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Recent Postings from
Inland NW Birders

Updated on Wednesday, December 19 at 12:12 AM ET
The most recently received Mail is at the top.

I received a request for this and since it's close to the holidays and some
folks might want to suspend emails I figured this would be a good time to
send it out again. Let me know if you have any questions. Also I'm thinking
about migrating inland-nw-birders to Google Groups, if you have any
experience w/ Google Groups please let me know what you think.

thansk, Charles.

To manage any aspects of your subscription you should use the
inland-nw-birders Mailman web site and instructions below. You will
need your subscription password to make changes. Password reminders
are sent out once a month but you can also request a reminder any time
- instructions are also below.

web site: http://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders

To request a password reminder:

 - scroll down to the bottom box and enter your email address
 - press Edit Options button
 - on the next page press 'Email My Password To Me'
 - your password will be emailed to you (it will probably arrive
quicker if you do this in the evening when the UI mail servers are not
as busy)

on this same page you can make the following changes, you must enter
your subscription password before submitting changes in the space next
to the button "Submit My Changes".

- unsubscribe
- change your password
- view the archive
- temporarily stop your subscription
- turn on or off digest mode

** when turning on the digest mode make sure to select MIME option for
"Get MIME or plain text digest?" Otherwise you may receive a garbled
or unreadable digest. If you are using older plain text email program
such as PINE you will encounter this problem in which case I recommend
getting a free gmail, hotmail, or yahoo account.

thanks, Charles.



-- 
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura AT gmail.com_______________________________________________
Inland-nw-birders mailing list
Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders

#199  Lazuli Bunting - July 10th  Mica Bay Survey (I missed this 
one)
#200 Canyon Wren - Dec. 15 CDA CBC Kris Buchler and Roland Craft

Shirley Sturts
Coeur d'Alene, ID 

_______________________________________________
Inland-nw-birders mailing list
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#199  Lazuli Bunting - July 10th  Mica Bay Survey (I missed this 
one)
#200 Canyon Wren - Dec. 15 CDA CBC Kris Buchler and Roland Craft

Shirley Sturts
Coeur d'Alene, ID 

Sadly, I will miss the Spokane County CBC due to holiday travel to suburban NJ 
-- good luck to all with the count! The birding out here has been pretty good, 
even if it's not the INW. Visited the Sandy Hook/Gateway NRA, which has 
outstanding waterfowl viewing and some other winter surprises. Fairly common 
but fun birds have included: 


Brandt
American Black Duck
Greater Scaup
Red-Breasted Merganser
Horned Grebe
Turkey Vulture
Greater Black Backed Gull
Kingfisher
Red Bellied Woodpecker
Catbird
Mockingbird
Yellow-Rumped Warbler
Eastern Towhee
White-Throated Sparrow - Huge flocks, often mixed with Dark-Eyed Juncos
 
Some real surprises that have been trip highlights so far:

White Winged Scoter
Long Tailed Duck
Black Vulture
Pileated Woodpecker
Hermit Thrush
Fox Sparrow - An unusual winter visitor to a suburban feeder
Snow Bunting - Got great views of a huge flock of 54 birds on the beach 
overlooking NY Harbor -- no Horned Larks out here! 

 
Good birding and happy holidays, 
 
Jon Isacoff
Assistant Professor, Political Science
Director, Environmental Studies Program
Box 52
Gonzaga University
Spokane, WA 
Tel.:
Fax:
isacoff AT gonzaga.edu

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Hi -

Anybody in the Moscow area might want to stop by the U. of Idaho book store
today. They are having a 25% off sale and I just picked up a Sibley Guide
and Brian Wheeler's "Raptors of Western North America" (both $30+ books
although I see now that Amazon has the Wheeler book listed ~$20). They have
a small but decent selection of other natural history titles and field
guides. I also picked up Ken Kaufmann's Field Guide to Insects of NA (also
discounted at Amamzon I see!). In addition to the books there are lots of UI
logo clothes and other paraphernalia. (For Harry Potter fans the final book
is discounted to about $20 in hard cover ;)).


-- 
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura AT gmail.com_______________________________________________
Inland-nw-birders mailing list
Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders

Please send highlights/results of regional CBCs conducted over the weekend
to the list (and thanks to those who have already done so).

-- 
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura AT gmail.com_______________________________________________
Inland-nw-birders mailing list
Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders

This is a great example of the "Patagonia Picnic Table Effect". Google it if
you don't know what I'm talking about.

Charles.

On Dec 17, 2007 3:08 PM, Shannon Richardson  wrote:

>  Nate just phoned in that while he was out searching (unsuccessfully) for
> the Hoary Redpoll, he located a young HARRIS'S SPARROW at Parker Farm, 2
> miles east of Moscow off of SR8.
>
>
>
> Shannon Richardson
>
> Email: shannonr at nezperce.org 
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Inland-nw-birders mailing list
> Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
> https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders
>
>


-- 
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura AT gmail.com_______________________________________________
Inland-nw-birders mailing list
Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders

Nate just phoned in that while he was out searching (unsuccessfully) for
the Hoary Redpoll, he located a young HARRIS'S SPARROW at Parker Farm, 2
miles east of Moscow off of SR8. 

 

Shannon Richardson

Email: shannonr at nezperce.org  

 
_______________________________________________
Inland-nw-birders mailing list
Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders

Howdy -

I received an email about how to find the Moscow Hoary Redpoll. My response
is below for anyone else going to look for this bird. There is no way to
know how reliable this location will be. The birch catkins will be
diminished over time and the redpolls will eventually move to other foraging
areas. There are other birches on the property and plenty in Moscow. But
this information is also useful for searching through redpoll flocks that
may occur elsewhere in the region. It's possible that Hoary's are more
regular during good redpoll years, they're just darn hard to find and
identify!

Look for birds that are noticeably paler (often described as "frosty" in the
literature) than the others but note that Common Redpolls can appear fairly
pale from underneath. Especially look for birds w/ reduced streaking on the
flanks and no streaking on the undertail coverts (check you field guide for
these feather locations, esp a Sibley guide if you have one, or online).
Although it can be hard to see, the pale rump (little or no streaking) is a
clincher with Common Redpolls having mostly dark, streaky rumps. This can be
very hard to see from underneath but if you are lucky you might be able to
observe birds feeding on the ground. Hoary Redpolls appear a bit larger
(often described as "fluffier") and this was true of the Moscow bird and was
noticeable even when foraging overhead in trees. In reality they are at the
most slightly larger than Commons (except the very unlikely "Horneman's"
race is actually larger than the Commons).

