In response to Jim Nestler:

We have recently been seeing large flocks of Common Redpolls foraging on
recently graded roads near Anchorage and equally large flocks of Pine Siskin
doing the same on Kodiak. I think the grader grinds up some gravel for them,
or they might be interested in road salt (!?). There's certainly not much
food there.

Redpolls always flock in the winter around here and really hit the feeders
hard in late winter. Some winters are big redpoll winters; in others they
are scarce as redpoll-teeth.

Chris Maack
btlc at name1.ak.net
Anchorage, AK

>A flock of at least 22 Common Redpolls was 6.3 miles up the North Fork
>Coppei Creek Road on Saturday, January 7. The birds were seen (by me) at
>3:30 p.m.
>
>The birds were feeding in the middle of the road and in the surrounding
>fields. If you do try to see them, be advised that the road is rather
>icy (but not much snow cover as of yesterday) in spots. Take a 4WD
>vehicle if possible.
>
>How common is it to see flocks of these birds, as opposed to seeing
>individuals?
>
>Jim Nestler
>Walla Walla
>nestja at wwc.edu
>
>P.S. I just got off the phone with Mike Denny. He and several others
>(Ken Knittle, Howard Armstrong, Andy Stepniewski) tried to see these
>birds today. The road today is even worse than yesterday, and these
>brave birders almost slid over a cliff (no, they didn't see the birds).
>Bottom line: don't bother going on the road until June. Maybe the birds
>will still be there.
>
>P.S.S. At least two Rusty Blackbirds are keeping the Common Grackle
>company at the Walla Walla College Dairy.
>
>
>