Zoochat Big Year 2025

[oflory]

An old friend and a first lifer of 2025.

80. Stock Dove (Columba oenas)
81. Richard's Pipit (Anthus richardi)

I took a zoo trip to the UAE and I aim to write up a trip report in the next few days - it was surprisingly easy to do without a car and I saw some dream lifers (white-tailed mongoose, dugong, African manatee, Indian Ocean humpback dolphin, Arabian tahr, white-bellied bustard etc etc). I also got quite a bit of birding in. Oddly, no reptiles were seen at all - though I did hear some scuttling amongst dry leaves. An honourable mention but not counted on this list is Arabian oryx, which I saw in a semi-wild state in Al Marmoom reserve (though eating straw from a feeder...)

Mammals
6. Five-striped Palm Squirrel (Funambulus pennantii)
7. Kuhl's Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus kuhlii)
8. Sand Gazelle (Gazella marica)
9. Arabian Gazelle or Mountain Gazelle (Gazella arabica / Gazella gazella). I saw plenty of these, whatever they officially are. I'm not sure if Arabian gazelle is still a valid taxon or whether these should be counted as a subspecies of mountain gazelle... Would love some advice.

Birds
82. Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata)
83. Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
84. Great White Egret (Ardea alba)
85. Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
86. Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)
87. Little Ringed Plover (Thinornis dubius)
88. Grey-headed Swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus)
89. Hume's Wheatear (Oenanthe albonigra)
90 Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti)
91. Menetries's Warbler (Curruca mystacea)
92. Clamorous Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus stentoreus)
93. Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
94. Greater Hoopoe-Lark (Alaemon alaudipes)
95. Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor)
96. Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotos)
97. Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris)
98. Persian Wheatear (Oenanthe chrysopygia)
99. Pied Wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka)
100. Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius)
101. Common Rock Thrush (Monticola saxatilis)
102. Desert Lark (Ammomanes deserti)
103. Brown-necked Raven (Corvus ruficollis)
104. Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis)
105. Arabian Babbler (Argya squamiceps)
106. Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
107. Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
108. Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus)
109.Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
110. Crested Honey-buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus)
111. Shikra (Tachyspiza badia)
112. Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
113. Indian Silverbill (Euodice malabarica)
114. Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus)
115. Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)
116. Pale Crag Martin (Ptyonoprogne obsoleta)
117. Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis)
118. African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)
119. Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
120. Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus)
121. Western Reef-Heron (Egretta gularis)
122. Socotra Cormorant (Phalacrocorax nigrogularis)
123. Pallas's Gull (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus)
124. Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
125. Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina)
126. Delicate Prinia (Prinia lepida)
127. House Crow (Corvus splendens)
128. Isabelline Shrike (Lanius isabellinus)
129. Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla)
130. Arabian Green Bee-eater (Merops cyanophrys)
131.Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
132. Western Cattle-Egret (Ardea ibis)
134. Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)
135. Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus)
136. Grey Francolin (Ortygornis pondicerianus)
137. Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)
138. White-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus leucotis)
139. Little Tern (Sternula albifrons)
140. Slender-billed Gull (Chroicocephalus genei)
141. Laughing Dove (Spilopelia senegalensis)

 

[Platypusboy]

The first few spring migrants have arrived to Finland, and frankly I could not be happier. Finally receiving the first signs of spring life after the winter is always a reason of excitement, so of course I've spent the last days, and most likely the next few days, on the hunt for these birds. The most interesting species so far has been a trio of rooks, which isn't exactly a lifer for me, but it is a new bird for my Finland list and a very special one at that; my 200th.

Birds

69. Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus
70. Rook, Corvus frugilegus
71. Stock dove, Columba oenax
72. Eurasian skylark, Alauda arvensis

 

[Prochilodus246]

I had completely forgotten to report on the herptiles from last Thursday whilst undertaking rhododendron extermination:

1) Common Frog Rana temporaria

1) Common Lizard Zootoca vivipara

Whilst being dropped back off at university and collecting the osier willow from one of the ponds to take back home for propagation, my first bumblebee species of the year:

10) Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris audax

Yesterday was also a fruitful Thursday with glorious sunshine bringing out my first and second butterfly species for the year and me and my two friends tagging along to a moth trapping for a fellow student's dissertation project in which not only brought in moths...

