Ringing Redpoll!

The West Pennines Bird ringing group has been ringing birds at Lindow since March this year, helping us to understand how species use the site. Ringing birds helps scientists to understand movement of individuals and species on migration, as well as helping monitor breeding, survival and populations.

Last week, licensed ringers found this (lesser) Redpoll (Acanthis flammea cabaret) which already had a ring on its leg. It hatched in 2023 and was ringed on 4th November 2023 at Anglers Country Park, near Wakefield, around 40 miles away from Lindow. Redpoll normally move around in winter, flocking together to preferred wintering sites, Lindow and the surrounding area is a good place for them to spend the winter, with plentiful supplies of tree and grass seeds, which is their favourite food. Look out for them feeding on Alder seeds at the top of trees around the moss and keep an ear out for their distinctive flight calls, which sound like a metallic ‘chett-chett’.