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ZooChat Big Year 2020

Discussion in 'Wildlife & Nature Conservation' started by Chlidonias, 31 Dec 2019.

  1. Yoshistar888

    Yoshistar888 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    11 Aug 2019
    Posts:
    1,342
    Location:
    Melbourne, Australia
    April FOOLS
     
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  2. MRJ

    MRJ Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

    Joined:
    29 Jan 2008
    Posts:
    2,490
    Location:
    Melbourne
    I want to be on what he is on :)
     
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  3. Yoshistar888

    Yoshistar888 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    11 Aug 2019
    Posts:
    1,342
    Location:
    Melbourne, Australia
    They won’t count for my total since obviously I didn’t see them. I am still at 88.
     
  4. KevinB

    KevinB Well-Known Member 5+ year member

    Joined:
    11 Apr 2015
    Posts:
    2,292
    Location:
    Flanders
    More seen in and around are garden in the last few days.

    Our garden definitely isn't very ecologically designed or wildlife-friendly and the area we live in, while relatively rural, isn't exactly optimal for wildlife, so I am kind of surprised at how much I have seen lately, just within or from our garden. Yes, they may all be relatively common species, but it is nice to see them nonetheless. Once you do start to pay some attention to it you can actually see quite a lot, it seems. So I'm definitely going to continue doing that.

    26-03-2020 - Heist-op-den-Berg, Antwerp province, Flanders, Belgium

    BIRDS

    18 - Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

    28-03-2020 - Heist-op-den-Berg, Antwerp province, Flanders, Belgium

    BIRDS

    19 - Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
    20 - Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

    INVERTEBRATES
    4 - European honey bee (Apis mellifera)
    5 - Common wasp/Common yellow-jacket (Vespula vulgaris)
    6 - Black garden ant (Lasius niger)
    7 - Yellow meadow ant (Lasius flavus)
    8 - Common rough woodlouse (Porcellio scaber)

    Not countable towards tally
    I also saw several individuals of what I believe was a species of hoverfly (Family Syrphidae of the Order Diptera), but I was unable to identify the species and couldn't get a picture to ask someone to help me identify these.

    30-03-2020 - Heist-op-den-Berg, Antwerp province, Flanders, Belgium

    BIRDS

    21 - Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula). [2 males seen pecking in the lawn early in the morning.]

    04-01-2020 - Heist-op-den-Berg, Antwerp province, Flanders, Belgium
    BIRDS

    22 - Northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) [As I was taking care of the chickens and reading on the terrace I heard them calling all the time, and finally I did see one flying around engaged in its mating season display flight.]

    INVERTEBRATES
    9 - Common earthworm/Nightcrawler (Lumbricus terrestris)
    10 - Ground beetle Poecilus versicolor

     
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  5. Mr. Zootycoon

    Mr. Zootycoon Well-Known Member 5+ year member

    Joined:
    3 Jun 2015
    Posts:
    1,193
    Location:
    probably in a zoo
    That's one of the fun things about wildlife-watching. Once you start paying attention you will see that wildlife is all around you. Before you know it you can't stop, and a quick stroll through the neighbourhood soon becomes a birding session. You'll learn where the local thrushes and finches like to sing, where the flocks of sparrows and doves like to forage, and which spots might produce something unexpected, like migrating warblers or wintering waterfowl.

    In the Netherlands, birding is still allowed if you do it alone (or with two people at most) and keep reasonable distance to others. Birding, for me, is a good way to cope with everything that is going on in the world, especially in these scary times. Today I was walking along the reed beds and marshes at one of my favourite spots. All around me I heard the melodious songs of bluethroads, buntings and warblers. Pairs of grebes were dancing on the lake in their gorgeous breeding plumage. The first swallows fluttered through the sky, joined by the silhouette of a peregrine. For a precious few hours the whole Covid-19 crisis might just as well not be happening, and I'm very grateful for those few hours.

    Of course, it's also good for my year list!

