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Forum birdwatching 2009
- Thread starter Kotatsu
- Start date
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- birds birdwatching
EHocking
Penultimate Amazing
I've been thinking about Kotatsu's ideas for next year's listing and improvements to the web page.
In the interim, I was thinking of putting our current lists up as downloadable files, broken up into years and perhaps a single species list for reference.
On the first one, does anyone have a problem with their user name being included in the list? This would enable you to filter for a private list amongst other things. I'm not sure if security is an issue, since all you'd get is a Forum user name and no personal details - except of course the intimation of their location from their sightings.
Here are the current headings in the spreadsheet that drives our list.
Date
Latin name (species)
Subspecies
Order
Family
English name
Observer (i.e. Forum user name)
Country
Country/State
Locale (i.e. city)
In the interim, I was thinking of putting our current lists up as downloadable files, broken up into years and perhaps a single species list for reference.
On the first one, does anyone have a problem with their user name being included in the list? This would enable you to filter for a private list amongst other things. I'm not sure if security is an issue, since all you'd get is a Forum user name and no personal details - except of course the intimation of their location from their sightings.
Here are the current headings in the spreadsheet that drives our list.
Date
Latin name (species)
Subspecies
Order
Family
English name
Observer (i.e. Forum user name)
Country
Country/State
Locale (i.e. city)
bruto
Penultimate Amazing
Just checking in after long absence here. For some reason, we've seen very few birds this past summer, and nothing new for the list. I'm sure the woods have been full of songbirds but they've been hiding. Hawks are starting to show up again now that leaves are off, and as usual some birds make their presence known in other ways......
Kotatsu
Phthirapterist
Two new species for the Swedish list (both Gothenburg 14/11 2009):
Twite Carduelis flavirostris
White-winged Crossbill Loxia leucoptera
The latter was a new species for me. There have been three in the area for almost a month now, and I took a walk yesterday to go and see if they were still there, as they hadn't been reported for almost a week. During the trip, I visited six small lakes or ponds, but otherwise mainly residential areas, but managed to see 46 species in four hours anyway, including all three European crossbill species, the Twites, several Redwings Turdus iliacus, two different Goshawks Accipiter gentilis and a Wigeon Anas penelope, so it was quite a good day.
I only saw two of the White-winged for certain, though: an adult male and an adult female. However, I have a photo of a third individual, which may just be a Common Crossbill Loxia ptyopsittacus with faint wing bands (which according to the Bird Guide they may sometimes have), but it may be a juvenile White-winged. I will upload the picture tomorrow.
Twite Carduelis flavirostris
White-winged Crossbill Loxia leucoptera
The latter was a new species for me. There have been three in the area for almost a month now, and I took a walk yesterday to go and see if they were still there, as they hadn't been reported for almost a week. During the trip, I visited six small lakes or ponds, but otherwise mainly residential areas, but managed to see 46 species in four hours anyway, including all three European crossbill species, the Twites, several Redwings Turdus iliacus, two different Goshawks Accipiter gentilis and a Wigeon Anas penelope, so it was quite a good day.
I only saw two of the White-winged for certain, though: an adult male and an adult female. However, I have a photo of a third individual, which may just be a Common Crossbill Loxia ptyopsittacus with faint wing bands (which according to the Bird Guide they may sometimes have), but it may be a juvenile White-winged. I will upload the picture tomorrow.
bruto
Penultimate Amazing
I hesitate to list this as a new species, since it's not exactly a native bird around here, but there's a troop of these in the neighborhood. I suppose they belong to somebody, but they spend most of their time on the road. Anyway, since I haven't come up with any wild birds for a while, I'll throw these critters into the mix just to keep the thread fresh.
I did hear an interesting owl hoot the other night, which I'm pretty sure was a great horned. It seemed very close. But no sighting yet.
I did hear an interesting owl hoot the other night, which I'm pretty sure was a great horned. It seemed very close. But no sighting yet.