Scott Downes' recent post also included an excellent summary of the redpoll
situation from Ron Pittaway (author of the famous northern finch forecasts)
posted to Ontario Birds. The description of the most likely to occur in our
region Southern Hoary Redpoll ("exilipes" subspecies) is excerpted below:

"Southern Hoary Redpoll: This form (exilipes) breeds in the low Arctic and
much of its range overlaps that of flammea Common Redpoll. It is the more
common of the two Hoary Redpoll subspecies in southern Ontario and closer
in size and plumage characters to flammea Common Redpoll. There is a good
comparison of adult male exilipes Hoary Redpoll and flammea Common Redpoll
on plate 69 in Godfrey (1986). See how the exilipes Hoary is not that much
different from the Common flammea! During repoll flight years, it is
usually possible to find a few classic adult male exilipes Hoarys. They are
more frosted with pure white rumps, paler with less extensive pink
suffusion on the breast, lightly streaked flanks and very lightly streaked
to immaculate undertail coverts. Adult females and especially first year
females, can be noticeably streaked. Exilipes Hoary is similar in size to
flammea Common, but may look slightly larger because of its frosted
appearance. Hoarys also have shorter, more obtuse (stubby) bills imparting
a distinctive "pushed in face" appearance. The bill difference is well
shown on plate 69 in Godfrey (1986). Other differences pointed out to me
this morning by Ron Tozer who was watching Hoarys and Commons at his
feeders near Algonquin Park as we talked on the phone are: the red cap is
smaller on Hoary, looking more forward on the forehead, and exilipes Hoarys
are often streaked on the sides."

thanks, Charles.


-- 
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura AT gmail.com_______________________________________________
Inland-nw-birders mailing list
Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders

Howdy -

I received an email about how to find the Moscow Hoary Redpoll. My response
is below for anyone else going to look for this bird. There is no way to
know how reliable this location will be. The birch catkins will be
diminished over time and the redpolls will eventually move to other foraging
areas. There are other birches on the property and plenty in Moscow. But
this information is also useful for searching through redpoll flocks that
may occur elsewhere in the region. It's possible that Hoary's are more
regular during good redpoll years, they're just darn hard to find and
identify!

Look for birds that are noticeably paler (often described as "frosty" in the
literature) than the others but note that Common Redpolls can appear fairly
pale from underneath. Especially look for birds w/ reduced streaking on the
flanks and no streaking on the undertail coverts (check you field guide for
these feather locations, esp a Sibley guide if you have one, or online).
Although it can be hard to see, the pale rump (little or no streaking) is a
clincher with Common Redpolls having mostly dark, streaky rumps. This can be
very hard to see from underneath but if you are lucky you might be able to
observe birds feeding on the ground. Hoary Redpolls appear a bit larger
(often described as "fluffier") and this was true of the Moscow bird and was
noticeable even when foraging overhead in trees. In reality they are at the
most slightly larger than Commons (except the very unlikely "Horneman's"
race is actually larger than the Commons).

Scott Downes' recent post also included an excellent summary of the redpoll
situation from Ron Pittaway (author of the famous northern finch forecasts)
posted to Ontario Birds. The description of the most likely to occur in our
region Southern Hoary Redpoll ("exilipes" subspecies) is excerpted below:

"Southern Hoary Redpoll: This form (exilipes) breeds in the low Arctic and
much of its range overlaps that of flammea Common Redpoll. It is the more
common of the two Hoary Redpoll subspecies in southern Ontario and closer
in size and plumage characters to flammea Common Redpoll. There is a good
comparison of adult male exilipes Hoary Redpoll and flammea Common Redpoll
on plate 69 in Godfrey (1986). See how the exilipes Hoary is not that much
different from the Common flammea! During repoll flight years, it is
usually possible to find a few classic adult male exilipes Hoarys. They are
more frosted with pure white rumps, paler with less extensive pink
suffusion on the breast, lightly streaked flanks and very lightly streaked
to immaculate undertail coverts. Adult females and especially first year
females, can be noticeably streaked. Exilipes Hoary is similar in size to
flammea Common, but may look slightly larger because of its frosted
appearance. Hoarys also have shorter, more obtuse (stubby) bills imparting
a distinctive "pushed in face" appearance. The bill difference is well
shown on plate 69 in Godfrey (1986). Other differences pointed out to me
this morning by Ron Tozer who was watching Hoarys and Commons at his
feeders near Algonquin Park as we talked on the phone are: the red cap is
smaller on Hoary, looking more forward on the forehead, and exilipes Hoarys
are often streaked on the sides."

thanks, Charles.


-- 
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura AT gmail.com

Hi Folks -

Google My Maps are now publicly searchable using Google Maps search. For
example, if you go to Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/) and search on
"Latah Birding redpoll" you will find an entry I just made on my Latah
Birding Map for the Hoary Redpoll location east of Moscow. You can then get
directions to that location from any other location. Just click on the "To
here:" link and enter the location you are coming from. Pretty cool stuff!

Charles.

-- 
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura AT gmail.com_______________________________________________
Inland-nw-birders mailing list
Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders

Hello All,

12 participants, 8,889 birds of 75 species.

New to this CBC in 34 years of counting:

Anna's Hummingbird-1 sub-adult male at feeder since mid-Nov.
Redhead-3 birds

Larger than normal numbers:

Stellers Jay-59 birds
Merlin-3
Townsends Solitaire-14
Wild Turkey-150
Northern Shoveler-10

Very nice discoveries:

Long-eared Owl-1
Western Bluebird-1
Marsh Wren-1
Northern Shrikes-3

Bad Misses:

Red Crossbill-0
N. Goshawk-0
Evening Grosbeak-0
Gulls-0
Barn Owl-0

That is it in a nutshell. It was a warm beautiful day to be outside!
Thank-you to all that took the time to support this CBC!!!
Later Mike



********************************************************************
Mike & MerryLynn Denny
1354 S. E. Central Ave.
College Place, WA  99324
 (h)

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BIRDING, YOU HAVEN'T LIVED!
*******************************************************************

_______________________________________________
Inland-nw-birders mailing list
Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders

Hello All,

12 participants, 8,889 birds of 75 species.

