1a. 'Hoary-like' Redpoll (Acanthis exilipes/flammea) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 9th, 2021.
Superficially very like Hoary Redpoll but I found the streaking on the auricular, flank and undertail coverts enough to question it.
In addition, the head and bill 'jizz' gave more of a flammea impression. Three more shots of the same bird appear below (1b, 1c and 1d).
A self imposed quest to find Hoary Redpolls in Whately often led me to birds that appeared very Hoary-like in the field but after review of the photos at home I decided, at least for the time being, not to include them in the overall tally. Birds such as the three individuals featured here were present in numbers on each visit last week and I'm really not sure what to make of them. They left me with more questions than solid identifications and in this respect I'd have to admit to being happy only with the 'cleanest' examples of Hoary Redpoll.
Again I'm open to comment and guidance on any of these birds, but they do appear to fall a little short of my understanding of birds showing a solid set of Hoary Redpoll characteristics.
1b. 'Hoary-like' Redpoll (Acanthis exilipes/flammea) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 9th, 2021.
Superficially very like Hoary Redpoll. Admittedly very white rumped but questionable streaking on the auricular, flank and undertail coverts.
1c. 'Hoary-like' Redpoll (Acanthis exilipes/flammea) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 9th, 2021.
Head and bill 'jizz' give more of a flammea impression with a fairly long pointed bill, and lacking the often reported 'bull-necked' impression of Hoary.
1d. 'Hoary-like' Redpoll (Acanthis exilipes/flammea) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 9th, 2021.
Head and bill 'jizz' in profile giving more a flammea like impression. Fairly heavily streaked flanks.
2a. 'Hoary-like' Redpoll (Acanthis exilipes/flammea) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 12th, 2021.
A tricky individual again superficially suggestive of Hoary Redpoll with fairly clean undertail coverts and a broad band of white across the rump.
the flank streaking, while certainly obvious, isn't think especially broad or heavy.
2b. 'Hoary-like' Redpoll (Acanthis exilipes/flammea) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 12th, 2021.
2c. 'Hoary-like' Redpoll (Acanthis exilipes/flammea) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 12th, 2021.
2d. 'Hoary-like' Redpoll (Acanthis exilipes/flammea) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 12th, 2021.
This is the same individual as in 2a, 2b and 2c. Much more flammea like in this shot with a distinct brown cast to the upperparts
and a flammea like bill shape.
3a. 'Hoary-like' Redpoll (Acanthis exilipes/flammea) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 9th, 2021.
One of the more striking examples and a bird that looked very good for Hoary in the field.
One of several birds from the big influx on the 9th that I found very compelling.
Very Hoary-like on first impressions but appears to show very narrow wing bars and rather heavily streaked undertail coverts for that species?
3c. 'Hoary-like' Redpoll (Acanthis exilipes/flammea) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 9th, 2021.
Overall cold gray and white with very narrow flank streaking but are the undertail coverts too heavily streaked for a solid Hoary Redpoll?
3d. 'Hoary-like' Redpoll (Acanthis exilipes/flammea) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 9th, 2021.
3e. 'Hoary-like' Redpoll (Acanthis exilipes/flammea) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 9th, 2021.
Overall 'jizz' looks very good for Hoary Redpoll but do the rather heavily streaked undertail coverts and weak wing bar rule it out?
Again, all the images (3 a - e) are of the same bird taken within a few seconds of each other.
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