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2018 Big Year
Topic Started: Dec 27 2017, 08:05 PM (7,783 Views)
Anton
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King of Cotingas

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If there's one thing that brings all of the TRT members together, it's the love of animals. For most members this probably means an interest in zoos and animals in captivity in general, but there are a lot of members interested in observing wild animals as well.

Those that do are probably familiar with the "big year" concept: keeping track of all animals you see within a single calendar year. This can be done within a certain region (which is how the idea and name came to existence, after birders aimed to see as many species within the USA in one single year), but because we have members from all over the world we decided world listing would be more interesting.

Basically, the idea is as follows; from the 1st of January until the 31st of December, everyone who participates keeps track of the animals they see and identify, and lists them all in the order of seeing them. Every time you see a new species, you add onto that list by posting a new post in this topic. At the end of the year you can then easily compile a total list of the animals you saw that year, and keep the memories of seeing those species forever!
Of course, we'll add a little extra competition by bringing pointies into the mix. You'll be rewarded in pointies for every few animals you see, and at the end of each month the person with the most new species will be given a silhouette!

Rules:
  • Number your lists. This way it's always easy to check how many species you've seen.
  • We keep track of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates. If you choose to only list the groups that interest you most, that's fine! A lot of people generally don't bother counting invertebrates.
  • Keep different lists for different classes (except with fish and invertebrates, list all different fish classes together and all different invertebrate classes together for those). Separate the lists for birds, mammals, reptiles etc. from each other.
  • Highlight the species you see for the first time ("lifers") in bold. This makes for a more interesting overview, and makes the listing of species more rewarding as you can draw more attention to the species that are more special to you!
  • We only list species, not subspecies, to prevent taxonomical debates. However, if you see a different subspecies worth mentioning, it's always interesting to include that in your post (without numbering it and putting it on the list). Hybrid animals don't count either.
  • We only list species we've seen directly, not species we've only heard. Similarly to different subspecies, it's always interesting to add the heard-only species to your post without listing them!
  • We only list actual wild species, escaped exotic species don't count unless they've become self-established (like feral pigeons everywhere, ring-necked parakeets in Europe and common starlings in North America).
  • List common names and binominal names of all species you see. Common names differ immensely per bird checklist (Clements, IOC, etc.), so to keep things clear we ask this as a requirement.
  • You are welcome to join in after January, but people starting in another month will not be counted for the first month they enter. For example, if you join in March and immediately have a list of 50+ species when most of these were seen in January and February, it'd be unfair to others that already saw the majority of their species in January, when the competition for "new" species was a lot higher.
  • You do not have to provide photographic evidence, your word is your bond. We trust our members won't lie about seeing things they didn't just to get a higher score.

Prizes:
  • On the first day of every month starting February 1st, I will be giving an overview of how many species of each category people have seen in total. I will also calculate how many species everyone gained compared to the previous month.
  • For every species you gained compared to the previous month, you will receive 5 pointies for use in the pointies store.
  • The person with the most species gained that month will receive a pointies animal.

Extra:
  • The double-posting rule will be less strict here than it is in other areas of the forum (as it's possible that you see something new before someone else has), but keep it sensible. Try not to post list updates twice in the same day if you see or identify another species later, it's easier to just edit your previous post.
  • Have fun!
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Replies:
Keniafan
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Yesterday I went birding in my local area and although I didn't find any new species. I still saw some nice species (Common goldeye, European green woodpecker & Redwing) Today however I went to some other places, here I discovered 2 new species!

105 - Marsh tit (Poecile palustris)
106 - Song thrush (Turdus philomelos)
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Keniafan
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SOOOOO TODAY IT WAS FREEEEEEEEZING AND I HATE IT but I saw some awesome species! So that makes up for it!! Including a nice local rarity.

107 - Black swan (Cygnus atratus)
108 - Jack snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus)
109 - Snow goose (Anser caerulescens)
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Danny
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Haven't been birding in a while, so maybe I'll have to plan a trip somewhere a little further to catch some more birds. Tonight, I went out spotlighting in the hopes of seeing a sugar glider. About 15 ringtail possums, a tawny frogmouth and 4 tree frogs later...

February 26, 2018
MAMMALS
13 - Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus)*
14 - Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps)

Total
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Posted Image Xenephos
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ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴏʙsᴇssᴇᴅ

Saw a few more species on my drive to school and the walk from the parking lot. The bird diversity seems to be returning now that the snow's melting lol. I spotted my first woodpecker in years today, and it's a lifer!
It's a nice day so I'm hoping to spot some wildlife near/in the marshy pseudo-pond by my house on my walk today.

BIRDS:
17. Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
18. Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
19. Brewer's blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)

All Species Seen
Edited by Xenephos, Feb 26 2018, 12:01 PM.
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Posted Image Wes
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Aurora Designs Member

Finally found some time to update my list!
Birds:
54) Eurasian bullfinch, Pyrrhula pyrrhula
55) Gadwall, Mareca strepera
56) Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula
57) Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus
58) Common pheasant, Phasianus colchicus
59) Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope
60) Redwing, Turdus iliacus
61) Long-eared owl, Asio otus

Mammals:
5) European hare, Lepus europaeus
6) Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus


Total
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Danny
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Might still see more today but for now...