New to this CBC in 34 years of counting:

Anna's Hummingbird-1 sub-adult male at feeder since mid-Nov.
Redhead-3 birds

Larger than normal numbers:

Stellers Jay-59 birds
Merlin-3
Townsends Solitaire-14
Wild Turkey-150
Northern Shoveler-10

Very nice discoveries:

Long-eared Owl-1
Western Bluebird-1
Marsh Wren-1
Northern Shrikes-3

Bad Misses:

Red Crossbill-0
N. Goshawk-0
Evening Grosbeak-0
Gulls-0
Barn Owl-0

That is it in a nutshell. It was a warm beautiful day to be outside!
Thank-you to all that took the time to support this CBC!!!
Later Mike



********************************************************************
Mike & MerryLynn Denny
1354 S. E. Central Ave.
College Place, WA  99324
 (h)

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BIRDING, YOU HAVEN'T LIVED!
*******************************************************************

_______________________________________________
Tweeters mailing list
Tweeters AT u.washington.edu
http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters

Paul Sieracki 
View the spatial blog:
South Selkirk Mountain Caribou and Snowmobiles 
on Google Earth. Location: East River Road Bonner County Idaho Observation 
date: 12/17/07 Notes: Called in response to a GHO call by myself. Number of 
species: 1 Great Horned Owl - Bubo virginianus 1> This report was generated 
automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) 

_________________________________________________________________
Don't get caught with egg on your face. Play Chicktionary!
http://club.live.com/chicktionary.aspx?icid=chick_wlhmtextlink1_dec_______________________________________________
Inland-nw-birders mailing list
Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders

Please submit photos of birds of interest found on area Christmas Bird
Counts to the web site below. They will be shown in the CBC photo gallery.
Any birds recorded on count day or count week and photographed around that
time are fare game.

http://web1.audubon.org/imagePublic/cbc_form.php

-- 
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura AT gmail.com_______________________________________________
Inland-nw-birders mailing list
Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders

Please submit photos of birds of interest found on area Christmas Bird
Counts to the web site below. They will be shown in the CBC photo gallery.
Any birds recorded on count day or count week and photographed around that
time are fare game.

http://web1.audubon.org/imagePublic/cbc_form.php

-- 
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura AT gmail.com

Hi All -

I relocated the Hoary Redpoll this after at the UI Plant Science Farm (aka
Parker Farm) east of Moscow and got a bunch of good video. Terry showed up
and got some excellent photos. We also both noted all the pertinent field
marks and have no doubt this is a Hoary Redpoll, probably a first winter
bird based on buffy upper breast. The bird was feeding on the ground on the
birch seeds that had fallen to the ground from all the feeding activity. It
was quite tame and allowed close approach, typical I suppose of many birds
that breed in the arctic. There were also more Common Redpolls at this
location today, at least 30, probably more. The birds become skittish
sometime around 3:00 and eventually flew off, perhaps to an evening roost.

Charles.

-- 
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura AT gmail.com_______________________________________________
Inland-nw-birders mailing list
Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders

Hi All -

I relocated the Hoary Redpoll this after at the UI Plant Science Farm (aka
Parker Farm) east of Moscow and got a bunch of good video. Terry showed up
and got some excellent photos. We also both noted all the pertinent field
marks and have no doubt this is a Hoary Redpoll, probably a first winter
bird based on buffy upper breast. The bird was feeding on the ground on the
birch seeds that had fallen to the ground from all the feeding activity. It
was quite tame and allowed close approach, typical I suppose of many birds
that breed in the arctic. There were also more Common Redpolls at this
location today, at least 30, probably more. The birds become skittish
sometime around 3:00 and eventually flew off, perhaps to an evening roost.

Charles.

-- 
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura AT gmail.com

Hi Inland NW birders!

I guided a birder on a whirlwind trip to the Wallowas this weekend. Numbers 
were quite low and we had to work to find good birds. Numbers should pick up 
later in the Janurary when it is colder and more snow on the ground. However, 
we were successful at find the following birds. 


American Tree Sparrows, Rough legged Hawks, and Northern Shrikes were found in 
decent numbers. 


McCully Creek: ( We parked our car about 1/4 mile from the parking lot and 
snowshoe on a foot or more of snow) 


1 SPRUCE GROUSE (male) feeding on spruce needles. My latest sighting in the 
year. 

3 PINE GROSBEAKS (immatures and females)
1 Williamson Sapsucker

Enterprise/Joseph Area;

COMMON REDPOLLS (only 10 birds or so) along Prairie Creek Rd)
GRAY PATRIDGES-  (up to 60 birds) along Leap Lane, Prairie Creek, and Fort Rd.
SHARP TAILED GROUSE (1 fly by bird on Leap Ln and 2 on Golf Course Rd)
SNOW BUNTINGS (two small flocks along Swamp Creek Rd and Golf Course Rd)
LAPLAND LONGSPUR (two along Dunham Rd with Horned Larks)
GRAY CROWNED ROSYFINCHES (a small group along Leap Ln roosting in eaves, and 
Ant Flat Rd) 

NORTHERN GOSHAWK (along Wallowa Lake)
Great Horned Owl (one on usual spot on Leap Lane )
BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS (several small flocks in Lostine, Enterprise, and Joseph)

LaGrande Area:

HARRIS SPARROW (one immature still remains at Ladd Acres WMA)

Spring Creek area:

1 GREAT GRAY OWL
1 NORTHERN PYGMY OWL

Cabbage Hill/Emigrant Hill area;

12 GRAY PATRIDGES
4  ELK (one handsome bull)

My mind is enthralled with the Okanogan but my heart remains with the Wallowas.

http://www.pbase.com/spruce_grouse/recent_photos

Good birding,

Khanh Tran (Portland, Oregon)
_______________________________________________
Inland-nw-birders mailing list
Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders

Hi Inland NW birders!

I guided a birder on a whirlwind trip to the Wallowas this weekend. Numbers 
were quite low and we had to work to find good birds. Numbers should pick up 
later in the Janurary when it is colder and more snow on the ground. However, 
we were successful at find the following birds. 


American Tree Sparrows, Rough legged Hawks, and Northern Shrikes were found in 
decent numbers. 


McCully Creek: ( We parked our car about 1/4 mile from the parking lot and 
snowshoe on a foot or more of snow) 


1 SPRUCE GROUSE (male) feeding on spruce needles. My latest sighting in the 
year. 

3 PINE GROSBEAKS (immatures and females)
1 Williamson Sapsucker

Enterprise/Joseph Area;

COMMON REDPOLLS (only 10 birds or so) along Prairie Creek Rd)
GRAY PATRIDGES-  (up to 60 birds) along Leap Lane, Prairie Creek, and Fort Rd.
SHARP TAILED GROUSE (1 fly by bird on Leap Ln and 2 on Golf Course Rd)
SNOW BUNTINGS (two small flocks along Swamp Creek Rd and Golf Course Rd)
LAPLAND LONGSPUR (two along Dunham Rd with Horned Larks)
GRAY CROWNED ROSYFINCHES (a small group along Leap Ln roosting in eaves, and 
Ant Flat Rd) 

NORTHERN GOSHAWK (along Wallowa Lake)
Great Horned Owl (one on usual spot on Leap Lane )
BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS (several small flocks in Lostine, Enterprise, and Joseph)

LaGrande Area:

HARRIS SPARROW (one immature still remains at Ladd Acres WMA)

Spring Creek area:

1 GREAT GRAY OWL
1 NORTHERN PYGMY OWL

Cabbage Hill/Emigrant Hill area;

12 GRAY PATRIDGES
4  ELK (one handsome bull)

My mind is enthralled with the Okanogan but my heart remains with the Wallowas.

http://www.pbase.com/spruce_grouse/recent_photos

Good birding,

Khanh Tran (Portland, Oregon)


_______________________________________________
Inland-nw-birders mailing list
Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders

This AM, before the next weather front arrives, my wife and I took a quick spin 
up to Anatone and Fields Spring. 

