Animal Log of your native fauna

[BlueKrono]

Yesterday was a rainy day, but checking the nesting colony of cattle egrets (with some night herons and roosting place for jackdaws) that is in the river of my city, I saw nothing less than a GLOSSY IBIS (Plegadis falcinellus). These ibises are a common sight in the warm south of my country, but a great rarity up so north as where I live.

My dearest birding goal is to see a glossy ibis here in Minnesota. I spent a lot of time chasing sightings of them last spring, but no luck so far.

[bmathison1972]

Yesterday was a rainy day, but checking the nesting colony of cattle egrets (with some night herons and roosting place for jackdaws) that is in the river of my city, I saw nothing less than a GLOSSY IBIS (Plegadis falcinellus). These ibises are a common sight in the warm south of my country, but a great rarity up so north as where I live.

My dearest birding goal is to see a glossy ibis here in Minnesota. I spent a lot of time chasing sightings of them last spring, but no luck so far.

I got the Glossy Ibis in Delaware last year. We get the very similar White-faced here in Utah. When I was in New Orleans last week I saw some dark ibis, but the two can be hard to separate when immature where their ranges overlap, and hybrids occur.

[BlueKrono]

Yesterday was a rainy day, but checking the nesting colony of cattle egrets (with some night herons and roosting place for jackdaws) that is in the river of my city, I saw nothing less than a GLOSSY IBIS (Plegadis falcinellus). These ibises are a common sight in the warm south of my country, but a great rarity up so north as where I live.

My dearest birding goal is to see a glossy ibis here in Minnesota. I spent a lot of time chasing sightings of them last spring, but no luck so far.

I got the Glossy Ibis in Delaware last year. We get the very similar White-faced here in Utah. When I was in New Orleans last week I saw some dark ibis, but the two can be hard to separate when immature where their ranges overlap, and hybrids occur.

Very cool. Believe it or not we get white faced ibis in the far western part of MN sometimes, but they're even rarer than glossies.

[Avian]

When walking home from class on Friday, I saw a bilateral gynandromorph Eastern Tiger Swallowtail fluttering around some hydrangea flowers. Unfortunately, by the time I returned with my camera it had flown away  . Still an extremely cool sighting no less, considering its only 1 in 100,000 butterflies!

[EpicRaptorMan]

Saw a Estigmene acrea gently resting on a brick wall in the sun today.
Got some good photos of it. Not sure if I had seen one in person before now.

[EpicRaptorMan]

Some Fulica atra I saw today. A whole bunch of them were enjoying the chilly water and the heavy lake winds

[bmathison1972]

Yesterday was my b-day so as a treat to myself I hired a local bird guide to take me around. Got 87 species including six lifers:

Virginia Rail
Rock Wren
Black Rosy-finch
Clark's Nutcracker
Barn Owl
Burrowing Owl

Mammal highlights were bison, coyote, and North American porcupine

https://ebird.org/tripreport/217970

[BlueKrono]

How exciting, Blaine! Burrowing owls are my favorite owl species. Pretty incredible that both they and the barns have ranges that extend from Canada to Tierra del Fuego.

[Isidro]

And for the barn owl, they also extend for the whole Asia, Africa, Europe and Oceania.

[bmathison1972]

I was in Tampa, Florida for my annual baseball stadium trip this weekend and of course, birded .

Got 8 lifers! Here is the complete trip report:

https://ebird.org/tripreport/221719

Non-avian highlights included American alligator, green anoles, raccoon, eastern grey squirrel, and (possibly) fox squirrel. The most exciting non-avian highlight, and the only one I don't think I've seen, certainly not in that region, were fiddler crabs, quite inland but near water!

[bmathison1972]

I was in Los Angeles, California this past weekend speaking at a meeting and took an extra day to go birding. I have a friend there who is a grad student at UCLA and an avid/expert birder. Yesterday we covered everything from Bear Divide down to the coastal lagoons. I got 114 species, including 14 lifers:

trip report: https://ebird.org/tripreport/224844

[bmathison1972]

I was teaching in Minneapolis this past weekend, and in addition to getting the privilege of having dinner with @BlueKrono and his family, I got some birding in .  I racked up three lifers, the Connecticut Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

Complete eBird list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S174239164

[Aeglil]

I am envious when I see all the fauna spotted from the window by some of you.
I always wished Europe had a richer biodiversity. But since the late Pleistocene ended and our megafauna got extinct, we have nothing to brag about.

