Red Polls in my garden

[Claire Fifi]

Hello all. I have been lucky enough to have a flock of these lovely little birds in the garden for the last week now. I I have a large Larch that I planted about 18 years ago - its now about 30ft high and covered in cones. The wee Red Polls seem to love hoovering up the seeds and have joined forces with the charm (love that word!)of Gold Finches who are here all the time.

I have never noticed these birds in the garden before. Do you think it is due to the cold winter "up north" as I have read that they are normally resident in the North of England?

Claire

[thebeard]

nice birds to have in the garden! i've only seen them twice before, once there were a flock of around 100 feeding in some alders, great little birds.

it depends really on where you are, as they are resident across much of the UK really apart from a few areas towards the west.

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by thebeard

nice birds to have in the garden! i've only seen them twice before, once there were a flock of around 100 feeding in some alders, great little birds.

it depends really on where you are, as they are resident across much of the UK really apart from a few areas towards the west.

For the last 3 winters we've had a flock of them feeding on the nijer seeds in our feeders. Quarrelsome little gits though - they spend most of the time snarling at each other and the goldfinches!

Jim

[Claire Fifi]

Meant to say that I live in Twickenham - Middlesex - except most people pretend that Middlesex does not exist any more (including the Post Office) - so for those who don't know where Twickenham is, its South West of London - within the M25, at the start of the M3 and the M4 and not far from Heathrow..Not the usual place for Red Polls to hang out!

[Dogghound]

Redpoll (Lesser) breed over most of Britain apart from most of the west midlands. As long as suitable habitat is present, in winter we get alot of continental birds which tend to bulk up the population, in winter they can be found anywhere. Some birds do move south in bad winters.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Claire Fifi

Meant to say that I live in Twickenham - Middlesex - except most people pretend that Middlesex does not exist any more (including the Post Office) - so for those who don't know where Twickenham is, its South West of London - within the M25, at the start of the M3 and the M4 and not far from Heathrow..Not the usual place for Red Polls to hang out!

There have been more Lesser Redpolls than normal this winter in the London area. I know the London Wetland Centre ( not that far really from you) has had a small flock through the winter + quite a few other places too. I found a few in Kew Gardens feeding in Larches with alarge flock of siskins + some Goldfinches.

[Claire Fifi]

I was at the Wetland Centre at Barnes on Mother's Day, plus I get "tweets" from them so I knew about their flock, but did not realise they were resident. Thanks for that.

I think its amazing how the bird population in my garden has changed so significantly over the past 20 years. Birds that used to be regulars, such as Song Thrush and Sparrow are far less common. We still get the occasional one or two, I am glad to say but it is always a notable day when I see or hear them. Birds that never used to come and are now here is masses are, of course, the Green Parakeet (whom I love to hate - Hate the noise and destructiveness but Love the look and antics) Gold Finches - huge numbers and always here (great stuff), Herons - always were a few , but far more now. Jackdaws seem to have replaced Starlings - we still get Starlings but far fewer than 20 years ago.

I have also noticed that Blackcaps seem to be here all year round now, whereas I am sure that they just used to visit in passing, so to speak.

All in all, I feel that there are more birds now - probably due in a large degree to the number of garden bird feeders put out by the neighbours!

[RJG1952]

I recently put up a new feeder with thistle seed for Goldfinches. The feeder incorporates a large tray at the bottom. The Goldfinches love the seed and I was really pleased to see a Redpoll eating seed pulled out by the Goldfinches which lands in the tray. I have never had a Redpoll in the garden before. Now 1 or 2 Redpolls regularly feed this way in my garden and I have seen 4 at the same time in the garden.