Angus McPresley
Muse
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2006
- Messages
- 641
Last week I participated in a birding survey for the Friends of Merri Creek in my suburb of Melbourne, Australia. Here was the official tally:
Pacific Black Duck (14), Rock Dove (50) , Spotted Dove (4), Crested Pigeon (6), White-faced Heron (1) , Little Egret (1), Dusky Moorhen (6), Silver Gull (1), Rainbow Lorikeet (10), Eastern Rosella (4), Red-rumped Parrot (15), Kookaburra (4), Superb Fairy Wren (6), Yellow Thornbill (2), Noisy Miner (20), Red Wattlebird (14) New Holland Honeyeater (2), Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike (1), Grey Shrike-thrush (1), Grey Butcherbird (5), Magpie (1) Willie Wagtail (2), Little Raven (2), Magpie -lark (13), Silvereye (2), Welcome Swallow (4), Blackbird (5), Starling (4), Common Myna (12), Red-browed Finch (1), Common Greenfinch (1)
Later that same day, and rather nearby, I had my first good sighting of Australia's largest member of the parrot family, the Yellow-Tailed Black-Cockatoo. Five of them, actually.
Pacific Black Duck (14), Rock Dove (50) , Spotted Dove (4), Crested Pigeon (6), White-faced Heron (1) , Little Egret (1), Dusky Moorhen (6), Silver Gull (1), Rainbow Lorikeet (10), Eastern Rosella (4), Red-rumped Parrot (15), Kookaburra (4), Superb Fairy Wren (6), Yellow Thornbill (2), Noisy Miner (20), Red Wattlebird (14) New Holland Honeyeater (2), Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike (1), Grey Shrike-thrush (1), Grey Butcherbird (5), Magpie (1) Willie Wagtail (2), Little Raven (2), Magpie -lark (13), Silvereye (2), Welcome Swallow (4), Blackbird (5), Starling (4), Common Myna (12), Red-browed Finch (1), Common Greenfinch (1)
Later that same day, and rather nearby, I had my first good sighting of Australia's largest member of the parrot family, the Yellow-Tailed Black-Cockatoo. Five of them, actually.
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EHocking
Penultimate Amazing
Welcome to the thread Angus.
btw - I grew up in a suburb that backs on to Merri Ck and spent a lot of time mucking around in it and Coburg lake.
btw - I grew up in a suburb that backs on to Merri Ck and spent a lot of time mucking around in it and Coburg lake.
davefoc
Philosopher
Say's phoebe - Sayornis saya -24 October 2009
Location: Fullerton, CA, USA
This is the only Say's phoebe that I have noticed. The black phoebes must outnumber the Say's phoebes but at least 50 to 1 around here.
Maybe I got the identification wrong?
ETA: I had checked previously to see if there were any JREF sightings of Say's phoebe and as I recall there was one. But the site linked to in EHocking's signature (http://www.ennishocking.com/jref/JREF_Forum_Birding.html) doesn't seem to be functioning.
Location: Fullerton, CA, USA
This is the only Say's phoebe that I have noticed. The black phoebes must outnumber the Say's phoebes but at least 50 to 1 around here.
Maybe I got the identification wrong?
ETA: I had checked previously to see if there were any JREF sightings of Say's phoebe and as I recall there was one. But the site linked to in EHocking's signature (http://www.ennishocking.com/jref/JREF_Forum_Birding.html) doesn't seem to be functioning.
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The Big Dog
Unregistered
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2007
- Messages
- 29,742
Hi!
Decided to dive right the hell in and screw up this thread with my last two memorable sightings:
Chicago, Il: 11/16/09 Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Chicago Il: 11/14/09 Monk Parakeet, also known as the Quaker Parrot (Myiopsitta monachus) (Feral but they've been around since the 70's)
Decided to dive right the hell in and screw up this thread with my last two memorable sightings:
Chicago, Il: 11/16/09 Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Chicago Il: 11/14/09 Monk Parakeet, also known as the Quaker Parrot (Myiopsitta monachus) (Feral but they've been around since the 70's)
dasmiller
Just the right amount of cowbell
I'm closer to the ocean, so the population is probably a little different, but I've seen a lot of black phoebes over the years and, to the best of my knowledge, I've never seen a Say's. It's possible that I've seen them and not noticed, but . . . they sure aren't common in the LA area.
