bird trio. I have just finalised my next mini-trip for September; mainly zoo-based but there is a very exciting mammal target I have in mind all going well.

Mammals:
21) Whiptail Wallaby Notamacropus parryi

Birds:
203) Paradise Riflebird Ptiloris paradiseus
204) Musk Lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna
205) Yellow-throated Miner Manorina flavigula
206) Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris
207) Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa
208) Zebra Finch Taeniopygia castanotis
209) Red-rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonotus
210) European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
211) Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus

Invertebrates:
287) Cleora repetita [moth]
288) Dainty Grass-Blue Zizula hylax
289) Australian Emperor Hemianax papuensis
Click to expand...
I recently came back from a few days in South Australia with Kangaroo Island being a major focus for wildlife, ticking off three pinniped species in a day at Seal Bay Conservation Park for sea lions and Admiral Arch for both fur seals. Western Grey Kangaroos were everywhere both on the mainland and the island. Tammar Wallaby numbers haven’t recovered as well from the 2020 bushfires as the kangaroos have on Kangaroo Island and remain scarce so I didn’t get an opportunity around Flinders Chase National Park. 13 bird lifers from South Australia including some memorable ones like Black-faced Cormorant, White-winged Chough and Hoary-headed Grebe. I had to work very hard for Australian Ringneck but managed a clear flyover. Scarlet Robin is officially my nemesis bird missing it both in Tasmania and South Australia but I saw about eight Red-capped Robins at least. It was also a delightful moment when I saw a wild Shingleback as well. In other news, I already have the December trip booked to finish off a productive year.

Mammals
22) Western Grey Kangaroo Macropus fuliginosus
23) European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus
24) Australian Sea Lion Neophoca cinerea
25) Australian Fur Seal Arctocephalus pusillus
26) Long-nosed Fur Seal Arctocephalus forsteri
27) Red Kangaroo Osphranter rufus
28) House Mouse Mus musculus

Birds
212) Grey Goshawk Accipiter novaehollandiae
213) Wompoo Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus magnificus
214) Little Raven Corvus mellori
215) Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius
216) New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
217) Nankeen Night-Heron Nycticorax caledonicus
218) Common Blackbird Turdus merula
219) Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera
220) Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata
221) Singing Honeyeater Lichenostomus virescens
222) Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
223) White-plumed Honeyeater Lichenostomus penicillatus
224) Black-faced Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscescens
225) Pacific Gull Larus pacificus
226) Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides
227) Cape Barren Goose Cereopsis novaehollandiae
228) Purple-gaped Honeyeater Lichenostomus cratitius
229) Tawny-crowned Honeyeater Gliciphila melanops
230) Brown-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus brevirostris
231) European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
232) Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor
233) Red-capped Robin Petroica goodenovii
234) Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Acanthagenys rufogularis
235) White-browed Babbler Pomatostomus superciliosus
236) Yellow Thornbill Acanthiza nana
237) Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae
238) White-winged Chough Corcorax melanorhamphos
239) Australian Ringneck Barnardius zonarius
240) Hoary-headed Grebe Poliocephalus poliocephalus
241) Australasian Shovelver Anas rhynchotis
242) Purple-backed Fairywren Malurus assimilis
243) Striated Thornbill Acanthiza lineata
244) Chestnut-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza uropygialis
245) Varied Sitella Daphoenositta chrysoptera
246) Tawny Grassbird Megalurus timoriensis
247) Striped Honeyeater Plectorhyncha lanceolata
248) Grey-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus temporalis
249) Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora

Herptiles:
22) Common Keelback Tropidonophis mairii
23) Scute-snouted Calyptotis Calyptotis scutirostrum
24) Shingleback Tiliqua rugosa

