The Bird in the Hand

These pages contain photographs of birds in the hand, with specialised discussion of identification, moult, techniques for ageing, and so on. They have all been written by David Norman except where otherwise credited: comments are welcome. There is an index to the species and subjects.

• Arctic Redpoll (21 February 2014)

• Ageing adult Reed Warblers (22 September 2011)

• Ageing 'adult' Sparrowhawks (3 April 2010)

• Signs of Spring (29 March 2010) Chiffchaff; Chaffinch; Starling

• Meadow Pipits (28 September 2009)

• Crossbills (15 March 2009)

• Second-winter Sparrowhawks (28 February 2009, addendum 7 March 2009)

• Another autumn season (17 September 2006) Whitethroat; Garden Warbler; Blackcap; Reed Bunting; Goldcrest; Jay; Song Thrush; Goldfinch; Kingfisher; Wheatear; Stonechat

• Wood Warblers (17 June 2006)

• 2005 miscellany (6 January 2006) Little Grebe; Swift; Stock Dove; Willow Warbler; Greenfinch; Wren; Nuthatch

• Farmland species of conservation concern (10 December 2005) Yellowhammer; Reed Bunting; Tree Sparrow; Linnet; Dunnock; Chaffinch; Brambling; Sparrowhawk

• mid-August mixture (25 August 2005) Blackcap; Bullfinch; Lesser Whitethroat; Reed Bunting; Snipe; Dunlin; Stonechat

• Lesser Redpolls (1 August 2005)

• Unusual moults (2 July 2005) Garden Warbler; Willow Warbler

• June miscellany (1 July 2005) Linnet; Whitethroat; Stock Dove; Jackdaw; Kestrel; Garden Warbler; Pied Flycatcher; Blue Tit

• Feather wear in warblers (22 June 2005) Sedge Warbler; Garden Warbler; Grasshopper Warbler; Whitethroat; Willow Warbler

• End of winter (26 March 2005) Bullfinch; Goldcrest; Greenfinch; Goldfinch; Nuthatch; Meadow Pipit; Water Rail

• Waxwings (23 January 2005)

• Seasonal, and unseasonal, offerings (7 January 2005) Greenfinch; Song Thrush; Mistle Thrush; Robin;  Great Spotted Woodpecker

• Retraps large and small (7 November 2004) female Sparrowhawk; Goldcrest

• Ageing Nuthatches (6 November 2004)

• Autumn movements (25 August 2004) Whitethroat, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldfinch, Linnet

• Nest miscellany I - non-passerines (25 August 2004) Kestrel, Stock Dove, Coot, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, Little Tern

• Nest miscellany II - passerines (25 August 2004) Chaffinch, Whinchat, Wren, Grey Wagtail, Spotted Flycatcher

• Body moult (25 July 2004) Robin, Redstart, Wren, House Sparrow, Blackcap

• Time for a Chat? (8 June 2004) Stonechat, Redstart

• Peregrines (18 May 2004)

• Brambling and Chaffinch heads (25 April 2004)

• Extremes of moult in first-year Siskins (23 March 2004)

• First-year Greenfinches with moulted primaries (12 March 2004) Greenfinch, Varied Bunting

• Oystercatchers (Walney Island) (11 March 2004) Oystercatcher, Sanderling

• Knot (Heysham) - Part II (21 February 2004)

• 'creepers (10 February 2004) Treecreeper, Brown Creeper, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Black-and-White Warbler

• More odd moults (18 December 2003) second-year female Sparrowhawk; Great Spotted Woodpecker

• 'crests (and Kinglets) (15 December 2003) Goldcrest, Firecrest, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet

• Some interesting seed-eaters (West Burton Ringing Course) (24 November 2003) Brambling ageing; Yellowhammer tails and heads; Tree Sparrow; Greenfinch eccentric primary moult

• Retrapped Nuthatch recovers from missing last year's moult (12 September 2003)

• Ringed Plover and Turnstone (Walney Island) (30 August 2003)

• Odds and ends (20 August 2003) Collared Dove eye colour and tail fault bar; Starling moult; Bullfinch moult; Sedge Warbler grotty foot; Reed Warbler fat

• Ageing Willow Warblers (12 August 2003)

• Odd feathers (7 August 2003) Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat odd tail feathers; Willow Tit ageing; Sedge Warbler growth bars; Blackcap sexing; Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler moult; Grasshopper Warblers

• Adult Swifts at a colony (21 July 2003)

• More Woolston birds, mostly in moult (20 July 2003) Willow Warbler; Blackcap and Whitethroat; Swallows; Pipistrelle bat; Garden Warbler

• Back to Woolston (6 July 2003) Willow Warbler moult; Sedge and Reed Warblers; Blackcap ageing; Moorhen

• Nests and nestlings (mostly) (26 May 2003) Peregrine; Lapwing; Skylark

• Grey Herons (and Rooks) (19 April 2003)

• Woodpigeon and Starlings (22 March 2003)

• Spring has sprung (16 March 2003) Chiffchaff

• Why do birds' eyes become redder with age? (14 March 2003) Collared Dove; Great Spotted Woodpecker

• Nuthatch that missed its moult (24 February 2003)

• Chaffinch and Greenfinch (12 February 2003)

• Knot (Heysham) (1 February 2003)

• Big birds, and others (25 January 2003) Sparrowhawk; Tawny Owl; Starling sexing

Thanks to Bob Mulvihill, Powdermill Nature Reserve, for his inspirational pioneering work in posting on the Web his educational photos of birds in the hand.