Redpoll confusion

‘Confusing’ Redpoll – note the light pink wash on breast and potentially smaller bill 

‘Confusing’ Redpoll – slightly lighter mantle (?) and relatively clean vent

Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea – note the thicker flank streaks

Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea – darker pink on the breast of the male on the left

Common Redpolls Acanthis flammea – note the dark rump on the right, extensive streaking on flanks and vent (centre bird), and dark mantle (left)

  A few weeks ago, I finally saw my first Common Redpolls, at the Morgan Arboretum. They’ve been quite abundant in Quebec this year, and it turns out that it’s worth having a good look at Common Redpoll flocks, as many flocks have the odd Hoary Redpoll mixed in to make things interesting.

 Separating Common Redpolls Carduelis flammea from Hoary Redpolls Carduelis hornemanni in the field can be pretty tough. After picking though the literature, the most important Hoary Redpoll field marks to look for are: paler overall colour, noticeably paler mantle, stubbier bill, unstreaked rump (best visible in flight), vent and undertail coverts that are white or unstreaked, much finer streaking on the flanks, and a lot less pink on the breast.

  The ‘pale Redpoll’ Dan and I spotted amidst a group of about 20 Common Redpolls today seems to have some or all of these characteristics. But, are we seeing these traits because we want to see them? Does our bird look ‘hoarier’ because it’s younger, or has it got fresher or more worn plumage than the others? Does it fall within the range of normal plumage variation of a Common Redpoll?

  We stared at it for about 10 minutes, but it was moving though a mixed flock at the feeders, so it was tricky in the field. Looking at pictures in three different field guides, I’m a bit dismayed but unsurprised to find that the illustrations look quite different in each book!
  I'm trying to use some pics I took today to contrast the features of the Hoary vs. Common, in spite of the knowledge that trying to 'bird' from photos is not really the way to do things! I feel like I need another few hours of observation to get more comfortable with redpolls.

  I’m stumped and lack experience with redpolls, so any helpful comments (especially those leading to a lazy armchair tick!) are most welcome. I'm worried I'm bird-lucinating again! Am I seeing what I want to see?

Jardin Botanique, February 3, 2013

Common Redpolls Acanthis flammea

The 'Big Owe' looms over the Botanical Gardens

female Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus

Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens

male Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

Eastern Grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis - albinistic?

Eastern Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis

Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) Junco hyemalis

male House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus

Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta Canadensis

  It was about -15 °C and sunny today – cold enough to freeze immobile toes and fingers after 20 minutes, and exposed noses after 40. Dan and I made a run out to the Botanical Gardens in Montreal’s east end near the ‘Big O’. It’s a great spot full of wide open fields fringed with a good mix of vegetation. Although quiet at first, we encountered some frenzied bird activity at a feeder station with a nearby gazebo that doubled as a blind. 

  The Common Redpoll was the most abundant bird of the day - a species which has been having a big winter in North America. Their flight call reminds me of Eurasian Bullfinch with a bit of Eurasian Siskin thrown in. One male was noticeably lighter than the others, and as it flitted from feeder to feeder we strained for a good ten minutes to pick out the small details that could help identify it as a (much less frequent) Hoary Redpoll. Both lacking experience with redpolls, we came away thoroughly perplexed, and perhaps 60% confident that the light individual was a Hoary Redpoll. After later studying a few blurry pictures I managed to snap and consulting several field guides and internet pics, we are still a bit baffled. I think this will get its own blog post. 

  In spite of the fresh seasonal weather, it was a treat to get some good close views of species I need to re-acquaint myself with, like Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal, and House Finch. I was surprised we didn't encounter any raptors, given the amount of bite-sized sky meat around. We have plans to get out again later this week to check out some promising Montreal spots. I wonder what the local situation is with ‘common but irregular’ Bohemian Waxwings this year?

What we saw:

Downy Woodpecker – 2

American Crow – 10

Black-capped Chickadee – 7

White-breasted Nuthatch – 1

Red-breasted Nuthatch – 1

European Starling – 20+

Northern Cardinal – 2

Dark-eyed Junco – 20+

Common Redpoll - 30+

Hoary Redpoll - ??

House Finch – 2

Swashbucklin, bikin n birdin Korea style

(Note: noisy video)

What getting gloriously lost looks like

JP getting after it

Pelagic near North Korea

  Y'know what I miss the most about Korea? Hopping on a 1996 Daelim VS (a 300$ bike that looks like it cost at least...twice that much) with my binos and camera and heading off to unknown and unbirded patches of wilderness in the hopes of finding suitable bird habitat and interesting birds.
  In Korea, suitable bird habitat is disappearing at a disgusting rate, so maybe I should head back soon and see what there is to see before it's gone. And maybe this time round I could do more to helpfully contribute to documenting and conserving Korea's unique bird life in whatever way I can. Hey, let's make that a resolution.
  Vroom! Chirp!