    Birds
    141. Ruff, Calidris pugnax
    142. Green Sandpiper, Tringa ochropus
    143. Little Ringed Plover, Charadrius dubius
    144. Ruddy Shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea
    145. Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica
    146. Bluethroat, Luscinia svecica
    147. Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis
    148. Common Snipe, Gallinago gallinago

    Invertebrates
    12. Yellow Dung Fly, Scathophaga stercoraria
    13. Small White, Pieris rapae
    14. Tree Bumblebee, Bombus hypnorum
    15. Museum Beetle, Anthrenus museorum
    16. Firebug, Pyrrhocoris apterus
    17. Cochlicopa lubrica
    18. Bridge Spider, Larinoides sclopetarius
    19. Ashy Mining Bee, Andrena cineraria
    20. European Peacock, Aglais io
    21. 7-spot Ladybird, Coccinella septempuctata
     
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  6. birdsandbats

    birdsandbats Well-Known Member 5+ year member

    Joined:
    17 Sep 2017
    Posts:
    11,354
    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Birds
    94. American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
     
  7. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    13 Jun 2007
    Posts:
    23,395
    Location:
    New Zealand
    It's the start of April, so here are the latest numbers. I have a feeling that the whole year is going to be low for everyone...



    BIRDS:

    MRJ – 283
    Dannelboyz – 201
    Hix – 198
    carl the birder – 175
    Vision – 151
    Mr. Zootycoon – 148
    Maguari – 141
    boof – 117
    animal_expert01 – 115
    lintworm – 106
    KevinVar – 102
    Mehdi – 100
    WhistlingKite24 – 94
    birdsandbats – 94
    Junklekitteb – 92
    Yoshistar888 – 88
    oflory – 85
    Ituri – 83
    TeaLovingDave – 74
    DesertRhino150 – 68
    Birdlover – 63
    Najade – 60
    Chlidonias – 54
    Crowthorne – 43
    Macaw16 – 35
    Coelacanth18 – 35
    amur leopard – 27
    KevinB – 22
    Luca Bronzi – 21
    Jungle Man – 18
    Pleistohorse – 3
    DavidBrown – 2
    CGSwans – 1


    MAMMALS:

    MRJ – 31
    carl the birder – 28
    Dannelboyz – 23
    Maguari – 14
    Hix – 12
    TeaLovingDave – 10
    Mr. Zootycoon – 10
    Najade – 10
    Crowthorne – 8
    birdsandbats – 8
    Yoshistar888 – 7
    animal_expert01 – 7
    lintworm – 7
    KevinVar – 7
    Vision – 7
    WhistlingKite24 – 6
    oflory – 6
    Junklekitteb – 5
    DesertRhino150 – 5
    Birdlover – 4
    Macaw16 – 4
    Ituri – 3
    Coelacanth18 – 3
    amur leopard – 2
    Chlidonias – 1
    Pleistohorse – 1
    Mehdi – 1
    DavidBrown – 1
    Jungle Man – 1
    KevinB – 1


    HERPTILES:

    MRJ – 17 Herptiles total (16 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
    Dannelboyz – 13 Herptiles total (11 Reptiles, 2 Amphibians)
    WhistlingKite24 – 10 Herptiles total (9 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
    animal_expert01 – 9 Herptiles total (7 Reptiles, 2 Amphibians)
    Hix – 8 Herptiles total (7 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
    Jungle Man – 5 Herptiles total (4 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
    Mehdi – 5 Herptiles total (5 Reptiles, 0 Amphibians)
    Junklekitteb – 4 Herptiles total (4 Reptiles, 0 Amphibians)
    Yoshistar888 – 4 Herptiles total (4 Reptiles, 0 Amphibians)
    Najade – 4 Herptiles total (0 Reptiles, 4 Amphibians)
    Luca Bronzi – 1 Herptile total (1 Reptile, 0 Amphibians)
    Ituri – 1 Herptile total (1 Reptile, 0 Amphibians)
    Mr. Zootycoon – 1 Herptile total (0 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
    oflory – 1 Herptile total (1 Reptile, 0 Amphibians)
    KevinB – 1 Herptile total (0 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
    Vision – 1 Herptile total (0 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)
    Maguari – 1 Herptile total (0 Reptiles, 1 Amphibian)