Off Dwight Halsey road we found a single and then two Snow Buntings. Neither 
was with Horned Larks. 

A life bird for Marilyn.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2290/2115335993_1520c1a726.jpg

Keith & Marilyn Carlson
Lewiston_______________________________________________
Inland-nw-birders mailing list
Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders

Thanks to Terry for trying to get more pictures of the possible Hoary
Redpoll I found yesterday. Unfortunately neither of the birds on Terry's
flickr site appear to be the bird I observed yesterday. The 3rd down is most
probably and adult male Common Redpoll based on the thick dark streak on the
undertail coverts and I presume the 4th down is the same bird.

The bird I found was not an adult male (no red wash on upper breast) and had
pretty clear undertail coverts. More information and images are at the site
below. I'm going to try to re-upload the images in a larger format that
should show more detail. The picassaweb images are clearly compressed.

http://picasaweb.google.com/chaetura/HoaryRedpoll

thanks, Charles.



On Dec 16, 2007 9:46 AM, Terry Gray  wrote:

> Hi Everyone,
>
> Christine and I were able to relocate the Redpolls at Parker Farm this
> morning east of Moscow and were able to take comparison photos of the
> possible Hoary Redpoll.  Please see Charles' email for directions.  The
> sun
> was out for perfect photo conditions this morning.
>
> Photos are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryandchristine/ .
>
> Good Birding!
>
> Terry Gray
> 890 Stefany Ln
> Moscow ID 83843
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Inland-nw-birders mailing list
> Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
> https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders
>



-- 
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura AT gmail.com_______________________________________________
Inland-nw-birders mailing list
Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders

Thanks to Terry for trying to get more pictures of the possible Hoary
Redpoll I found yesterday. Unfortunately neither of the birds on Terry's
flickr site appear to be the bird I observed yesterday. The 3rd down is most
probably and adult male Common Redpoll based on the thick dark streak on the
undertail coverts and I presume the 4th down is the same bird.

The bird I found was not an adult male (no red wash on upper breast) and had
pretty clear undertail coverts. More information and images are at the site
below. I'm going to try to re-upload the images in a larger format that
should show more detail. The picassaweb images are clearly compressed.

http://picasaweb.google.com/chaetura/HoaryRedpoll

thanks, Charles.



On Dec 16, 2007 9:46 AM, Terry Gray  wrote:

> Hi Everyone,
>
> Christine and I were able to relocate the Redpolls at Parker Farm this
> morning east of Moscow and were able to take comparison photos of the
> possible Hoary Redpoll.  Please see Charles' email for directions.  The
> sun
> was out for perfect photo conditions this morning.
>
> Photos are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryandchristine/ .
>
> Good Birding!
>
> Terry Gray
> 890 Stefany Ln
> Moscow ID 83843
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Inland-nw-birders mailing list
> Inland-nw-birders AT uidaho.edu
> https://www.lists.uidaho.edu/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders
>



-- 
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
chaetura AT gmail.com

Hi Birders,

Yesterday 18 great folks made their way to Moses Lake to participate in the
annual CBC.

Highlights included:

New birds on the count:

Trumpeter Swan - 1
Wild Turkey - 3 (one on count week last year, but the first countable birds)

High Counts:

Double-crested Cormorant - new 15, old 10
Northern Shoveler - new 2230, old 1589
Red-tailed Hawk - new 59, old 58
American Kestrel - new 74, old 72
Merlin - new 6, old 4
Dunlin - new 51, old 35
Thayer's Gull - new 2, old 1
Bewick's Wren - new 13, old 11
Yellow-rumped Warbler - new 44, old 24
Dark-eyed Junco - new 1053, old 645
American Goldfinch - new 255, old 194

Tied High Counts:

Long-billed Dowitcher - 6
Glaucous Gull - 1
Northern Saw-whet Owl - 1
Winter Wren - 1

Other outstanding finds for the season or count:

Dark-eyed Junco (slate-colored) - 1
Snow Goose - 1
Greater White-fronted Goose - 4
Burrowing Owl - 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 3
Bohemian Waxwing - 1
Barrow's Goldeneye - 3

We had 91 species for the count and counted 101,455 individuals.

The chili /clam chowder feed was outstanding and everyone had a great time
eating and visiting about the days birds.

My thanks to a great group of counters and tabulators and a special thanks
to my other half who worked so hard to put on the great feed.

Cheers

Doug Schonewald
Moses Lake, WA
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Doug has an interesting idea on the Crossbill color.

Keith E. Carlson
Lewiston
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Doug Schonewald 
To: Kec201814 
Sent: Friday, December 14, 2007 6:07 PM
Subject: RE: [inland-NW-birders] Red Crossbill mystery


Keith,
Is there anywhere close by where they are hydro seeding? This looks about the 
same color as the dye they put on the hydro seed media. I suspect the bird has 
been working an area that has been seeded. Possibly it was burned and then 
seeded and the bird has been working the ash (I am not sure why crossbills do 
this, but they are often found in high country working old hunting camp fire 
pits). 


Cheers

Doug
  -----Original Message-----
  From: Kec201814 [mailto:kec201814 AT cableone.net]
  Sent: Friday, December 14, 2007 5:16 PM
  To: Doug Schonewald
  Subject: Re: [inland-NW-birders] Red Crossbill mystery


  Doug- see if this works
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Doug Schonewald 
    To: Kec201814 
    Sent: Friday, December 14, 2007 4:53 PM
    Subject: RE: [inland-NW-birders] Red Crossbill mystery


    Keith,

 I'd love to take a look, but the link takes me to a sign-in for Flikr and I'm 
not a member. 


    Cheers

    Doug
      -----Original Message-----
 From: inland-nw-birders-bounces AT uidaho.edu 
[mailto:inland-nw-birders-bounces AT uidaho.edu]On Behalf Of Kec201814 

      Sent: Friday, December 14, 2007 3:49 PM
      To: inland nw birders
      Subject: [inland-NW-birders] Red Crossbill mystery


 A fellow flickr photographer in the Bay area posted several photos of a 
strange Red Crossbill. 

      http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=&size=m

      Any thoughts on this strange color?
      If any one has any ideas, I will pass them on.

