Zoochat Big Year 2025

Still ticking along locally
Birds
144 Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus, West Kirby Marine Lake
145 Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus
146 Leach’s Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa both from New Brighton yesterday

Invertebrates
32 Willow Emerald Damselfly Chalcolestes viridis - a new colonist at Burton Mere, and a Lifer!
 
akasha said:
Mammals:

14. Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
15. Krefft's Glider (Petaurus notatus)
16. Common Wombat (Vombatus ursinus)

Birds:

115. Hoary-headed Grebe
116. Spotted Dove
117. Fan-tailed Cuckoo
118. Eastern Spinebill
119. Azure Kingfisher
120. Peregrine Falcon

Reptiles:

8. Eastern Water Skink (Eulamprus quoyii)
Click to expand...

Birds:

116. Spotted Dove
117. Fan-tailed Cuckoo
118. Eastern Spinebill
119. Azure Kingfisher
120. Peregrine Falcon
121. Brown Quail
122. Bar-shouldered Dove
123. White-winged Triller
124. Rufous Songlark
125. Swamp Harrier
126. Tree Martin
127. Australian Pipit
128. Eastern Shrike-tit
129. Channel-billed Cuckoo
130. Musk Lorikeet
131. Pied Stilt
132. Black-fronted Dotterel
133. Yellow-billed Spoonbill
134. Zebra Finch

Reptiles:

9. Jacky Dragon (Amphibolurus muricatus)
 
Chlidonias said:
The next set of birds and mammals from my Australia trip, these ones from the areas around Alice Springs and Pine Creek in the Northern Territory. Details can be found in my trip thread here (albeit still being written): Chlidonias presents: Bustralia


BIRDS:

Alice Springs (the first few are “on the way to”):

542) Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax
543) Yellow-throated Miner Manorina flavigula
544) Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis
545) Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
546) Little Crow Corvus bennetti
547) Rainbow Bee-eater [Merops ornatus
548) Grey-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus temporalis
549) Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
550) Western Bowerbird Chlamydera guttata
551) Splendid Blue Wren Malurus splendens
552) Australian Zebra Finch Taeniopyga castanotis
553) Inland Thornbill Acanthiza apicalis
554) Western Gerygone Gerygone fusca
555) Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta
556) Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris
557) Redthroat Pyrrholaemus brunneus
558) Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum
559) Torresian Crow Corvus orru
560) Purple-backed Fairy-Wren Malurus assimilis
561) Red-necked Avocet Recurvirostra novaehollandiae
562) Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
563) Fairy Martin Petrochelidon ariel
564) Brown Falcon Falco berigora
565) Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus
566) Red-backed Kingfisher Todiramphus pyrrhopygius
567) Pallid Cuckoo Cacomantis pallidus
568) Pink Cockatoo Cacatua leadbeateri
569) Black-faced Woodswallow Artamus cinereus
570) Crimson Chat Epthianura tricolor
571) White-winged Fairy-Wren Malurus leucopterus


Pine Creek (the first few on the way between Alice Springs and Pine Creek):

572) Apostlebird Struthidea cinerea
573) Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
574) Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis
575) Rufous-throated Honeyeater Conopophila rufogularis
576) White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorhynchus
577) Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis
578) Banded Honeyeater Cissomela pectoralis
579) Great Bowerbird Chlamydera nuchalis
580) Yellow-tinted Honeyeater Ptilotula flavescens
581) White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina papuensis
582) White-gaped Honeyeater Stomiopera unicolor
583) White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
584) Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis
585) Red-collared Lorikeet Trichoglossus rubritorquis
586) Peaceful Dove Geopelia placida
587) Australian Figbird Sphecotheres vieilloti
588) Hooded Parrot Psephotellus dissimilis
589) White-throated Honeyeater Melithreptus albogularis
590) Dusky Myzomela Myzomela obscura
591) Blue-winged Kookaburra Dacelo leachii
592) Australian Red-winged Parrot Aprosmictus erythropterus
593) Silver-crowned Friarbird Philemon argenticeps
594) Green Oriole Oriolus flavocinctus
595) Masked Finch Poephila personata
596) Australian Brown Quail Synoicus ypsilophorus
597) Australian Bustard Ardeotis australis
598) Plumed Egret Egretta plumifera
599) Radjah Shelduck Radjah radjah
600) Wandering Whistling Duck Dendrocygna arcuata
601) Paperbark Flycatcher Myiagra nana
602) Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus
603) Australian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae
604) Crimson Finch Neochmia phaeton
605) Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis
606) Bar-breasted Honeyeater Ramsayornis fasciatus
607) Red-tailed Black Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii
608) Varied Triller Lalage leucomela
609) Red-backed Fairy-Wren Malurus melanocephalus
610) Northern Fantail Rhipidura rufiventris
611) Diamond Dove Geopelia cuneata
612) Azure Kingfisher Ceyx azureus


