Join our zoo community

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
    Some inverts seen over the last few days.

    Invertebrates

    186. Green Grocer (cyclochila australasiae)
    187. Australian Sheep Blow Fly (lucilia cuprina)
    188. Common Brown Crane Fly (Leptotarsus costalis)
    189. Black Spotted Thwatesia (Thwaitesia nigronodosa)
    190. Orange Caterpillar Wasp (Netelia producta)
    191. Orange Fruit Borer (Isotenes miserana)

    192. Brown Blowfly (calliphora stygia)
    193. Grey Wall Jumping Spider (Menemerus bivittatus)
    194. White Winged Orbweaver (araneus albotriangulus)
     
    MRJ likes this.
  2. MRJ

    MRJ Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

    Joined:
    29 Jan 2008
    Posts:
    2,490
    Location:
    Melbourne
    With restrictions finally lifted, I decided to get away for a couple of days, and try an area I have never really birded in, the Mallee. So we headed to Ouyen yesterday, Sunday, will stay tonight and head back tomorrow. I'll therefore have two mornings in Hattah-Kulkyne National Park plus a bit extra. The following is this mornings, plus some stuff we saw on the way up. A lot of it is new as the mallee has always been "drive through" in the past.

    Mammals

    42. Red kangaroo Osphranter rufus
    43. Red fox Vulpes vulpes

    Birds

    320. Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae
    321. Square-tailed kite Lophoictinia isura
    322. Rainbow bee-eater Merops ornatus
    323. Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus
    324. Red-rumped parrot Psephotus haematonotus
    325. Splendid fairywren Malurus splendens
    326. Yellow-plumed honeyeater Ptilotula ornata
    327. Chestnut-rumped thornbill Acanthiza uropygialis
    328. Southern whiteface Aphelocephala leucopsis
    329. Rufous fieldwren Calamanthus campestris
    330. Red-lored whistler Pachycephala rufogularis
    331. White-breasted woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus
    332. Masked woodswallow Atamus personatus
    333. White-browed woodswallow Artamus superciliosus
    334. Australian raven Corvus coronoides
    335. Apostlebird Struthidea cinerea
    336. Red-capped robin Petroica goodenovii
     
  3. Mr. Zootycoon

    Mr. Zootycoon Well-Known Member 5+ year member

    Joined:
    3 Jun 2015
    Posts:
    1,193
    Location:
    probably in a zoo
    Unexpectedly I came across a new bird species for the year list in my local patch! Redpolls (outside invasion years) are very scarce here, so it was definitely a nice surprise to find a flock of them hanging out in a stand of birches.

    Birds
    231. Lesser Redpoll, Acanthis cabaret
     
    Mehdi likes this.
  4. Dannelboyz

    Dannelboyz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    19 Feb 2013
    Posts:
    239
    Location:
    East Gippsland, VIC, AUS
    Nice one! Budgies and ST Kite are great gets :) Did you head into north Wyperfeld or did you get into Murray-Sunset for the RL Whistler?
     
    MRJ likes this.
  5. Yoshistar888

    Yoshistar888 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    11 Aug 2019
    Posts:
    1,342
    Location:
    Melbourne, Australia
    More inverts from in and around school also a couple identifications of inverts seen earlier in the week, today was an especially productive day.


    195. Golden Tailed Sugar Ant (camponotus aeneopilosus)
    196. Minute Two Spotted Ladybug (Diomus notescens)
    197. Red and Blue Beetle (Dicranolaius bellulus)
    198. Red Scratcher (Popplepsalta rubristrigata)
    199. Small Bassian Ambertail (Yoyetta landsboroughi)
    200. Torpedo Bug (siphanta acuta)
    201. Spotted Gum Lerp Psyllid (Eucalyptolyma maideni)
    202. Marbled Bird Dropping Spider (Celaenia calotoides)
     
    MRJ likes this.
  6. MRJ

    MRJ Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

    Joined:
    29 Jan 2008
    Posts:
    2,490
    Location:
    Melbourne
    I know what you are getting at. RL Whistlers "aren't found" in Hattah-Kalkyne.