      Keith E. Carlson
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Hi All -

I found a candidate Hoary Redpoll at the UI Plant Science Farm east of
Moscow today while participating in the local CBC. It was with a group of
~10 Common Redpolls feeding on Birch catkins at the northwest corner of the
north wind break. I got a number of ok photos w/ my point & shoot which are
posted at the link below with additional information. I may go back tomorrow
w/ my camcorder and try to get better documentation (and would welcome
anyone else trying!). This particular part of the wind break seems to be
attractive to redpolls when they are in the area. There are also a good
number of Pine Siskins and A. Goldfinch in the area but most were feeding to
the south end of this wind break this afternoon (also on birch catkins).
Note that the gates are often closed on Sundays so it would be best to walk
in from the gate off Robinson Park Rd. (near the caretakers house).

thanks, Charles.

photos & additional information here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/chaetura/HoaryRedpoll


-- 
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
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Hello Everyone,

 

My son, Joshua and I squeezed in a few hours of birding out on the West
Plains of Spokane County and nearby Lincoln County yesterday afternoon. The
highlights of the afternoon included:

 

A Merlin that flew across in front of us in Airway Heights

 

Snow Buntings (about 25) on Spinning Road south of Davenport. 

 

2 Short Eared Owls along Old Kuch's road south of Davenport

 

Numerous Rough Legged Hawks

 

1 very dark imm SNOWY OWL, along Detour Rd (southwest of Readan) about 2 mi
west of Highway 231.

 

That's about it.

 

Blessings,

Terry Little, Mead  

 
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A fellow flickr photographer in the Bay area posted several photos of a strange 
Red Crossbill. 

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=&size=m

Any thoughts on this strange color?
If any one has any ideas, I will pass them on.

Keith E. Carlson
Lewiston_______________________________________________
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Still no redpolls in and around Moscow at the usual locations (UI
Campus/Arboretum, Plant Science Farm, east side of townetc.) It will be
interesting to see where they will show up on upcoming Christmas count.
There do seem to be plenty of robins and waxwings around but I noticed today
driving around a lot of fully laden Mt Ash trees.

-- 
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
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Hi All -

I was out for a few hours this morning scouting for tomorrow's
Moscow-Pullman CBC. The weather forecast for tomorrow suggests that today
would have the better day for counting! But it's pretty typical weather for
this count so I guess most regular participants are used to it by now.

UI Dairy -

Canada Goose - ~200 in surrounding fields, probably more feeding in fields
outside of town
Mallard 700+ - the pond is 80% frozen w/ many Mallards sitting on the ice
A. Kestrel - 3 (in the general area)
RT Hawk
a dark morph buteo was hovering at the top of the hill to the southeast but
I couldn't get good enough views to determine Red-tailed or Rough-legged (I
did have a dark morph Red-tail just over the hill at the sheep farm a couple
weeks ago)
Common Raven - 2 fly overs
Horned Lark - flock of 50 or more up on the hill to the east

Stateline Wetlands -

Mallard - another 500 or more flushed from Paradise Ck., so there could be
as many as 1500 Mallards in the area, notably no Green-winged Teal and there
are usually a few in the creek or the dairy at this time
Marsh Wren - 2, one of these sang once in response to my chip note
immitations

Clyde Rd. south of Moscow -

I finally found one of the Eurasian Collared-Doves at this location (first
suspected by Kas earlier in the year and seen/photographed by Terry on a
number of occasions). It was in the large, bushy tree at WM. S. Clyde
residence (mailbox w/ name and 2935/2940 numbers).

This location and other Latah County birding locations can be found on a
google map I created which can be viewed here:* http://tinyurl.com/2xahzu
*


-- 
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
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Hi Everyone,

Today I birded with Christi Norman and Keith Carlson in the Valley and birds
of note are listed below:

At Spalding Park we did not locate any Northern Saw-whet Owls but did see a
lone Adult Bald Eagle

Birds of note on the Clarkston Side of the Snake River:

Hooded Merganser
Common Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Eared Grebe
Western Grebe
Great Blue Heron
Northern Harrier
Barred Owl - between highway 12 bridge and southway bridge along greenbelt
path

Good Birding!

Terry Gray
890 Stefany Ln
Moscow ID 83843



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Hi Everyone,

I got phone calls and an email this afternoon from Mark Holmgren, a visiting
birder that had discovered a possible LeConte's Sparrow.  Location: Lindsay
Creek grade exactly 2.9 air miles (approx. 3.2 road miles) SE of the edge of
town. The place was right at a very large orange road sign that reads:
�trucks ahead�

More information:  Seen in close association with ad and sub-ad WcSps for
size and plumage comparison.  It was in the bottom of the brushy creek in
this very broad area of the creek bottom.  It responded to pishes and it tee
�d up with the WcSps.  I saw it well from several angles.  Distance from me
to it was ~25meters.  This area is very full of sparrows.  I also heard then
saw a gray-backed Fox Sparrow on the slope just between the road and the
creek bottom (quite close to the road edge).

For further information you can contact myself and I will try and give
further directions.  I believe Keith Carlson and Mark will be trying to
relocate this bird in the morning and will also hopefully will be
photographing this bird.

Good Birding!

Terry Gray
890 Stefany Ln
Moscow ID 83843



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Hello all,
Just had a N. Pygmy-Owl take a goldfinch right off our front yard feeder - 
perched holding the finch briefly in the bottom branch of a blue spruce then 
disappeared as soon as I grabbed the camera and tried to sneak out for a 
picture.
This is a new yard bird and a first for College Place that I know of - but 
someone may have one from way back.
MerryLynn (yes Mike is at work and missed it!)

********************************************************************
Mike & MerryLynn Denny
1354 S. E. Central Ave.
College Place, WA  99324
 (h)

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BIRDING, YOU HAVEN'T LIVED!
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Hi Inland NW Birders!

Being a night owl, I thought it would be appropriate to upload a few owl images 
from the past with the present. 


I had a great year in 2005 and 2006 finding snowy owls. Managed to find four on 
my own throughout WA and Oregon and then went to Boundry Bay near Ladner, BC to 
see a total of 22 birds. It was alot of fun to see them in such variable 
plumage. Seeing one on top of Seal Rock (8 miles S of Newport) was one of the 
highlights. 


The snowy owls photos were digiscoped so the quality is not as good and you 
will see the vignetting. 


Other images include: Great Gray, Northern Hawk, Northern Saw Whet, Northern 
Pygmy, Western Screech Owl, Great Horned, 


http://www.pbase.com/spruce_grouse/owls_&page=all

Such wonderful creatures.  Hope you will enjoy them!

Khanh Tran (Portland, Oregon)
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Hi Inland NW Birders!

Being a night owl, I thought it would be appropriate to upload a few owl images 
from the past with the present. 


I had a great year in 2005 and 2006 finding snowy owls. Managed to find four on 
my own throughout WA and Oregon and then went to Boundry Bay near Ladner, BC to 
see a total of 22 birds. It was alot of fun to see them in such variable 
plumage. Seeing one on top of Seal Rock (8 miles S of Newport) was one of the 
highlights. 


The snowy owls photos were digiscoped so the quality is not as good and you 
will see the vignetting. 


Other images include: Great Gray, Northern Hawk, Northern Saw Whet, Northern 
Pygmy, Western Screech Owl, Great Horned, 


http://www.pbase.com/spruce_grouse/owls_&page=all

Such wonderful creatures.  Hope you will enjoy them!

