Zoo Saturday 18 Oct - We did the Ton

We had a very successful banding session at the Wellington Zoo on Saturday capturing over 100 birds. After a dire forecast earlier in the week the weather was kind with a light northerly wind, overcast in the morning and then sunny and hot in the afternoon. There was a good turn out of people including a good number of experienced banders which was fortunate as at times there were large numbers of birds to deal with. The team had a bit of an international flavour with a bander from Mexico and another from the UK. Both were keen enthusiastic young men.

The final tally of birds was 104 with 83 new and 23 recaptures. Included in the 11 species was a new one for the Zoo, an Eastern Rosella. This was not entirely unexpected as numbers appear to have been increasing around the Zoo area over the last couple of years.

Species caught were - (recaps in brackets)
Blackbird - 2 (1)
Song Thrush - 1 (0)
Greenfinch - 14 (4) the oldest bird was banded Oct 2010, it and another were banded at Hornsey Rd

The oldest Greenfinch about to be released

Chaffinch - 1 (0)
Goldfinch - 31 (2) One of the recaps was banded at Houghton Bay. This is the highest number we have ever caught at the Zoo in one day, with most being caught at the small stream over the fence when the sun came out mid afternoon.
House Sparrow - 19 (11) the oldest recap was banded June 2011 and another was banded at our Island Bay site.

A house Sparrow giving Mary a farewell peck - photo taken with delight by Ross, (Mary's husband)

Starling - 1 (0)
Dunnock - 2 (0)
Silvereye - 7 (5) not a big number but better than the zero tally of last month. The oldest recap was banded in May 2009
Grey Warbler - 1 (0)
Tui - 2 (1) the recap was banded Sept 2011

Kat with her first Tui.

Eastern Rosella - 1 (0) the first caught at the Zoo, at least another 2 bounced out of nets.

The first Eastern Rosella banded at the Zoo. Extracted and banded by Ben from the UK without loosing any fingers or much blood.