More warm Mtl memories (Mid-August, 2011)

American Robin Turdus migratorius

White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis

Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina (adult and juvenile)

Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus

  I went for a Westmount walkabout today, and I saw nothing, and it was rainy. One thing I noticed was that, still hungover from Korea, I had to remind myself to not be excited about seeing Common Starlings, which are exceedingly rare there.
  I miss swashbuckle motorcycle-birding in Korea.
  Oh, I dusted off some more mouldy oldie sunny Mtl birdy mems. These are from the Westmount Summit, mid-August 2011.
  If I'm reduced to dusting off birding memories, I should put up some stuff from my epic Australian trip from wayyyy back in 2008. Should I?

Red-tailed Hawk over NDG

Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis

  I spotted this guy circling low and hard over NDG, a typically tree-rich area of Montreal. I got a snapshot of it with a small digital camera, but it was low enough that you can make it out. The squirrels I saw further on down the street looked worried, and rightly so. Reminded me a lot of the Buteo buzzards I ran into in Korea, only squatter.
  Dan and I are headed out for a bird wander on Thursday, at some spots to be determined. We'll probably just make it up as we go.
  I keep daydreaming about spending a couple of months of solid birding on Korea's Yellow Sea islands in April-May. Just go there unemployed and bird from dawn til dusk every day. Hmmmm.
  Sounds like the start of a solid Plan B, because lord knows my Plan A is not looking too good.

Birding Memories: Morgan Arboretum, September 9, 2011

Feel the warm breeze

American Red Squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus (looks similar to the Marsh Tits I saw in Korea)

Northern Green Frog Rama clamitans - very lethargic

After a gentle prod - no, it's not dead.

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura - They've been moving north

Common Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis

Eastern Chipmunk Tamias striatus

  Because it is so hellishly cold, here are some nice warm memories of an Arbo trip that now seems like a long time ago. That balmy day saw a fun mix of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals.

Hoary red-Poll

  That's what I become when it's -30 out.

Plus ca change...

Then

Now

  Here are Dan and I at the arbo trying to feed Chickadees. One pic was taken today, the other was...not.

Montreal, Morgan Arboretum, January 16, 2013

Mourning Doves Zenaida macroura

Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea

Dan fails with the Redpoll

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

Great Gray Owl Strix nebulosa

White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis (leg-banded)

Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus

Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) Junco hyemalis

Owl meat (American Red Squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

Jet-lagged and livin' the dream!

Dan being a goofy-ass

Arbo fields

Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus

  It was a mild and sunny January day on my first Montreal birding expedition in over a year. Upon arrival at the Morgan Arboretum (at the northwestern tip of the island of Montreal), Dan and I were surprised to see a flock of Common Redpoll actively feeding in the sunlight. This winter has seen an influx of Redpolls in Quebec. I believe this was a first for me! Great-looking bird.

  This winter has also seen a spike in the sightings of our other two ‘interesting’ species of the day – Red-bellied Woodpecker, and Great Gray Owl (!). The Red-bellied Woodpecker stuck to the high treetops, and was apparently not very aptly named. Also of note was a leg-banded White-breasted Nuthatch. I’ll try to decipher the markings on the band and pass the info along to the banders, most likely the McGill Bird Observatory (http://www.migrationresearch.org/mbo.html).

  Dan, my birding compadre for at least 25 years, almost rugby tackled me as we were walking down a narrow trail between two large fields, and hissed ‘OWL!’ in my ear. There was a Great Gray Owl perched casually above our heads. It just sat there scanning the fields, lazily swivelling its alien-turret head around to sternly glare at us every few minutes. Good times! The next week will see an end to this unseasonably warm weather, as an arctic cold front moves down to turn runny noses into ice. Here’s what we saw:

Red-tailed Hawk – 1

Mourning Dove – 7

Great Gray Owl – 1

Red-bellied Woodpecker – 1

Downy Woodpecker – 5

Hairy Woodpecker – 2

Blue Jay – 1

American Crow – 10

Black-capped Chickadee – 24

White-breasted Nuthatch – 3

Red-breasted Nuthatch – 2

European Starling – 8

Northern Cardinal – 2

Dark-eyed Junco – 1

Common Redpoll – 40+