11) European Peacock Butterfly Aglais io
12) Common Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni
13) Yellow Horned Achlya flavicornis
14) March Moth Alsophila aescularia
15) Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi
16) Easter Fox Spider Alopecosa barbipes

2) Common Toad Bufo bufo (58 individuals counted)
3) Smooth Newt Lissotriton vulgaris

 

[Maguari]

Just realised I never posted a few additions from a little tour of local sites last weekend - the highlight being Hawfinch in the churchyard at Darley Dale. Also my first butterfly of the year in the sun on Wednesday.

Birds:
115. Stock Dove - Columba oenas
116. Marsh Tit - Poecile palustris
117. Hawfinch - Coccothraustes coccothraustes
118. Common Chiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita

Invertebrates:
1. Brimstone - Gonepteryx rhamni

 

[MRJ]

9. Arabian Gazelle or Mountain Gazelle (Gazella arabica / Gazella gazella). I saw plenty of these, whatever they officially are. I'm not sure if Arabian gazelle is still a valid taxon or whether these should be counted as a subspecies of mountain gazelle... Would love some advice.

According to iNaturalist they are a valid species. I Naturalist uses the IUCN taxonomy, and I use it now when travelling overseas as it is easy to access.

Looking forward to your trip report!

 

[oflory]

According to iNaturalist they are a valid species. I Naturalist uses the IUCN taxonomy, and I use it now when travelling overseas as it is easy to access.

Looking forward to your trip report!

Thanks, that makes sense (and makes them a life tick too!)

 

[Lota lota]

I have seen some more birds in the last week. I have had very little time, but I managed to squeeze in some birding around Råstasjön, a little lake just north of Stockholm right by Mall of Scandinavia. The lake is especially popular among birders in winter; many herons congregate here because the city places out boxes of fish for them. The city also has some pumps running in the lake, keeping a smaller portion open, attracting some waterfowl.
Råstasjön:
34 European robin (Erithacus rubecula)
35 tufted duck (Aythya fuligula)
36 Eurasian coot (Fulica atra)
37 Mute swan (Cygnus olor)


Incidental:

38 European herring gull (Larus argentatus)
39 European green woodpecker (Picus viridis)


The previous weekend I went out to the island of Landsort with some other birders; it's one of the best birding sites in the country. During migration, many birders flock to the island. We went out to the island in connection with the annual birding competition in the Stockholm ornithological society. The competition takes place the 3rd Saturday in January, and the goal is to see as many bird species as possible. The only mode of transportation allowed during the competition is walking. We thought going out to the island would be a good strategy; the archipelago is often the most species-rich place during the winter. Adding to that, birders reported pretty good numbers of birds during the days before the competition. However, the reality didn't quite meet our expectations; it was very calm on the bird front, both on land and in the waters; this was likely due to the warmer weather making the birds more spaced out. Despite placing 7th amongst 20 teams, it was still a very nice trip, albeit with the poor number of birds.


40 Redpoll (Acanthis flammea)
41 Red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator)
42 Common gull (Larus canus)
43 Purple sandpiper (Calidris maritima)
44 Great black-backed gull (Larus marinus)
45 Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
46 Black-throated loon (Gavia arctica)
47 Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)
48 Bohemian waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)
49 Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)

Haven't really been out in the field that much as my free time during daylight has been a bit limited; a visit to Landsort a couple of days ago was nice, with some for the season early birds like Common eider and Common scoter. The real crown jewel sighting during the past month was a Black-throated thrush; very nice views of this lifer in a suburban area a bit north of Stockholm. Another very nice sighting was that of a Black Redstart; this ubiquitous bird in many parts of Europe is a very rare breeder in my part of Sweden. Not that rare of a bird during migration, but when I went to see the reported ones, it always ended in failure. So it's very nice to add this nemesis bird to my Sweden list.

