Whitehead - AUT North Shore, Northcote

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TheBirderman
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Whitehead - AUT North Shore, Northcote

Postby TheBirderman » Sat Aug 10, 2019 4:04 pm

A Facebook user reported hearing Whitehead in Northcote, on Auckland's North Shore. Keep in mind that the user did not take any photos and a few days later no Whitehead were reported in the area. You can view the post here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/4077379 ... 192302373/
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Neil Fitzgerald
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Re: Whitehead - AUT North Shore, Northcote

Postby Neil Fitzgerald » Sun Aug 11, 2019 10:01 am

Mainly for birders not very familiar with whitehead, the chance of this species being there is incredibly remote. Stranger things have happened, but it's not likely.
Jim_j
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Re: Whitehead - AUT North Shore, Northcote

Postby Jim_j » Sun Aug 11, 2019 12:56 pm

I would have said it was quite possible - Duncan the kokako was much more unlikely...…

cheers
Jim
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Neil Fitzgerald
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Re: Whitehead - AUT North Shore, Northcote

Postby Neil Fitzgerald » Sun Aug 11, 2019 8:04 pm

Yes, Duncan was one of those "stranger things".
Where is the nearest population? Waitakare? Shakespear?
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Oscar Thomas
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Re: Whitehead - AUT North Shore, Northcote

Postby Oscar Thomas » Sun Aug 11, 2019 10:11 pm

Michael Watson who posted it, if he is the original observer, is a friend of mine and has been apart of the Tiritiri Matangi team for a long time. I would have no doubts on his ability to pick a whitehead call. The Shakespear population was doing quite well last time I asked and I have seen them well outside the fence. Exciting!
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Neil Fitzgerald
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Re: Whitehead - AUT North Shore, Northcote

Postby Neil Fitzgerald » Mon Aug 12, 2019 12:28 pm

It would be good to confirm. They are generally thought to not cross much in the way of gaps (~100m), but as has been discussed here before, this might partly be a gap in knowledge of this species. There may also be individuals that accidentally or deliberately find themselves beyond the usual limit.

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