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2018 Big Year
Topic Started: Dec 27 2017, 08:05 PM (7,793 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:
Anton
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King of Cotingas

Just saw one of these flying over right next to my window. Another species I had never seen in my backyard until now!

BIRDS:
54) Redwing, Turdus iliacus

Total
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Keniafan
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Today my dad and me took the car to a village near our hometown to look for the Velvet scoter. Altough we didn't find it (even tough it has been seen right after we left -_-), we still saw some new interesting species!

44 - Common merganser (Mergus merganser)
45 - Canada goose (Branta canadensis)

After this disappointment I went out looking for birds once again this time a small lake near my house. Here I saw my first mammal!

46 - Eurasian wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
47 - Willow tit (Poecile montanus)

Mammals

1 - European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
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Zoo Tycooner FR
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#Lithopédion

Zoo Tycooner FR
 
Gosh I really need to go bird-watching as soon as possible, in the meantime though I finally got bulbuls which are meant to be super common #lol:

6 - Common bulbul, Pycnonotus barbatus barbatus

Another look around my house and I finally got to see a magpie, which was the first species I saw last year!

7 - Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita
8 - Maghreb magpie, Pica mauritanica
Edited by Zoo Tycooner FR, Jan 5 2018, 12:16 PM.
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magpiealamode
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No good hero is a one-trick phony.

Considering that it's been cold as death out and I've done most of my birdwatching by looking at the porch from my kitchen, I think these additions aren't too shabby:

Birds

6. American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
7. White-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) (tan form if you must know)
8. White-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
9. Blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
10. House finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)
11. Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
12. Downy woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)
13. Common starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
14. Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
15. Carolina wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)

And I keep hearing a mockingbird but I haven't seen him..
Edit: Finally got the mockingbird. Sweet.
Edited by magpiealamode, Jan 5 2018, 05:54 PM.
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Posted Image Wes
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Aurora Designs Member

saw some more birds today!

January 5, 2018

Birds:
19) Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
20) Eurasian coot, Fulica atra
21) Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
22) Feral pigeon, Columba livia domestica
23) Grey heron, Ardea cinerea
24) Greylag goose, Anser anser
Edited by Wes, Jan 5 2018, 04:03 PM.
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Posted Image Xenephos
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ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴏʙsᴇssᴇᴅ

BIRDS:
1. American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
2. Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
3. Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
4. Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
5. Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris)
6. Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
7. Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
8. Common Raven (Corvus corax)
9. Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapilla)
10. Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)
11. Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
12. Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

INVERTS:
1. House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata)


(1st-5th Jan)
I've seen a LOT of birds of prey lately. Lots of hawks and such, and a few great-horned owls.
All the little guys don't seem to appear unless there's a feeder nearby lol
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Whalebite
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I don't know if I can keep it up, but I am interested to see what people see by the end of the year I might do a non-bird list for kicks, since bird lists get really confusing, especially since I do a bit of birding by ear. I would probably want to do monthly updates. Still thinking on it though.

Wow, Both Keniafan and Anton you got more European Birds in 10 days than I got in a week, then again I was with a tour group so I wasn't hitting all the best spots.

Quote:
 
January 5, 2018
MAMMALS
4 - Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus)

BIRDS
51 - Australian King-Parrot (Alisterus scapularis)
52 - Azure Kingfisher (Ceyx azureus)
53 - Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus)
54 - White-Eared Honeyeater (Nesoptilotis leucotis)

REPTILES
1 - Southern Water Skink (Eulamprus tympanum)

Went to a spot I hadn't visited before late in the afternoon, hoping to spot platypuses and koalas... Didn't see either but still a couple of nice animals, including a very big male kangaroo eating at the bank of the river. Also heard heaps of skinks in the bushes, but only managed to see one.

Total

I want to go looking for platypus! I do like how this is a global community
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caviar
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January 5, 2018

BIRDS
32 - Muscovy Duck(Cairina moschata)
33 - Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
34 - Roadside Hawk (Rupornis magnirostris)
35 - Green Hermit (Phaethornis guy)
36 - Andean Motmot (Momotus aequatorialis)
37 - Greyish Piculet (Picumnus granadensis)
38 - Red-crowned Woodpecker(Melanerpes rubricapillus)
39 - Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)
40 - Red-faced Spinetail (Cranioleuca erythrops)
41 - Slaty Spinetail (Synallaxis brachyura )
42 - Pale-breasted Spinetail (Synallaxis albescens)

43 - Whiskered Wren (Pheugopedius mystacalis )
44 - White-breasted Wood-wren (Henicorhina leucosticta )
45 - Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus )
46 - Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis)
47 - American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)
48 - American Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)

49 - Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca)
50 - Blackpoll Warbler(Setophaga striata)
51 - Stripe-crowned Warbler (Basileuterus culicivorus)

52 - Three-striped Warbler(Basileuterus tristriatus)
53 - Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis )
54 - Flame-rumped Tanager (Ramphocelus flammigerus)
55 - Bay-headed Tanager (Tangara gyrola )
56 - Golden Tanager (Tangara arthus)
57 - Black-winged Saltator (Saltator atripennis)
58 - Streaked Saltator (Saltator striatipectus )
59 - Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra)
60 - Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans )
61 - Torrent tyrannulet (Serpophaga cinerea )
62 - Great Antshrike (Taraba major )

So today i birded a local park, and saw tons of migratories.