50 Lesser spotted woodpecker (Dryboates minor)
51 Tawny owl (Strix aluco)
52 House sparrow (Passer domesticus
53 Coal tit (Periparus ater)
54 Crested tit (Lophophanes cristatus
55 Black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
56 Common starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
57 Black-throated thrush (Turdus atrogularis)
58 Black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
59 Willow tit (Poecile montanus)
60 Miste thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
61 Eurasian skylark (Alauda arvensis)
62 Common teal (Anas crecca)
63 Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
64 Long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis)
65 Common eider (Somateria mollissima)
66 Common scoter (Melanitta nigra)
67 Twite (Linaria flavirostris)
68 Marsh tit (Poecile palustris)

 

[birdsandbats]

According to iNaturalist they are a valid species. I Naturalist uses the IUCN taxonomy, and I use it now when travelling overseas as it is easy to access.

Looking forward to your trip report!

iNaturalist used to use the IUCN taxonomy for mammals, but they do their own thing for mammal taxonomy now, most following ASM but with some deviations.

 

[birdsandbats]

This weekend I went up to northern Minnesota (Sax-Zim Bog and the North Shore) with some friends to look for Boreal Owl. This near-mythical bird is having its best irruption event in decades and even nonbirders in the area have been reporting seeing them dripping out of the trees in these areas over the past couple weeks, so there's no way I could miss it, right?...

Birds
85. Ruffed Grouse Bonasa umbellus
86. Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator
87. Great Gray Owl Strix nebulosa
88. Pine Siskin Spinus pinus
89. Gray Jay Perisoreus canadensis
90. Redpoll Acanthis flammea
91. Purple Finch Haemorhous purpureus
92. Evening Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus
93. Black-billed Magpie Pica hudsonia
94. Northern Hawk Owl Surnia ulula

...right?

And from the road on the way back in northern Wisconsin:

Mammals
8. American Elk Cervus canadensis

Birds
98. Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
99. Gadwall Mareca strepera
100. Barrow's Goldeneye Bucephala islandica

Birds
101. Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon
102. Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons

Mammals
9. Eastern Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger

 

[MRJ]

iNaturalist used to use the IUCN taxonomy for mammals, but they do their own thing for mammal taxonomy now, most following ASM but with some deviations.

OK, thanks, I was quoting their website.

 

[Tetzoo Quizzer]

So after losing February for various reasons, I am back in the game. Firstly a confession; I should be on 58 Birds as I jumped from 42 to 44 (as well as the double counted Long tailed Tit); numbering should be correct!
Birds
59 Jay Garrulus glandarius
60 Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus
61 House Sparrow Passer domesticus
62 Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus
63 Red-legged Partridge Alectorus rufa
64 Avocet Recuvirostra avosetta
65 Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus
66 Snipe Gallinago gallinago
67 Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
68 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo

Mammals
3 Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus

Amphibians
1 Common Toad Bufo bufo

Invertebrates
1 Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni

 

[Osedax]

Possibly my best wildlife sighting of the year so far: a pair of Wedge-tailed Eagles hunting and I didn't even have to go looking for them!

Birds
99. Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax)

Birds
100. Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus)

Finally identified that skink from January:

Reptiles
9. Yellow-bellied Water Skink (Eulamprus heatwolei)

Plus one more from two days ago:

10. Robust Ctenotus (Ctenotus robustus)

11. Elegant Snake-eyed Skink (Cryptoblepharus pulcher)

 

[Platypusboy]

Mammals

7. European otter, Lutra lutra 8/3/25

Birds

73. Green-winged teal, Anas crecca 8/3/25
74. Graylag goose, Anser anser 8/3/25

 

[Prochilodus246]

Yesterday morning whilst out dead-hedging, the first of the spring (I say spring, increasingly more individuals are wintering) migrant was out singing:

109) Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita

 

[Mr. Zootycoon]

Spring seems to be in full swing now which means a varied set of additions. The birds are all rather neat species, including the black-throated diver that has stayed all winter on a lake close to where I live and a fantastic sighting of a jack snipe tucked away between the grass and sedges.

