ZooChat Big Year 2018

Okay, saw some birds today. Was able to identify 3 out of 5 that I saw:

1. Feral pigeon (Columbia livia domestica)
2. Red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus)
3. Song sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

If it wasn’t so cold on the East Coast, I would dare to venture out more.

 

Birds

4. Canada goose Branta canadensis

 

36 House Sparrow - Passer domesticus

 

I'll do some proper birding soon, just been busy with university assignments the past few days. In the meantime, here's some sightings from the garden this morning:

Birds:
17. Eurasian Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto
18. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius
19. Fieldfare Turdus pilaris

 

Went looking for a penduline tit that has been wintering in the same spot for a while now (and that I saw last year), but because of unexpected rain it didn't come out. Did get some other birds, though!

BIRDS:
45) Great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
46) Canada goose, Branta canadensis
47) Green woodpecker, Picus viridis
48) Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
49) Common reed bunting, Emberiza schoeniclus
50) Long-tailed tit, Aegithalos caudatus
51) Little grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis
52) House sparrow, Passer domesticus
53) Eurasian blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla

MAMMALS:
1) European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus

 

“1) Common Raven.

Anybody’s guess whether the Red or Arctic Fox will be my first Mammal this year....saw several of both last year/yesterday...time, as it is want to do, will tell.

Probably tomorrow when the winds are forecasted to lay down a bit.”

My first Mammal of the year was almost a Wolverine! Missed it by minutes....if Birders can count Bird Song, I think Mammal Spotters should be about to count sign. Just sayin’...other than Bat Squeaks I mean. ;-)

Photo of trail to be posted.

 

Birds:
20. Goldcrest, Regulus regulus
21. Redwing, Turdus iliacus

 

Just a stroll around town.
44. Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
45. Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
46. Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
47. Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)

 

Birds:
22. Western Jackdaw, Coloeus monedula
23. Common Buzzard, Bueto bueto

 

Should really get to bird-watch soon! Here's an addition from my garden once again, I'm actually surprised I haven't seen them earlier:

6 - Common bulbul, Pycnonotus barbatus barbatus

 

Spent today at Frampton Marsh and gave the list a good bump (mammals are off to a stormer this year - my previous best for the 4th day was three and in most years it's been one...):

Birds:
53. Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo
54. Barnacle Goose - Branta leucopsis
55. Northern Shoveler - Spatula clypeata
56. Greylag Goose - Anser anser
57. Northern Pintail - Anas acuta
58. European Golden Plover - Pluvialis apricaria
59. Common Shelduck - Tadorna tadorna
60. Whooper Swan - Cygnus cygnus
61. Little Egret - Egretta garzetta
62. Eurasian Curlew - Numenius arquata
63. European Stonechat - Saxicola rubicola
64. Brent Goose - Branta bernicla
65. Common Redshank - Tringa totanus
66. Greater Black-backed Gull - Larus marinus
67. Black-tailed Godwit - Limosa limosa
68. Eurasian Skylark - Alauda arvensis
69. Dunlin - Calidris alpina
70. Meadow Pipit - Anthus pratensis
71. Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus

Mammals:
4. Brown Hare - Lepus europaeus
5. Bank Vole - Myodes glareolus
6. Reeves' Muntjac - Muntiacus reevesi

 

37 Gadwall - Mareca strepera
38 Common Goldeneye - Bucephala clangula
39 Hooded Merganser - Lophodytes cucullatus
40 Pied-billed Grebe - Podilymbus podiceps
41 Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus
42 Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus
43 American Coot - Fulica americana

 

Birds
4. Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
5. House sparrow (Passer domesticus)
6. Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura)
7. European starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

 

Birds:
1) Common Raven

Mammals:
*Wolverine (reported sighting confirmed by track trail)
1) Arctic Fox

 

the menace of my father's koi pond returned this morning.
Birds:
24. Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea

 

5/1/2018
78. red winged parrot
79. blue faced honeyeater

 

BIRDS:
54) Redwing, Turdus iliacus

First time I've seen one of these in my backyard!

 

Actually saw this one yesterday with the other waterfowl but somehow I missed adding it to my eBird checklist

44 Wood Duck - Aix sponsa

 

Had a good day of birding today at Abberton Reservoir where I added another twenty species of birds to my year list:

46. Great crested grebe Podiceps cristatus
47. Common pochard Aythya ferina (Vu)
48. Smew Mergellus albellus
49. Common gull Larus canus
50. Eurasian teal Anas crecca
51. Northern shoveler Spatula clypeata
52. Common goldeneye Bucephala clangula
53. Egyptian goose Alopochen aegyptiaca
54. Eurasian curlew Numenius arquata (NT)
55. Common shelduck Tadorna tadorna
56. Northern pintail Anas acuta
57. Common goosander Mergus merganser
58. European stonechat Saxicola rubicola
59. Great black-backed gull Larus marinus
60. Meadow pipit Anthus pratensis (NT)
61. Eurasian wigeon Mareca penelope
62. Gadwall Mareca strepera
63. Pied wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii
64. Northern lapwing Vanellus vanellus (NT)
65. Common shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis

 

Went out again at lunch to try for some more waterfowl. There had been reports of Trumpeter Swans yesterday, but alas they were gone today.

BIRDS:
45 Northern Pintail - Anas acuta
46 Green-winged Teal - Anas crecca
47 Canvasback - Aythya valisineria
48 Ring-necked Duck - Aythya collaris
49 Greater Scaup - Aythya marila
50 Lesser Scaup - Aythya affinis
51 Bufflehead - Bucephala albeola
52 Common Merganser - Mergus merganser
53 Ruddy Duck - Oxyura jamaicensis
54 Eastern Bluebird - Sialia sialis
55 House Finch - Haemorhous mexicanus
56 American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis