A marked improvement in numbers.

Another day and another session in the top willows at Billinge but unlike yesterday there was a brisk pace to proceedings and there was a bit more in the way of variety too, although nothing unusual. Tits accounted for the bulk of the increase in numbers and made up almost half the final total of 63 birds but there were a few more warblers and crests too.

The highlight was the capture of the first Lesser Redpolls of the autumn with 7 ringed. This wasn't totally unexpected as I had seen 2 fly south yesterday which were the first recorded at the site this autumn. The only other captures of note were a Willow Tit and a Treecreeper and sightings included a Golden Plover south and 2 small skeins of Pink-footed Geese.

Lesser Redpoll 24/09/2018. All 7 ringed today were first-year birds.

I don't catch many Treecreepers as they don't venture into the scrubby habitat of the ringing site very often. This is a first-year bird that had recently completed its post juvenile moult so was particularly clean and bright.

Ringing totals for 24/09/2018 were: Coal Tit 2; Willow Tit 1; Blue Tit 10, Great Tit 8; Long-tailed Tit 8; Chiffchaff 9; Blackcap 5; Goldcrest 9; Treecreeper 1; Robin 1; Chaffinch 1; Bullfinch 1; Lesser Redpoll 7. Total 63