A GREATer Redpoll retrap !

Another 34 new Redpolls ringed this am (4 new Common and 30 Lesser). Highlight was retrapping bird L551773 from March 5th, the possible Greenland Redpoll. Being a little more prepared paid off, incredibly this bird weighed 14.9g (Lesser Redpoll averages around 10.7 and Common 11.5g) and all measurements taken fully support the identification. A pleasure to be able to directly compare and photograph this bird with both Lesser and Common Redpoll. In the hand it was almost twice as long as the Lesser Redpoll and its bulk and dark streaking is obvious in the above images. When I released the bird it called twice, a totally different call to either Lesser or Common Redpoll, a very deep 'grough' call. If accepted then the first record for Cambridgeshire of this true northern wanderer.