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2018 Big Year
Topic Started: Dec 27 2017, 08:05 PM (7,776 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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Posted Image Xenephos
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ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴏʙsᴇssᴇᴅ

The insects are coming back to my house lol

BIRDS:
39. American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

INVERTS:

8. Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica)
9. Broad-faced Sac Spider (Trachelas tranquillus)
10. Black Carpenter Ant (Camponotus pennsylvanicus)

All Species Seen
Edited by Xenephos, May 8 2018, 08:35 PM.
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Danny
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My goals for the year:
171/200 Victorian birds
175/300 Worldwide birds

BIRDS
175 - Freckled Duck (Stictonetta naevosa)

Total
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Anton
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King of Cotingas

Another very succesful morning of birding today, bringing me the first little bitterns of the year and a few other very nice species!

BIRDS:
222) Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra
223) Little bittern, Ixobrychus minutus
224) Black tern, Chlidonias niger

INVERTEBRATES:
26) Map butterfly, Araschnia levana

Total


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Danny
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An unexpected visitor to the Sanctuary today...

BIRDS
176 - Wonga Pigeon (Leucosarcia melanoleuca)

My goals for the year:
172/200 Victorian birds
176/300 Worldwide birds

Total
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Orca Freak
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Killer Whales rule the World

First bunch of May:

A day at the beach finely got me my grey seal :)
And last nights dog-walk gave me the surprise of a lifetime when a beautiful owl flew past :love:

Birds:
87. Eurasian spoonbill - Platalea leucorodia
88. Great crested grebe - Podiceps cristatus
89. Short-eared owl - Asio flammeus

Mammals:
8. Grey seal - Halichoerus grypus

Insects and other critters:
11. Azure damselfly - Coenagrion puella
12. European wool carder bee - Anthidium manicatum
13. Black-tailed skimmer - Orthetrum cancellatum
14. Small white - Pieris rapae
15. Speckled wood - Pararge aegeria

P.s.: I included my pics in my total list ;)

Total list
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Anton
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King of Cotingas

This new vagrant bird definitely has a very good chance of being my favorite bird this year! Shrikes are definitely already some of my favorite birds, and this one is no exception. Unlike all other shrikes I've seen this one actually was very close to the road, meaning I got very good views and a few decent pictures!

BIRDS:
225) Woodchat shrike, Lanius senator

INVERTEBRATES:
27) Thatch tubic, Borkhausenia minutella

Total


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Anton
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King of Cotingas

Yesterday, Kevin, Keniafan and I spent a full day birding as part of a "big day", in which we aimed to see as many species as possible within 1 day on 1 island. The goal was 100 species, and we managed to get 103, so we're very happy with our total, and we definitely saw a lot of interesting birds!

BIRDS:
226) Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula
227) Jack snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus
228) Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus
229) Little tern, Sternula albifrons (ssp albifrons)
230) Icterine warbler, Hippolais icterina
231) Spotted flycatcher, Muscicapa striata

MAMMALS:
12) Common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus

INVERTEBRATES:
28) Box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis
29) Black-and-red froghopper, Cercopis vulnerata
30) Sloe bug, Dolycoris baccarum
31) Tanyptera atrata

The box tree moth was in my garden a few days ago, and the warbler and flycatcher two very interesting additions from today.

Total
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Zoo Tycooner FR
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#Lithopédion

Zoo Tycooner FR
May 7 2018, 04:16 PM
Forgot to list one bird for April. :P

58 - Lesser kestrel, Falco naumanni
And forgot to list another one which I basically see every week:

BIRDS:
59 - Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus

And an interesting addition from yesterday:

INVERTS:
3 - "Maid Alice", Amata alicia
Edited by Zoo Tycooner FR, May 24 2018, 07:34 AM.
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Posted Image Xenephos
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ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴏʙsᴇssᴇᴅ

Took a trip to Lake Michigan and saw some terns and stuff :P
BIRDS:
40. Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
41. Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)
42 Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
43. Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

MAMMALS:
9. Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus)

INVERTS:
11. Cabbage White Butterfly (Pieris rapae)
12. Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

All Species Seen
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Anton
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King of Cotingas

A few more inverts for the last few days of May :D

INVERTEBRATES:
32) Marpissa muscosa
33) Hoary footman, Eilema caniola
34) Mottled rustic, Caradrina morpheus

Total
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Posted Image Wes
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Aurora Designs Member

Completely forgot to update for past month, so have to do that now xD

Birds:
84) Common house martin, Delichon urbicum
85) Common swift, Apus apus
86) Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
87) Willow warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus

Invertebrates:
9) Small tortoiseshell, Aglais urticae
10) Map, Araschnia levana
11) Banded demoiselle, Calopteryx splendens
12) European rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes nasicornis
13) Common cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha
14) Large red damselfly, Pyrrhosoma nymphula
15) Blue-tailed damselfly, Ischnura elegans
16) Azure damselfly, Coenagrion puella
17) Four-spotted chaser, Libellula quadrimaculata
18) Hairy dragonfly, Brachytron pratense
19) Spindle ermine, Yponomeuta cagnagella
20) Common blue, Polyommatus icarus
21) Downy emerald, Cordulia aenea
22) Broad-bodied chaser, Libellula depressa
23) Willow emerald damselfly, Chalcolestes viridis
24) Migrant hawker, Aeshna mixta
25) European hornet, Vespa crabro
Total
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Danny
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After seeing what I thought was a flame robin earlier in the year (but was actually a scarlet robin), I found a female flame robin, which I barely noticed except on review of my photographs.

BIRDS
177 - Flame Robin (Petroica phoenicea)

My goals for the year:
173/200 Victorian birds
177/300 Worldwide birds

Total
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Orca Freak
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Killer Whales rule the World

Last bunch of May
Including some really nice birds c:

Birds:
90. European bee-eater - Merops apiaster
91. Bluethroat - Luscinia svecica
92. Whinchat - Saxicola rubetra
93. Eurasian reed warbler - Acrocephalus scirpaceus
94. Little egret - Egretta garzetta
95. Wood warbler - Phylloscopus sibilatrix

Mammals:
9. European hedgehog - Erinaceus europaeus
10. Yellow-necked mouse - Apodemus flavicollis

Insects and other critters:
16. Two-spot ladybird - Adalia bipunctata

Total list
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Furka
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Saw these in May:

MAMMALS

6- European Hare (Lepus europaeus)

BIRDS

74 - Short-toed snake Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
75 - European Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus)
76 - Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
77 - Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)
78 - European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)
79 - Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo)
80 - Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra)
81 - Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra)
82 - Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)
83 - Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)
84 - Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
85 - Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides)
86 - Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
87 - Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

FISH

21 - Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)
22 - Flathead Grey Mullet (Mugil cephalus)
Edited by Anton, Jun 7 2018, 10:30 AM.
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Fireplume
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Snok Snok Snerson

Saw these in May:

MAMMALS:
17. Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
18. Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
19. Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
20. Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)
21. California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus)

BIRDS:
144. Common Murre (Uria aalge)
145. Sooty Shearwater (Ardenna grisea)
146. Heermann's Gull (Larus heermanni)
147. American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus)
148. Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)
149. Pelagic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pelagicus)
150. Band-tailed Pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata)

HERPTILES:
6. Western Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana elegans)
7. Desert Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos)

FISH
5. Opaleye (Girella nigricans)

INVERTEBRATES:
15. Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia labiata)
16. Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus)
17. Flame Skipper (Libellula saturata)


PHOTOGRAPHS
Posted Image
Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that I photographed on a whale watching tour on Wednesday.

Posted Image

Posted Image
Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus), spotted on the same trip.


TOTAL LIST
Edited by Anton, Jun 7 2018, 12:40 PM.
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