Redpoll fest.

Saturday 1st October we were again at Winterton, the day started very mild with very light winds, by the time we packed up its was a glorious sunny day with temperature up to 23.5 degrees C.
It was a very good day's ringing with 97 new birds, 1 control and 2 retraps ( both from the previous week).
Redpolls had increased significantly and these produced most of the interest, with 37 Lesser's ( including a Belgium control ) and 1 Common being caught amounting to our best day tally ever.

Both ends of the spectrum.

1st Winter (3) female left and Adult male (4) right, Lesser Redpoll

Belgian (Brussels) ring

Belgian ringed adult male Lesser Redpoll

The catch also included the first Meadow Pipits of the Autumn, there were up to 20 in the area.  Also a late juvenile Bullfinch.

Meadow Pipit 4                                                 

Wren 7 (1)

Dunnock 2

Robin 1

Blackbird 1

Blackcap 4

Chiffchaff 2 (1)

Goldcrest 5

Long-tailed Tit 3

Blue Tit 9

Great Tit 13

Chaffinch 5

Goldfinch 1

Lesser Redpoll 36 (1 Belgian control)

Common Redpoll 1

Bullfinch 1

Reed Bunting 2 


The Common Redpoll was only the second we have caught at Winterton. The first one was ringed 14 November 1995, it's been a long wait !

1st. Winter (3) Common (left) and Lesser (right) Redpolls

1st. Winter (3) Common (left) and Lesser (right) Redpolls

Juvenile (3) male Bullfinch

Other birds seen on the day included 2 Brambling, a fly-over Grey Wagtail and several Pink feet.

Common Darters were still very much in evidence and a Small Copper butterfly was seen.