But most rewarding was an afternoon spend in the woods closer to home. I checked out a small area with several meres to find early spring amphibians - and boy did find those! I counted over 250 frogs in one mere - including several dozens of croaking males of both common and moor frog. Several of the moor frog males were actually bright blue, which is a phenomenal sight. Along with a displaying ('singing') pair of little grebes, several fluttering brimstones and a chorus of robins, dunnocks, wrens, blue tits and song thrushes, and one can image it was quite the experience. To top it off, I found common toads in the forest undergrowth and close to the road I encountered a common lizard. A very well-spent afternoon!

Birds
139. Tawny Owl, Strix aluco
140. Cetti's Warbler, Cettia cetti
141. Jack Snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus
142. Black-throated Diver, Gavia arctica
143. Common Linnet, Linaria cannabina

Mammals
10. Bank Vole, Myodes/Clethrionomys glareolus

Amphibians
2. Moor Frog, Rana arvalis
3. Common Toad, Bufo bufo
4. Common Frog, Rana temporaria

Reptiles
1. Common Lizard, Zootoca vivipara

Butterflies
3. Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta

Bees
1. Early Bumblebee, Bombus pratorum

Beetles
4. Spring Dumbledor, Trypocopris vernalis

Gastropods
4. Deroceras invadens

 

[BerdNerd]

3/4/25

64. Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)
65. Pied-Billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)
66. Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)
67. Barred Owl (Strix varia)
68. Golden-Crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)
69. Purple Martin (Progne subis)
70. Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)

3/9/25


71. Black-And-White Warbler (Mniotilta varia)


Total:
Mammals: 3
Birds: 71
Reptiles: 2

 

[Prochilodus246]

Walking back from the pub, alas being the only sober one after an afternoon in the sunshine acquired me:

110) Grey Partridge Perdix perdix

 

[Lafone]

Fun day out at Slimbridge today yielded a missing finch on the feeders and I stopped off at a spot well known for Short Eared Owls on the way home and got a few (distant) shots in the pleasant evening sunshine. Welney had some nice tree sparrows (and 500+ whoopers on a field near the centre which was the best view I have ever had though not the first this year).

67. Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus, 08/03/2025, WWT Welney
68. Short eared owl, Asio flammeus 09/03/2025, Farmland
69. Greenfinch, Chloris chloris, 09/03/2025, WWT Slimbridge

 

[birdsandbats]

Birds
101. Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon
102. Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons

Mammals
9. Eastern Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger

Birds
103. Sandhill Crane Antigone canadensis

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Lots of summer activity with a good blend of new sightings along with familiar ones. A nice flush of migratory waders for the birds with accompanying terns. I have been on the hunt for Little Tern multiple times but instead got a flock of fifty White-winged Black Terns. Can’t complain with that one but the hunt continues. Sooty oystercatchers, avocets and turnstones were lovely to see today at Scarborough. A few little bush birds in the Sunshine Coast as well including a Restless Flycatcher which I haven’t added to the year list in a good couple of years. Glossy Black Cockatoos have also been another recent highlight while I further enjoyed a good range of rockpool fish including Snowflake Moray at Caloundra. Inverts have included an amazing start; three butterfly lifers taking me to three away from 100 species of wild butterfly finally. A bright red Common Triangular Spider, Spiny Leaf Insect and an influx of dragonflies have been great.

Birds:
98) Green Catbird Ailuroedus crassirostris
99) White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae
100) Mangrove Gerygone Gerygone levigaster
101) White-necked Heron Ardea pacifica
102) White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
103) Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus
104) Eastern Osprey Pandion cristatus
105) Mangrove Honeyeater Gavicalis fasciogularis
106) Red-browed Firetail Neochmia temporalis
107) Tree Martin Petrochelidon nigricans
108) Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
109) Australian Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus australis
110) Oriental Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
111) Pacific Reef Heron Egretta sacra
112) Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
113) Buff-banded Rail Gallirallus philippensis
114) Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris
115) Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
116) Australian Tern Gelochelidon macrotarsa
117) Siberian Sand-Plover Anarhynchus mongolus
118) Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
119) Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris
120) Far-Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis
121) Glossy Black Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus lathami
122) Pale-headed Rosella Platycercus adscitus
123) Bush Stone-Curlew Burhinus grallarius
124) Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
125) Forest Kingfisher Todiramphus macleayii
126) White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaea
127) Scarlet Honeyeater Myzomela sanguinolenta
128) Restless Flycatcher Myiagra inquieta
129) Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
130) Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops
131) Hardhead Aythya australis
132) White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus
133) Red-necked Avocet Recurvirostra novaehollandiae
134) Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus
135) Pacific Golden-Plover Pluvialis fulva
136) Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
137) Common Tern Sterna hirundo

