Redpolls in gardens

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Adam Cheeseman

Cordaline has had the Lesser Redpoll land in her garden along with the plethora of Siskins at the moment. Quite a few around and flying overhead too.

Only ever knowingly seen Mealy Redpoll and Arctic Redpoll on one occasion each. On the same feeder at Titchwell.

Cheers,

Adam

Yes I remember seeing Lesser, Mealy + Arctic Redpolls at Titchwell as few years back- an amazing site + one of my top birding sites despite the crowds!

Also saw a couple of Arctic Redpolls on an earlier occasion at Thorndon Woods, Essex with a large flock of Lessers.

[BugBear99]

I've just had a single one in my garden, pretty excited, only ever seen one once before and that was with a little crowd of birders gawping up at the same tree! Bit more special to have it in your own garden, on your feeder. Lovely little bird, but mine seemed to be alone, or at least not with other redpolls. I only feed sunflower seeds, fat balls and peanuts.

[bryony]

I used to get them in my last garden, every other year in January they would flock to a rhododendron ponticum to feed on the seeds. The reason it was only every other year was that it only ever seemed to flower alternate years, so then you would only get seed heads every two years also.

There is a small nature reserve I go to, just outside Horsham (Warnham), where they have an area with hanging feeders, etc, and I've seen redpolls there. In fact when I was there about a year ago, I had my breath taken away when I was watching a redpoll sitting happily on the feeder, then suddenly a hawk shot through the trees and whizzed off with her, all in the blink of an eye.

[Nick Smith]

Originally Posted by Guinnessman1974

Have anyone else had Redpolls in their gardens this year?

I've had 5 this week - 4 females and a male, they are loving the Niger Seed!"

We had a pair of lesser redpolls around about 27/28th December but haven't seen any since then. Our neighbour said they are regular visitors to his garden.