Khanh Tran (Portland, Oregon)
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Hi All,

This is a few days late, but on Sunday morning (12/9), a light colored, 
Ferruginous Hawk, probably an immature, was perched on a utility pole along 
SR28 at the east entry road into Wilson Creek. An uncommon, if not rare, 
wintering bird in Washington. 


[It was nearly all white in the front; the back was dark rufous; the tail 
appeared whitish with rufous marbling; the head was light gray with an obvious 
yellow cere. Upon flight, the wings were long and pointy; the wing lining was 
light and appeared nearly unmarked. I did not notice dark legs contrasting to 
the belly]. 


Ron Friesz
Ephrata, WA
rfriesz AT televar.com






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Hi All,

This is a few days late, but on Sunday morning (12/9), a light colored, 
Ferruginous Hawk, probably an immature, was perched on a utility pole along 
SR28 at the east entry road into Wilson Creek. An uncommon, if not rare, 
wintering bird in Washington. 


[It was nearly all white in the front; the back was dark rufous; the tail 
appeared whitish with rufous marbling; the head was light gray with an obvious 
yellow cere. Upon flight, the wings were long and pointy; the wing lining was 
light and appeared nearly unmarked. I did not notice dark legs contrasting to 
the belly]. 


Ron Friesz
Ephrata, WA
rfriesz AT televar.com






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Today, two of us traveled around between Fort Spokane, WA and I-90, mostly in 
Lincoln County. Twas white all around. You could have taken a roll on the 
ground with your eyes closed and looked out and not known whether you were 
looking up, down, left or right. 


N. Shrike--2 (one on Audubon's Lake, Reardan)
Cooper's Hawk--1 (1 mile N. of Reardan)
Golden Eagle, immature---6 miles north of Reardan
Prairie Falcon----2, 6 miles north of Reardan and another 10 miles north of 
Sprague 

Horned Larks----bunches
Red-tailed hawks----bunches
Rough-legged hawks----bunches
Red crossbill----15
Marsh hawk----2
Townsend solitaire----1 (in Harrington)
Euras. Collared doves----8 (in Harrington)
Red-winged Blackbirds---200, both sexes, (7 miles north of Reardan, feeding in 
corn stubble) 

Kingfisher----1 (by Long Lake dam)

common birds not listed

John Stuart

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A fledgling photo site has just been started on Flickr for Birds of Idaho.
The site needs input from the many Idaho birders who are also photographers.
There about 80 photos so far
visit at :
http://www.flickr.com/groups/601606 AT N23/

Keith E. Carlson
Lewiston_______________________________________________
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FYI - Sandpoint, ID CBC date & time. Email Rich Del Carlo for more
information.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Del Carlo 
Date: Dec 10, 2007 6:52 PM
Subject: Re: Sandpoint CBC
To: Charles Swift 


 Sandpoint CBC is Dec 16 2007.  Meet  AT  Connies 6am.  All are welcome!

Rich




-- 
Charles Swift
Moscow, ID
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A group went birding around North Richland today in an area bounded by
George Washington Way, Newcomer and Sprout Streets, and the Columbia River.
This is an older neighborhood with many great trees for winter birds (many
evergreens - spruce & cedar - dogwood, mountain ash, birch, etc).  During
the Christmas Bird Count we may find 1 or maybe 2 Townsend's Solitaires in
this area and/or 1 or 2 elsewhere in the circle.  (The high CBC count since
1975 is 4.)  Today we had a total of 8 in the area described above.  It was
strange to have 1 in full song and several of the others giving their
characteristic call note.  Any other areas seeing increased numbers of
Townsend's Solitaire?
 
Also found were a female Purple Finch and Harris's Sparrow - great birds for
Benton county.
 
Bill and Nancy LaFramboise
Richland WA
 
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A group went birding around North Richland today in an area bounded by
George Washington Way, Newcomer and Sprout Streets, and the Columbia River.
This is an older neighborhood with many great trees for winter birds (many
evergreens - spruce & cedar - dogwood, mountain ash, birch, etc).  During
the Christmas Bird Count we may find 1 or maybe 2 Townsend's Solitaires in
this area and/or 1 or 2 elsewhere in the circle.  (The high CBC count since
1975 is 4.)  Today we had a total of 8 in the area described above.  It was
strange to have 1 in full song and several of the others giving their
characteristic call note.  Any other areas seeing increased numbers of
Townsend's Solitaire?
 
Also found were a female Purple Finch and Harris's Sparrow - great birds for
Benton county.
 
Bill and Nancy LaFramboise
Richland WA
 
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Hello all,
Been wondering where the Bohemian's were - finally had 12 today in College 
Place/Walla Walla. Have had small flocks of Cedars around but these are the 
first of season Bohemians.
Later, MerryLynn

********************************************************************
Mike & MerryLynn Denny
1354 S. E. Central Ave.
College Place, WA  99324
 (h)

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BIRDING, YOU HAVEN'T LIVED!
******************************************************************* 


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I had a 1st year MEW GULL at Independence Beach (immediately west of the
Resort) in Coeur d'Alene, ID this afternoon.  There were adult and first
year Ring-billed and adult California Gulls around for good (and close, 20')
comparisons.  If you'd like more details on finding this location, please
drop me an email (ward AT revettminerals.com or dkplus2 AT verizon.net).
 
Doug Ward
VP of Corporate Development
Revett Minerals Inc.
11115 E. Montgomery; Suite G
Spokane Valley, WA  99206  USA

FAX 
ward AT revettminerals.com
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Does anyone have specifics [dates] on the Sandpoint or Bonners Ferry ID CBC?
Thanks,
Paul Sieracki 
 
View the spatial blog:
South Selkirk Mountain Caribou and Snowmobiles 
 
on Google Earth.
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Birded around Havillah - Chesaw again today. Only found small numbers of Common 
Redpolls in one spot. 


Details with some pics of them and other birds at: http://canondigitalslrs.com/

Good Birding,
Ron McCluskey
Cheney, WA
rmcclsky at mindspring dot com


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Birded around Havillah - Chesaw again today. Only found small numbers of Common 
Redpolls in one spot. 


