Zapdos is going to be added as a field research stamp card reward thingy in May!

I saw! Still have Moltres in my way though. I wonder if these research things are by the month?

I suspect they'll probably rotate them out monthly. Similar to how the raid legendaries rotate.

Well if I get to pick up my car today, I'll run some errands and hopefully collect more balls. I have some golden berries but without ultra balls I don't think Moltres is getting anywhere.

I don't know, I've managed to get Moltres with a normal pokeball. Ultra ball and a razzberry (normal or golden) is easier though unless you just feel like burning through like 20-30 pokeballs (and have them to spare). XD

I've so far managed 1 or 2 evolutions and 1 out of 5 buddy candies.
I just set my Magikarp as my buddy courtesy of the head's up here that evolving a Magikarp is a special research assignment.
I'd held off because my Charmeleon, my previous buddy was midway to a candy.

Sweet!

I have no Pokeballs to spare! And a great throw with a great ball and a berry didn't work either so I'm skeptical with a normal ball.

I had magicarp up as my buddy, but I figured I'd get some fire pokemon candy. Turns out it's my ponyta that needs only three more candy to so, not my cyndaquill, so when my cyndaquill is done I'll put ponyta up. I'm sitting on over 200 magicarp candy from the recent spree (and remembering to use my pinap berries) so he's at least half way there for later.

Stupid bird sucks! He's not even all that good. Just is red and angry.

I mean, the odds of catching with just a pokeball are extremely slim and takes a lot of tries, but it can happen.
I personally don't feel like the throws being "great" or "excellent" do much to increase the odds of a catch that much. They do give bonus xp if they're successful though which can be nice.

Interesting.
It took at least 5 throws and two berries but I caught my first and so far only Moltres with a Pokeball.
Thankfully, because I'd only had a few left.

Bird is out of my face! I do not have to find a Blade of Glory gif. Great ball, berry, and great throw.

I do find that the better throws made a difference, though not as much as curve balls, though sometimes you can get lucky with a regular pokeball.

More zen today. I actually managed to catch things without them breaking out surprisingly. Got another 55 magikarp candies from catching them everywhere.

I also found out that you apparently can't cheese the gym battle quest. I hopped into one, hit the opposing pokemon a couple of times, and bolted (red light, mom was driving). No credit for that. I tossed it and now I have to catch 3 swablus. Of course they don't seem to be around much. Diglett though. Diglett everywhere.

Hmm, I can't remember when exactly it counted my gym battles for the special quests but I don't think it was after I defeated the opponent.
I know I didn't defeat the boss but only because I ran out of time, fucking timer. Why? Just why?

Realize now that my fire catch rate is crummy with only a bronze so that might have been part of my Moltres issues.

Drive across town today. Depopulated the place of magikarp, poliwag, and snagged a fair few piranha things and hoppips. I know have a politoed, a jumpluff, and over 300 carp candies. I actually had to toss some balls and such as my bag getting full. We were going slow enough in traffic for me to catch a gym I haven't spun yet, but first my bag was full, then I gained a level, then an egg hatched and we were past it by the time I could get to my screen again. Blah.

Don't have gym access -.-

Fire catch rate? I had no idea that was a thing.
I can't find anything on Google that explains that.

Your catch rate goes up with each medal you earn by type, or that's what the game says.

Bronze is +1
Silver is +2
Gold is +3

Not sure how much it actually means though.