Stream mist netting - 8 & 9 Feb

I have had 2 short banding sessions at streams in the last couple of days with contrasting success and neither session resulting in large numbers.

Houghton Bay - 8 Feb.

Spent a couple of hours at the Houghton Bay stream Friday afternoon. Managed to catch 42 birds with 40 new and 2 recaps. Both recaps were Silvereye - 1 from a couple of weeks ago and the other a year ago.

Other birds caught were - 

Dunnock - 1

Fantail - 2

Greenfinch - 6 one bird that at first glance looked like a juvenile female was moulting its primaries.

The juvenile looking female Greenfinch moulting primaries

Goldfinch - 4 - in sharp contrast to recent sessions all were adults

House Sparrow - 3

Silvereye - 24 (2)

Zoo Stream - 9 Feb

Went to the stream over the fence from the Zoo this morning and only caught 9 birds with only 1 being a recap.

Chaffinch - 4

Greenfinch - 2 plus a recap that was banded at Houghton Bay a couple of weeks ago.

Fantail - 1

Grey Warbler - 1