Details with some pics of them and other birds at: http://canondigitalslrs.com/

Good Birding,
Ron McCluskey
Cheney, WA
rmcclsky at mindspring dot com


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Hello all,
We birded western Walla Walla county today in sunshine and a cold breeze and 
found the following birds:
-- below Ice Harbor Dam:
Long-tailed Ducks - 2 birds
Spotted Sandpiper - 1 bird still at base of spillway - late-this is our 1st 
winter record!
Mew Gull - 2
Glaucous-winged Gull - 10
Herring Gull - 40
many Ring-billed and a few California gulls
Double-crested Cormorants - 217
Am. White Pelican - 48
Common Mergansers - 230+
Hooded Mergansers - 1 pair
Bufflehead - 1 pair
Common Goldeneye - 225
Barrow's Goldeneye - 32
Greater White-fronted Goose - 1
Canada Goose - 350+
Lesser Scaup - 12
Mallards - 1800+
Great Blue Heron - 12

--above the dam:
Pied-billed Grebe - 2
Horned Grebe - 3
Western Grebe - 8

--Hood Park:
Common Loon - 1
Pacific Loon - 1
Spotted Towhee - 1
Yellow-rumped Warblers - 25
Bald Eagle - 1 subadult - only one all day
many robins and juncos

--Casey pond:
Tundra Swan - 16
Hooded Mergansers - 30
Canvasback - 2
Gadwall - 40+
Bonaparte's Gull - 1 bird - late!
Marsh Wren - 2

Lowden:
Short-eared Owl-1 bird

--Touchet:
Eurasian Collared Dove - 12 - highest number observed yet.
Varied Thrush - 1 bird

Northern Shrike at mp 300 - by Casey pond

Fox Sparrow along the river on Byrnes road with 200+ White-crowned Sparrows

NOTE- - - NO blackbirds OR starlings anywhere along the river, poop piles or 
on Dodd road -  where are they?  Had huge flocks just three weeks ago.

Later Mike
********************************************************************
Mike & MerryLynn Denny
1354 S. E. Central Ave.
College Place, WA  99324
 (h)

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BIRDING, YOU HAVEN'T LIVED!
******************************************************************* 


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Hello all,
We birded western Walla Walla county today in sunshine and a cold breeze and 
found the following birds:
-- below Ice Harbor Dam:
Long-tailed Ducks - 2 birds
Spotted Sandpiper - 1 bird still at base of spillway - late-this is our 1st 
winter record!
Mew Gull - 2
Glaucous-winged Gull - 10
Herring Gull - 40
many Ring-billed and a few California gulls
Double-crested Cormorants - 217
Am. White Pelican - 48
Common Mergansers - 230+
Hooded Mergansers - 1 pair
Bufflehead - 1 pair
Common Goldeneye - 225
Barrow's Goldeneye - 32
Greater White-fronted Goose - 1
Canada Goose - 350+
Lesser Scaup - 12
Mallards - 1800+
Great Blue Heron - 12

--above the dam:
Pied-billed Grebe - 2
Horned Grebe - 3
Western Grebe - 8

--Hood Park:
Common Loon - 1
Pacific Loon - 1
Spotted Towhee - 1
Yellow-rumped Warblers - 25
Bald Eagle - 1 subadult - only one all day
many robins and juncos

--Casey pond:
Tundra Swan - 16
Hooded Mergansers - 30
Canvasback - 2
Gadwall - 40+
Bonaparte's Gull - 1 bird - late!
Marsh Wren - 2

Lowden:
Short-eared Owl-1 bird

--Touchet:
Eurasian Collared Dove - 12 - highest number observed yet.
Varied Thrush - 1 bird

Northern Shrike at mp 300 - by Casey pond

Fox Sparrow along the river on Byrnes road with 200+ White-crowned Sparrows

NOTE- - - NO blackbirds OR starlings anywhere along the river, poop piles or 
on Dodd road -  where are they?  Had huge flocks just three weeks ago.

Later Mike
********************************************************************
Mike & MerryLynn Denny
1354 S. E. Central Ave.
College Place, WA  99324
 (h)

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BIRDING, YOU HAVEN'T LIVED!
******************************************************************* 


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Folks,

I am going to be looking for Black swifts next summer near the Canadian border. 
Can anyone tell me about when to expect earliest migrants and when is their 
nesting period? 


John Stuart
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I had a chance to do a little exploring around Waverly in SE Spokane County 
today. My main goal was to find a Saw-whet Owl in the area I had one last year, 
but although I found a number of semi-fresh pellets and whitewash, there was no 
owl today. I did have 2 flyover COMMON REDPOLLS at one point, so they're still 
moving through this area. 


Cheers,
Michael Woodruff
Spokane, WA
www.flickr.com/photos/nightjar

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Regarding the identification of redpolls it is useful to compare similar
groups. As is true with identification of peeps, gulls or any other
confusing group of birds the best place to start is to identify what age,
sex and plumage you are looking at first. The topic of redpoll
identification seems to pop up every few years and while there are many
excellent posts and articles on the identification of them I'd like to
direct people to two posts I've found to be quite succinct.

The first is Dave Czaplak's excellent article in Birding back in 1995:
Czaplak, Dave. 1995. Identifying Common and Hoary Redpolls in Winter.
Birding 27:446-457.

The second was a well summarized post back in 2000 on Ontario Bird list that
I read and have bookmarked especially pays reference to the importance of
knowing molts of redpolls in regards to identification to species.
***********************************************************8
Hello Ontbirders et al.

During February and March in southern Ontario, expect to see more and more
redpolls coming your feeders, allowing excellent opportunities to study
them closely. Several people have asked me how to identify a Hoary Redpoll.
Other birders have asked me how to tell the subspecies (races) apart of
both Common Redpoll and Hoary Redpoll.

Taxonomy: Most authorities, including the American Ornithologists Union
(1998), recognize two species of redpolls: Common Redpoll and Hoary
Redpoll. The Common Redpoll is divided into two subspecies in North
America: (1) the nominate Carduelis flammea flammea and (2) the Greater
Common Redpoll, C.f. rostrata. The Hoary Redpoll is divided into two
subspecies in the world and both are found in Canada: (1) nominate
Hornemann's Hoary Redpoll, Carduelis hornemanni hornemanni, and (2)
Southern Hoary Redpoll, C.h. exilipes. Note: Declan Troy (1985) in the Auk
102:82-96 studied the nominate race of Common Redpoll (flammea) and
southern race of the Hoary Redpoll (exilipes). Troy concluded that these
two forms should be lumped as one variable species. I know that Declan
subscribes to Ontbirds, Frontiers and Birdchat. Perhaps he'll expand on his
findings.

In order to identify redpoll species and subspecies, one requires a
knowledge of plumages, age classes, and the effects of wear and molts. See
below.

Adult (definitive basic) redpolls undergo a complete molt once a year after
the breeding season. Because of buffy or grayish feather edges which
gradually wear off, adults in fresh (new) plumage in the fall are much
paler than the same birds in worn (old) "breeding" plumage. In males, the
pink coloration is also pale when fresh, gradually becoming richer and
redder by spring. Feather wear allows redpolls to don a breeding dress
without the need to molt. Redpolls do not have an alternate plumage. This
change is well illustrated in the National Geographic Society's Field Guide
(1999). Compare the Common Redpolls labelled winter and breeding on page
455.

