19/03/19 - Skipwith Redpolls

Lesser Redpolls are delightful and charming little finches with small delicate bills - adapted for extracting fine seeds such as those from their favoured trees (birch and alder). A flock of up to 120 have been present on Skipwith Common in recent weeks, with similar numbers present throughout the winter – try looking in the birch trees around the bomb bay loop or along the tracks across the Common – listen out for their chattering calls coming from the tree tops. 

Only a small handful of pairs stay locally to breed, with most heading further north to Northern England or Scotland to breed, before heading south throughout England for the winter. Ringing on Skipwith has revealed a similar pattern – an individual caught on the Common in late November had been ringed 223km to the north at Selkirk in the borders 80 days earlier, whilst another, ringed on the Common in late November had moved 30km to the south, to Humberhead Peatlands NNR, by late December. This species has also been increasing in gardens where it has taken to the supplies of niger seed favoured by Goldfinch. 

Interested in contributing your records? Then why not supply your garden records to the BTO’s Garden Birdwatch Survey to help them monitor the population and trends of this delightful little bird.