Goldcrest and Lesser Redpoll Movements

Two species that have been present  our area this autumn in good numbers are Lesser Redpoll and Goldcrests. The later is probably a reflection of the large arrival of continental birds recorded on the east coast. That this was the case  was signaled by the catching of one at Leighton Moss on October 23 which had been ringed 11 days previously  at Whitby North Yorkshire. One ringed on spring migration at Heysham was caught at  Spurn on October 9th. Another bird ringed in mid winter in Somerset was caught at Heysham on October 4th was also probably a continental bird

Another migrant was a Lesser Redpoll ringed in Aberdeenshire on 28th September was caught at Leighton Moss 17 days later. This is our first Redpoll from NE Scotland. A Redpoll ringed in mid winter in Surrey was  caught on August 7th at Newton. This is our 13th bird in winter from Surrey which is obviously a prime wintering area for passage and breeding birds from our area.   We also caught 2 birds from Northumberland and one from Worcester.

A Siskin ringed at Newton on the edge of Bowland on 22 September was caught 39 days later in Hampshire only our second Siskin from that area.

John