The influx of redpolls into Western Europe, 1995/96

Winter 1995/96 saw a huge influx of Common Redpolls Carduelis flammea and Arctic Redpolls C. hornemanni into Britain and Western Europe. Two forms of redpoll were involved, the nominate race of Common Redpoll C.f.flammea ('Mealy Redpoll') and the Eurasian race of Arctic Redpoll C. h. exilipes, and there is no evidence of any arrivals from other than northern Eurasian populations. Three main influxes were recorded in the north and east of Britain. The first two, in early and mid November, were immediately preceded by or coincided with substantial movements through Utsira in southwest Norway, Heligoland off the northwest coast of Germany, and Falsterbo in southern Sweden; the last of the three arrivals occurred in early December and was associated with the onset of very cold weather, but not with large movements farther north and east. On the British east coast, numbers were the largest since 1975. The irruption was absorbed in Britain, and no significant movements were recorded through bird observatories on southern and western coasts. Return spring migration was heavy through southern North Sea sites (which experienced little of the autumn arrival), but was much less apparent farther north.