[halftwo]

Swap my list for Black & Three-toed!
Welcome back to the cold, Jos.

[Jane Turner]

Right. Our combined list is currently 143 (including astounding selection of woodies)
Velvet Scoter on Jan 4th was the 100th.

House Sparrow
Starling
are the most recorded - on account of their multi-continental distribution. I'm struggling to workout what has been seen where (since many people stated with 23 or 40 sp and I had to guess) How anyone can claim to keep competitive lister's lists correct defeats me!

We need a Columbian garden lister to move things along!

[chowchilla]

Originally Posted by Jane Turner

Right. Our combined list is currently 143 (including astounding selection of woodies)
Velvet Scoter on Jan 4th was the 100th.

House Sparrow
Starling
are the most recorded - on account of their multi-continental distribution. I'm struggling to workout what has been seen where (since many people stated with 23 or 40 sp and I had to guess) How anyone can claim to keep competitive lister's lists correct defeats me!

We need a Columbian garden lister to move things along!

I'm curious too as to what those lists include even if it's common species.

It would be nice if we had folks joining in from every continent (I think we've got three so far) for a seriously big combined total! Oh and I'm just curious to see what backyard birds folks get in different parts of the world. I still haven't seen a House Sparrow yet!

Very unsettled and wet weather, plus the pesky inconvenience of having to go to work, have put paid to any new addos over the last few days.

[Jane Turner]

I can't contribute to the woodpeckers...

Great spotted Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
Three-toed Woodpecker
Black Woodpecker
Middle-spotted Woodpecker
White-backed Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
So far. I expect GSW and have had Wryneck, though Jos will beatme to that one I expect!

[halftwo]

I'll put my whole list on when back home. In the meantime I added
Jay this morning.

50: Jay

[chowchilla]

Originally Posted by Jane Turner

I can't contribute to the woodpeckers...

Great spotted Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
Three-toed Woodpecker
Black Woodpecker
Middle-spotted Woodpecker
White-backed Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
So far. I expect GSW and have had Wryneck, though Jos will beatme to that one I expect!

No Woodpeckers here in Aus. It's one group of birds I really miss seeing.

[chowchilla]

Originally Posted by halftwo

I'll put my whole list on when back home.

Cool! I look forward to it.

[halftwo]

OK: full list roughly in order seen...

House sparrow
Blue tit
Carrion crow
Robin
Dunnock
Black-headed gull
Wood pigeon
Collared dove
Blackbird
Jackdaw
Rook
Great black-backed gull
Common crossbill (not on 2011 list)
Herring gull
Bullfinch
Wren
Pheasant
Great tit
Goldfinch
Starling
Magpie
Tree sparrow
Sparrowhawk
Greenfinch
Stock dove
Mistle thrush
Song thrush
Cormorant
Redwing
Chaffinch
Nuthatch
Goldcrest
Coal tit
Linnet
Fieldfare
Kestrel
Lesser black-backed gull
Common gull
Long-tailed tit
Great-spotted woodpecker
Peregrine
Pink-footed goose
Lesser redpoll
Pied wagtail
Buzzard
Tawny owl
Mallard
Raven
Greylag goose
Jay

and a few minutes ago:

51 : Treecreeper.

[Jos Stratford]

Originally Posted by KenM

...can I trade you WFGoose for any of the ''peckers'' barring Grt.Spot.?

Would be tempted to trade in a spare Middle Spot, but in a couple of months White-fronts should be going over in flocks ...anything else on offer?

[KenM]

Have been looking'' intently'' for this species since Jan 1st...and having to contend with triple digit Redwings perched up at varying distances from the garden to c300m out! Having swept the tree-tops for hours on end...time and time again, I had sub-consciously acknowledged this particularly dark sillhouetted blob for c2-3mins. c250m out, before looking at it...and just before a Magpie chased it down....no.47. Certainly not the brightest individual that I've ever seen, which in itself has not helped these sub-standard images, and that they wouldn't impress any erstwhile record committee (impressed me though )...however I can only attribute their less than perfect resolution to distance proximity, and a very low bright sun.

[Jane Turner]

Originally Posted by Jos Stratford

Would be tempted to trade in a spare Middle Spot, but in a couple of months White-fronts should be going over in flocks ...anything else on offer?

Would Velvet Scoter me more tempting? I'll even take the GSW!

[chowchilla]

Early morning and the weather was gloomy and wet. I took to sitting in my study and scanning the gaps in the trees around Centenary Lakes which I can only see from a very oblique angle. Normally I would never do this: if I want to see birds at the Lakes I simply walk there in ten minutes. Within minutes I had three Australian White Ibis heading out to feed in the city. These birds are everywhere in Cairns so no surprise there. Also predictable, within 20 minutes a solitary Little Black Cormorant flew in a wide circle around the trees before disappearing from the direction it came. There's a large roost of these at the Lakes.

