Unfortunately there are no sub-alpine "base-line" bird counts for any period prior to the introduction of predator trapping in the Bealey Valley. The bird counts tabled below are representative of two areas inside the trapping zone. The method used is of a "transect" in both riperian & forest environments. Both areas are sighted 1.8km apart.

• 1. Bridal Veil: Birds encountered along the first 1 kilometre of the Bridal Veil walking track, commencing from the Bealey River footbridge.
• 2. Rough Creek: Birds encountered along a 1 kilometre stretch of Rough Creek, commencing from the Highway 73 road bridge to a point upstream.

These "walk through" counts take place in the last week of April through to the first two weeks of May, on fine, clear mornings from 10am to 1pm. Three counts are made each year, with the maximum sightings of each species being tabled in each year.

Notes

• The decline in Kea numbers in the Autumn of 2008 & 2016 is accountable to two factors; substantial fruiting of alpine vegetation near & above treeline providing a gluttony of food for Kea, and potentially the presence of NZ Falcon in the survey zones.