    FISH:

    animal_expert01 – 22
    Yoshistar888 – 6
    Dannelboyz – 3
    Hix – 3
    WhistlingKite24 – 2
    MRJ – 2
    Maguari – 1
    Vision – 1
    Birdlover – 1
    birdsandbats – 1


    INVERTEBRATES:

    WhistlingKite24 – 42
    Mr. Zootycoon – 21
    MRJ – 17
    KevinB – 10
    Dannelboyz – 8
    Yoshistar888 – 5
    Vision – 5
    animal_expert01 – 3
    Mehdi – 3
    lintworm – 2
    DesertRhino150 – 1
    Luca Bronzi – 1
    Maguari – 1
     
  8. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    13 Jun 2007
    Posts:
    23,395
    Location:
    New Zealand
    And here are the mammals seen so far:


    Short-beaked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus

    Agile Antechinus Antechinus agilis
    Dusky Antechinus Antechinus swainsonii
    Fat-tailed Dunnart Sminthopsis crassicaudata
    Common Wombat Vombatus ursinus
    Koala Phascolarctos cinereus
    Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula
    Mountain Brushtail Possum Trichosurus cunninghami
    Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus
    Southern Greater Glider Petauroides volans
    Yellow-bellied Glider Petaurus australis
    Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps
    Eastern Pigmy Possum Cercartetus nanus
    Musky Rat Kangaroo Hypsiprymnodon moschatus
    Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus
    Eastern Wallaroo Macropus robustus
    Red-necked Wallaby Macropus rufogriseus
    Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor
    Mareeba Rock Wallaby Petrogale mareeba
    Red-legged Pademelon Thylogale stigmatica
    Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus lumholtzi

    Grey-headed Flying Fox Pteropus poliocephalus
    Black Flying Fox Pteropus alecto
    Spectacled Flying Fox Pteropus conspicillatus
    Little Red Flying Fox Pteropus scapulatus
    Big-eared Flying Fox Pteropus macrotis
    Large Flying Fox Pteropus vampyrus
    Indian Flying Fox Pteropus giganteus
    Island Flying Fox Pteropus hypomelanus
    White-striped Free-tailed Bat Tadarida australis
    Western Barbastelle Barbastella barbastellus
    Lesser Long-eared Bat Nyctophilus geoffroyi

    Greater White-toothed Shrew Crocidura russula

    Lesser Tree Shrew Tupaia minor
    Mountain Tree Shrew Tupaia montana

    Grey Slender Loris Loris lydekkerianus
    Tufted Grey Langur Semnopithecus priam
    Purple-faced Langur Trachypithecus vetulus
    Silvered Langur Trachypithecus cristatus
    Proboscis Monkey Nasalis larvatus
    Pig-tailed Macaque Macaca nemestrina
    Crab-eating (Long-tailed) Macaque Macaca fascicularis
    Toque Macaque Macaca sinica
    Bonnet Macaque Macaca radiata
    Bornean Orangutan Pongo pygmaeus

    European Brown Hare Lepus europaeus
    Mountain Hare Lepus timidus
    Indian (Black-naped) Hare Lepus nigricollis
    European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus
    Eastern Cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus

    Eastern Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger
    Eastern Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis
    Eurasian Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris
    Variegated Squirrel Sciurus variegatoides
    American Red Squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
    Eastern Chipmunk Tamias striatus
    Prevost's Squirrel Callosciurus prevostii
    Plantain Squrrel Callosciurus notatus
    Bornean Black-banded Squirrel Callosciurus orestes
    Bornean Pigmy Squirrel Exiliscirus exilis
    Variable Giant Squirrel Ratufa affinis
    Grizzled Giant Squirrel Ratufa macroura
    Bornean Mountain Ground Squirrel Dremomys everetti
    Shrew-faced Ground Squirrel Rhinosciurus laticaudatus
    Three-striped Palm Squirrel Funambulus palmarum
    Flame-striped Jungle Squirrel Funambulus layardi
    Dusky Striped Squirrel Funambulus obscurus
    Barbary Ground Squirrel Atlantoxerus getulus

