ZooChat Challenge UK 2015

Three words once more: Birds Of Prey.

Eagles, Falcons, Owls, Secretary Birds (who doesn't love them?), Vultures et al.

I've pondered long and hard again to come up with a challenge "with legs" and hope I've cracked it this time (I didn't anticipate Hevden's drive last year!). I also fancied moving away from mammals for a change.

I've tried to create a marathon, rather than a sprint, again and hopefully this one will keep running for a little longer than last year's. The winner will most likely need to be someone who's well traveled and is as happy to visit some obscure little collections as well as the big places. Whilst a handful of excellent larger (bird specialist) collections will give someone a substantial score I believe it'll be "picking up" extra species over a large number of collections that will ultimately decide the winner. As per last year, I'm hoping a number of lesser-visited places gain some benefit, exposure and (where appropriate) appreciation as a result of this year's challenge.

An interesting random factor this year is that I find that new birds of prey species often "pop up"/appear from nowhere, especially at smaller collections, so it's likely that the number and types of species on show at the start of the year will be different to that at the end.

Whilst certain collections (such as "Newent" and a couple of others) will most likely be needed to be visited to underpin chances of winning a combination of many species being represented in a number of collections and some species only being present at a small number of places means that there is most likely more than one way of winning this challenge. Hopefully this helps smooth out geographical advantages to a some extent though I can see that living in the South-east is probably a little disadvantageous and, as always, the Midlands, turns out a good base-point. Unfortunately a little geographical bias is unavoidable as I can't physically shift the Midlands (if I could move land I'd bring Northern Ireland close enough for a bridge first so I could visit Belfast more often).

For the record I'm not expecting anyone to see all possible species in the year (then again I didn't last year)-they'd have to be very obsessive and time and money rich to cover all the traveling (and have no inclination to use those resources to travel outside the UK). As always, I'm hoping it'll be a fun challenge that many can get involved in.

As always, I'm keeping the challenge to a species level as I don't want to get bogged down in the quagmire of debating validity of sub-species and/or genetic purity of specific animals (Eagle Owls anyone?). Taxonomy is not the greatest strength of mine so I'll rely on others to challenge anyone trying to sneak sub-species in and, if necessary, I'll take appropriate counsel for assistance on any related debates. My decision on any of these squabbles is "final" (subject to better evidence being presented and new scientific findings).

To be honest I'm not sure of the (current) maximum number of species potentially viewable in the UK. Please accept my apologies for this but I've been away most of Christmas and December at work was "crazy busy". I'm sure someone will come along with a summary in due course.

For clarification, rules are as follows:

1. You have to actually see the animal, even if just for a second. You don't score if you visit a collection but don't see the animal (harsh, but fair);
2. Proof via photographs is not required, your word is your bond;
3. You have to see the animal via normal public access (i.e. not including zookeeper for the day or photography days behind the scenes) during normal public opening hours (i.e. no scoring because you know the keeper and can get access before/after hours). Basically the species has to be seen as Joe Public would;
4. Any severely limited opening or private collections (e.g. Heythrop, WHF, and any similar collections or refuges) don't count for this challenge. Controversial I know, but see previous point and I didn't think it fair to include a handful of days these collections might be open to the public as this might logistically disadvantage a large number of people;
5. Report/update your progress on this thread as you go along (let's say mandatory reporting from fifteen species and above);
6. Except for the unlikely event that someone gets to see all the species potentially seeable by 31/12/15 the winner will be deemed to be the person(s) who's seen the most at that date;
7. My (final) decision is final but I'm open to discussion and debate on any specific points.

Right, do your Zootierliste research, get your atlases out and Satnavs/smart phones set, go!!

Finally, can Hevden please get in touch and let me know their address so I can arrange delivery of 2014's trophy?

 

Excellent choice again. I seriously doubt anyone will get all species this time and actually calculating the available total will be difficult considering how easy it is to buy/sell and exchange species especially within smaller collections. It may also be necessary to make multiple visits to see birds held offshow and used only in displays.

 

An excellent choice Shorts .

Although I did not go public with my tally on last year's Challenge , as I had no expectation of winning , I did keep a list going and deliberately visited some collections for their Old-world primates , reaching a pleasing total of 55 species .

In terms of 2015 I have had a look at Zootierliste and seen one intriguing entry - lammergeier for Warwick Castle Falconry . I have had a look at their web-site , their Gallery does not show the lammergeier but does have a lot of very nice species - Stellers sea-eagle , Andean condor , lappet-faced and white-headed vulture , African crowned , martial and Bonelli's eagles amongst many others .

I am wondering if they have a display area at the Castle for their birds or whether you can only view the birds when flown , or even if they hold many of the birds elsewhere . Can anyone help on this ?

