Outdoor Ontario

Request for Information => Bird ID => Topic started by: Tak on March 09, 2015, 01:54:31 PM

Title: Are These All Common Redpolls? Part 1
Post by: Tak on March 09, 2015, 01:54:31 PM

I've taken some photos of the Redpolls at Saddington Park is Mississauga this winter. I am not an expert birder and I just believed they were all Common Redpolls. Recently, Luc Fazio reported a Hoary, however, and all kinds of photographers have been down visiting since then.
I decided to take some new photos and look through my old ones, in case. I have tried to understand the details provided on Jean Iron's excellent website at http://www.jeaniron.ca/2015/redpollsRP.htm (http://www.jeaniron.ca/2015/redpollsRP.htm) . I'm still confused. So I'm hoping those of you who are expert birders can quickly confirm the following photos.

This one is a Common Redpoll, right?
[attachment=2:uccbemd6]CommonRedpollZ.jpg[/attachment:uccbemd6]

Now these two photos of the same bird leave me questioning if it might be a Hoary. I really don't know enough to know, though. Opinions?
[attachment=1:uccbemd6]RedpollA.jpg[/attachment:uccbemd6]
[attachment=0:uccbemd6]RedpollB.jpg[/attachment:uccbemd6]

Now this one is probably inconclusive. Is this a Common? Oops, I'll have to post it in another note as there is a 3 photo limit per note. Please bear with me and look at Part 2. Thanks!

For what it's worth, I would never report a Redpoll to eBird as anything but a Common without confirmation from someone who understands the differences!

Title: Re: Are These All Common Redpolls? Part 1
Post by: Kris Ito on March 09, 2015, 08:56:30 PM

I think the first is a Common as you suggest, but the second looks good for a Hoary. The undertail coverts look perfectly white - no visible streaking, and the bird just looks quite pale overall. Never underestimate the value of a good bird butt photo!  :D

Title: Re: Are These All Common Redpolls? Part 1
Post by: Tak on March 10, 2015, 04:32:18 PM

Thanks! So I guess I saw the Hoary even though I didn't realize it. I'll have to pay more attention next visit.

Frankly it's easier to get butt photos than head photos of these guys since they seem to love to hang upside down with their bills deep inside clusters of alder cones. I was really happy when they came down to the snow for a while so i could really admire them. They were eating seeds from on top of the snow that had fallen from some of the alders/cedars/birches/goldenrod/other plants in the area.