Invertebrates:
290) Glistening Line-Blue Sahulana scintillata
291) Long-tailed Pea-Blue Lampides boeticus
292) Amorbus atomarius [leaf-footed bug]
293) Brown Bean Bug Riptortus serripes
294) Southern Bubble Pond Snail Bullastra lessoni
295) Spodoptera umbraculata [moth]
296) Polyrhachis ornata [spiny ant]
297) Goryphus turneri [ichneumonid wasp]
298) Semaphore Crab Heloecius cordiformis
299) Iridescent Semi-Slug Ubiquitarion iridis
300) Rhagadolyra handlirschi [fly]
301) Australocricus perditus [millipede]
302) Baehr's Cosmophasis Cosmophasis baehrae
303) Yellow-shouldered Stout Hover Fly Simosyrphus grandicornis
304) Long-nosed Lycid Beetle Porrostoma rhipidium
305) White Rush Moth Tipanaea patulella
306) Australian Painted Lady Vanessa kershawi
307) Lispe cana [fly]
308) Saltbush Blue Theclinesthes serpentata
309) Scarlet Three-spined Mangrove Crab Neosarmatium trispinosum
310) Tenagogerris euphrosyne [water strider]
311) Bark-hugging Saint Andrew's Cross Spider Argiope ocyaloides
 
oflory said:
A tiny trip to Poland scores me a few more for the year. Plus a mammal!

Mammals
19. Eurasian red squirrel

Birds
263. Hooded crow (feel a bit guilty about counting this, as it sounds as if they are going to be imminently lumped with carrion crow...)
264. Eurasian treecreeper
265. Spotted flycatcher
Click to expand...

My Istanbul trip with my father was great fun, and the raptor passage this morning across the Bosphorus from Buyuk Camlica was truly spectacular - something like 2,500 lesser spotted eagles with other birds mixed in.

Mammals
20. Harbour porpoise

Birds
266. Alpine swift
267. Alexandrine parakeet
268. Common mynah
269. Red-breasted flycatcher
270. Yelkouan shearwater
271. Syrian woodpecker
272. Lesser whitethroat
273. Common redstart
274. Black stork
275. White stork
276. Short-toed eagle
277. Lesser spotted eagle
278. Booted eagle
279. Levant sparrowhawk
 
WhistlingKite24 said:
I recently came back from a few days in South Australia with Kangaroo Island being a major focus for wildlife, ticking off three pinniped species in a day at Seal Bay Conservation Park for sea lions and Admiral Arch for both fur seals. Western Grey Kangaroos were everywhere both on the mainland and the island. Tammar Wallaby numbers haven’t recovered as well from the 2020 bushfires as the kangaroos have on Kangaroo Island and remain scarce so I didn’t get an opportunity around Flinders Chase National Park. 13 bird lifers from South Australia including some memorable ones like Black-faced Cormorant, White-winged Chough and Hoary-headed Grebe. I had to work very hard for Australian Ringneck but managed a clear flyover. Scarlet Robin is officially my nemesis bird missing it both in Tasmania and South Australia but I saw about eight Red-capped Robins at least. It was also a delightful moment when I saw a wild Shingleback as well. In other news, I already have the December trip booked to finish off a productive year.

Mammals
22) Western Grey Kangaroo Macropus fuliginosus
23) European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus
24) Australian Sea Lion Neophoca cinerea
25) Australian Fur Seal Arctocephalus pusillus
26) Long-nosed Fur Seal Arctocephalus forsteri
27) Red Kangaroo Osphranter rufus
28) House Mouse Mus musculus

Birds
212) Grey Goshawk Accipiter novaehollandiae
213) Wompoo Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus magnificus
214) Little Raven Corvus mellori
215) Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius
216) New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
217) Nankeen Night-Heron Nycticorax caledonicus
218) Common Blackbird Turdus merula
219) Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera
220) Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata
221) Singing Honeyeater Lichenostomus virescens
222) Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
223) White-plumed Honeyeater Lichenostomus penicillatus
224) Black-faced Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscescens
225) Pacific Gull Larus pacificus
226) Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides
227) Cape Barren Goose Cereopsis novaehollandiae
228) Purple-gaped Honeyeater Lichenostomus cratitius
229) Tawny-crowned Honeyeater Gliciphila melanops
230) Brown-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus brevirostris
231) European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
232) Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor
233) Red-capped Robin Petroica goodenovii
234) Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Acanthagenys rufogularis
235) White-browed Babbler Pomatostomus superciliosus
236) Yellow Thornbill Acanthiza nana
237) Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae
238) White-winged Chough Corcorax melanorhamphos
239) Australian Ringneck Barnardius zonarius
240) Hoary-headed Grebe Poliocephalus poliocephalus
241) Australasian Shovelver Anas rhynchotis
242) Purple-backed Fairywren Malurus assimilis
243) Striated Thornbill Acanthiza lineata
244) Chestnut-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza uropygialis
245) Varied Sitella Daphoenositta chrysoptera
246) Tawny Grassbird Megalurus timoriensis
247) Striped Honeyeater Plectorhyncha lanceolata
248) Grey-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus temporalis
249) Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora

Herptiles:
22) Common Keelback Tropidonophis mairii
23) Scute-snouted Calyptotis Calyptotis scutirostrum
24) Shingleback Tiliqua rugosa

Invertebrates:
290) Glistening Line-Blue Sahulana scintillata
291) Long-tailed Pea-Blue Lampides boeticus
292) Amorbus atomarius [leaf-footed bug]
293) Brown Bean Bug Riptortus serripes
294) Southern Bubble Pond Snail Bullastra lessoni
295) Spodoptera umbraculata [moth]
296) Polyrhachis ornata [spiny ant]
297) Goryphus turneri [ichneumonid wasp]
298) Semaphore Crab Heloecius cordiformis
299) Iridescent Semi-Slug Ubiquitarion iridis
300) Rhagadolyra handlirschi [fly]
301) Australocricus perditus [millipede]
302) Baehr's Cosmophasis Cosmophasis baehrae
303) Yellow-shouldered Stout Hover Fly Simosyrphus grandicornis
304) Long-nosed Lycid Beetle Porrostoma rhipidium
305) White Rush Moth Tipanaea patulella
306) Australian Painted Lady Vanessa kershawi
307) Lispe cana [fly]
308) Saltbush Blue Theclinesthes serpentata
309) Scarlet Three-spined Mangrove Crab Neosarmatium trispinosum
310) Tenagogerris euphrosyne [water strider]
311) Bark-hugging Saint Andrew's Cross Spider Argiope ocyaloides
Click to expand...
What's the plan for December?
 
ThylacineAlive said:
One additional mammal to add, seen walking with her cubs in broad daylight:

24) Bobcat Lynx rufus

~Thylo
Click to expand...

The latter half of September is the best time of years to spot one of Connecticut's most elusive birds and one of the most notoriously difficult New World Warbler species: the Connecticut Warbler. There have been an unusually high number of sightings here the past two weeks (and by that I mean like 8). After spending several days driving from sighting to sighting but always being too late, I decided to spend my Sunday morning exploring the habitat of a local spot which has produced them in the past. Alas, I continue to be CT Warbler-less, but I did manage to encounter a family of a strangely difficult (for me) native species:

25) North American Black Bear Ursus americanus

Despite becoming increasingly common (and problematic) in the State, I just never see bears. Everyone I know sees bears. Just about nature nature preserve has a sign about bear sightings. My family have seen them on walks on the very street I grew up on. My friends have them in their backyards regularly. My girlfriend has seen them on her drive to work. For me, bears might as well not exist in this state. That is until this past Sunday, when I saw a lovely mother bear and her two adolescent cubs cautiously picking at berries and hiding at the first sign of pedestrians on the path. A lovely sighting.

~Thylo
 
ThylacineAlive said:
The latter half of September is the best time of years to spot one of Connecticut's most elusive birds and one of the most notoriously difficult New World Warbler species: the Connecticut Warbler. There have been an unusually high number of sightings here the past two weeks (and by that I mean like 8). After spending several days driving from sighting to sighting but always being too late, I decided to spend my Sunday morning exploring the habitat of a local spot which has produced them in the past. Alas, I continue to be CT Warbler-less, but I did manage to encounter a family of a strangely difficult (for me) native species:

25) North American Black Bear Ursus americanus

Despite becoming increasingly common (and problematic) in the State, I just never see bears. Everyone I know sees bears. Just about nature nature preserve has a sign about bear sightings. My family have seen them on walks on the very street I grew up on. My friends have them in their backyards regularly. My girlfriend has seen them on her drive to work. For me, bears might as well not exist in this state. That is until this past Sunday, when I saw a lovely mother bear and her two adolescent cubs cautiously picking at berries and hiding at the first sign of pedestrians on the path. A lovely sighting.

~Thylo
Click to expand...
It's funny how badly named the New World warblers are, I would guess Connecticut is on of the most difficult states to get Connecticut Warbler in.

Unfortunately the species does seen to be declining in recent years, here in Wisconsin we seem to have lost them as a breeder already within this decade. :(
 
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