    So here is the lowdown. The bird was observed on the Konardin Track. We were obviously on the lookout for Gilbert's whistlers, and thought this was one, however it did not quite look right. Myself, I probably would have thought it a slightly strange Gilberts and recorded it as such. However my friend who is much better at diagnostics than me (a former museum curator, amongst other things) is convinced it is a red-lored. There is also a record on E-bird near where we saw this bird, albeit quite old. So for the moment I am accepting it, but may change given additional information and consideration.

    However it hardly matters, in that I don't share my observations except here. Whatever it is, Gilberts or red-lored, it is a new species for me so does not really affect my list or this thread.

    Yes both yesterday and today were great, it is a fantastic place for birds.
     
    Dannelboyz and Yoshistar888 like this.
  7. MRJ

    MRJ Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

    Joined:
    29 Jan 2008
    Posts:
    2,490
    Location:
    Melbourne
    More observations from Hattah-Kalkyne. A great morning for parrots. Counting species we saw on the drive there and back we saw a total of 12 parrot species during the trip. We also spent a little time at Bronzewing Reserve, including spotlighting. It did not add anything to the total except for feral cats, 4 in one hour. The local small mammal and reptile population would not stand a chance.

    Mammals

    44. Western grey kangaroo Macropus fuliginosus
    45. Cat (feral) Felis catus

    Birds

    337. Black-tailed native-hen Tribonyx ventralis
    338. Brown falcon Falco berigora
    339. Nankeen kestrel Falco cenchroides (Seen at Bronzewing)
    340. Major Mitchell's cockatoo Lophochroa leadbeateri
    341. Australian ringneck Barnardius zonarius
    342. Regent parrot Polytelis anthopeplus
    343. Mulga parrot Psephotus varius
    344. Inland thornbill Acanthiza apicalis
    345. Chestnut-crowned babbler Pomatostomus ruficeps

    There are a couple of lizards to identify which I will add later. A great place, sad it is a 7 hour drive away.
     
    Last edited: 17 Nov 2020
  8. Najade

    Najade Well-Known Member 5+ year member

    Joined:
    29 May 2017
    Posts:
    1,095
    Location:
    Germany
    Grey-crowned only after Chestnut-crowned and a lifer? :eek:
    Doing it backwards^^
     
  9. Najade

    Najade Well-Known Member 5+ year member

    Joined:
    29 May 2017
    Posts:
    1,095
    Location:
    Germany
    Any pictures? :)
     
  10. MRJ

    MRJ Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

    Joined:
    29 Jan 2008
    Posts:
    2,490
    Location:
    Melbourne
    No such luck
     
  11. MRJ

    MRJ Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

    Joined:
    29 Jan 2008
    Posts:
    2,490
    Location:
    Melbourne
    Hattah-Kalkyne reptiles

    The two sand monitors were "doing it in the road". Wonder if they were Beatles fans?

    20. Sand monitor Varanus gouldii
    21. Lace monitor Varanus varius
    22. Mallee dragon Ctenophorus fordi
     
    animal_expert01 and Yoshistar888 like this.
  12. MRJ

    MRJ Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

    Joined:
    29 Jan 2008
    Posts:
    2,490
    Location:
    Melbourne
    This thread is about people making use of their opportunities to see wildlife. That is why it can't be a competition - everybody has different opportunities. You have made excellent use of your opportunities with fish and invertebrates. Congratulations.
     
    Yoshistar888 and WhistlingKite24 like this.
  13. BerdNerd

    BerdNerd Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    30 Aug 2020
    Posts:
    694
    Location:
    North Carolina
    I know I'm starting pretty late in the year, but I still wanted to play anyway!

    I only saw one animal today, but its almost winter where I live, so a lot of the animals around where I live migrated, or simply didn't want to come out today since it was cold.

    Birds:

    1. Black-Capped Chickadee
     
    Coelacanth18 and MRJ like this.
  14. Yoshistar888

    Yoshistar888 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    11 Aug 2019
    Posts:
    1,342
    Location:
    Melbourne, Australia
    I know it's not a competition and more of a self achieving challenge, but I am still shocked that my total is the highest. Especially considering how many Zoochatters live in coastal areas.
     
