Easter bird ringing

Several bird ringers gave up their Easter Sunday to be at Foxglove and they were rewarded with an incredible catch, possibly the best ever! A total of 355 birds was caught including 155 new Lesser Redpolls and significant numbers of Brambling, Reed Bunting, Siskin, Goldcrest and Chaffinch.

The first Willow Warbler of the year was caught having returned from Africa; it had been ringed here previously. Chiffchaff were also ringed and 8 of the Lesser Redpoll were controls (birds ringed elsewhere by others). At various times throughout the day all of the hooks in the ringing room were taken up as you can see in the photograph.

A pair of Lesser Redpoll is shown. The male (on the right) has a red breast in addition to the red poll on the crown of its head.