Myna in New Brighton, Christchurch

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GrahameNZ
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Re: Myna in New Brighton, Christchurch

Postby GrahameNZ » Thu Apr 12, 2018 12:26 pm

Still there this morning.
When a Harrier came through I'm pretty sure it went into the Phoenix plam on the roundabout.
Thanks for the heads up pfe92nz, another oddball for my ChCh list :D
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GrahameNZ
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Re: Myna in New Brighton, Christchurch

Postby GrahameNZ » Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:04 pm

Is this a young bird ?

Myna_New-Brighton_Christchurch_GNZ20180412-7274.jpg
Myna
Myna_New-Brighton_Christchurch_GNZ20180412-7274.jpg (253.55 KiB) Viewed 3362 times
Paul Scofield
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Re: Myna in New Brighton, Christchurch

Postby Paul Scofield » Fri Apr 13, 2018 3:42 pm

Graham, The extent of the facial skin behind the eye is not atypical of an adult but the iris colour is a little dull. The tail is clearly in moult but I can see nothing in this photo to suggest it is anything but an adult completing a second (or subsequent) pre-basic moult. Views of the complete wing and the tail however may show the diagnostic immature features (old unmoulted remiges and a dark shaft to the central rectrices).
By the way it is worth mentioning that there is nothing to categorically determine this bird came from the North Island. Indeed a look at the shipping schedule for Lyttleton shows ships from Hong Kong, Australia, Suva and the Middle East in the last couple of weeks. Ships entering the port sit off New Brighton sometimes for several days and its only a hop skip and a jump for a hungry bird from a ship to this site. Furthermore ports such as Hong Kong are literally crawling with mynas whereas Auckland is rather quiet. New Zealand coastal shipping operators may also more inclined to note a itinerant bird given NZ concerns over biosecurity. As an aside I suspect another New Zealand House Crow is only a matter of time - the 1945 & 1949 records of unidentified corvids in the outer Hauraki Gulf seem almost certainly to be ship assisted House Crows.
P
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GrahameNZ
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Re: Myna in New Brighton, Christchurch

Postby GrahameNZ » Fri Apr 13, 2018 3:51 pm

Thanks Paul :)
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pfe92nz
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Re: Myna in New Brighton, Christchurch

Postby pfe92nz » Fri Apr 13, 2018 4:08 pm

I had wondered about a ship myself as recently with the port dispute there always appears to be one or two anchored about 3-5km off South New Brighton but the shortest line to shore would be to Godley Head through to Sumner or Southshore.

And a lot around the port of Suva too.
Last edited by pfe92nz on Sat Apr 14, 2018 8:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
John Stewart (aka pfe92nz)
Clinton9
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Re: Myna in New Brighton, Christchurch

Postby Clinton9 » Fri Apr 13, 2018 4:43 pm

Yes, this young myna is less than 6 months old, it is in post-juvenile moult.

Note lack of black colour at base of yellow beak, instead it is pink.

In adult the yellow beak have black base.


GrahameNZ wrote:Is this a young bird ?

Myna_New-Brighton_Christchurch_GNZ20180412-7274.jpg
Clinton9
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Re: Myna in New Brighton, Christchurch

Postby Clinton9 » Fri Apr 13, 2018 5:16 pm

Check the bases of beaks for ageing of Indian mynas.

Indian myna...how to age..jpg
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GrahameNZ
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Re: Myna in New Brighton, Christchurch

Postby GrahameNZ » Sat Apr 14, 2018 8:44 am

Thanks for the insights Clinton
andrewcrossland
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Re: Myna in New Brighton, Christchurch

Postby andrewcrossland » Mon Apr 16, 2018 11:07 pm

Please keep the reports coming in if folks see any mynas. One is fine ..it's when we have two or more that we'll have to do something about it. Until then , yep, it's a list builder for the ebirders........
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pfe92nz
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Re: Myna in New Brighton, Christchurch

Postby pfe92nz » Tue Apr 17, 2018 9:45 am

Will keep an eye out for any more in the area Andrew, but this one is still present near Hawke Street this morning.

John (pfe92nz)
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