Subject: Hoary Redpoll photos
Date: Jan 6 15:03:01 2002
From: Ruth Sullivan - godwit at worldnet.att.net


Hello Tweets,

My mother and I just received our photos taken from the female HOARY REDPOLL
taken yesterday near Electric City, and they came out very well showing ALL
of the major field marks mentioned in our posting, as well as the
longer,more refined tail, which is one characteristic in this species. The
broader white wing bar(compared to Common Redpoll)was greatly noticed,
especially on the secondaries, as well as the coverts. The white rump,
paleness and overall plumper structure of the bird compared to nearby Common
Redpolls are ALL well documented in our photos for proof and documentation
for possibly the first photographed Hoary Redpoll in WA, but there could be
more, if they are submitted. The thicker,chunkier neck was very apparent,
but the bill didn't seem that much stubbier, but somewhat thicker based than
the nearby Common Redpolls.One particular photograph of the Hoary Redpoll
feeding with one Common Redpoll and several American Goldfinches on the
ground showed the steeper forehead, and chunkier, stockier overall
structure, as the bird foraged with the flock. The bird during all
observations was readily picked out by the paler qualities, but the obvious
white rump was the most striking field mark seperating it from the Common
Redpolls. There were two paler female Common Redpolls in the flock for a
better comparision, but they were too many distinguishing field marks that
seperated them from the Hoary Redpoll. We never had to look twice at any of
the Common Redpolls in finding the Hoary, as it was that easy to pick out,
but there were only 18 birds. Going by the overall plumage of the bird with
the amount of buffy tones observed on the head, facial area, and
upperbreast, it is very possiblre the bird may be a younger bird, primarily
a first-year female.


References used: A Yukon Hoary Redpoll sampler by Cameron Eckert, copyright
date 1998(9 photos)

Sincerely,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
GODWIT at worldnet.att.net