Herptiles:
08) Red-bellied Black Snake Pseudechis porphyriacus
09) Elegant Snake-eyed Skink Cryptoblepharus pulcher
10) Green Turtle Chelonia mydas
11) Asian House Gecko Hemidactylus frenatus
12) Robust Ctenotus Ctenotus robustus
13) Eastern Water Skink Eulamprus quoyii
14) Murray River Turtle Emydura macquarii

Fish:
02) Yellowfin Bream Acanthopagrus australis
03) Snowflake Moray Echidna nebulosa
04) Convict Surgeonfish Acanthurus triostegus
05) Raccoon Butterflyfish Chaetodon lunula
06) Stripey Microcanthus strigatus
07) Dusky Frillgoby Bathygobius fuscus
08) Green Swordtail Xiphophorus hellerii
09) Peacock Rockskipper Istiblennius meleagris
10) Rippled Rockskipper Istiblennius edentulous
11) Lined Rockskipper Istiblennius lineatus
12) Yellowmask Surgeonfish Acanthurus xanthopterus
13) Cocos Frillgoby Bathygobius cocosensis
14) Starry Goby Asterropteryx semipunctata
15) Bengal Sergeant Abudefduf bengalensis

Invertebrates:
74) Blue Tiger Tirumala hamata
75) Dainty Swallowtail Papilio anactus
76) Orange Ringlet Hypocysta adiante
77) Common Assassin Bug Pristhesancus plagipennis
78) Harlequin Hibiscus Bug Tectocoris diophthalmus
79) Imperial Hairstreak Jalmenus evagoras
80) Leafwing Doleschallia bisaltide
81) Floury Baker Aleeta curvicosta
82) 28-spotted Potato Ladybird Epilachna vigintioctopunctata
83) Native Drone Fly Eristalinus punctulatus
84) Golden-tail Sugar Ant Camponotus aeneopilosus
85) Varied Dusky-Blue Erina hyacinthina
86) Bark Squeaker Atrapsalta corticina
87) Muscleman Tree Ant Podomyrma gratiosa
88) Daemel's Spiny Ant Polyrhachis daemeli
89) Orange Swift Parnara amalia
90) Amyotea hamata [stink bug]
91) Yellow Tussock Euproctis lutea
92) Meadow Argus Junonia villida
93) Chequered Swallowtail Papilio demoleus
94) Orchid Dupe Wasp Lissopimpla excelsa
95) Giant Grasshopper Valanga irregularis
96) Black Sea Cucumber Holothuria atra
97) Mulberry Whelk Tenguella marginalba
98) Zebra Top Shell Austrocochlea porcata
99) Mottled Lightfoot Crab Grapsus albolineatus
100) Catasphactes coprias [assassin bug]
101) Common Glider Tramea loewii
102) Yellow-footed Hermit Crab Clibanarius virescens
103) Variegated Limpet Cellana tramoserica
104) Vase Cell Mub Dauber Wasp Sceliphron formosum
105) Tropical Periwinkle Planaxis sulcatus
106) Palaemon dolospinus [shrimp}
107) Neon Cuckoo Bee Thyreus nitidulus
108) Blue-banded Bee Amegilla cingulata
109) Orange Bronze Bug Musgraveia sulciventris
110) Hawaiian Beet Webworm Moth Spoladea recurvalis
111) Purple Cerulean Jamides phaseli
112) Bromocoris souefi [bug]
113) Coral Hermit Crab Clibanarius corallinus
114) Aurora Bluetail Ischnura aurora
115) Treehopper Mimicking Fly Cephaloconus cyprinus
116) Scarlet Percher Diplacodes haematodes
117) Chrysosoma leucopogon [long-legged fly]
118) Scarlet Three-spined Mangrove Crab Neosarmatium trispinosum
119) Tiger Longhorn Aridaeus thoracicus
120) Evening Brown Melanitis leda
121) Poecilometis apicalis [stink bug]
122) Orange-clawed Fiddler Crab Gelasimus vomeris
123) Green Grass-Dart Ocybadistes walkeri
124) No-Brand Grass-Yellow Eurema brigitta
125) Teddy Bear Bee Amegilla bombiformis
126) Leaf-curling Spider Phonognatha graeffei
127) Common Triangular Spider Arkys lancearius
128) Australian Golden Orb-weaver Nephila edulis
129) Cycad Blue Theclinesthes onycha
130) Asian Tramp Snail Bradybaena similaris
131) Wandering Ringtail Austrolestes leda
132) Saint Andrew’s Cross Spider Argiope keyserlingi
133) Black-headed Strobe Ant Opisthopsis rufithorax
134) Toxorhynchites speciosus [elephant mosquito]
135) Asian Magpie Moth Nyctemera baulus
136) Eight-spotted Leaf Beetle Paropsisterna sexpustulata
137) Common Bluetail Ischnura heterosticta
138) Cephaloconus tenebrosus [fly]
139) Polyrhachis aurea [spiny ant]
140) Lecomyia cyanea [fly]
141) Green Jumping Spider Mopsus mormon
142) Pacific Damsel Bug Nabis kinbergi
143) Brown Bean Bug Riptortus serripes
144) Amorbus atomarius [leaf-footed bug]
145) White-spotted Swift Spider Nyssus albopunctatus
146) Varied Sword-grass Brown Tisiphone abeona
147) Red-thighed Spiny Ant Polyrhachis rufifemur
148) Spiny Leaf Insect Extatosoma tiaratum
149) Short-tailed Duskdarter Zyxomma elgneri
150) Small Dusky-Blue Erina erina
151) Bronze Tree-Buzzer Palapsalta circumdata
152) Blue Riverdamsel Pseudagrion microcephalum
153) Red Arrow Rhodothemis lieftincki

