Birdwatching: Seeing redpolls as flocks are on the move again
Redpolls are on the move from the forests and scrublands where they have nested in the summer.
They are streaky brown birds, like small linnets,and the males have a red forehead which gives this bird its name.
The females also have a red forehead but it is paler and less conspicuous.
The place to look for a flock is in the top of birch trees, many still with yellow leaves clinging to them. The redpolls gather there to feed on birch seeds often alongside siskins and goldfinches.
But the redpolls are the most agile and acrobatic, hanging upside down with the same agility as blue tits as they tease the birch seeds out.
Flocks made up of the same three species are also found feeding on the seeds from the tiny alder cones.
When a flock is disturbed it goes shooting off, tightly packed together and making rattling calls. It will circle round rapidly and usually comes back again.
Bird books can be confusing about redpolls because their names have changed quite a lot.
Until last year there were three redpoll species recognised in the UK, now there is just one simply called redpoll.
The three species were the lesser redpoll, the paler, slightly larger common or mealy redpoll which breeds eastwards from Scandinavia, and an even paler redpoll, the Arctic, which breeds in the far north.
There were also several sub species of the Common and Arctic.
But now the International Ornithological Union has decided that, genetically, all these redpolls are so similar that they should be lumped into one species simply called the redpoll.As a result two redpoll species have been lost from the British bird list.
This certainly makes identification easier but many birders, including me, will miss the anticipation of searching through a redpoll flock in the hopes of finding a rarer 'species'. Many will no doubt keep looking for their own satisfaction..
Last week the chase was on to catch up with a rare visitor, a White-throated Needletail, the first in England for 34 years..
It was first seen and photographed on Wednesday October 8 over the Tophill Low reserve, then the same afternoon it was relocated at Bempton Cliffs. There were also sightings off Filey Brigg and over Scarborough Castle on October 10.
Other sightings included a snow bunting at Scarborough Harbour and two at Filet Brigg while a little bunting was near the Warren at Spurn.
A first winter Siberian stonechat was seen at Walshaw Dean reservoirs West Yorkshire.