Common Redpoll

254 birds were caught by the bird ringers at Foxglove today. As well as several Common/Mealy Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) like the ones shown here, plenty of Lesser Redpoll (Carduelis cabaret) brightened up the dull, misty day too. The Common Redpoll is slightly larger and is generally paler and greyer than the Lesser Redpoll. Quite often they can be seen in a flock at the base of the large wooden feeder in the back garden behind the Field Centre. The new remote garden camera is zoomed in on their favourite feeding place at the moment so they can be viewed on the large screen in the foyer throughout the day. They also feed on very small seeds from birch, alder and spruce and insects (adults and larvae).

Other species ringed today include Brambling, Chaffinch, Reed bunting and Treecreeper.