The end of another month.

Autumn migration has stuttered along over the last week with quite good numbers moving on some days and very little on others. The last couple of days has seen a modest amount of movement at Billinge and the catches were similarly modest. Yesterday's ringing totals (retraps in brackets) were: Sparrowhawk 1; Goldcrest 19; Blue Tit (1); Redwing 4; Chaffinch 1, Lesser Redpoll 1. Today's totals were: Goldcrest 11; Blue Tit 1; Great Tit (1); Blackcap 1; Fieldfare 1; Redwing 8.

Yesterday's 1cy female Sparrowhawk was the 7th Sparrowhawk to be ringed at the site this month.

Today's female Blackcap was carrying a lot of fat and likely to be a late departing summer visitor rather than a recently arrived winter visitor.

I know I have shown images of these grey headed continental Goldcrests before but this female, caught today, also had a long wing for a female of 56mm. 

Adult female Fieldfare. Not an easy bird to catch when on passage but always worth the effort.

Ringing totals for the month have been excellent with 1,419 birds ringed although that is a little short of the number reached in October 2015. Redwing accounted for just over half the total with 739 ringed and Goldcrest came in second with an equally impressive 377.

Top 5 for the month at Billinge were:
Redwing 739
Goldcrest 377
Song Thrush 59
Lesser Redpoll 36
Chiffchaff 28

Top 5 for the year to date at Billinge are:
Redwing 739
Goldcrest 666
Willow Warbler 367
Chiffchaff 340
Blackcap 219

What will November bring?