Then the sun burst through the clouds nearly blinding me and I decided to head out to the Lakes to see what frogs I could find after all the rain we'd just had.

At the entrance to the swamp boardwalk a small temporary pool had dozens of Graceful Tree Frogs often in couples, sometimes having threesomes! Saucy little green buggers. As soon as they got used to my presence they kicked back into chorus and within a minute they were producing a deafening 'WAAAAAH' once more. As I watched I spotted a bird skulking in the vegetation which quickly retreated from view. I went around the other side of the pool and out flew a Pale-vented Bush Hen, giving me excellent views of this mega-skulker. As if to confirm its ID, it whished at me from the forest where it landed. From the boardwalk I could hear the round of applause that was hundreds of Striped Marsh Frogs though these remained much better hidden.

Back out front, now that the sun had come out to play, I stood, ears strained for my quarry. It didn't take long before I could hear the distinct chirruping of House Sparrows from the street corner to my left. About bloody time.

A large mixed Hirundine flock went over, giving me plenty more Welcome Swallows plus inevitably, both Fairy Martin and Tree Martin. Try as I might, I couldn't turn any of them into Barn Swallow or Red-rumped. As the clouds, then the rain returned I headed indoors.

41) Australian White Ibis.
42) Little Black Cormorant.
43) House Sparrow.
44) Fairy Martin.
45) Tree Martin.

[edenwatcher]

Still sluggish - no high tide during daylight hours over the weekend didn't help.
Up to 49 now, with the pick of the additions being peregrine, great spotted woodpecker and brent goose (both the more usual hrota and a single bernicla). The latter is a real mega for us.

Rob

[halftwo]

Pale-vented Bush-hen?

Has there been a split?

[chowchilla]

Originally Posted by halftwo

Pale-vented Bush-hen?

Has there been a split?

When I first became familiar with Aussie birds it was just called 'Bush Hen'. For some time now it's been called 'Pale-vented'; I double checked my Pizzey and Knight as I read your post and sure enough it's Pale-vented in there.

If there's been a split, it hasn't occurred within Aus.

[Jos Stratford]

Vilnius garden also up and running, the species total very low at present...

1. Sparrowhawk - one attacked this morning
2. Great Spotted Woodpecker - three on feeders
3. Great Tit - dozens and dozens
4. Blue Tit - 10-15 minimum
5. Crested Tit - regular pair
6. Nuthatch - occasionals on the feeders
7. Tree Sparrow - feeding flock of about 60
8. Jay - several on feeders

Crested Tits look nice in the snow though, this shot taken this morning - see the snow falkes drifting down

[Jane Turner]

That is 148 sp in total.

[chowchilla]

A frustrating day all told: had lots to do and didn't get any of them done very well; only managed to squeeze one more bird out the day due to terrible weather.

Back at work tomorrow.

46) Dusky Honeyeater calling in the forest.

[Jane Turner]

I'd missed out Woodpigeon, so Dusky Honeyeater is our 150th spp

[Jos Stratford]

Have another species Jane.


Garden listing 2012 turning up some real trumps already, turn of my Vilnius garden this time.

Got home at 11 p.m. last night, pulled into the drive, snowing all around. Stepped out intothe crunch, pooop pooop pooop pooop pooop echoing from the pines, Tengmalm's Owl!!! First ever for my garden (never at my Labanoras either), so quite a notable. Still calling half an hour later.


Vilnius

9. Tengmalm's Owl

[KenM]

Originally Posted by Jos Stratford

Have another species Jane.


Garden listing 2012 turning up some real trumps already, turn of my Vilnius garden this time.

Got home at 11 p.m. last night, pulled into the drive, snowing all around. Stepped out intothe crunch, pooop pooop pooop pooop pooop echoing from the pines, Tengmalm's Owl!!! First ever for my garden (never at my Labanoras either), so quite a notable. Still calling half an hour later.


Vilnius

9. Tengmalm's Owl

''It's only poor man's Hawk Owl''...I'm not playing anymore

That's the ''toys out the pram''....I'll swap you Green Woodpecker...

[Jane Turner]

Very nice... I managed to add Woodpigeon, which is why I noticed it wasn't on the list. My only Owl hopes come in Asio form!

[KenM]

My only Owl visitor (vocal most nights)...is Strix-ly for the in-garden rodents!.....

[Larry Lade]

Jos, I will certainly never get your garden bird in our yard here in Missouri, but it is my # 1 target bird for our upcoming trip to Minnesota which commences this Friday, January 20th.

Really hope to see this guy!

[Larry Lade]

Picidae is my favorite family in the avian tribe.

So far this year in our yard:

Downy Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Northern Flicker (yellow-shafted)

It has really been slow here for new birds. I do not even have an American Robin yet!