Another update for me arrives as we enter autumn. I spent two very long days searching for Australian Crake at Kedron Brook Wetlands Reserve with not a peep from them. I however spotted several species of birds that can often be elusive within Brisbane like the snipe and dotterel listed below. Then Cyclone Alfred hit Brisbane quickly converting into a low system and across two days I got five lifers with some very lost pelagic birds; I dipped on a few species like Black Noddy (though a few birders and I suspected we saw one today) and a Shy Albatross was a no-show (albatrosses are big for Queensland). However, the birds I got I was thrilled with especially the vagrant Leach’s Storm-Petrel and jaegers. Frigatebirds soaring over a Brisbane coastal park is also something to remember. The Little Tern is not as unusual as the other birds in Brisbane but I simply had never seen it so that was a great bonus to see at least four gliding daintily as they twinkled across an inlet. Along with White, Common, Great Crested and Sooty Terns, it has been a fantastically tern-rich couple of days.

Mammals:
06) Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus
07) Koala Phascolarctos cinereus
08) Platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Birds:
138) Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides
139) Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus
140) Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo Zanda funerea
141) Silvereye Zosterops lateralis
142) Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis
143) Bell Miner Manorina melanophrys
144) Pale-vented Bush-hen Amaurornis moluccana
145) Australian King-Parrot Alisterus scapularis
146) Brown Quail Synoicus ypsilophorus
147) White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus
148) White-throated Gerygone Gerygone olivacea
149) Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus optatus
150) Pheasant Coucal Centropus phasianinus
151) Double-barred Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii
152) Latham’s Snipe Gallinago hardwickii
153) Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata
154) Red-kneed Dotterel Erythrogonys cinctus
155) Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis
156) Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus
157) Australian Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae
158) White Tern Gygis alba
159) Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus
160) Grey Ternlet Anous albivitta
161) Leach’s Storm-Petrel Hydrobates leucorhous
162) Common Noddy Anous stolidus
163) Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus
164) Great Frigatebird Fregata minor
165) Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel
166) Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus
167) Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
168) Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes
169) Little Tern Sternula albifrons

