Tuesday, October 10, 2017

First Redwings

Tuesday 10th October. There was a chance of Redwings this morning after a good number were seen in the UK in the last few days, mainly on the east coast. I’d seen a handful of Redwings over the house early on Monday so hoped that Tuesday might be suitable for ringing up at Oakenclough with an opportunity to catch our first Redwings of the autumn. The forecast of an early 15 mph wind, cloud and showers was rather marginal but after some deliberation we decided to go for it on the basis that on a westerly the nets are fairly sheltered, and also on the expectation this might be the only suitable day of the week. 

I met up with Andy at 0645 when it was still quite dark and very soon after dawn we caught the first couple of Redwings and then a few more as the morning continued. We finished at 11.30 with a good mix of 12 species and 51 birds in total which included eight Redwings. 

Species and numbers: 16 Goldfinch, 12 Goldcrest, 8 Redwing, 3 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Great Tit, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Reed Bunting. 

Redwing - first autumn/winter

Redwing

We aged and sexed the Reed Bunting as a first autumn/winter male. 

Reed Bunting

 The single Blackcap proved to be an adult female. 

Blackcap

Our catch of Lesser Redpolls was smaller than recent weeks and almost certainly due to the bluster and short, sharp, showers. Below is an adult male. 

Lesser Redpoll
 
The morning’s visible migration was not especially eventful but even as the wind dropped with clearing skies about 10am, any arrival or movement of birds was hardly noticeable. The highlight was the 90+ Redwings we counted in singles, small parties, or the biggest one of 30+ birds which arrived without any obvious directional movement during the cloudy and showery period. 

Otherwise our biggest counts came from the number of Goldfinches about in small parties that totalled over 100 individuals. The Goldfinches we caught came mostly from our feeders that are designed to catch mainly Goldfinch, Lesser Redpoll and Siskin. 

Others noted this morning: 2 Jays, the first seen or heard here for many months. Also, 8 Pied Wagtail, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Raven, 1 + Bullfinch.

Linking this post to Anni's Birding, Eileen's Saturday and Stewart's World Bird Wednesday.




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18 comments:

  1. Lowcarb team memberOctober 10, 2017 at 8:13 PM

    The 10th of October already ... this month is flying past.
    Lovely photographs again Phil.
    Well done to you and Andy!

    All the best Jan

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  2. eileeninmdOctober 10, 2017 at 9:13 PM

    Hello, I agree the month is flying by already. I love your cute Redpoll and the Redwing. The Blackcap is a cute bird. Wonderful photos. Enjoy your day and the week ahead!

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  3. mickOctober 10, 2017 at 11:09 PM

    Beautiful photos and I really like the way your close photos let us see those birds so much clearer. Thanks.

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  4. LindaOctober 11, 2017 at 4:58 AM

    Sweet birds, Phil, especially the Redpoll! My birthday will be in just a couple of weeks (October 27.) :)

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  5. Stuart PriceOctober 11, 2017 at 1:22 PM

    Our only winter thrushes are Dusky Thrushes............and they haven't arrived yet.

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  6. A Colorful WorldOctober 12, 2017 at 4:55 AM

    Very nice! Glad you saw the redwings!

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  7. AnuOctober 12, 2017 at 10:34 AM

    Hello. Wonderful photos. I like redwings. It is a beautiful bird.

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  8. Lucy Corrander Now in Halifax!October 12, 2017 at 3:02 PM

    Since moving to Halifax - that there are few birds in this particular part of town is a marked between 'where I was' and 'where I am now'. Birds were non-stop around my Dorset home and the dawn chorus was ear-blasting. If I see a bird now I am startled.

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  9. David M. Gascoigne,October 13, 2017 at 5:59 AM

    Good morning Phil: Redwings have been recorded in parts of Slovenia too, and I am hoping that before we leave we may get a chance to see them. Today we will be leaving Croatia and heading back over the border, after a quite fabulous experience. My three target birds on this trip were Wallcreeper, Black Woodpecker and Bearded Tit and we have been lucky with all three species, two in Slovenia and one in Croatia.
    Reports of our banding activity back home have been positive with a nice variety of species passing through. One more week and then it's back home to Canada - but we have Cuba to look forward to next month.

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  10. eileeninmdOctober 14, 2017 at 11:05 AM

    Hello, Phil! Thank you for linking and sharing your post with my 200th Critter Party. Your birds photos are always awesome. Great sightings.

    Happy birding, enjoy your day and the new week ahead!

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  11. SchotzyOctober 14, 2017 at 11:17 PM

    Beautiful specimens... Such color and detail... wonderful post!

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  12. Stewart MOctober 15, 2017 at 9:43 AM

    Redwings are a nice bird - I seem to recall hearing them as a first sighting, more often than seeing them - if you see what I mean.

    But I also suppose it means that winter is coming!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  13. Anni October 15, 2017 at 11:55 AM

    Wow....great reading as always. Love your photos. That lesser redpoll is such a handsome fellow. And to have one [two actually] jay show up in the mix of birds seen after many months of not seeing one would really get me excited.

    Once again, thanks so much for joining us birders and sharing your photos this weekend at I'd Rather B Birdin'!!

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  14. LindaOctober 15, 2017 at 4:31 PM

    Lovely photos, lots of varities,

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  15. Carol @Comfort Spring StationOctober 16, 2017 at 5:31 PM

    Beautiful photos and great info

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  16. Sallie (FullTime-Life)October 16, 2017 at 9:52 PM

    Well done -- lots of information saved on this lovely day of birding and banding. The redwings and the redpoll are both lovely birds.

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  17. betty-NZOctober 16, 2017 at 11:48 PM

    That would be so interesting and fun to help out with the work you do! You get photos that most of us would never see :)

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  18. NCSueOctober 17, 2017 at 11:43 AM

    Interesting shots! I am always intrigued to see the birds you share - they are different from the ones we see here.
    Thanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2017/10/wind-and-water-water-and-wind.html

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