Houghton Bay, Sunday 16 Nov - Another old bird

We had a very successful session at the Houghton Bay stream this afternoon, catching 76 birds of 9 species with 68 new and 8 recaps. There was a good attendance of banders with Kate, Mary, Ross, Yvan and Sarah, Kyle and little Finn. We also had a number of people who are doing a course on bird recognition.

Kate showing some of the course participants the finer points of a Silvereye

Three course participants about to release a Chaffinch

Species caught were - (recaps in brackets)
Blackbird - 2 (0)
Song Thrush - 2 (0) In 6 years of banding at this site we have only previously caught 4 so 2 in a day is exceptional.
Starling - 3 (0)
Chaffinch - 3 (1) the recap had been banded at the Zoo on 29 December 2005 and is at 3244 by far the oldest Chaffinch we have ever recaptured at any site. The old record was 2574 days held by another Zoo banded bird.

The 'Old' Chaffinch

Goldfinch - 4 (0)
House Sparrow - 6 (0)
Silvereye - 46 (6) 2 of the recaps were banded here at Hornsey Rd and another at the Houghton Valley School and all were banded this year.

Sarah and Finn admiring one of Kyle's Silvereyes

Grey Warbler - 1 (1) the recap was banded in Dec 2010 and at 1442 days is the oldest recap at this site and the 2nd oldest at any,

The'Old' Grey Warbler

Tui - 1 (0)

Kate with a yellow headed Tui which has obviously been feeding on NZ Flax

Bridie's Thursday 13 Nov - an old bird

I set the trap at Bridie's this afternoon for a couple of hours. Didn't catch a big number of birds just 15 of 4 species. Most were recaps that had been banded in the last few years. Did catch D-195041 a Starling banded in Sept 2009 so a reasonably old bird. Then a few minutes later caught D-99970 a Starling that had been banded in Nov 2005, at 3270 days from banding it is now the oldest Starling we have recaptured or recovered at any site. It was originally banded at the Zoo but had been recaptured 3 times over the years at Bridie's, the last in Nov 2012.  The five times he has been caught have all been in November.

Bridie's - a couple of old birds

I have had some of trapping sessions down the road at Bridie's over the last couple of days; on Friday evening and an hour this morning. Not a big catch with 16 birds of 4 species, 6 new and 10 recaptures.
Species caught were-
Starling - 0 (1)
House Sparrow - 4 (0)
Silvereye - 0 (5) The oldest was banded in July 07 and at 1975 days has joined the 5 year group.
Blackbird - 2 (4) A male that we have named White Eye because of some white feathers on the side of his head was caught for the 18th time. He was originally banded in August 04 as a first year bird so is now aged as a 10. At 3037 days from banding he is our oldest Blackbird recaptured at any site with only a female that was recovered after a fatal car accident at 3299 days from banding being older. Hopefully White Eye will survive another year or two and take over the mantel completely. By the look of the bill full of food he was taking away he is still breeding and is a busy boy.