Herptiles:
15) Green Tree Frog Litoria caerulea
16) Cane Toad Rhinella marina
17) Saw-shelled Turtle Myuchelys latisternum
18) Scute-snouted Calyptotis Calyptotis scutirostrum

Fish:
16) Sea Mullet Mugil cephalus

Invertebrates:
154) Speckled Line-Blue Catopyrops florinda
155) Australian Emerald Hemicordulia australiae
156) Australian Hornet Abispa ephippium
157) Water Prince Hydrobasileus brevistylus
158) Splendid Longlegs Austrocnemis splendida
159) Eastern Billabongfly Austroagrion watsoni
160) Narrow-brand Grass Dart Ocybadistes flavovittatus
161) Purple Line-Blue Prosotas dubiosa
162) Joseph Coat’s Moth Agarista agricola
163) Clearwing Swallowtail Cressida cressida
164) Black Tree Ticker Birrima varians
165) Redtail Ceriagrion aeruginosum
166) Dingy Grass-Skipper Timoconia peron
167) Caper Gull Cepora perimale
168) Slender Green-winged Grasshopper Aiolopus thalassinus
169) Pseudabispa bicolor [potter wasp]
170) Green and Black Planthopper Desudaba psittacus
171) Bleeker’s Jumper Euryattus bleekeri
172) Two-spots Tiger Moth Asota plagiata
173) Striped Ladybird Micraspis frenata
174) Common Gum-tree Bug Amorbus robustus
175) Paddy Bug Leptocorisa acuta
176) Tawny Coster Acraea terpsicore
177) Lagenosoma dispar [soldier fly]
178) Poecilometis gravis [stink bug]
179) Gum Tree Shield Bug Theseus modestus
180) Chauliognathus flavipennis [soldier beetle]
181) Dainty Grass-Blue Zizula hylax
182) Choreutis periploca [moth]
183) Plain Box-Owlet Grammodes justa
184) Austral Ellipsidion Ellipsidion australe
185) Aporocera speciosa [leaf beetle]
186) Dicranosterna immaculata [leaf beetle]
187) Northern Grass Pyrgomorph Atractomorpha similis
188) Grenadier Agrionoptera insignis
189) Swamp Darter Arrhenes marnas
190) Hemipyrellia ligurriens [fly]
191) Anthrax incomptus [bee fly]
192) Pale-orange Darter Telicota colon
193) Bright Cornelian Deudorix diovis
194) I-Mark Leaf Beetle Calomela crassicornis
195) Large Squash Bug Mictis caja
196) Sapphire Rockmaster Diphlebia coerulescens
197) Zosteria fulvipubescens [robber fly]
198) Zosteria rosevillensis [robber fly]
199) Blackish Meadow Katydid Conocephalus semivittatus
200) Lyell's Swift Pelopidas lyelli
201) Dingy Swift Pelopidas agna
202) Chlorophorus curtisi [longhorn beetle]
203) Mango Flower Beetle Protaetia fusca
204) Scatochresis innumera [moth]
205) Peltoschema basicolle [leaf beetle]
206) Dicranosterna circe [leaf beetle]
207) Noliphus erythrocephalus [broad-headed bug]
208) Sprinkler Squeaker Popplepsalta annulata
209) Poecilometis histricus [stink bug]
210) Lean Lynx Spider Oxyopes macilentus
211) Paropsisterna anomala [leaf beetle]
212) Isopeda vasta [huntsman spider]
213) Ommatius mackayi [robber fly]
214) Lesser Wanderer Danaus chrysippus
215) Tailed Emperor Polyura sempronius
216) Fat-bellied Emerald Hemicordulia continentalis
217) Adanson's House Jumper Hasarius adansoni
218) Blue-eyed Ensign Wasp Evania appendigaster
219) Bean Leafroller Omiodes diemenalis
220) Zosteria lineata [robber fly]