Former common resident of the towns woods, now a scarce winter visitor.

Lesser Redpolls have historically been relatively scarce in south – east England. They are subject to significant and long – term fluctuations. These fluctuations have been attributed to variations in the seed crops on which they feed, and the changes to conifer plantations as they mature. Large irruption movements occurred in 1959, 1964 and 1977. Having increased through the 1960s, between 1972 and 1996, their numbers declined in Britain by 89%. 

They were confirmed as breeding from the tetrad covering Pin Green in the 1973 Breeding Atlas, from the tetrads covering the Old Town and Pin Green in the 1992 Atlas but, from none in the 2012 Atlas.

The earliest record for Stevenage is of 12 at Box Wood in April 1964.

In the 1960s and 1970s they were recorded from: Astonbury Wood, Box Wood (where 50 were seen on 30 January 1965), Monks Wood (where they probably bred in 1968 and 1969), Watery Grove (where 40 were seen between 28 March and 5 April 1976) and, Whomerly Wood (where 20 plus were seen on 28 April 1974). A bird ringed at Box Wood was, “controlled” at Ashurst in the New Forest in 1979.

During September and October 1980, 256 were trapped and, ringed in Box Wood, at which time between 80 to 1000 were estimated to be in the wood. Two adult birds ringed at Box Wood on 12 October 1980 were recovered, one was, “controlled” at the Queen Mary Reservoir at Staines, Berkshire on 12 May 1981 and, the other was killed by a Cat at St. Albans on 27 May 1981.  

Other records from the 1980s came from: Chells Park; Fairlands Valley lakes, Popple Way (where an adult was seen feeding a juvenile on 28 August 1986), Ridlins Mire, Sishes Wood and, Watery Grove (where 30 were seen on 4 May 1981).

During the 1990’s there were only two records from, Norton Green Tip (three on 20 January 1992) and, Watery Grove (one on17 February 1992).

Between 2000 and 2009 they were recorded from: a Canterbury Way Garden (15 on 3 January 2004), Fairlands Valley Lakes (five on 31 March 2003), a Roebuck Garden (seven on 5 March 2000) and, Shephall (11 in late February to early March 2004).

Between 2010 and 2019 they were recorded at: Broadwater (three on garden feeders on 15 January 2014, three on 4 February 2014 and, four on 18 January 2016), Great Ashby (male and three females in a garden on 14 January 2019) Fairlands Valley and Lakes (single birds on 9 December 2010, 27 February 2013, and 17 March 2015), Norton Green Tip (one on 23 September 2015, eight on 1 January 2016 and, up to 100 between 24 February and, 14 April 2018), Shephall (one in a garden on 25 March 2010 and, five on garden feeders on 9 February 2013), Stevenage Brook (two on 13 March 2011), Upper Kitching Spring (one on 23 March 2018) and, Watery Grove (two on 13 February 2017).

Since 2020 they have been recorded at: Fairlands Valley and Lakes (seven plus on 18 October 2020, six on 5 November 2020, three between 5 and 27 March 2021, one on 25 October and 8 November 2022, one on 9 and 12 March 2023, one on 10 January 2024 and two on 15 February 2024); Broadwater (two on a garden feeder on 13 January 2022); Old Town (two on a garden feeder on 25 and 27 January 2023); Stanley Road (one flying over on 11 October 2023).

The Common Bird Census at Watery Grove recorded their presence in the 1972 breeding season, and holding between one and three breeding territories between 1973 and 1979. In the 1980’s and 1990’s three breeding territories were held in 1981, and their presence recorded in the 1984, 1985, 1989 and 1991 breeding seasons.

The 2012 Winter Atlas confirmed their presence from five of the tetrads covering Stevenage.