MAMMALS:

Alice Springs:

58) Black-flanked Rock Wallaby Petrogale lateralis
59) Euro Osphranter robustus

Pine Creek:

60) Ghost Bat Macroderma gigas
61) Black Flying Fox Pteropus alecto
Click to expand...
The next set of birds and mammals from my Australia trip, these ones from the areas around Broome in Western Australia, and the last few from Darwin today. Details will later be found in my trip thread starting from this post (Chlidonias presents: Bustralia) but there’s nothing currently written for that bit yet and I’m going to East Timor tomorrow so it will be a few weeks.


BIRDS:


613) White-necked (Pacific) Heron Ardea pacifica
614) Double-barred (Owl) Finch Stizoptera bichenovii
615) Far-Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis
616) Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
617) Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris
618) Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus
619) Red-capped Dotterel Charadrius ruficapillus
620) Little Tern Sternula albifrons
621) Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus
622) Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis
623) Red Knot Calidris canutus
624) Black-bellied (Grey) Plover Pluvialis squatarola
625) Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis
626) Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
627) Australian Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon macrotarsa
628) Australian Yellow White-eye Zosterops luteus
629) Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
630) Yellow Chat Epthianura crocea
631) Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciata
632) Tree Martin Petrochelidon migricans
633) Mangrove Fantail Rhipidura phasiana
634) Broad-billed Flycatcher Myiagra ruficollis
635) White-breasted Whistler Pachycephala lanioides
636) Dusky Gerygone Gerygone tenebrosa
637) Leaden Flycatcher Myiagra rubecula
638) Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus
639) Little Curlew Numenius minutus
640) Red-headed Myzomela Myzomela erythrocephala
641) Mangrove Gerygone Gerygone laevigaster
642) Pheasant Coucal Centropus phasianus
643) White-throated Gerygone Gerygone olivacea
644) Torresian Imperial Pigeon Ducula spilorrhoa
645) Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus
646) Orange-footed Scrubfowl Megapodius reinwardt



MAMMALS:

62) Agile Wallaby Macropus agilis
 
ThylacineAlive said:
I have returned from a two week trip to central Europe. I mostly was visiting zoos or touring in some cities, but I spent a couple of days in the Alps from where many of these sightings came from. Additionally, I found Vienna to be a very wildlife-rich city.

174. Common Wood-Pigeon, Columba palumbus
175. Eurasian Blackbird, Turdus merula
176. European Robin, Erithacus rubecula
177. Great Tit, Parus major
178. Eurasian Jackdaw, Coloeus monedula
179. Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea
180. Common Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
181. Eurasian Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes
182. Eurasian Magpie, Pica pica
183. European White Stork, Ciconia ciconia
184. Western House Martin, Delichon urbicum
185. Great Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
186. Black-Headed Gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus
187. Barnacle Goose, Branta leucopsis
188. Alexandrine Parakeet, Psittacula eupatria
189. Short-Toed Treecreeper, Certhia brachydactyla
190. Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis
191. Eurasian Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs
192. Eurasian Blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla
193. Marsh Tit, Poecile palustris
194. Hawfinch, Coccothraustes coccothraustes
195. Eurasian Blue Tit, Cyanistes caeruleus
196. Eurasian Nuthatch, Sitta europaea
197. Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea
198. Wild Greylag Goose, Anser anser
199. Common Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita
200. White Wagtail, Motacilla alba
201. Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula
202. Great Crested Grebe, Podiceps cristatus
203. Common Merganser, Mergus merganser
204. Yellow-Legged Gull, Larus michahellis
205. Common Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus
206. Yellow-Billed Chough, Pyrrhocorax graculus
207. Little Grebe, Trachybaptus ruficollis
208. Eurasian Siskin, Spinus spinus
209. White-Throated Dipper, Cinclus cinclus
210. Northern Nutcracker, Nucifraga caryocatactes
211. Hooded Crow, Corvus cornix
212. Spotted Flycatcher, Muscicapa striata
213. Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dendrocopos major
214. Eurasian Green Woodpecker, Picus viridis