For obvious reasons (if you've read this far) I'm no expert on Say's phoebes, but I think you got it right. I took a quick look at my references, and dug through some pictures I've taken of somewhat-similar birds, none of which were Say's phoebes, nor did they match the bird in your picture.
jasonpatterson
Philanthropic Misanthrope
You're not screwing anything up.
Heck, I've probably posted 5 times on here that I saw a robin or some other insanely common bird.Dunno if I posted it last time, but the junco's (dark eyed) have returned to Macedonia. Isn't there a song about that? I'm getting all of the eastern US morphs of them too, which is new for me (brown through slate and almost completely black with white bills in some cases, a very cool looking critter.) I had only ever seen the slate version previously.
sphenisc
Philosopher
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2004
- Messages
- 6,253
17/11/09 Musselburgh, Scotland
Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor
Teal Anas crecca
The Wilson's was a life tick for me and my last phalarope. It's the largest of the phalaropes and I'd kind of pictured it as being the size of a redshank or knot. The long, thin bill and neck also gave me that impression, but in the flesh they're tiny! The overall length is a little smaller than a blackbird but a lot of that is bill and neck, actual body mass looked somewhere between dunlin and turnstone.
A great bird, feeding frenetically and spinning round nicely to show all the features!
Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor
Teal Anas crecca
The Wilson's was a life tick for me and my last phalarope. It's the largest of the phalaropes and I'd kind of pictured it as being the size of a redshank or knot. The long, thin bill and neck also gave me that impression, but in the flesh they're tiny! The overall length is a little smaller than a blackbird but a lot of that is bill and neck, actual body mass looked somewhere between dunlin and turnstone.
A great bird, feeding frenetically and spinning round nicely to show all the features!
EHocking
Penultimate Amazing
2009 List and webpage update
Firstly thanks for pointing out I'd screwed up the links on the webpage when I'd migrated it from the defunct host last month.
Web pages fixed (just not updated).
While I was at it I updated the list to the first few in November
Total Individual Sightings|
1758
Number of Forum Contributors| 44
Order Count| 25
Family Count| 104
Species Count (including subspecies)| 655
Subspecies Count| 14
We finally got out 1000 species - it just took twice as long as hoped.
2008/09 combined yields 1077 species plus 45 subspecies.
No photos updated yet, but I'll be contributing in December. I'm just waiting on delivery of my first dSLR. Just in time for our next trip that should yield a couple of dozen new species, but not enough to reach 1000 for 2009, I'm afraid.
Firstly thanks for pointing out I'd screwed up the links on the webpage when I'd migrated it from the defunct host last month.
Web pages fixed (just not updated).
While I was at it I updated the list to the first few in November
Number of Forum Contributors| 44
Order Count| 25
Family Count| 104
Species Count (including subspecies)| 655
Subspecies Count| 14
We finally got out 1000 species - it just took twice as long as hoped.
2008/09 combined yields 1077 species plus 45 subspecies.
No photos updated yet, but I'll be contributing in December. I'm just waiting on delivery of my first dSLR. Just in time for our next trip that should yield a couple of dozen new species, but not enough to reach 1000 for 2009, I'm afraid.
davefoc
Philosopher
Hi EHocking,
The JREF birdwatching site is operative now for me. Thanks.
However, I couldn't find any Say's phoebes. Has my Say's phoebe failed to make the list or am I doing something wrong when I'm looking for it?
Am I the only participant in this thread to report a Say's phoebe?
Thanks again for maintaining the list. Since I have no chance at the glory of the most species identified, I've decided the most important contest is Say's phoebe sitings and I was hoping to see my sighting on the list.
ETA: Here's a link to another picture of the same bird that might be more helpful with the identification if it is in doubt:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SayornisSaya_4066.JPG
I thought I might have seen another one in San Clemente a couple of days ago, but the bird is so nondescript (to the eyes of a bird observer with my low skill level) that I wasn't sure.