    Black Rat Rattus rattus
    Asian House Rat Rattus tanezumi
    Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus
    Mueller's Rat Sundamys muelleri
    House Mouse Mus musculus / domesticus
    Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus
    Yellow-necked Mouse Apodemus flavicollis
    Bank Vole Myodes glareolus
    Common Vole Microtus arvalis
    Meadow Vole Microtus pennsylvanicus
    Common Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus

    Asian Elephant Elephas maximus

    Feral Donkey Equus africanus

    Feral Water Buffalo Bubalus bubalis

    (European) Elk Alces alces
    (American) Moose Alces (alces) americanus
    Red Deer Cervus elaphus
    Sambar Cervus (Rusa) unicolor
    White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus
    Chital (Spotted Deer Axis axis
    European Fallow Deer Dama dama
    European Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus
    Chinese Water Deer Hydropotes inermis
    Red Muntjac Muntiacus muntjak
    Reeves' Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi
    Greater Mouse Deer Tragulus napu
    Sri Lanka Spotted Chevrotain Moschiola meminna

    Indian Wild Pig Sus scrofa (cristatus)
    Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus
    Spinner Dolphin Stenella longirostris
    Common Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus

    Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus
    Golden Jackal Canis aureus
    Red Fox Vulpes vulpes
    Common Raccoon Procyon lotor
    Least Weasel Mustela nivalis
    Stoat Mustela erminea
    Beech Marten Martes foina
    European Otter Lutra lutra
    Ruddy Mongoose Herpestes smithii
    Indian Grey Mongoose Herpestes edwardsi
    Small-toothed Palm Civet Arctogalidia trivirgata (Bornean Striped Palm Civet A. stigmatica if split)
    Malay Civet Viverra tangalunga

    Harbour or Common Seal Phoca vitulina
    Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus
    Australian Fur Seal Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus
     
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  9. Dannelboyz

    Dannelboyz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    19 Feb 2013
    Posts:
    239
    Location:
    East Gippsland, VIC, AUS
    I was in Terrick-Terrick NP for fieldwork this week. After 15 hours of searching, I picked up what is probably the best bird I've ever seen in terms of rarity and uniqueness! It was a male with two chicks as well. Vic tick #333!

    BIRDS

    202 - Horsfield's Bushlark (Mirafra javanica)
    203 - Chestnut-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza uropygialis)
    204 - Western Gerygone (Gerygone fusca)
    205 - White-browed Babbler (Pomatostomus superciliosus)
    206 - Restless Flycatcher (Myiagra inquieta)
    207 - Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius)
    208 - Gilbert's Whistler (Pachycephala inornata)
    209 - Diamond Firetail (Stagonopleura guttata)
    210 - Plains-wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus)
    211 - Collared Sparrowhawk (Accipiter cirrocephalus)

    REPTILES
    12 - Boulenger's Skink (Morethia boulengeri)
     
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  10. MRJ

    MRJ Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

    Joined:
    29 Jan 2008
    Posts:
    2,490
    Location:
    Melbourne
    Interesting to see the swamphens charge out of the water to challenge it as it flew into a tree near the wetland, even though it was high up a tree and 100 times a better flyer than they are.

    284. Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrocephalus
     
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  11. lintworm

    lintworm Well-Known Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    27 Oct 2008
    Posts:
    5,498
    Location:
    Europe
    Went looking for Bluethroats close to a newly developed nature area, but naturally didn't find them (whereas everyone seems to see them :p). Did manage some other nice birds, I was particularly happy with the partridges as I hadn't seen them for quite some time in my local area and now there was a group of four running around, calling and chasing each other.

    Also saw my 3rd butterfly species and I found some snails while gardening.

    107. European Partridge
    108. Little Ringed Plover
    109. Water Pipit

    Invertebrates
    3. Peacock Butterfly
    4. Two-lipped Door Snail (Alinda biplicata)
    5. Common Garden Snail
    6. Hairy Snail (Trochulus hispidus)

    With this Coronavirus I am birdwatching a lot more in the Netherlands than I normally used to and have now found about 100 different species within 10 km from my house, but it has never taken me this long to see a Green Woodpecker (I hear them daily) or, when compared to recent years, a Common Kingfisher or Common Raven.
     