53. Eurasian Red Squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris
54. Alpine Chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra
55. Soprano Pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pygmaeus
56. Common Noctule, Nyctalus noctula
57. Kuhl’s Pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhlii
58. Nathusius’ Pipistrelle, Pipistrellus nathusii
59. Alpine Ibex, Capra ibex
60. Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes
61. European Hamster, Cricetus cricetus
62. European Wood Mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus
63. Brown Rat, Rattus norvegicus
64. Northern White-Breasted Hedgehog, Erinaceus roumanicus
65. Mountain Hare, Lepus timidus - seen on the grounds of Dublin Airport during my layover

~Thylo
Click to expand...

After three consecutive days of trying, I finally managed to catch a brief look at one of Connecticut's most elusive birds:

215. Connecticut Warbler, Oporornis agilis

Despite its name, this bird is only an annual visitor to Connecticut, typically viewable only over the course of a 2-3 week period during the fall migration in September and October. This bird is incredible skulky and undoubtedly most go completely unnoticed. They're fast, quiet, and stick to thick underbrush. Usually there are only 2-5 reported sightings a year in CT with most of them being heard-only or a brief glimpse once or twice on a single day before the bird disappears overnight. It's a good year if there are one or two birds that stick around for more than a day in a given spot, and even then you often need a lot of time and luck to find those birds.

This year has been different. No one knows why, but there are a ton of Connecticut Warblers around this year. By a ton I mean maybe a dozen sightings or so. Sightings began while I was in Europe about a month ago, a little earlier than usual, and have continued with at least one or two being found per week. There are a couple of locations about an hour+ southwest of me where numerous birds have been spotted throughout the season, however all have still followed the same single sighting or one day of sightings pattern. These birds have not really been any easier to see than normal, there's just a lot more of them. The individual I saw is a little more special of a case. This bird was first spotted on Friday morning, so five days ago now and is still continuing in a big patch of thick shrubs in an abandoned parking lot about 20 minutes from my place. It's been showing itself maybe once or twice a day or otherwise heard singing or chipping from deep inside the vegetation. For whatever reason no one reported this bird officially until Sunday afternoon and I failed to find it that day. I returned yesterday morning where I heard it singing literally a foot or so in front of me but completely hidden and then heard it chip deeper in the brush about half an hour later. I'm told someone saw it about an hour after I left. I gave it a third go this morning and had it clearly in my sights for a few seconds before it disappeared again. A couple others arrived about a minute after this and we all heard it chipping from deep within one more time before I decided I was satisfied with my sighting and left for work. As I'm typing this, I just got a notice that others have eyes on the bird again now.

This bird now brings me to 34/35 of the New World warblers native to the northeast US, and 41/52 of the species native to the United States (including Puerto Rico). This list is based on the species currently recognized by the AOS but excludes Bachman's Warbler for obvious reasons.

~Thylo
 
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CarnotaurusSastrei said:
Birds
119. Common blackbird (Turdus merula)
120. European Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
121. Black-Headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
122. Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)

Totals: 122 Birds, 15 Mammals, 3 Reptiles, 2 Amphibians, 5 Fishes, 21 Invertebrates (168 Total)
New Life List Entries: 58 Birds, 7 Mammals, 1 Reptile, 3 Fishes, 15 Invertebrates (84 Total)
Click to expand...
This is essentially a collation of a couple birding attempts I've done at some London parks, some grad school-related fieldwork looking at invertebrate populations on the grounds of the NHM, and an ID courtesy of iNaturalist for one of the inverts I saw in Alaska
Birds
123. Coal Tit (Periparus ater)
124. Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
125. Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
126. Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
127. Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
128. Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
129. Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
130. Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
131. Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
132. Great Tit (Parus major)
133. Lesser Black-Backed Gull (Larus fuscus)

Invertebrates
22. Great Ram's Horn (Planorbarius corneus)
23. Water Hoglouse (Asellus aquaticus)
24. Mud Bithynia (Bithynia tentaculata)
25. Eurasian Water Scorpion (Nepa cinerea)
26. Cherrystone Beetle (Hyphydrus ovatus)
27. Squeak Beetle (Hygrobia hermanni)
28. Two-Spotted Lady Beetle (Adalia bipunctata)
29. Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis)
30. Common European Yellowjacket (Vespula vulgaris)
31. Northern Feather Duster Worm (Eudistylia vancouveri)

Totals: 132 Birds, 15 Mammals, 3 Reptiles, 2 Amphibians, 5 Fishes, 31 Invertebrates (181 Total)
New Life List Entries: 69 Birds, 7 Mammals, 1 Reptile, 3 Fishes, 24 Invertebrates (104 Total)
 
I don't know how I forgot to add it to the list for so long, but Golden Silk Orb-Weaver (Trichonephila clavipes) should've been added a while ago. The earliest I remember seeing one was on June 6 (which makes it #17), so everything that comes after it gets bumped up a spot.

17. Golden Silk Orb-Weaver (Trichonephila clavipes)


BerdNerd said:
9/2/25

30. Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina)
31. Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis)
32. Duckweed Firetail (Telebasis byersi)
33. Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
Click to expand...


10/4/25

35. Gulf Fritillary (Dione vanillae)


10/7/25

36. Yellowjacket Hover Fly (Milesia virginiensis)


Total:
Mammals: 8
Birds: 139
Reptiles: 10
Amphibians: 3
Fish: 37
Invertebrates: 36
 
Ding Lingwei said:
Nanjing, April 2025

Birds:
104. Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
105. Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica)
106. Vinous-throated Parrotbill (Suthora webbiana)

Nanjing Botanical Garden, May 6, 2025

Birds:
107. Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
108. Brown-rumped Minivet (Pericrocotus cantonensis)
109. Red-billed Blue Magpie (Urocissa erythroryncha)
110. Yellow-rumped Flycatcher (Ficedula zanthopygia)
Click to expand...

Nanjing, May 2025

Birds:
111. Collared Finchbill (Spizixos semitorques)
112. Oriental Greenfinch (Chloris sinica)

Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo, May 19, 2025

113. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
114. Grey Treepie (Dendrocitta formosae)

Nanjing, June 2025

Mammals:
7. Amur Hedgehog (Erinaceus amurensis)
8. Siberian Weasel (Mustela sibirica)

Birds:
115. Oriental Reed-warbler (Acrocephalus orientalis)

Laoshan, Nanjing, June 6, 2025

116. Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
117. Fairy Pitta (Pitta nympha)
118. Hair-crested Drongo (Dicrurus hottentottus)
119. Chinese Hwamei (Garrulax canorus)
120. Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher (Cyornis brunneatus)
 
CarnotaurusSastrei said:
This is essentially a collation of a couple birding attempts I've done at some London parks, some grad school-related fieldwork looking at invertebrate populations on the grounds of the NHM, and an ID courtesy of iNaturalist for one of the inverts I saw in Alaska
Birds
123. Coal Tit (Periparus ater)
124. Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
125. Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
126. Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
127. Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
128. Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
129. Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
130. Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
131. Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
132. Great Tit (Parus major)
133. Lesser Black-Backed Gull (Larus fuscus)

Invertebrates
22. Great Ram's Horn (Planorbarius corneus)
23. Water Hoglouse (Asellus aquaticus)
24. Mud Bithynia (Bithynia tentaculata)
25. Eurasian Water Scorpion (Nepa cinerea)
26. Cherrystone Beetle (Hyphydrus ovatus)
27. Squeak Beetle (Hygrobia hermanni)
28. Two-Spotted Lady Beetle (Adalia bipunctata)
29. Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis)
30. Common European Yellowjacket (Vespula vulgaris)
31. Northern Feather Duster Worm (Eudistylia vancouveri)

Totals: 132 Birds, 15 Mammals, 3 Reptiles, 2 Amphibians, 5 Fishes, 31 Invertebrates (188 Total)
New Life List Entries: 69 Birds, 7 Mammals, 1 Reptile, 3 Fishes, 24 Invertebrates (104 Total)
Click to expand...
Birds
134. Eurasian Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)

Invertebrates
32. Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes)
33. Ruddy Streak (Tachystola acroxantha)
34. Red-Green Carpet (Chloroclysta siterata)
35. Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba)
36. Bathroom Moth Fly (Clogmia albipunctata)
37. Holly Tortrix (Rhopobota naevana)
38. Apple Leafminer (Lyonetia clerkella)

Totals: 133 Birds, 15 Mammals, 3 Reptiles, 2 Amphibians, 5 Fishes, 38 Invertebrates (196 Total)
New Life List Entries: 70 Birds, 7 Mammals, 1 Reptile, 3 Fishes, 31 Invertebrates (112 Total)
 
KiwiBirb said:
It’s fall migration and I’ve been hitting my usual stops in North Jersey for the most part to see the usual birds. I did take one half day to go to Sandy Hook for some rare and migratory birds where I saw a continuing pair of Lark Sparrows (surprisingly not a lifer as it’s a bird I saw in the Badlands National Park before I started birding.) I did try and make it to the North End of the peninsula before I had to go but I didn’t have time to go to where a Baird’s Sandpiper and Say’s Phoebe had been spotted. Later in the week I was making a routine stop at the Oradell Reservoir when I finally hit the jackpot. A large flock of migratory birds that included Black-Throated Green Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Red-Breasted Nuthatch, Least Flycatcher, and a lifer Tennessee Warbler! The next day I went to the Closter Nature Center where there were a ton of Woodpeckers, at least 2 of every species common in my area including 18 Red-Bellied! But what counts for this challenge though would be the Wood Frog that I almost stepped on when looking straight up a Wood-Pewee. Despite no new warblers or a Sora at Garett Mountain on Saturday, Blackpoll Warbler and a Yellow-Bellied Flycatcher, my 2nd in a row at this location, are notable. Finally I was wondering if any of my fellow US birders were experiencing a high amount of Red-Breasted Nuthatches. I have recorded half a dozen already this season after only recording 2 all of last season here in NJ. Would be really cool if it was an irruption year!

Birds
271) Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)
272) Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina)

Herptiles
12) Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus)

Progress:
Mammals- 20
Birds- 272
Herptiles- 11
Total- 304
Click to expand...
With school starting up again, I haven’t been able to go birding as much, and when I have, I haven’t had the best of luck when it comes to year species. Not too many species to note in the rest of September, though I’ve been enjoying seeing many birds again, often with better looks on their fall migration with a highlight being a slightly late Wood Thrush. At the start of October I saw a major surprise- a Galah :eek: Obviously this is an escaped pet of some sort so I won’t be counting it on any lists but a major shocker for my quiet suburban neighbor. This past weekend was the Meadowlands Birding Festival and I really enjoyed it after missing it last year. The tide was not in my favor to get target species like Long-Billed Dowitcher and Sora, but at a nearby Retention Pond a Baird’s Sandpiper had been reported. I went 3 times to try and see it this weekend, the first I missed it by about 6 hours, the 2nd time I missed it by an hour and the 3rd and final time I looked I missed the Sandpiper by 10 minutes :( The Baird’s Sandpiper is not anywhere close to the most common species I’m missing in my area but it might be the first bird that I feel is truly a nemesis to me. Luckily I had better luck this week as I got a lifer Orange-Crowned Warbler in a local park after deciding not to pursue one in favor of the Baird’s Sandpiper last week.

Birds
273) Orange-Crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata)

Progress:
Mammals- 20
Birds- 273
Herptiles- 11
Total- 305
 
Trying to get back in the habit of updating this 'live' but to do that I need a catchup post for almost the whole of September so here we go.

After the Risso's Dolphin day reported in my last post, the next relevant event from the start of September was going Poland for some zooing and adding a small number of incidental species on the way:

Birds:
189. Hooded Crow - Corvus cornix
190. Caspian Gull - Larus cachinnans

Invertebrates:
60. Lesser Purple Emperor - Apatura ilia

Soon after returning I had a day with a few local stops that as well as some rare birds locally (including Glossy Ibis and Little Stint) included one new bird for the year list (Eurasian Dotterel, Fox House, Derbyshire - 14th September 2025 - ZooChat).

Birds:
191. Eurasian Dotterel - Charadrius morinellus

(UK: 184)

After this I entered a period where the wildlifing was excellent but just... didn't add new species. A bat box check with loads of bats, but all Soprano Pipistrelles apart from one Common Pipistrelle. Another day on the Yorkshire coast, awash with sea birds and an even better view of the Bottlenose Dolphins but nothing new - no migrants, common or rare. Basically wherever I went I was seeing stuff but not new stuff.

