Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]

Shoot a firework rocket ~ Winners!
Make a forum zoo!

Welcome to The Round Table. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
2018 Big Year
Topic Started: Dec 27 2017, 08:05 PM (7,781 Views)
Anton
Member Avatar
King of Cotingas

Posted Image



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!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Replies:
Zoo Tycooner FR
Member Avatar
#Lithopédion

Zoo Tycooner FR
Mar 8 2018, 06:24 PM
Well finally some nice additions since last time I went birding. Went to Marrakesh yesterday (again) for a basketball tournament but I did have some free time to go birding and I even got a lifer (which, weirdly, should already be gone to Northern Europe).

32 - Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea
33 - Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata
34 - Little grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis
35 - Grey heron, Ardea cinerea
36 - Pallid swift, Apus pallidus
Went birding (again), and yet again it was one awesome session not because of the number of additions but because of some of the species I added to my list (including a long-waited lifer) and the whole experience!

BIRDS:
37 - Atlas pied flycatcher, Ficedula speculigera
38 - Western subalpine warbler, Sylvia cantillans inornata
39 - Western Bonelli's warbler, Phylloscopus bonelli
40 - Woodchat shrike, Lanius senator

REPTILES:
1 - Bibron's agama, Agama impalearis




Posted Image
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Danny
Member Avatar


A bunch of new species from a day and a half near the Murray River... Also saw a cockatiel (which is found in that area) but it was a mutant colouration so I assume it was an escaped pet, and I haven't included it.

MAMMALS
20 - House Mouse (Mus musculus)*

BIRDS
133 - Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
134 - Little Eagle (Hieraaetus morphnoides)
135 - Peaceful Dove (Geopelia placida)
136 - Blue-Faced Honeyeater (Entomyzon cyanotis)
137 - White-Breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus)
138 - Red-Capped Dotterel (Charadrius ruficapillus)
139 - White-Fronted Chat (Epthianura albifrons)
140 - White-Winged Chough (Corcorax melanorhamphos)

Total
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Orca Freak
Member Avatar
Killer Whales rule the World

Haven't had time recently to go out much, but during my dogs walk yesterday, we spotted some new critters.
Guess spring is in the air... or at least it was this weekend.
Now eagerly awaiting the arrival of the martins ;)

March 11th

Amphibians:
1. Common toad - Bufo bufo
2. Common frog - Rana temporaria

Total list

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Anton
Member Avatar
King of Cotingas

So a quick bike ride to a local pond got me a partridge, the pond itself got me an early bluethroat, and just as I was about to leave I heard and saw two foxes fighting. Definitely a very successful day!

BIRDS:
162) Grey partridge, Perdix perdix
163) Bluethroat, Luscinia svecica

MAMMALS:
10) Red fox, Vulpes vulpes

Total


Posted Image
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Orca Freak
Member Avatar
Killer Whales rule the World

Woodpeckers don't usually live in my area, since there are no big forests around, and the nearest forest is a fairly new one. So seeing one here is quite a surprise, and it's a lifer as well.
It wasn't even hanging against the tree like you would expect, but just sitting on a small branch out in the open; chirping (can you call it chirping?)
Not sure what he was doing here, probably just passing through :P

March 14th

Birds:
49. Black woodpecker - Dryocopus martius

Total list

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Danny
Member Avatar


So I did some birdwatching in two new locations along the Dandenong Creek. One of these spots runs right near my house, so I was very pleasantly surprised to find 40+ species in the wetland, including a long-awaited lifer, the Mistletoebird. This was a stunning solitary male but while I had good views, the lighting was poor. From what I gather, there aren't many spots to reliably find these birds despite being fairly common, so it was cool to find one a 20 minutes walk from home.

BIRDS
141 - Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum)
142 - Spotless Crake (Porzana tabuensis)
143 - Little Grassbird (Megalurus gramineus)
144 - European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)*

Total
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Anton
Member Avatar
King of Cotingas

Saw a new lifer from the bus on my way to Wuppertal today!

BIRDS:
164) Velvet scoter, Melanitta fusca

Total
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Anton
Member Avatar
King of Cotingas

This Friday a new species for my country was discovered, but because of complications and a zoo visit planned for yesterday I hadn't had the chance to go see it until now...

BIRDS:
165) Dark-eyed junco, Junco hyemalis (hyemalis)

Total
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Posted Image Xenephos
Member Avatar
ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴏʙsᴇssᴇᴅ

March 17 & 18

Another long break...
I took a walk around a lake yesterday with my cousins and spotted a few new species. They also had a flicker flying around by their house and beating up the trees lol
EDIT: Took a drive down to Lake Geneva and spotted a few Grackles along the way.

BIRDS:
24. Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
25. Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)
26. Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
27. Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)

MAMMALS:
7. Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus)

All Species Seen
Edited by Xenephos, Mar 18 2018, 10:07 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Keniafan
Member Avatar


So here are my most recent additions to the list! Including some very nice lifers!

113 - Common snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
114 - Bohemian waxwing (Bombycila garrulus)
115 - White wagtail (Motacilla alba)
116 - Black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa)
117 - European stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
118 - Eurasian skylark (Alauda arvensis)
119 - Mistle thrush (Turdus viscivorus)

MAMMALS

5 - House mouse (Mus musculus)


Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Posted Image Wes
Member Avatar
Aurora Designs Member

Time to post an update on my list:
(also noticed I had one species double on my list, so I removed it!)

Birds:
61) Eurasian siskin, Spinus spinus
62) Goldcrest, Regulus regulus
63) Eurasian green woodpecker, Picus viridis
64) Eurasian skylark, Alauda arvensis
65) Hen harrier, Circus cyaneus
66) Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons
67) Canada goose, Branta canadensis
68) European herring gull, Larus argentatus
69) European stonechat, Saxicola rubicola
70) White wagtail, Motacilla alba
71) Eurasian woodcock, Scolopax rusticola
72) European crested tit, Lophophanes cristatus
73) Eurasian oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus

Mammals:
7) Wild boar, Sus scrofa

Amphibians:
1) Moor frog, Rana arvalis

Fish:

1)Three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus

Total
Edited by Wes, Mar 19 2018, 03:22 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Danny
Member Avatar


BIRDS
145 - Red-Kneed Dotterel (Erythrogonys cinctus)

Total
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Posted Image Xenephos
Member Avatar
ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴏʙsᴇssᴇᴅ

March 22

Went to the zoo today and spotted a few non-captive species there (including a lifer!).

BIRDS:
28. Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)
29. Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

MAMMALS:
8. American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

All Species Seen
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Anton
Member Avatar
King of Cotingas

Nice additions! With your trumpeter swan, we've now seen all 7 swan species together as a forum! That's something I wasn't expecting, but something very cool indeed!

I went birding again today and saw a red-crested pochard and Mediterranean gulls together with the more usual line-up, but nothing new for the year. The pochard was cool, however, as that species is rare in my country! :D
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
magpiealamode
Member Avatar
No good hero is a one-trick phony.

March has not been a particularly productive month for me. The erratic weather did bring in one lifer though, which is cool.

Birds

33. Double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)
34. Snow goose (Anser caerulescens)
35. Pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)

The woodpecker was going at a tree across the street for quite some time while I prepped our snow-covered car for travel. I haven't checked the final result of his pecking but I began to wonder if he's nesting there; that'd be pretty cool.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
ZetaBoards - Free Forum Hosting
Free Forums with no limits on posts or members.
Learn More · Register Now
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · Goodies · Next Topic »
Add Reply