Wrybill Banding Down South

 I have been away for most the year so far and have not done any banding. Hopefully there will be something in the next few weeks. 

Rachel who trained with me down in the Queenstown area has sent me some information and photos of her Wrybill banding. She now works with the Aspiring Biodiversity Trust and amongst other things monitors Wrybill on the Makarora River which is at the head of Lake Wanaka. I think this must be about the remotest Wrybill breeding area in the country. As well as weather and flood related problems this small flock has to contend with not only people walking but also driving and riding horses through nesting birds, not only Wrybill but also Black fronted Terns and Banded Dotterels. All these are threatened, endemic species.

One of the birds she monitors was originally banded up here in Canterbury over 11 years ago, not the oldest Wrybill on record which is 23 years but still a good age especially as it has to fly considerably further than most on its annual migration. Its chick is featured in some of the photos below.

Even as a small chick Wrybills have the bent bill of their species.

A little chick getting its weight taken.

Chicks have legs large enough to take a band at a very young age.

Their eggs are extremely well camouflaged amongst the river stones.

The old, banded bird. The band is on the right tibia.

All photos by Rachel Hufton

Two Recoveries, a Recapture and a Resighting.

In the last few days we have two recoveries of birds killed in car accidents. A Tui that was banded at the Prince of Wales Park site in Wellington was seen to fly into a moving car and was killed. It was banded 30 Nov 2014 it was a male and aged as a 3+ so was at least 7 years old. It met its demise only a short distance from its banding site. The second recovery was a House Sparrow I found dead on the road near the entrance to the Halswell Quarry. It hadn't lived long after banding nor moved very far but it is the first recovery of a bird banded at the Quarry.

The recapture relates to a House Sparrow that the group in Wellington recaptured at the Zoo last Saturday. It was banded on 13 April 2013 and although this is not old for many species it seems to be for House Sparrows as we have only recaptured about 8 older than this bird.

The resighting was reported by Rachel who bands with me down near Queenstown. She was doing a braided river survey in the Makarora River which is at the head of Lake Wanaka and amongst the six pair of Wrybill was one with a band. With the aid of a remarkable photo taken by Nick, one of the volunteers, they were able to work out most of the band numbers. When this was reported to the Banding  Office it was found that there was only one Wrybill with this part number sequence. The bird had been banded as a juvenile at Miranda and now as a 6year old is found breeding at the opposite end of the country. The direct line distance is just over 900km, but it is most likely to have migrated down the east coast and have stopped off for refueling at somewhere like Lake Ellesmere for a while so the actual distance flown on each trip would be in excess of 1000km. It has probably made this return journey at least 5 times.

From Miranda to Makarora

Photo Nick Beckwith

Photo Nick Beckwith

No Recent Banding

There hasn't been any banding done for the last week as I have been in Canterbury visiting family. I doubt whether there would have been much if I had been in Wellington as the weather has not been good as anyone watching the All Black /Puma test on Saturday night would have realised.

Did a bit of birding while down south seeing over 50 species including White Heron (Great Egret), Crested Grebe and Cattle Egret all at, or near, Lake Ellesmere.

Three of the Cattle Egrets 

I did manage to see some banded birds; not passerines, but some colour banded Wrybill at the Ashley Estuary

A couple of the colour banded Wrybill at the Ashley Estuary

I hope to do some banding in the next few days but with a bad forecast it might not be possible.