New Bird

Bird sighting information. Use this forum to report bird sightings (especially rare and unusual birds), census and field count results, and trip reports. Messages posted to this forum will also be sent as a plain text email to the BIRDING-NZ newsgroup.
Premnathbates
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Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 3:02 pm

New Bird

Postby Premnathbates » Sat May 11, 2019 3:12 pm

I spotted and photographed a Dunnock on Waiheke Island on May 2018
Nakilad
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Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2014 10:52 am

Re: New Bird

Postby Nakilad » Sat May 11, 2019 6:04 pm

Nice! I was on Mt Taranaki a couple of weeks ago and heard lots of birds calling from the scrub around the hut, but I couldn't see them to identify them. Then one finally popped up onto a branch and it was a Dunnock! So secretive. Didn't see anymore after that.
Vaughan Turner
Birding Remotely
Premnathbates
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Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 3:02 pm

Re: New Bird

Postby Premnathbates » Sat May 11, 2019 7:49 pm

Great to know that they are around. I hadnt seen one since I was young in Matamata district. 50 years ago. I posted because on the internet it says they are quite rare up nth.
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RussCannings
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Re: New Bird

Postby RussCannings » Sun May 12, 2019 9:14 am

Yes, in my experience they are quite scarce (but present) in much of the northern Waikato and the Auckland region but seem to be common again in much of rural Northland--so not just about avoiding the heat! (They become increasingly abundant the further south you go in the country).

Around Auckland and Hamilton areas, the more rural you go the better (unlike, say, Dunedin where they're common lawn birds) ideally with lots of scrubby cover in gullies or along hillsides. In places like the foothills of Karioi or the Hunuas, Whatipu area and Coromandel, they are locally common. Because of their secretive nature and superficial similarity to a sparrow, they are probably under-detected elsewhere in the region.

Therefore knowing both the song and contact call (both quite distinctive once learned) is often the first hint at their presence.

If you're in Waiheke, watch out for Cirl Buntings (rumored to be present). An even more mysterious bird on the North Island!

Russ C
Morrinsville, NZ
foxbirds
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Joined: Sun May 12, 2013 2:39 pm

Re: New Bird

Postby foxbirds » Sun May 12, 2019 11:20 am

On the 8th of May I managed to get a couple of photos of a Dunnock in Cooney Res Omokoroa. We see about 3 a year in this area.

Cheers Allan.
Dunnock-007.JPG
Dunnock-007.JPG (386.39 KiB) Viewed 2540 times
Premnathbates
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Re: New Bird

Postby Premnathbates » Sun May 12, 2019 11:51 am

I have a photo but cant figure out how to post it
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simon.fordham
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Re: New Bird

Postby simon.fordham » Sun May 12, 2019 1:49 pm

I was also on Taranaki (catching riflemen) recently. I heard a few dunnocks in the bush, but did not see any (I think one of the teams may have caught one).

However, up at the Visitor Centre, a number were seen hopping around the carpark and building.
Mike Vincent
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Location: Rotorua
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Re: New Bird

Postby Mike Vincent » Sun May 12, 2019 4:38 pm

I see Dunnock quite regularly in Whakawerawera forest. The cut over areas are also good for finches. Once in a while we will get a Dunnock in our garden at Lake Okareka
Patrick Crowe
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Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2018 7:15 pm

Re: New Bird

Postby Patrick Crowe » Sun May 12, 2019 4:57 pm

They are probably the most abundant passerine out on Ohinau Island (part of the Mercury’s) where we do some work. This has always seemed quite strange to me

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