Subject: REDPOLL BONANZA
Date: Dec 21 01:23:11 1999
From: WAYNE WEBER - WAYNE_WEBER at bc.sympatico.ca


Birders,

I just heard from Rick Howie that more than 1200 COMMON REDPOLLS
were tallied on the Shuswap Lake CBC, centred on Shuswap Lake
Provincial Park. So if you've been wondering where they went, they're
having a convention in south-central B.C.!
This Christmas Bird Count circle includes large areas of White
Birch stands-- and birch seeds are the favourite food of redpolls. It
also has a lot of Western Red Cedar, another favourite food of
redpolls and siskins.
I have noticed that this count circle often leads the B.C. interior in
counts of Common Redpolls, Pine Siskins, and/or American Goldfinches.
It has tallied more than 1000 Common Redpolls at least once
previously.
Redpolls have been widespread but spotty in the southern B.C.
interior-- e.g. the Penticton CBC, carried out Sunday, missed redpolls
completely. On the other hand, I watched a flock of about 100 Common
Redpolls on Sunday at the north end of Stump Lake, south of Kamloops.
I am sure Rick will be posting a few more details shortly on the
Shuswap Lake and Kamloops CBCs, both of which he compiles.
Now, if we could just nail down a HOARY REDPOLL or two.....!

Wayne Weber
Kamloops, B.C.
wayne_weber at bc.sympatico.ca