February 28, 2018
BIRDS
126 - White-Plumed Honeyeater (Lichenostomus penicillatus)
127 - Bell Miner (Manorina melanophrys)

Total
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Posted Image Xenephos
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ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴏʙsᴇssᴇᴅ

February 28
Saw a Blue Jay for the second time in my life today, and there was finally a heron chilling in the marshes near my house. Apparently, we're getting snow tomorrow, though :C

BIRDS:
20. Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
21. Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

All Species Seen
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Furka
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BIRDS

41 - White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
42 - Coal Tit (Periparus ater)
43 - Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala)
44 - Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
45 - Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)

REPTILES

3 - Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)

FISH

Freshwater

7 - Italian Chub (Squalius squalus)

What to say, was busy with chemistry test, and then massive cold arrived, so not much time given to wildlife.
Although I got some satisfactions from my garden, I can confirm coal tits visit it, and for the first time I can remember Sardinian warblers have been showing up pretty often, not to mention the larger than usual amounts of other tit species (great, blue, longtail).
I really need to get that bird feeder up and going ...
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Anton
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King of Cotingas

BIRDS:
141) Common Sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos
142) Woodlark, Lullula arborea

Total
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Gerben
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I was young and an actress

Gerben
Jan 31 2018, 09:56 AM
Hah, I'm late, as always.

Haven't found the time to see some birds about anywhere but the city, so it's time to catch up next saturday. This is what I've seen so far in January.

Dollard, Dollardkwelders
1. Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
2. Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
3. White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

Groningen, City Centre
4. Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
5. Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
6. Rock Pigeon (Columba livia domestica)

Groningen, Noorderplantsoen
7. Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
8. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
9. Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
10. Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
11. Mew Gull (Larus canus)
12. Blackbird (Turdus merula)
13. Great Tit (Parus major)
14. European Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)

Roodeschool, N46
15. Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Gerben
 
...so it's time to catch up next saturday.

Hah. I didn't.

Assen, City Centre
16. Common Magpie (Pica pica)

Assen, Marsdijk
17. Eurasian Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)

De Punt, A28
18. Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
19. Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

Groningen, Noorderplantsoen
20. Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
21. Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

Ten Boer, Fledderbosscherpolder
22. Eurasian Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

Ten Post, Kloostermolenpolder
23. Great Egret (Ardea alba)
24. Rook (Corvus frugilegus)

Haven't really found the time to see some birds about anywhere but the city, so it's time to catch up next saturday...
Edited by Gerben, Feb 28 2018, 02:02 PM.
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magpiealamode
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No good hero is a one-trick phony.

End of the month haul. Still haven't gone birdwatching... I hate school.

Birds

27. Red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
28. Great horned owl (Bubo virginianus)
29. Great blue heron (Ardea herodias)
30. Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
31. Song sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
32. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Mammals

5. Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)
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Kevin
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Quail Conqueror.

Same drill as last month. Didn't manage that many additions due to having limited free time but that's alright.

February 1st - 28th:
BIRDS
63. Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla)
64. Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea)
65. Arctic Redpoll (Acanthis hornemanni)
66. White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
67. Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
68. Smew (Mergellus albellus)
69. Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)
70. Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
71. Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
72. Black Swan (Cygnus atratus)
73. Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
74. Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
75. Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)

MAMMALS
4. House Mouse (Mus musculus)

INVERTS
2. Asian Ladybeetle (Harmonia axyridis)

Total
Edited by Kevin, Feb 28 2018, 04:37 PM.
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Komodo
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Varanus komodoensis

An update for the last day of the month, including one lifer!

BIRDS:
60. Great Grebe, Podiceps major
61. White-Tufted Grebe, Rollandia rolland
62. Chiloé Wigeon, Anas sibilatrix

MAMMALS
7. Brown Rat, Rattus norvegicus

Complete List
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Posted Image Xenephos
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ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴏʙsᴇssᴇᴅ

March 2
Yay for early morning (stinky) finds and ROBINS! Spring's not far away now, boys!

BIRDS:
22. American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
23. House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)

MAMMALS:
6. Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)

All Species Seen
Edited by Xenephos, Mar 2 2018, 02:19 PM.
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Anton
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King of Cotingas

FEBRUARY
Overview
February 2018
BIRDS:
142 - Anton
127 - Danny
123 - Fireplume
109 - Keniafan
86 - caviar
75 - Kevin
62 - Komodo
61 - Wes
48 - Orca Freak
45 - Furka
38 - cassynatorium
32 - magpiealamode
31 - Zoo Tycooner FR
24 - Gerben
21 - Xenephos
17 - Dwarfbomb
10 - Burns
10 - Jules
1 - Paranoid
1 - RGDS

MAMMALS:
14 - Danny
10 - Fireplume
9 - Anton
7 - Komodo
6 - Orca Freak
6 - Wes
5 - magpiealamode
5 - Xenephos
4 - Burns
4 - Keniafan
4 - Kevin
3 - cassynatorium
3 - Furka
2 - Dwarfbomb
1 - Jules

HERPS:
14 - Danny (13 reptiles, 1 amphibian)
4 - Komodo (4 reptiles)
3 - Furka (3 reptiles)
2 - Dwarfbomb (2 reptiles)
2 - Fireplume (1 reptile, 1 amphibian)

FISH:
7 - Furka
6 - Danny
4 - Komodo
3 - Fireplume
3 - Paranoid

INVERTS:
18 - Komodo
8 - Fireplume
4 - Xenephos
2 - Kevin
1 - Dwarfbomb

Species gained this month
February 2018
76 - Anton
58 - Danny
52 - Komodo
42 - Fireplume
19 - Keniafan
17 - Zoo Tycooner FR
15 - Kevin
15 - Wes
9 - Gerben
9 - magpiealamode
8 - Xenephos
7 - Furka
5 - Orca Freak
2 - cassynatorium


Everybody will receive their pointies (5x their monthly gains) as soon as possible! If I have made a counting mistake somewhere, or forgot to add an animal to the total lists, please let me know via PM as not to clutter this topic.
If you saw other species during February that you hadn't had the chance to post until now, please mention so in your post and I can edit these lists.

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