Photos of the two "most Hornemann's" like Redpolls on the day
Bird A is on the far left, bird B is on the far right.
Bird A - with female "southern" Hoary (first bird on left) and 3 "Southern" Common Redpolls
Bird A alone
Bird B with two "southern" Common Redpolls
Bird B (left) with female "southern" Hoary Redpoll, right.
--------------
If subspecies aren't your thing, there was some real bona-fide, true-blue, male Hoary Redpolls to get the blood pumping:
---------------
Not a bad day, considering the weather (rain to snow to whiteout to freezing cold)
Common's enjoying the weather.
------
Yay for Redpolls.. They're more confusing than Gulls!
Mmmm Hoaries.. Ok time to sleep!
Ron Pittaway says,
ReplyDeleteHi Brandon,
Both birds A and B are Hornemann's Hoary Redpolls. Their obvious larger size in direct comparison with smaller redpolls (flammea Common and exilipes Hoary) is the single most important criterion separating the nominate subspecies hornemanni from exilipes Hoaries. Your description on Ontbirds that "They were visibly larger than their counterparts, very pale, and very lightly streaked for female-type birds" supports what is evident in the photos. I sent your photos to Michel Gosselin of the Canadian Museum of Nature and he agrees that they are Hornemann's Redpolls.
Ron Pittaway
Minden ON
Interesting post. Nice to read about Redpolls, as they sure as heck are not down this way this winter!
ReplyDelete