Queenstown 23 May - back to the orchard

Rachel managed to get over the Crown Range so we had another session in the neighbours apple orchard. Catching was steady but not spectacular with a reasonable range of birds. However bird numbers appeared to have declined over the last couple of weeks especially Silvereye numbers. I had expected for numbers to have increased after the snowfall of a few days ago but looks like I was wrong. The days total was 25 birds of 8 species with 20 new and 5 recaps.

One of the nets between apple trees and shrubs.

Yours truly off  for a wander amongst the apples

Species caught were - (recaps in brackets)
Blackbird - 1 (0)
Starling - 1 (0)
Chaffinch - 2 (1)
House Sparrow - 2 (2) one of the recaps was banded the same day as the Chaffinch that took the record for the oldest bird yesterday. So now this Sparrow s the new record holder at 615 days from banding. This is the first time it has been recaptured.
Silvereye - 9 (1) Numbers per session has dropped from 31 to 15 and now down to 10.
Tui - 2 (1)  one of the new birds appeared to be a late fledged juvenie.

Rachel's first Tui

The younger Tui

Bellbird - 2 (0)

The first Bellbird aged as a1 by its pale eye

Theb second Bellbird was aged as an adult (2+) by P9 shape and bright red eye.

All photos except top Tui by Rachel Hufton.