Greg's Wildlife Ramblings: Bird banding at South Grafton Water Reserve 19-20.09.2014

Bander: Greg Clancy.

Trainee Banders: Wendy & Alan Pilkington, Lindsey Nietmann.

Fourteen birds of 4 species were caught in mist nets over the two day period, 11 being first time captures and 3 being retraps. An adult female Australian Magpie had an old injury to its right eye, which was virtually missing, so it was released unbanded.

Adult female Australian Magpie

The results of the birds banded and retrapped are shown in the table below.

SPECIES	19/09/14	20/09/14	TOTALS
	Banded Retrap	Banded Retrap	Banded Retrap
Sacred Kingfisher	0 0	1 0	1 0
Red-backed Fairy-wren	2 0	0 0	2 0
Fuscous Honeyeater	5 2	2 1	7 3
TOTALS	7 2	3 1	10 3

Adult Fuscous Honeyeater

The three retraps were all Fuscous Honeyeaters and their banding details are shown below:

026-09200 – banded by me on 10 July 2010 and retrapped on 20 Sep 2014, 4 years 2 months and 10 days after banding.

026-42547 and 026-94941 – both banded on 26 May 2013, the first by Bill Greenlees and the second by me, and retrapped on Sep 19, 1 year 3 months and 24 days after banding.

Adult male Red-backed Fairy-wren

Adult female Sacred Kingfisher

Interesting observations at the site were of a pair of Black-faced Monarchs, 2+ Black-chinned Honeyeaters heard calling with one observed, a Channel-billed Cuckoo and a Little Bronze-Cuckoo heard calling. 4+ Varied Sittellas, a Restless Flycatcher and a Leaden Flycatcher were also observed. An adult Pacific Baza displayed high over the site with its undulating display being quite a sight.

Adult Pacific Baza performing undulating display

A roosting Tawny Frogmouth was flushed by Alan as he walked past. The usual mob of Eastern Grey Kangaroos was present and keeping them away fro the nest is an ongoing job.