Juvenals lack the red cap and black chin of the older birds. On the
breeding grounds in late summer, juvenals undergo a partial (body feathers)
molt to first year (first basic) plumage, retaining the juvenal wing and
tail feathers. Seasonally compared, first year birds are darker and more
streaked than their respective adults. Redpolls wear their first year
plumage for about one year, after which they molt completely to adult
plumage.

Why is there so much variation of plumages in a flock of redpolls?  A large
flock of only flammea Common Redpolls will show four plumage types: adult
males, adult females, first year males and first year females. Because
there are four redpoll forms, a large flock of redpolls potentially has 16
plumage types. As well, there is indivdual variation in all four forms,
just like individuals in most animal populations vary from the average!

Nominate Common Redpoll: This low Arctic form is the commonest of the four
forms in southern Ontario, far outnumbering the other three forms. It is
the standard by which the other three forms are compared and recognized. In
all plumages, this form is usually noticeably streaked on the sides, rump
and undertail coverts. Adult males are richly coloured with rosy pink. See
illustration of adult male on plate 69 of The Birds of Canada (Godfrey
1986). First year males are somewhat darker and often washed with light
pink. Adult females usually lack any pink (sometimes tinged) and first year
females are the darkest and most heavily streaked of the age classes, some
are almost siskin-like. Caution: Some individuals appearing intermediate
between C.f. flammea and C.h. exilipes are best left unidentified.

Greater Common Redpoll: This large and dark form (rostrata) breeds on
Baffin Island and Greenland. Similar to the two subspecies of the Hoary
Redpoll, there is an apparent gap (hiatus) between the breeding ranges of
nominate flammea and Greater Redpoll (rostrata). See range map in Godfrey
(1986). Greater Redpolls are a winter visitor in small numbers to the
southern parts of the East from Ontario to Newfoundland and to the
northeastern United States. Greaters are more common than Hoarys some
winters. The Greater is somewhat larger (averages 14.0 cm) than nominate
flammea (averages 12.5 cm). The differences between the two subspecies are
fairly obvious when the two are together for comparison. The field marks of
Greater are its larger size, thicker bill, and somewhat darker and browner
coloration than flammea. Adult male Greaters have "red of underparts less
extensive and less intense" than flammea (Godfrey 1986). Some observers
have described classic Greaters as somewhat House Finch-like because of
their stout bills, heavy builds and generally darker coloration with
conspicuous streaking on the underparts. See the excellent identification
article on Greater (aka Greenland) Redpoll in Birders Journal 5(1):44-47 by
David Beadle and Brian Henshaw (1996) and illustrated by Beadle.

Southern Hoary Redpoll: This form (exilipes) breeds in the low Arctic and
much of its range overlaps that of flammea Common Redpoll. It is the more
common of the two Hoary Redpoll subspecies in southern Ontario and closer
in size and plumage characters to flammea Common Redpoll. There is a good
comparison of adult male exilipes Hoary Redpoll and flammea Common Redpoll
on plate 69 in Godfrey (1986). See how the exilipes Hoary is not that much
different from the Common flammea! During repoll flight years, it is
usually possible to find a few classic adult male exilipes Hoarys. They are
more frosted with pure white rumps, paler with less extensive pink
suffusion on the breast, lightly streaked flanks and very lightly streaked
to immaculate undertail coverts. Adult females and especially first year
females, can be noticeably streaked. Exilipes Hoary is similar in size to
flammea Common, but may look slightly larger because of its frosted
appearance. Hoarys also have shorter, more obtuse (stubby) bills imparting
a distinctive "pushed in face" appearance. The bill difference is well
shown on plate 69 in Godfrey (1986). Other differences pointed out to me
this morning by Ron Tozer who was watching Hoarys and Commons at his
feeders near Algonquin Park as we talked on the phone are: the red cap is
smaller on Hoary, looking more forward on the forehead, and exilipes Hoarys
are often streaked on the sides. See Cameron Eckert's exilipes Hoary
Redpoll photos and ID tips below:

http://www.yukonweb.com/community/ybc/ybc_bird.jpg

Hornemann's Hoary Redpoll: The Hornemann's or Greenland Hoary Redpoll
(nominate hornemanni) is the largest and palest of the redpolls. It is a
dream bird for us birders in southern Canada. There is apparently a gap
between the breeding ranges of the two subspecies of Hoary Redpoll.
Hornemann's breeds in the Canadian high Arctic and Greenland and is a great
rarity in southern Ontario and Quebec. Caution: Hornemann's is overly
reported, but it does occur! Hornemann's is larger (averages 14.0 cm) than
exilipes Hoary and flammea Common Redpolls. It is overall whiter with less
prominent streaking on the sides and flanks and has immaculate undertail
coverts. Adult males have less pink which is of a different hue than
exilipes, some showing only a mere trace of pink suffusion on the breast.
Females and first year birds are recognizable if directly compared to the
two small forms (flammea and exilipes) by their pale coloration and larger
size. Note the size of the Hornemann's in the photo in American Birds
42(2):239. See also the excellent article on redpoll identification by Dave
Czaplak (1995) in Birding 27(6):446-457. The photo of nominate hornemanni
on page 448 is correctly identified in my opinion.

Summary: Common and Hoary Redpolls appear to be valid species. The
intermediate birds reported between flammea Common and exilipes Hoary
Redpolls are apparently due to age, sex and individual variation and not
hybridization. Some authorities recognize four species of redpolls. Not all
redpolls will be identifiable to species or subspecies in the field, but
classic individuals of each form are very recognizable.


Warm regards,

Ron Pittaway
Co-editor, Ontario Birds
Jean Iron
President, Ontario Field Ornithologists
9 Lichen Place
Toronto, Ontario M3A 1X3
Canada

*****************************************************

The third is a list by Cameron Eckart of Whitehorse summarizing key points
in the ID of Hoary Redpolls. This list was created in .. Very little breast streaking.
  2.. White rump with no streaks.
  3.. White undertail with very limited (or no) thin streaks.
  4.. White edges to tertials and coverts.
  5.. Overall frosted (white) look to head.
  6.. The red poll tends to be brighter red.
  7.. A wash of pink (not red) on breast of some birds.
  8.. Some birds show pale peach wash around face.
  9.. Shorter stubbier bill.
  10.. Pale streak along scapulars.
  11.. Tend to look slightly larger than Commons.
  12.. Tend to cock their tails more than Commons.
  13.. Tend to have "bushier leggings" than Commons.
The point of this post is one to make people that are not aware of Czaplak
1995 to try to get their hands on a copy, it is very good. Additionally as
people know with peeps, it matters in terms of coloration and appearance to
compare like to like. If trying to determine western vs. semi sandpiper it
helps to know what age class you are looking at. In comparing redpoll
species it helps to know which molt you are looking at when using the list
of features that Cameron nicely summarizes above.

Hope this has helped people and I hope there will be lots of redpolls to
scan through this winter!

Scott Downes
downess AT charter.net
Yakima WA



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