Redpoll recovery

Caught this 1st winter Redpoll (X429619) on the morning of February 8th and was pleasantly surprised to find it was already ringed but not by me! Enquiries have revealed it was initially ringed by members of the Birklands Ringing Group near Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire on November 13th last year. This site has produced catches of over 150 birds, so others are out there waiting to be caught. Interesting that it has left what is a great Redpoll area to move south to the Cambridgeshire/Bedfordshire border which is not blessed with a substantial area of forestry, perhaps suggesting nomadic behaviour or dwindling food supplies. The bird is a first winter, probably a female and with a wing of 71mm, so at the top end of the range for a female Lesser Redpoll (67-71mm). The bird obviously has broad white wing bars and a prominent white nape collar and white supercilium. Does it show enough features to be a Common, well its subjective isn't it and its not a classic bird with a big wing and pallid plumage, so probably best left, still great though. Really fired for Redpolls now and cant wait for more birds soon!

Thanks to Andy Lowe for the information on behalf of the Birklands Ringing Group.