Queenstown - An update

I have continued to do some banding down here near Queenstown over the last week. As expected (and hoped for) the ratio of recaps to new birds has increased with some specie recaps now out numbering new birds.The Redpolls that were very vocal and obvious last week have now largely left the area, although there is still the odd one or two being caught.

The birds caught are the totals for the two week period with the recaps in brackets..
Blackbird - 18 (21) includes the first juvenile.

The first juvenile Blackbird

Song Thrush - 4 (7)
Dunnock  - 6 (13)
Chaffinch - 5 (12) 
Greenfinch - 2 (0)
Goldfinch - 1 (0)
Yellowhammer 6 (0)
Redpoll - 17 (1)
Starling - 8 (3) This total includes 2 nestlings that were banded.

One of the young Starlings - the nest was in the tree in the background built on the top of an occupied H Sparrow nest

Silvereye - 1 (5)
Kingfisher - 1 (0)

Also caught another couple of C Quail - released unbanded. The wheels have been set in motion to get a variance to our permit so we can band them but I suspect the wheels will turn rather slowly.

Another unbanded Quail about to be released.