Birding Axarquia: New Zealand - Part 9: "Little Brown Jobs"

Sunday 13 July 2014

New Zealand - Part 9: "Little Brown Jobs"

Part 9: "Little Brown Jobs"

There are not many native paserines in New Zealand but there are now a number of "European imports" including Dunnock, Blackbird, Cirl Bunting and Yellowhammer. It certainly seems strange that when we have no local Yellowhammers her and I cannot now guarantee one upon returning to England that I fly to, literally, the other side of the worls and then see yellowhammers. On the other hand, even if they were most hidden in the thick of the bushes or canopy, it was rather pleasing to watch the antics of both the New Zealand Grey Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa and well-named Silvereye Zosterops lateralis lateralis.

Zealand Grey Fantail
Rhipidura fuliginosa

Silvereye Zosterops lateralis lateralis

North Isand Kokako Callaeus wilsoni

South Island Robin Petroica australis australis

North Island Saddleback Philesturnus rufasater

Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena

Dunnock Prunella modularis

House Sparrow Passer domesticus

Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella

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Background Information

About Bob Wright
Occupation: Retired
Location: Mezquitilla, Axarquia (Malaga)

I retired at the end of 1998 having been a primary school headteacher for thirty years. After a couple of years undertaking some consultancy/ training work with headteachers, I moved to the Axarquia area of the Costa del Sol in Spain. After 13 years living on a mountain top near Velez Malaga overlooking Lake Vinuela to the north and the sea to the south we moved down to the coast at Mezquitilla and now have the beach within 20 metres of our rented property.

I have been a birder for over fifty years and before leaving GB I was a qualified "Ringer" for the BTO, undertaking most of my studies in Staffordshire, Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire. All three counties being well away from the coast, it is not surprising that my main field of interest were those "Little Brown Jobs" (often referred to as LBJs), with a special emphasis on roost work in the autumns and winters and early morning visits to favoured sites, such as Charwelton on the Banbury road from Daventry where, in June and July, it was possible to catch and ring well over an hundred birds and still be home by just after nine am to take the family shopping!

Always an interest in classical music, I have also sung in operettas and one appearance in a "grand opera" (Aida). Most of the former was with the Stamford Gilbert & Sullivan Players where I had the good fortune to appear, rather than star, in all save "Utopia".

Interests
Birding
photography
music
historical and nature visits