Queenstown - the last 3 days

I have managed to get some banding in each day since the last post. The first two were poor but yesterday (Thursday 27th) was a bit more successful. On Tuesday 6 birds were caught, Wednesday a slight improvement at 7 and yesterday 25, not huge but at least an improvement.

The total was 37 birds of 8 species with 13 new and 24 recaptures.
Blackbird - 1 (4)
Song Thrush - 1 (1) the recap was the oldest for the species.
House Sparrow - 5 (10)

Male H Sparrows are looking extremly ha.nsome

Dunnock - 2 (2) one of the recaps is now the oldest of the species caught here.
Chaffinch - 0 (1) this bird is now the oldest of any species caught here. Although it was banded 2 days after the previous record holder, caught on Monday, it was recaptured 3 days later making it older by 1 day.

The recap male Chaffinch, which is at least in its 4th year is probably at its colouful best 

Yellowhammer - 3 (0)

The first Yellowhammer caught was this colourful male

Tui - 0 (4)

Bellbird - ((1)

Queenstown - a quiet start to this trip

Arrived back down here Yesterday afternoon. I put some nets up this morning  to see what was about. The answer was that there was not a lot, at least not where I had the nets. Caught only 6 birds but included were a few interresting ones. One new Blackbird, 1 Tui recap and 4 Chaffinch, 1 new and 3 recaps. The first recap caught, Ap-18449 a male was banded a few days after I started banding here and for a short time was the oldest bird caught here. I then caught AP-18407 another male banded on the first day of banding and the second Chaffinch banded. The last bird of the day was a female Chaffinch AP-18406 the first Chaffinch banded and now the record holder.

The recap Tui, an adult male

The Tui as is usual left his mark, all the blood is mine!

The first bird caught and for a short time a record holder