Now I'm back home in France, but on my last whale-watching trip in northern Norway, I saw:
-Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus)
-Long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas)
-Northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis)
-Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica)
-White-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla)
-Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina)
-Humans (Homo sapiens)

[Isidro]

Last Saturday at night I went to a park in my city where I stayed until the night. There was a floral fair here and everything was full of people. However I had an very exciting sight. In one of the young nettle trees that flank the main road, there was a couple of scops owls that didn't minded the proximity of people, including myself. I saw the couple at just about two meters of my head. What I assumed to be the female was sitting quiet on a branchlet of the tree while what I tought it was the male took off and landed repeatedly in circular flights around his partner, I assume that for impress her in courtship. It was a fantastic scene because, while is fairly easy to hear scops owls in big parks of my city at night, it's extremely difficult to actually see them.

And at next day, so, yesterday, I went to a field trip with another naturalist friend. We arrived to the Monegros region, an arid land in my zone that is extremely deprecated and neglected by the inhabitants here, including the nature conservation organisms. We drove the wrong way for some hundred meters and we had to turn back in a small path between a field and a rugged terrain. My friend saw two hares and I missed them so I wanted to see more and we drove a bit more. I saw rabbits then, but no hares. But I saw some blooming big thistles and I purposed to investigate them. It was a really good decision as these thistles were boiling of life. This time I went annotating each species I saw in a note in my phone so I can relate them chronologically (usually I just memorize what I saw in each field trip and later at home I elaborate a list). First I saw Oxythyrea funesta, Psilothrix viridicoerulea and a nice Deraeocoris ribauti, then I noticed that the underside of many involucres of the thistles were inhabited by a beetle that I like a lot and that I last saw in 2012! Tilloidea transversalis, a nice velvet-ant-mimic checkered beetle. A small male crab spider (Thomisus onustus) hanged from a thread and a shield bug (Dolycoris baccarum) hidden amongst the spines, while two collared doves flied over. Then it appeared an earwig (Forficula auricularia) and some thistle weevils (Lixus cardui), while a longhorn beetle (Certallum ebulinum) remained quiet in a hidden flower head. A moth (Loxostege sticticalis) was resting nearby. Examining the thistle leaves I discovered various individuals of a weevil (Trichosirocalus horridus). In a broom was resting a yellow-spotted Cryptocephalus that I think may be C. octoguttatus but may be the rarer C. crassus, then I heard distantly the unmistakable sound of a hoopoe that followed for several minutes. Shaking the branches of Salsola vermiculata I hoped to obtain some Tarisa flavescens but none appeared, instead there was a crab spider (Runcinia grammica). A marmalade hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) landed in the flower of a small yellow thistle (the diversity of thistle species in this small spot was really rich). I go to a small spot of reeds and an antlion (Creoleon lugdunensis) flied nearby and landed on a dry stem of a reed. Then I saw a small wasp resting head down with mandibles attached to a branchlet: a Prionyx kirbii, and my fourth sight of this species in my life. There is here a male hoverfly Sphaerophoria scripta, and two soldier ants of the species Messor barbarus was fighting in the soil. We concluded this spot because we wanted to arrive to a colony of the most spectacular of the Iberian insects and this was in another zone.

Driving again, we took the correct way this time. From the car window I saw black kites. Approaching to the site, the most beautiful of all the European birds was resting in the bushes and I can saw it very well. Usually these birds are resting in high electric wires or flying high in the air where one only can see their unmistakable silhouette and hear their unmistakable sounds. Of course, what I'm talking about is the bee-eater, Merops apiaster.