    MRJ likes this.
  15. boof

    boof Well-Known Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    16 Jan 2005
    Posts:
    1,384
    Location:
    Nyngan,nsw,australia
    18/11/2020
    201. striped honeyeater
     
  16. Vision

    Vision Well-Known Member 5+ year member

    Joined:
    29 Aug 2015
    Posts:
    1,091
    Location:
    Antwerp, Belgium
    First of all, seeing an exotic species today (cackling goose) made me look into the occurence of them and some other species, which led me to count the following waterfowl I've seen earlier this year:

    BIRDS:
    280) Bar-headed goose, Anser indicus (11/02)
    281) Mandarin duck, Aix galericulata (26/03, 12/11)
    282) Cackling goose, Branta hutchinsii (19/11)

    But other than that plastic tick, today was also really good for actually exciting birds! Twite used to be a common winterer throughout most of the Belgian coastline, but in the last few years has gone on a serious decline and is now only "gettable" about every other year. I finally went to get my twite, succesfully, and also got great views of other fun birds like lapland longspurs, horned larks, a short-eared owl, a male hen harrier...

    After that, I went seawatching again with the main goal of finally getting some alcids on my Belgian list, and that went well! Seawatching is very much an acquired taste, but I'm definitely acquiring a taste for it!

    BIRDS:
    283) Lapland longspur, Calcarius lapponicus
    284) Twite, Linaria flavirostris
    285) Horned lark, Eremophila alpestris
    286) Razorbill, Alca torda
    287) Common guillemot, Uria aalge
    288) Velvet scoter, Melanitta fusca
     
  17. Hix

    Hix Wildlife Enthusiast and Lover of Islands 15+ year member Premium Member

    Joined:
    20 Oct 2008
    Posts:
    4,547
    Location:
    Sydney
    Drove out to Lake Cargelligo and Round Hill last weekend, and managed a couple of lifers.

    Birds
    260. Rufous Songlark
    261. Little Grassbird
    262. Little Raven
    263. White-fronted Chat
    264. Singing Honeyeater
    265. Yellow-throated Miner
    266. Purple-backed Fairy Wren
    267. Budgerigar
    268. Cockatiel
    269. Whiskered Tern
    270. Red-kneed Dotterel
    271. Red-capped Plover
    272. Red-necked Avocet
    273. Pink-eared Duck
    274. White-browed Woodswallow
    275. Masked Woodswallow
    276. Striped Honeyeater
    277. Black Honeyeater
    278. Crimson Chat
    279. Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
    280. White-fronted Honeyeater
    281. Pallid Cuckoo
    282. Apostlebird
    283. Little Friarbird
    284. Black-tailed Native Hen
    285. Pied Honeyeater

    Mammal
    18. European Hare

    :p

    Hix
     
    Last edited: 21 Nov 2020
    animal_expert01, Mehdi, boof and 2 others like this.
  18. BerdNerd

    BerdNerd Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    30 Aug 2020
    Posts:
    694
    Location:
    North Carolina
    I was leaving my house to eat out today, and I saw these animals along the way:

    Mammals:

    1. White-Tailed Deer
    2. Eastern Gray Squirrel

    Birds:

    2. Canada Goose
     
  19. WhistlingKite24

    WhistlingKite24 Well-Known Member 10+ year member Premium Member

    Joined:
    29 Oct 2013
    Posts:
    3,943
    Location:
    Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
    Birds
    122. Azure Kingfisher Alcedo azurea
     
    animal_expert01 likes this.
  20. Dannelboyz

    Dannelboyz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    19 Feb 2013
    Posts:
    239
    Location:
    East Gippsland, VIC, AUS
    Indeed the disadvantage of being largely restricted to Victoria since I've been birding In the state, GC Babbler is only really common in northern central areas where I've done barely any birding, and is less common in the mallee where I've birded a lot. Still was frustrating because I'd missed them like 3 or 4 times in their 'reliable' mallee spots previously.

    No worries! We heard a few Gilbert's whistlers on the Nowingi and Konardin Tracks - one of which initially sounded quite like a Red-lored but turned out to be Gilbert's. Would be curious to see the bird in question though, as the species really is a range-restricted habitat specialist and the area around Hattah is quite intensively birded with very few, if any, verified records.
     
    MRJ likes this.