Week 2 - Jai's 2025 Nature Roundup

13/Jan/25 - Week 2 of 52

1. Introduction
2. Notable Observations
3. Goal Progress
   

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Here we are, Week 2. TBH it went far better than I could have ever expected — don't get too excited, there's been some cool shiz, but I've not rediscovered a species previously believed extinct just yet. Crap news still piling in, half of LA is in flames now, and I'm pretty sure there's still like a dozen wars going on still. No matter though, no point in going all John Lennon on you all, we're keeping things more Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmastime here if possible.

(Also, go vote Giant Springtail and Velvet Worm (+ one free pick!) as NZ Bug of the Year!!!)

Notable Observations

The frost and ice hasn't subsided just yet, so more birds it is here for the most part. Things are starting to thaw now, so that dampness might bring plenty more springtails for next week, but there's still plenty of distance to go for my birding goals so keep posted there!

Total Observations: 76

Most numerous species: European Robin (11 observations)

 Individual Interesting Observations




Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)

Saturday (Jan 11th)



Pictured is the best example of 3 of these I *spotted* in this location, two others also flew overhead!

Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)

Tuesday (Jan 11th)



Not the greatest photo, but always happy to see my namesake

Mistle and Song Thrushes (Turdus viscivorus + philomelos)

Sat + Sun (Jan 11th-12th)

 

Hardly rare species, but nice to have these both together

Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)

Sunday (Jan 12th)



Again, dreadful photo, but I heard that laugh it makes from a mile away, just caught it in the distance as it flew off

European Badger (Meles meles), European Badger (Vulpes vulpes)

Sunday (Jan 12th)

And the star finds for this week! Set up this camera trap just outside what I suspected to be a freshly active badger sett, and I was very quickly proven right, just in time to add it to this weeks blog post! 

Breakdown

Goal Progress

The site I use for these bar charts is down rn, so it'll be pure ASCII for now :(

All Spp. (55/1000) ▰▰▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱

Bird Spp. (40/100) ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱

And that's a wrap for Week 2, I'm starting to feel the consequences of terrible code in the template for this already so wish me luck rewriting for Week 3... To see all my observations for this week logged on iNaturalist, click here.

To see all of my observations for the year to date, click here.

What did you see this week? Let me know in the comments!