We arrived to the destination place and inmediately we started to see a lot of insects again. The first ones just out of the car were a mating pair of the darkling beetle Akis genei. A small lynx spider Oxyopes heterophthalmus jumped from a bush. A grasshopper Pyrgomorpha conica was perfectly camouflaged. The hoopoe sounds again accompanied us. Soon we saw the first individual of the objetive insect, the incredibly spectacular Nemoptera bipennis. My friend wanted to see them because he didn't saw alive ones before. For me, with more experience, this species was not new, but always it's a tremendous pleasure to watch it. Threadfin lacewings are probably my most favourite family of the whole animal kingdom. But the neuropteran was flying restless and we spent a lot of time (and an accident: broken calf of my friend, second time this year) until we finally found a landed one for photographing it. Meanwhile, a nice Y-shaped plume moth (Agdistis sp, probably meridionalis) was resting in a grass stem. I lifted a rock and under it was a firefly larva (Nyctophila reichii) and a darkling beetle (Gonocephalum granulatum). Still pursuing the threafin lacewing, one of our strangest robberflies landed on a bush: Leptogaster cylindrica, a robberfly that looks like more a miniature damselfly. In the sowthistle flowerheads there were Cryptocephalus rugicollis and Psilothrix viridicoerulea, including two mating pairs (one of each species) in the very same fowerhead. Under another rock was a millipede (Ommatoiulus rutilans). My friend called me as he saw a soldier beetle (Rhagonycha fulva). A dragonfly (Sympetrum fonscolombii) landed near where an orbweaver spider (Mangora acalypha) rested in its web. A carpet beetle (Attagenus trifasciatus) was on a flower, and here also appeared a seven-spotted ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata). A rabbit disappeared quickly between the rosemary bushes. In the path landed a grasshopper (Sphingonotus coerulans). Not far, an adult red-tailed spiny-footed lizard (Acanthodactylus erythrurus) rested exposed so I can see it very well. A micro-moth, Enolmis userai, visited a flower, then I saw a ladybug (Hippodamia variegata) and a striking beetle, Berberomeloe majalis, that I caught to show my friend the cantharidin dropes exuding from its leg joints. Then my friend pointed me a caterpillar, that resulted to be actually 9 caterpillars of spurge hawk-moth (Hyles euphorbiae) feeding on Euphorbia serrata. I caught four of them for my parent's garden (where I deposited it in my Euphorbia characias), and left the other 5. My friend again called me, literally he said "this is big game", he was spotting a big katydid, Steropleurus perezi. Still a late instar nymph, tough. Later I saw another one, but meanwhile I spotted a Cryptocephalus octoguttatus and a black individual of Anisoplia baetica, and then a proud mother of a spider of the species Pisaura mirabilis guarding her egg ball inside a silk nest. Coming back to the car appeared some darkling beetles Tentyria peirolei and a bee fly of the genus Lomatia, while some beetles Enicopus ibericus rested in some grasses. A fly of the genus Cylindromyia was sunbathing in the middle of the path. Shaking the branches of the Suaeda vera I obtained a couple of times nymphs of the shield bug Brachynema germarii, as well as an oedemerid beetle specialist on this plant, Chitona suturalis. A pill bug (Armadillium vulgare) walked under the bushes, and the carnivorous ants Cataglyphis iberica runned fast over the path. We entered into the car.

We stopped just few dozens of meters away for investigate a big broom (Retama sphaerocarpa) in full bloom. I wanted to find some Julodis onopordi here but I had no luck. The broom only was full of ladybugs (Coccinella septempunctata and Hippodamia variegata) and the ladybug-like leaf beetle that feeds exclusively on these brooms, Gonioctena variabilis, plus of course a lot of unidentifiable ants and aphids, and a Deraeocoris cordiger.

We stopped again some hundreds meters away. There is a wheat (Triticum aestivum) field whose borders turned widely in birdeed (Phalaris canariensis) field, and I tought it would be interesting to check this area of fresh green cereals. My friend, with the damaged leg, waited in the car and I brought insects to him so he can see them. Black kites overflied us. First I find a katydid (Platycleis sabulosa), but not much more for such a promising-looking area. At the other side of the path I lifted a rock and under it was a small individual of the centipede Scolopendra cinculata, together with some darkling beetles (Scaurus punctatus). In a small broom there was the caterpillar of Uresiphita gilvata. I went again to the cereal field and found Clanoptilus marginellus a the crab spider Runcinia grammica. A small flock of goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis) flied over me. The booger-like larvae of Oulema melanopus were found in some wheat blades. A moth Autographa gamma hidden in the birdseed plants. A thistle of the species Silybum marianum hosted a shield bug Dolycoris baccarum. Nothing much appeared and we went to arrive to the house of a good friend of mine in the nearby village for put ice in the leg of my friend, so we entered to the car again. From the window I saw some crested larks (Galerida cristata) taking off.

But we still stopped at a place closer to the village with ruins of an old house, a bramble mass and a half dry irrigation ditch. Some magpies (Pica pica) flied here. The blades of the reeds have the usual populations of the reed aphid Hyalopterus pruni. The brambles were full of Lachnaia and as they were big I assumed to be Lachnaia pubescens, but after sending images to some experts they argued that it should be Lachnaia paradoxa, a species that I never heard about      One male Oedemera flavipes appeared here too. There were some gomphocerine grasshoppers, I rarely pay much attention to these exceedengly difficult to ID critters but at least one of them was the easier to recognize Chorthippus apialis. The white storks (Ciconia ciconia) that nests in the village and nearby were already visible from here. High in the sky also a griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) soared. I checked the irrigation ditch, there was nothing in the water, but some beetles were struggling for climb out of the ditch and reach the soil surface and I helped them, these included some Tentyria peirolei, Gonocephalum granulatum, Galeruca angusta and Zabrus tenebrioides. We entered to the car again, heading to the village. From the window I saw a booted eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) taking off from a small tree.