The JREF birdwatching site is operative now for me. Thanks.
However, I couldn't find any Say's phoebes. Has my Say's phoebe failed to make the list or am I doing something wrong when I'm looking for it?
Am I the only participant in this thread to report a Say's phoebe?
Thanks again for maintaining the list. Since I have no chance at the glory of the most species identified, I've decided the most important contest is Say's phoebe sitings and I was hoping to see my sighting on the list.
ETA: Here's a link to another picture of the same bird that might be more helpful with the identification if it is in doubt:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SayornisSaya_4066.JPG
I thought I might have seen another one in San Clemente a couple of days ago, but the bird is so nondescript (to the eyes of a bird observer with my low skill level) that I wasn't sure.
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EHocking
Penultimate Amazing
The only reason it would be missing would be due to fast (and therefore shoddy) HTML work by me!
I will revisit the yearly and country species lists tonight - you WILL have your 15mins of fame
I will revisit the yearly and country species lists tonight - you WILL have your 15mins of fame
davefoc
Philosopher
Two species that were firsts for me:
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
Near Irvine regional park, Orange County, CA
November 22, 2009
I suspect this bird is fairly common around here at least in the winter. Even though it looks distinctive in the photograph it's small and nervous so I probably have been confusing the ones I've been catching glimpses of with other birds. I noticed it running on the ground like towhees do. The bird was in a group of ten or so other individuals that were hanging out in a bush.
White-crowned sparrows have been the subject of studies on bird migration and sleeping. Somehow when the bird is migrating it can get by on much less sleep than when it isn't.
http://www.stormingmedia.us/33/3373/A337334.html.
White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus)
Near Irvine regional park, Orange County, CA
November 22, 2009
This bird hovers in the air and then moves on. I don't think I've ever seen a bird of prey do something like that before.
I also think I saw a few more Say's phoebes.
Does anybody think they could identify a bird's egg from a picture? My friend's daughter found a large brown egg on a hike and we were curious what kind of bird egg it was. The egg was about 2.5 inches long. I can post the picture if somebody thought a picture would be helpful to identify the egg.
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
Near Irvine regional park, Orange County, CA
November 22, 2009
I suspect this bird is fairly common around here at least in the winter. Even though it looks distinctive in the photograph it's small and nervous so I probably have been confusing the ones I've been catching glimpses of with other birds. I noticed it running on the ground like towhees do. The bird was in a group of ten or so other individuals that were hanging out in a bush.
White-crowned sparrows have been the subject of studies on bird migration and sleeping. Somehow when the bird is migrating it can get by on much less sleep than when it isn't.
http://www.stormingmedia.us/33/3373/A337334.html.
White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus)
Near Irvine regional park, Orange County, CA
November 22, 2009
This bird hovers in the air and then moves on. I don't think I've ever seen a bird of prey do something like that before.
I also think I saw a few more Say's phoebes.
Does anybody think they could identify a bird's egg from a picture? My friend's daughter found a large brown egg on a hike and we were curious what kind of bird egg it was. The egg was about 2.5 inches long. I can post the picture if somebody thought a picture would be helpful to identify the egg.
davefoc
Philosopher
I certainly don't have an objection. If there isn't an expressed objection I'd just assume that there are no objections. I can't see how this could add additional risk when your user name is so public already. For many of us our user name can be fairly readily to our real names. In my case the weird collection of opinions I've expressed over the years as davefoc would probably prevent me from becoming president of the US. But I don't think adding my user name to a bird watching spread sheet is going to reduce my chances any further than they already have been.
Just wanted to add a few--There is some overlap, but it looks like I might be able to nearly double the species for one country. My self-imposed criteria for this thread include having an identifiable photo, or I'd have quite a few more.
But, that said. The country is South Africa, in Kruger Park, then CapeTown, then below at some locations near the Cape of Good Hope. Late July of this year; specific dates will be posted (if I remember) with each pic.
And, of course, my identifications are subject to verification by the resident experts. I have some I have not ID'd, and probably at least a couple I have wrongly ID'd.
