Despite a dire weather forecast we had near perfect conditions for our Zoo session on Saturday. Low cloud and a light southerly, from which the Zoo is protected, and rain that held off until the last net was down. We had another very good catch with 158 birds of 7 species with 109 new and 49 recaptures. Fortunately we had a very good team of banders and helpers with enthusiastic youngsters. Several new people were trying the experience for the first time as well as some very experienced banders.
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| Some of the "Team" busy around the banding table. |
Species caught were - (recaps in brackets)
Blackbird - 1 (0)
Dunnock - 0 (1) a bird banded in Feb 2012 so a reasonably old bird.
Chaffinch - 3 (0)
Greenfinch - 21 (4) the oldest recap was banded 2010
House Sparrow - 27 (7)
Yellowhammer - 2 (0) our first new YH's at the Zoo for about 3 years.
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| George with his second Yellowhammer - somehow he managed to band both. |
Silvereye - 65 (37) Most of the recaps were from the last couple of years especially the last 2 sessions but there were some older birds. Six from 2013, 2 from 2012, and 1 each from 2011, 2009, 2008 and 2007. The 2007 bird is at 2954 days from banding our 3rd oldest Zoo banded Silvereye, surpassed only by birds at 2976 and 3276 days.
We had a Silvereye with a band which was not one of ours, I am trying to find its origin - watch for an update.
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| Our youngest participant about to release a Silvereye |
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