Ed Forum birdwatching 2008

The property next to mine is called Eagle Valley, and we can sometimes see the wedge-tailed eagles above.

What I'm actually asking is, what's already on the Australia list?
 
Mercutio said:
So anyway, my question is, does it really matter at all if I can add another country, even with just a couple of common birds that are already on the list? Or would that just be silly? (And yes, I know that the entire endeavor is already silly, or important, or whatever, it is what it is, and I am new at the game.)
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The more, the merrier. :)
 
sphenisc said:
The Pacific Gull looks like a real bruiser - are they as aggressive as they look?

There's also a Silver Gull on the far right of the pelican picture, which isn't on the Australia List yet.
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Isn`t it (I can`t find question mark on this japanese keyboard)
It should be because BillyJoe has reported it before sometime. Maybe it got lost somehow.

Also: I am in Japan now, and can add some species to the list already。（all today):
Cinnamon Sparrow Passer rutilans
Intermediate egret Egretta intermedia
Oriental Turtledove Streptopelia orientalis
Domestic pigeon Columba livia domestica
White wagtail Motacilla alba
Carrion crow Corvus corone corone
Oriental House Martin Delichon dasypus
Little grebe Tachybabtus ruficollis
Common sandpiper Actitis hypoleuca
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

I`ll be in the Tokyo area until next saturday, when we head for Hokkaido. I`ll probably have time to look around a bit more t\already this afternoon, when my host gets off work.

I can also add the following birds for Denmark:
Copenhagen, Sealand, yesterday (11/9):
Skylark Alauda arvensis
Rook Corvus frugilegus
Hooded Crow Corvus corone cornix

I think they are already on the list, though.
 
Mercutio said:
Ok, with EHocking about to intrude on my Greece (*sigh*)... I was looking through my other pics... and it seems I can provide evidence for two, perhaps three (depending on the birders here) species in Bulgaria. Nothing new (domestic pigeon, yellow-legged gull) unless I am mistaken... but a whole new country (at least until I alert Hipparchia and she starts putting me to shame).

So anyway, my question is, does it really matter at all if I can add another country, even with just a couple of common birds that are already on the list? Or would that just be silly? (And yes, I know that the entire endeavor is already silly, or important, or whatever, it is what it is, and I am new at the game.)
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To answer quickly: it matters if you think it matters. I have added birds already reported from other countries from both Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, and now Japan. I think it looks nicer to see more complete lists for all countries. But if you`re adding only three birds, it doesn`t matter, I guess. It`s up to you^^.
 
Let`s add another one while I`m at it:
Green pheasant Phasianus versicolor

I saw something that I thought was a peacock, and figured it was probably a domesticated one or saw something that I thought was a peacock, and figured it was probably a domesticated one or so, until I had time to sit down with a good bird book, and realised that they actually have two species here... so I`ve got five new species so far, I believe. Possibly we`ll head out for some bird watching tonight, and during the weekend (which includes Monday, as that is a national holiday here).
 
Kotatsu said:
There's also a Silver Gull on the far right of the pelican picture, which isn't on the Australia List yet.
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It should be, because BillyJoe has reported it before sometime.
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You have a good memory:

15dan37.jpg
 
I believe this is a Little Gull, first winter plumage?
Wells Harbor (estuary), September 8, 2008

littlegull-.jpg

​
 
Very cute Little Gull...

I just had a long post eaten by the interwebs... so who knows about this one?

Anyway... as I was saying... I went to the seashore today. A year ago, I would have seen seagulls. Today, I saw at least three species of gull-- Ring-billed Gulls, Herring Gulls, and Greater Black-backed Gulls. I saw some sort of little wader--those bastards really are shy--probably a solitary sandpiper, but for some reason I do not think so. Cardinal, Blue Jay, Cormorants (what species? Who knew there were more than one?!), ducks (at least one species, very ugly, frankly), crows (what, there are lots of species of crows? Gimme a break!), Cedar Waxwings, Mourning Dove, Domestic Pigeon, Starling(s!!!!), some bird that thought it was funny to drop acorns on me--from my perspective, all I know is that it has a white belly... a Belted Kingfisher at the bridge on the way there...

I'd have seen more, I think, but it was high tide. Oh, and I saw a mourning cloak butterfly, and a biplane.
 
YoPopa said:
I believe this is a Little Gull, first winter plumage?
Wells Harbor (estuary), September 8, 2008
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I don't think this is a little gull. The head on Little Gull is slightly boxy, in good views you can make out a "brow ridge". It's also got quite a small head with a relatively large eye, short neck and the bill is all black. In the Autumn, the patches of colour on the head are slaty grey to black.

Little gull : http://www.greglasley.net/ligu.html

I think your bird is a black-headed gull. The main points being the brownish tinge to the head patches and the bicoloured bill. AFAIK neither Little or Bonaparte's ever have orange in the bill and the only other "smallish" gull which show any red is Franklin's, which has a considerably bigger ,deeper bill than this one.

The main point against Black-headed is the dark ear patch which is unusually large and diffuse for this species, however, given the patchiness of the rest of the head, the moult hasn't been completed so it's not unreasonable.

The mantle (back) is also quite dark for black-headed gull, but I suspect this is due to being photographed mid-evening?

Black-headed Gull at similar moult stage http://www.drumimages.co.uk/Images/Bird Images/BlackHeadedGull/black_headed_gull_mm_041107(2).jpg
 
YoPopa said:
[qimg]http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l36/YoPopa/whatgull.jpg[/qimg]

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Brilliant, an excellent view of the underwing!

Compare the underwing with these :

Little Gull : http://www.blkittiwake.com/LittleGull1125040126.jpg

Bonaparte's Gull : http://www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/Photos/Gulls/BOGU9.jpg

Black-headed Gull : http://i.pbase.com/g3/80/462980/2/88013163.pCnKWIQW.jpg

YoPopa said:
[qimg]http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l36/YoPopa/whatgull2.jpg[/qimg]

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This looks like black-headed gull, though the 1st winter plumage looks a bit unusual, it still has juvenile feathers to moult out.​
 
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This weekend, about 10km further along the Warbuton Trail, I spotted another group of black cockatoos.

2mfj488.jpg



w2hh1t.jpg


Still no telephoto lens though, but the birds were much closer and hence the photographs are much clearer.
 
I once saw a Tawny Frogmouth in the tree right outside my front door. Unfortunately I didn't get any photos (not photos where it was recognisable, anyway). But I know it's in the region.
 
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