Billinge: 1st - 4th November 2017

The new month started with a better than expected catch of 50 birds but numbers were much lower over the following 3 days and only resulted a combined capture total of 49. Early November can be quite productive but it looks like migration is drawing to a close a little earlier this year, although there could still be enough of interest to make occasional visits worthwhile right through to the end of the month.

Ist November
Ringing highlights included a Blackcap, a Fieldfare, 15 Goldcrest and a control Lesser Redpoll. Interestingly, the Redpoll was one I had encountered before; it was originally ringed on 03/04/14 in Llanfyllin, Powys, North Wales and subsequently recaptured at Crawford five times in spring/summer 2015, and again at Crawford in spring 2016. The ringing site at Crawford is only a couple of kilometres from the site Billinge but the distance from Llanfyllin to Billinge is 88km NNE. Sightings of note included a Woodcock, 4 Crossbills heading SSW and hundreds of Chaffinches heading north.

Now we are in November there is an increasingly likelihood that any Blackcap caught is an arriving winter visitor rather than a late departing summer visitor.

2nd November
A relatively short and quiet session with only 17 birds caught but a small movement of Lesser Redpolls resulted in 7 being ringed. This was made all the more remarkable by the fact that they were all adults. I have previously remarked on the unusually high proportion of adult Redpolls recorded at Billinge this autumn but a total absence of first-year birds in a catch of that size is unprecedented in my experience. A total of only 2 Goldcrest was also noteworthy because it contrasted sharply with the 15 ringed the previous day.

Adult male Lesser Redpoll.

I don't usually mention movements of Pink-footed Geese as they are a regular occurrence over the site at this time of year and may involve local feeding movements as well as cross country migration.

There are around 290 Pink-feet in this photo.

3rd November
Another quiet session that had a real end of season feel to it. Only 12 birds were caught of 4 species but they did included another Lesser Redpoll and yes it was another adult.

4th November
A slight improvement in both numbers and variety with 20 birds of 7 species being handled. A Blackcap was the best the nets produced but a noisy Hawfinch, that gave good views as it headed NNE at close range, was the standout highlight of the session. The penultimate bird ringed was a Lesser Redpoll and no prizes for guessing it was yet another adult. I have caught 12 Lesser Redpolls so far this month and every one has been an adult which is exceptional to say the least. On the theme of adults a Goldcrest that had been ringed as a juvenile in July 2016 was recaptured and provided another opportunity to photograph and show the tail shape of a known adult.

Adult female Lesser Redpoll 04/11/17

This adult had very rounded tail feathers but some adults can have tail feathers that are a bit more pointed in shape but still with a slightly rounded tip. In either case they always look very fresh at this time of year.

Another known age adult Goldcrest that has a relatively pointed shape to the tail feathers.  This tail shape is probably quite common in adults and why it is safest to leave intermediates unaged as recommended by Svensson.

It is just as pointed whichever way you look at it. JJH333 was ringed as a 3J on 12/07/16 which confirmed it was an adult when retrapped 04/11/17.

Combined ringing totals (retraps/controls in brackets) for the period were: Goldcrest 22(4); Blue Tit 5 (3); Willow Tit (1); Long-tailed Tit 3; Blackcap 2; Fieldfare 1; Song Thrush 1; Redwing 31; Robin (1); Dunnock 1; Chaffinch 9; Lesser Redpoll 11(1) Goldfinch 3. Total 89 new birds, 9 retraps and 1 control.