Arriving at the village, we had to stop before reach the house because it was a small salt cedar (Tamarix gallica) absolutely covered in bright pink flowers, and buzzing with thousands of insects. Most of them where honey bees (Apis mellifera), but there were also some smaller Lachnaia that I assumed to be Lachnaia tristigma, another Clanoptilus marginellus, a bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), and hoverflies including Eristalinus taeniops and an unknown species of Eristalis, probably arbustorum. Barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) overflied us and there were also collared doves (Streptopelia decaocto). At the other side, at the reed and liquorice beds there were ladybugs (Coccinella septempunctata), the reeds have the aphids Hyalopterus pruni, and the liquorice have the aphids Aphis craccivora. Some house sparrows (Passer domesticus) were in the roofs and we saw a feral cat (Felis catus) while a cuckoo wasp was walking quickly on a wall. A small cabbage white (Pieris rapae) landed near a ladybug (Hippodamia variegata). We went to the house of my friend and put ice on the leg of my other friend. He recovered quickly and we go to a pub for some drink. In the way I saw the bug Scantius aegyptius and in a wall, a termite (Reticulitermes lucifugus) that turned to be female, because she dropped her wings in front of us! Later a mating pair of firebugs (Pyrrhocoris apterus). Sitting outdoors in the pub I saw some swifts (Apus apus) and spotless starling (Sturnus unicolor). A beetle Dasytes terminalis landed in my arm and houseflies (Musca domestica) visited our table. When we finished I wanted to investigate some beds of cultivated flowers that were found nearby. In the wall of a house the ever present Clogmia albipunctata, and in the flowers I saw a carpenter bee (Xylocopa violacea), a carder bee (Anthidium florentinum), some species of Megachile bee, a female Oedemera nobilis (or it was a male Anogcodes seladonius? Hard to distinguish), a little treasure: the jewel beetle Acmaeodera pulchra, a female Egyptian locust (Anacridium aegyptium), Anthrenus verbasci, and in the door of a house, a moth Nomophila noctuella. In an ivy leaf the ant Crematogaster scutellaris, and house martins (Delichon urbica) flying above. We said goodbye and returned to the car, heading to my city. Still I saw from the window a common buzzard (Buteo buteo) and heard (the window was partially open) the sound of a zitting cisticola (Cisticola juncidis).

Still I saw more species in the evening in my city, including the bug Malacocoris chlorizans that I only saw twice previously in my life, but this is not part of the field trip so my report ends here.

I hope you enjoyed it!

[bmathison1972]

Just got back from about 24 hours in Vegas (for baseball). Got some birding in. No lifers, but five year birds (the roadrunner is an 'ebird lifer' not a 'true' lifer as I grew up with them in Arizona:

https://ebird.org/tripreport/247618

I also got a mammal lifer in the white-tailed antelope squirrel. Other mammals were black-tailed jackrabbit and desert cottontail. There was also an unidentified whiptail lizard of sorts.

[bmathison1972]

Was in Atlanta for six days for work. Very busy meeting, very little time for birding but I got some in. Nothing new, however.

https://ebird.org/tripreport/252712

[bmathison1972]

Forgot to report this on Wednesday, got a lifer in the Red Crossbill:

https://ebird.org/checklist/S188622064

[bmathison1972]

Huge birding adventure. Was invited to join a group tour! Got four bird lifers: Canada Jay, Pine Grosbeak, Red-necked Phalarope, and Mountain Bluebird.

https://ebird.org/tripreport/263450

other vertebrates of interest:
Mule Deer
American Red Squirrel
Uinta Chipmunk (mammal lifer)
Snowshoe Hare (mammal lifer)
Coyote
Desert Cottontail
Common Side-blotched Lizard

[bmathison1972]

I was in Madison, Wisconsin for work this weekend and got some birding in. Got 44 species, including two lifers, the Broad-winged Hawk and Willow Flycatcher:

https://ebird.org/tripreport/266140

Mammals observed included eastern chipmunk, eastern grey squirrel, white-tailed deer, and raccoon.