Mealy Redpoll at RSPB Sandy

I popped up to the RSPB head quarters in Sandy Bedfordshire today after hearing news of some Mealy Redpolls visiting the feeders there this week.

Siskin

A grey, wet day had been forecast so this was a perfect plan. A short drive up the A1, stand in the shelter just off the car park and watch the birds visit the feeders until I find the Common Redpoll.

Lesser Redpoll

Sounded simple until I arrived to find over a hundred Siskin on and around the feeders to cloud the issue. Lesser Redpolls were feeding in smaller numbers. Coal Tits joined the Blue and Great Tits, Bramblings visited with the other finches and Greater Spotted Woodpecker & Nuthatch also came in to feed. It was proving more difficult than I'd imagined to find the Mealy birds with only a couple being possibles showing good variation from the Lessers until a handsome male Mealy dropped in and the debate was over.
This was without doubt my bird and tick 162 for the year.

I took a few more photos with the new kit but the weather was awful so it didn't get much use today despite a very brief stop at Priory Country Park on the way home.