Pretty much all the warbler were lifers.

Today was good.
Edited by caviar, Jan 5 2018, 10:22 PM.
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Burns
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King of Lemurs

Yeah, if you could give North America it's warblers back so I could see them, that'd be great :P

Birds:

8) Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
9) Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
10) Black-Billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)
Edited by Burns, Jan 5 2018, 10:26 PM.
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Danny
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@Whalebite, if you visited Australia, I'd definitely go 'platypus-hunting' with you :P I never have anyone to go out on nightwalks with and I prefer not to be out alone in remote areas when it's too dark haha... And platypus are especially rare to see before dusk. They're hard to spot around Melbourne regardless but the reserve I visited is meant to have them.
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Anton
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King of Cotingas

Platypuses are one of the main things I missed when I went to Australia in '07 and '09, though I did see some in Sydney Aquarium. They're easily one of the mammals I'd love to see in the wild the most!

Also caviar, damn that's a nice list! I'm very jealous now, woodpeckers are some of my favorite birds and those three species are some of the best-looking ones! :D
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Danny
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@Anton, which areas of Australia did you visit and what animals did you manage to see? :)

Today was a hot day and I couldn't do my volunteering shift as the Sanctuary was closed due to fire risk, so I didn't see the usual spinebills or bowerbirds that are common around the sanctuary. I decided to go on a night-walk near home instead. I saw plenty of possums and fruit bats as usual and heard (but failed to see) plenty of striped marsh frogs. Near the end of the trip, I saw an owl. It was a relatively average size I would say, but being so high up in the tree, I didn't get a good enough view of it to tell what species it was. I heard it make a single 'hoot' sound and figured I'd be able to identify it once I could look up different owl sounds. Thing is, no Australian owl species seem to make the same sound - and neither do Tawny Frogmouths which I know to be in the area. In fact, the closest sound was the Powerful Owl which I would have thought would be much larger than the bird I saw and even they usually make a two-syllable hoot. When it flew between branches, this owl looked to be relatively light (whitish) underneath and didn't have any obvious banding. I'm not sure... Does anyone know about an Australian owl species that is likely to make a single syllable 'hoot' - from eastern Melbourne. :)

EDIT: I should note that the three owl species most often seen in the area are Southern Booboks, Barn Owls and occasionally Powerful Owls. It had a reddish eyeshine and lacked a long tail, ruling out Owlet-Nightjars
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Anton
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King of Cotingas

Went looking out for the penduline tit again, and failed to see it again... However, now I failed to see it alongside two other birders, one of which is among Belgium's best, so that does reassure me a little that the fact that I didn't see it is the bird's fault and not mine. :P
Got some other lovely birds, however!

BIRDS:
55) European greenfinch, Chloris chloris
56) Little egret, Egretta garzetta
57) Common kingfisher, Alcedo atthis
58) Barnacle goose, Branta leucopsis
59) Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons
60) Brambling, Fringilla montifringilla
61) European goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis
62) Great black-backed gull, Larus marinus
63) Pied avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta
64) Fieldfare, Turdus pilaris
65) Yellow-legged gull, Larus michahellis

Total


@Danny, in 2007 we visited Darwin, Kakadu National Park and surroundings, and then in 2009 we toured around the Southeast, from Adelaide to Melbourne to Sydney. Obviously I wasn't very much into birding then as I was respectively 10 and 12 years old, but from pictures I know I saw the following:

Australian animals '07 & '09


Awesome about the owl sighting! I checked on eBird for Melbourne real quick, and apparently the only owl species ever recorded there are indeed the three you mention. Barn owl would be a good candidate for the pale white belly, but doesn't work at all for the reddish eyes.. Also, barn owls haven't been seen (or, well, uploaded on eBird) in Melbourne since 2011, whereas Boobook has been seen last October and Powerful has been seen 10 days ago).
The pale white belly and yellow/red eye further points to a powerful owl juvenile, I believe? That would explain an incomplete call... And it does seem to be the most common of the three in Melbourne itself, this time of the year!
Here's some pics to illustrate how white their bellies get:
http://www.bushpea.com/bd/ph/geo/mi/powerful%20owl%2007.jpg
http://birdlife.org.au/images/uploads/projects/POW_POfamily_580.jpg
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Keniafan
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Today was an easy day, woke up around 12 and thought about doing some schoolwork. As soon as I checked waarneming.nl, I saw that a rather rare Common loon was seen on the same place I looked 2 days ago! Reasons enough to shove my schoolwork to the side and start looking for this lovely bird. As soon as I arrived I met an experienced birder and we both walked around the lake, where we saw some lovely species!

Birds
48 - Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
49 - Redwing (Turdus iliacus)
50 - Common loon (Gavia immer)
51 - European green woodpecker (Picus viridis)
52 - Common redpoll (Acanthis flammea)
53 - Lesser redpoll (Acanthis cabaret)
54 - Common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
55 - Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla)

Mammals
2 - Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)
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caviar
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@Anton, haha and even yesterday was a slow day, woodpecker wise. Crimson-mantled and Yellow tufted are among my favorite :P
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