Yet more Redwings.

There was another large movement of Redwings over Billinge on the 17th with a conservative estimate of 5,000+ passing through during the morning. This movement continued for longer than on the previous big day with some 3 figure flocks still heading south at midday. I kept the nets open for longer as a result and ended up ringing 138 Redwings along with a few other bits and bobs. The 18th was much quieter with around 800 Redwings moving through in the first couple of hours but I still managed to catch an excellent total of 50 Redwings along with a few more bits and bobs.

Redwing - the bird of the month.

However, it was some of the bits and bobs that stole the show with 3 Sparrowhawks being caught over the two days making it a total of 4 for the week. On the 17th there was a handsome 2CY male and a cracking adult female (2CY+) and on the 18th another 1CY male, similar to the bird caught on the 15th.

This male Sparrowawk still had a few brown coverts so could be aged as a 2CY bird (Euring code 5)

Adult female Sparrowhawk. A bird in its third calendar year or older. 

Adult female Sparrowhawk 

I don't catch female Sparrowhawks very often and adults are rarer still.

A bit of a mean looking mother.

Today's 1CY male. Note how pale the eyes are compared with the older birds above.

Combined ringing totals (retraps in brackets) for 17th & 18th October were: Sparrowhawk 3; Redwing 188; Song Thrush 2; Blackbird 1; Goldcrest 9 (1); Wren 1; Coal Tit 1; Blue Tit 2; Great Tit 1; Bullfinch 1; Chaffinch 3; Lesser Redpoll 5.