The birds:
Grey Heron
Double-Collared Sunbird
Cape Francolin
Emerald-Spotted Wood Dove
Chukar Partridge
Brown Snake Eagle
African Black Oystercatcher
Square-Tailed Nightjar (terrible photo)
White-Breasted Cormorant
Spotted Eagle Owl
Sacred Ibis
Pied Kingfisher
Rock Dove
Pied Crow
Jackass Penguin
Little Egret
Kelp Gull
Hartlaub's Gull
Goliath Heron
Grey-Headed Kingfisher
Common Fiscal Shrike
Chinspot Batis
Black-Crowned Tchagra
Black Crake
Bearded Woodpecker (horrible pic, but positive ID)
White-Headed Vulture
African Darter
African Barred Owlet
Wire-Tailed Swallow
Water Thick-Knee
Spectacled Weaver
Hooded Vulture
Laughing Dove
Green Wood Hoopoe
Fork-Tailed Drongo
Natal Francolin
African Fish Eagle
Blacksmith Lapwing
Pintail Whydah
Yellow-Billed Stork
Speckled Mousebird
White-Bellied Sunbird
Ostrich
Kori Bustard
Red-Billed Oxpecker
Helmeted Guineafowl
Garden Bulbul
Egyptian Goose
Eastern Black-Headed Oriole
Burchell's Starling
Brown-Headed Parrot
Bateleur
African Jacana
Southern Yellow-Billed Hornbill
Southern Ground-Hornbill
Ring-Necked Dove
Red-Winged Starling
Lilac-Breasted Roller
Grey Go-Away Bird
Cape Sparrow
I have a few more that I have not identified, so I will try to dig those up before the end of the month
So... just a couple of shots from the above list...
But, that said. The country is South Africa, in Kruger Park, then CapeTown, then below at some locations near the Cape of Good Hope. Late July of this year; specific dates will be posted (if I remember) with each pic.
And, of course, my identifications are subject to verification by the resident experts. I have some I have not ID'd, and probably at least a couple I have wrongly ID'd.
The birds:
Grey Heron
Double-Collared Sunbird
Cape Francolin
Emerald-Spotted Wood Dove
Chukar Partridge
Brown Snake Eagle
African Black Oystercatcher
Square-Tailed Nightjar (terrible photo)
White-Breasted Cormorant
Spotted Eagle Owl
Sacred Ibis
Pied Kingfisher
Rock Dove
Pied Crow
Jackass Penguin
Little Egret
Kelp Gull
Hartlaub's Gull
Goliath Heron
Grey-Headed Kingfisher
Common Fiscal Shrike
Chinspot Batis
Black-Crowned Tchagra
Black Crake
Bearded Woodpecker (horrible pic, but positive ID)
White-Headed Vulture
African Darter
African Barred Owlet
Wire-Tailed Swallow
Water Thick-Knee
Spectacled Weaver
Hooded Vulture
Laughing Dove
Green Wood Hoopoe
Fork-Tailed Drongo
Natal Francolin
African Fish Eagle
Blacksmith Lapwing
Pintail Whydah
Yellow-Billed Stork
Speckled Mousebird
White-Bellied Sunbird
Ostrich
Kori Bustard
Red-Billed Oxpecker
Helmeted Guineafowl
Garden Bulbul
Egyptian Goose
Eastern Black-Headed Oriole
Burchell's Starling
Brown-Headed Parrot
Bateleur
African Jacana
Southern Yellow-Billed Hornbill
Southern Ground-Hornbill
Ring-Necked Dove
Red-Winged Starling
Lilac-Breasted Roller
Grey Go-Away Bird
Cape Sparrow
I have a few more that I have not identified, so I will try to dig those up before the end of the month
So... just a couple of shots from the above list...
davefoc
Philosopher
All that and not one Say's phobe. Good try though.
As an aside, I also don't count it unless I have a picture. The resident experts have found where I've made more than one mistake already.
ETA: Are there any of the birds in your list that make it into North America?
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