Queenstown - Banding over the last few days.

Have had nets up around the property over the last few days with mixed results. Caught 5 birds at the first attempt but this was not at a very successful site. A bit better yesterday with 20 caught and today the total was 30. Had very favourable conditions with high cloud and almost no wind.

I thought I was going to have visitors drop in yesterday morning but there wasn't enough wind and they landed before they got here

The combined totals was - (recaps in brackets)
Blackbird - 5 (1) the recap is now the oldest for the species.

Most of the new Blackbirds were young Males

Song Thrush - 1 (1) the recap was banded about a week after I started banding here and at 606 days is now the oldest of any species, beating the House Sparrow caught on Sunday by 4 days.
Chaffinch - 7 (1)
Yellowhammer - 2 (0) caught together and probably a pair.

The two Yellowhammer.

House Sparrow - 26 (4)
Dunnock - 2 (0)
Silvereye - 7 (1)
Tui - 0 (1)

The Tui recap was a very handsome dude.