 

The lammergeier is not there Bele, I went in 2013 with Zoogiraffe, Agile Gibbon and Javan Rhino.

Birds can be seen when they are not flying but admission to the castle
is expensive.

 

My cousin went late last year and the lammergier was in the display. There are some birds on show but the are others used in the displays that are held offshow.

 

I was hoping to complete in this challenge but due to some of the locations it will be hard to do so with public transport

All the best to those who chose to take part and hope you enjoy the challenge.

 

Not being able to compete doesn't exclude you from taking part! There can only be one winner.
Unless someone shows the dedication of last year's wwinners, I doubt anyone will get the lot.
I haven't the slightest chance this year, as I'm not going to travel a long distance to visit a bird of prey centre and there are none near me. But I will still post my total once I get past 15(if only so people can laugh!).
I was never going to win last year, but I got to 59 and would've had several more if I hadn't cancelled my summer holiday & missed out on Paignton & monkeyworld.
I'm sure you will get more from 2 bird centres than I will from visiting 20 'zoos' during the year!

 

Question for TLD
Does the 133 require a trip to that place in Somerset? If so it might require some competitors to borrow a young child for the day if they don't have any of their own!

 

Well seeing as nobody has posted what they have for the year yet,I will give people a target to start to shoot away at!!
All these are from a quick visit to Chester Zoo on the 1st January.

1) Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) at Chester Zoo
2) Eurasian Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus) at Chester Zoo
3) White-faced Scops Owl (Ptilopsis leucotis) at Chester Zoo
4) Brown Wood Owl (Strix leptogrammica) at Chester Zoo
5) Ural Owl (Strix uralensis) at Chester Zoo
6) Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa lapponica) at Chester Zoo
7) Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) at Chester Zoo
8) Spectacled Owl (Pulsatrix perspicillata) at Chester Zoo

Right so that a starting point for people,which should last until somebody visits a Falconry Centre.

 

The stock is changed round,with the off-show breeding area and rest area,that the Falconers maintain in North Yorkshire!So what is at Warwick can change from week to week as a result

 

Do wild species also count as anyone can see them at anytime just a query.

 

No, for the same reason that barely open collections and "keeper favours" are not allowed -I'm trying to make the playing field as level as possible and allowing them would mean people living in certain areas have potentially significant unfair advantages.

Plus it is 2015 ZooChat UK Challange .

 

sorry but I thought I would ask (I understand why) just trying to be a little cheeky really.

 

For those who are interested I have just posted directions by public transport to Hagley Falconry Centre here

http://www.zoochat.com/38/uk-collections-public-transport-guide-348503/index6.html

comment #84 hope it helps

 

Is that an especially good collection? Because if so, I've gotten lucky, it's long walk or a short drive for me, if I can get a lift.

I really enjoy these challenges, they make me look at things are usually skim.

 

Back from a wonderful day at Hagley Falconry centre so here is my starting list for the Zoochat Challenge 2015.

Great to see my first Stellers sea eagle and what a bird it was so beautiful and so very well built (would like it to land on my arm or wrist as it will be trained for displays).

My favourite bird just gets better looking every time I see her she is now nearly 8 years old and soon be ready for breeding so here’s hoping (can’t say any more on here sorry)
The place itself is looking great now with most of the aviaries now refurbished (like Dudley zoo all done by themselves).

It was great to watch Itchy (6 year old Saker falcon) in the display area and how different the birds look close up to when they are in aviaries or on the standing areas.

SPECIES SEEN TODAY -

01 - African fish eagle
02 - African spotted eagle-owl
03 - American kestrel
04 - Barn owl
05 - Bateleur eagle
06 - Bengal eagle-owl
07 - Black kite
08 - Buzzard
09 - Chaco owl
10 - Chilean blue buzzard-eagle
11 - Crested caracara
12 - Ferruginous hawk
13 - Golden eagle
14 - Harris hawk
15 - Himalayan vulture – (the only one held within the UK)
16 - Little owl
17 - Long-eared owl
18 - Northern goshawk
19 - Peregrine falcon
Raven
20 - Red-tailed hawk
21 - Rüppell’s griffon vulture
22 - Saker falcon
23 - Snowy owl
24 - Spectacled owl
25 - Straited caracara
26 - Stellers sea-eagle
27 - Tawny eagle
28 - Turkey vulture
29 - Turkmenian eagle-owl
30 - White-headed vulture


HYBRIDS –

Gyr x peregrine falcon
Gyr x saker falcon
Hobby x peregrine falcon
Merlin x peregrine falcon

OFF SHOW FOR BREEDING PURPOSES –

Steppe eagle
Bald eagle
Brown wood owl
Lanner falcon
European eagle-owl
Aplomado falcon

 

I didn't pay attention to the rules on hybrids last year, but this year there will be rather more, they don't count, correct?