Queenstown - three banding sessions

We came south on Saturday, and  since then I have had 3 separate banding sessions. Although a similar number of birds were caught at each session the composition was very different.

Sunday afternoon. Put a couple of nets up at the stream at the bottom of the property, primarily to check out guy ropes and clear any winter debris. Caught 16 birds of 6 species, all except 1 were new.
Caught were 5 Greenfinch, 5 Redpoll, 2 Blackbirds, 1 Yellowhammer, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Fantail and a solitary House Sparrow recap.

Monday. Caught birds that were inside the neighbours hen house. Managed a total of 17 but only 4 species all except 2 were recaptures and with 1 new and 14 recaps almost all were Chaffinch. Two of the recaps had been banded 12 Sept 2015 the first day banding here and are now at 800 days the oldest birds recaptured of any species.

The Old Boy

The Old Girl

The by catch consisted of 1 new House Sparrow and a recap Dunnock.

This Morning (Tuesday) Put a couple of nets up near the house where I had been doing a bit of feeding. Caught 17 birds of 7 species, 8 new and 9 recaps.
Blackbird - 2 (3) 2 of the recaps were banded in the first week of banding here and at 797 days are the oldest for the species.

One of the Blackbird recaps had the scruffiest tail I think I have ever seen

Song Thrush - 1 (0) a juvenile.

The juvenile Song Thrush had very well defined "Thorns" on its wing.

House Sparrow - 2 (0)
Chaffinch - 1 (2)
Dunnock - 1 (2)
Redpoll - 1 (0)
Bellbird - 0 (2) 1 Male and 1 female

Male Bellbird

Female Bellbird