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  12. lintworm

    lintworm Well-Known Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    27 Oct 2008
    Posts:
    5,498
    Location:
    Europe

    Complaining about not seeing species helps :p, saw 2 Green Woodpeckers on todays walk.

    110. European Green Woodpecker
    111. Willow Warbler
     
    Last edited: 2 Apr 2020
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  13. Mr. Zootycoon

    Mr. Zootycoon Well-Known Member 5+ year member

    Joined:
    3 Jun 2015
    Posts:
    1,193
    Location:
    probably in a zoo
    Are you sure about that one? Wood Warblers in the first half of April are extremely scarce, and they have never been recorded (with evidence) this early. Do you mean Willow Warbler?
     
  14. lintworm

    lintworm Well-Known Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    27 Oct 2008
    Posts:
    5,498
    Location:
    Europe
    Should have been Willow Warbler (Fitis) indeed.
     
  15. birdsandbats

    birdsandbats Well-Known Member 5+ year member

    Joined:
    17 Sep 2017
    Posts:
    11,354
    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Birds
    95. Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
     
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  16. carl the birder

    carl the birder Well-Known Member 5+ year member

    Joined:
    6 Oct 2018
    Posts:
    496
    Location:
    sweden
    i frogot to ad a smal list of things from boarnio
    birds
    176 bornean black magpie Platysmurus aterrimus split or no split ?
    177 yellow belied warbler Abroscopus superciliaris
    reptile
    1 saltwater crocodile
    2 asian water monitor
    3 mangrove snake

    []4 paradise flying snake
    +some skinks i am trying to id
     
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  17. MRJ

    MRJ Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

    Joined:
    29 Jan 2008
    Posts:
    2,490
    Location:
    Melbourne
    Looking at @Chlidonias's list above I was reflecting on how many more animals I'm likely to see this year, especially if the current shutdown and ban on travel extends towards the end of the year.

    I was very lucky to get a wonderful trip to Sri Lanka in February before the shutdowns really swung closed. It added 203 birds to this list. That leaves 80 species seen locally, of which about 10 are most unlikely to be seen at Moonlit Sanctuary. Based on records I'd expect to see around 100 species resident or moving through Moonlit over a year, so about 30 more to see.

    Mammals I'd expect to see three more, but up to 10 are possible. There are reports of platypus or water rats in the creek so that will definately be worth looking into.

    I'd have good chances of seeing up to 5 reptiles and 4 frogs, but not as it gets colder.

    We know we have about 6 or 7 resident fish species, but I'd need a net to identify them.

    Lastly invertebrates which probably count in their hundreds, but how to identify them?
     
    Last edited: 3 Apr 2020
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  18. birdsandbats

    birdsandbats Well-Known Member 5+ year member

    Joined:
    17 Sep 2017
    Posts:
    11,354
    Location:
    Wisconsin
    If you want help identifying wildlife, I recommend joining iNaturalist.org.
     
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  19. birdsandbats

    birdsandbats Well-Known Member 5+ year member

    Joined:
    17 Sep 2017
    Posts:
    11,354
    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Birds
    96. Common Loon Gavia immer
    97. Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
     
  20. carl the birder

    carl the birder Well-Known Member 5+ year member

    Joined:
    6 Oct 2018
    Posts:
    496
    Location:
    sweden
    a local rairty turnd up close to me(not so rare that lot of birders went to it) besids my group meayby 8 birders. + i mist a tundra swan that some of my group saw. so probeby not geting that on this year
    178 pink footed goose
    179 greater white fronted goose
    180 eurasian wigeon
    181 northen pintaill
    182 eurasian teal
    183 western marsh harrier
    184 eurasian crane
    185 woodlark
    186 eurasian skylark
    187 mistle thrush
    188 european stonchat
    189 meadow pipit
    190 common reed bunting