Since the redpoll conondrum has been raised, I'll share several photos of
an interesting redpoll I photographed in the Okanogan highlands of
Washington on February 18, 2013:
http://www.scottcarpenterphotography.com/p506533730

Based on Sibley's index approach (
http://www.sibleyguides.com/2008/01/a-character-index-for-redpoll-identification/),
I'd give this bird a score of:

Undertail = 5
Flanks = 3 (or 4?)
Rump = 5

Total = 13 (or 14?)

Per my reading of Sibley's index, the bird in these photos is at least an
intermediate, and potentially a Hoary. Ten years ago, when I lived in
Chicago and saw redpolls much more often (in Illinois, Wisconsin, and
Minnesota), I would have likely dismissed this as a Common; today, I'm not
quite sure how to classify it.

--
Scott Carpenter
Portland, Oregon
-------------------------
http://www.naturalbirdphotography.com
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