Today that changed. I was geared up for a day out with no specific place in mind - I ended up opting for the Yorkshire coast again a) because I refused to accept I couldn't find any migrants at all this year and b) because (of all things) a White-throated Needletail had been buzzing up and down that coast the last few days. I was pretty certain me being there rather than stuck in the office would ensure the needletail pushed off somewhere else (it did, of course), but, hey, you've got to be in it to win it!

Despite a (mostly) different itinerary, the day started in an eerily familiar way - lots of wildlife, nothing new. Best sighting of the morning was... Bottlenose Dolphin. Yep - not seen them in the UK as an adult before this summer, now seen them three times this year on that coast.

In the afternoon, though, the bird luck changed. A report of a Snow Bunting in a pretty specific location in Scarborough harbour gave me a target - while looking for it, I filled in one of my summer visitor gaps with a migrating wheatear, then when I found the bunting I was able to trade tips with another birder, who gave me directions to a Caspian Gull on the other side of the harbour in exchange for wheatear intel (hence the UK list catching one up and this post now chasing its own tail a bit as we only added that further up..!).

On the way back towards home, a warbler I dipped on earlier had been sighted again so I called back at South Landing and with a bit of effort I was rewarded with a brief view of it to round the day off with a slightly more 'notable' migrant.

Birds:
192. Northern Wheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe
193. Snow Bunting - Plectrophenax nivalis
194. Barred Warbler - Curruca nisoria

(UK: 188)

:)
 
At home.

Birds
339. Black-faced cuckooshrike Coracina novaehollandiae

Invertebrates
31. Crexa moth Genduara punctigera
 
Very nice bird from a very foggy Rutland Water this morning - thankfully, it was being friendly and close..!

Birds:
195. Baird's Sandpiper - Calidris bairdii

(UK:189)

:)
 
oflory said:
There has been a big influx of grey phalarope to land-locked counties in the UK this week. One of the three (!) currently in London was at Beddington Farmlands (one of my old birding patches), so I popped over to see it.
200. Grey Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius)
Click to expand...

A successful Global Big Day at Rainham Marshes on Saturday - 51 species of birds seen! But only three new for the year - plus a rather elusive little stint at Staines from today.

I also realise I have counted P. muralis twice - apologies. Marsh frog takes the 6th herp place.

Birds
201. Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)
202. Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
203. Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
204. Little Stint (Calidris minuta)

Herps
6. Marsh Frog (Pelophylax ridibundus)
 
Najade said:
26.08.25 - Neue Mitte 2 (behind Topgolf), Oberhausen, NRW, Germany

Birds (passerines)
368. Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris)
Click to expand...
13.10.25 - night drive to camp ground (207), Hosmer’s Grove campground (371-380), Maui, Hawai’i, USA

Mammals
207. Axis Deer (Axis axis)

Birds (non-passerines)
369. Hawaiian Goose (Branta sandvicensis)
370. Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus)

Birds (passerines)
371. Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
372. Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea)
373. Chinese Hwamei (Garrulax canorus)
374. Japanese Bush-warbler (Horornis diphone)
375. Warbling White-eye (Zosterops japonicus)
376. Red-crested Cardinal (Paroaria coronata)
377. ʻIʻiwi (Drepanis coccinea)
378. Hawaiʻi ʻAmakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens wilsoni)
379. ʻApapane (Himatione sanguinea)
380. Maui ʻAlauahio (Paroreomyza montana)

also Ring-necked Pheasant & House Sparrow
 
Najade said:
13.10.25 - night drive to camp ground (207), Hosmer’s Grove campground (371-380), Maui, Hawai’i, USA

Mammals
207. Axis Deer (Axis axis)

Birds (non-passerines)
369. Hawaiian Goose (Branta sandvicensis)
370. Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus)

Birds (passerines)
371. Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
372. Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea)
373. Chinese Hwamei (Garrulax canorus)
374. Japanese Bush-warbler (Horornis diphone)
375. Warbling White-eye (Zosterops japonicus)
376. Red-crested Cardinal (Paroaria coronata)
377. ʻIʻiwi (Drepanis coccinea)
378. Hawaiʻi ʻAmakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens wilsoni)
379. ʻApapane (Himatione sanguinea)
380. Maui ʻAlauahio (Paroreomyza montana)

also Ring-necked Pheasant & House Sparrow
Click to expand...
Golden Pheasant!? What are some more details on that? That's a super hard bird in Hawaii!
 
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