A Dream Realized......robins in my garden by Judy Gilbert

Environmental News Issue 18 Autumn 2009

One of the recently translocated North Island robins from Mokoia Island has established in my garden and comes daily to be fed a few mealworms. It has been a long held dream of mine to hear the robin’s distinctive call from my home. Recently he spent a whole afternoon pottering round the garden after me.

At least two new pairs have formed at Windy Hill from the Mokoia robins but it will not be clear how many others have settled in the sanctuary area until breeding begins in August. Birds have been reported south in Waterfall Bay and towards Tryphena.

All the birds from Mokoia are banded with a white and metal band on their right leg with other combinations of colours on their left leg. If you hear or see what you think is a robin they can be encouraged to come in close with clapping or calling. Tossing very small twigs out which mimic worms can sometimes bring them in close enough to read the bands. These are read from the top of the left leg down, then top of the right leg down.

Please contact Judy Gilbert on 306 or Tony Bouzaid on 091 if you think you have seen or heard a robin in your neighbourhood.