MA - February notes on Redpolls 7 : more exilipes

 

1a. Hoary Redpoll - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 8th, 2021.

Perhaps it's a little bold calling a Hoary Redpoll in flight but I followed this one and it proved to be good. 

Unfortunately the perched shots are not worth sharing but a few more flight images of this bird can be seen below. 

A few more shots of Hoary Redpolls from Whately last week. As usual, at least some of them should be regarded as tentative identifications. It was extremely difficult getting close to these birds and often very tricky trying to follow a promising looking individual before it flushed. 

1b. Hoary Redpoll - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 8th, 2021.

1c. Hoary Redpoll - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 8th, 2021.

Nice lightweight flank streaks, very white undertail coverts, white rump and overall gray plumage on whitish ground color. 

1d. Hoary Redpoll - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 8th, 2021.

Images 1a through 1d are all of the same individual. 

2a. Hoary Redpoll (upper left) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 9th, 2021.

With a tight group of Common Redpolls. Overall very white below with light flank streaking, one distinct streak on the undertail coverts, ochre-buff face 

color with only lightly streaked auricolor, and white fluffy 'baggy trousers'. 

3a. Hoary Redpoll - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 10th, 2021.

3b. Hoary Redpoll (top left) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 10th, 2021.

At rest with a group of Common Redpolls.

3c. Hoary Redpoll - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 10th, 2021.

Pretty much a classic individual with small 'pushed-in' bill, lightly streaked auricolor and flank, very white appearance including rump and lightly streaked undertail coverts. However, the shot below does show exaggerated streaking on the undertail coverts during preening. Initially I was a little concerned by this but I do

think the overall suit of features shown by this individual point overwhelmingly to a Hoary Redpoll and not a pale Common Redpoll. 

3d. Hoary Redpoll - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 10tth, 2021.

All four images 3a through 3d show the same individual.

MA - February notes on Redpolls 5 : 'Hoary-like' individuals

 

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.

3b. 'Hoary-like' Redpoll (Acanthis exilipes/flammea) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 9th, 2021.

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. 

MA - February notes on Redpolls 3 : flammea (variants)

Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea flammea - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 12th, 2021.

Relatively lightly streaked auriculars and a hint of caramel-ochre coloring around the face and upper breast sides, as well as relatively 

light streaking on the undertail coverts. 

From a Franklin County perspective, the current incursion of winter finches has produced relatively few Hoary Redpolls. This certainly hasn't been down to a lack of effort and I don't mind admitting that I'm a little surprised as I was expecting/hoping that careful sorting through redpoll flocks would have turned up more than we've actually seen. On the other hand, the search for Hoaries has been a stark reminder of the somewhat bewildering variation within flocks of Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea flammea. Last week I spent a lot of time observing birds much like this one featured in Whately, primarily because of their overall similarity to some Hoary Redpolls but also because some, like this particular bird, were incredibly approachable. Seen at distance with other redpolls, it did stand out as being pale and somewhat Hoary-like. Watching at closer range, I was surprised how many of the features changed with posture and attitude, especially the undertail coverts which appeared only lightly streaked at some angles but well outside the acceptable range for Hoary Redpoll in others. The bill and head shape looked fairly typical for a Common Redpoll. 

This pages features the same individual Common Redpoll with images taken within a few seconds of each other, and without any adjustments to camera settings or photoshop use. 

Overall quite pale, grayish and white with white fringes to the flight and tail feathers plus a suggestion of a white rump and relatively lightly streaked undertail coverts. 

Still appears quite white from below but with multiple dark shaft streaks visible on the undertail coverts

along with a fairly broad blackish 'smudge' on the longest undertail covert. 

Overall quite pale and 'frosty' but the bill length and shape, flank streaking and undertail coverts point towards a  relatively pale  flammea?

A change of posture affecting how the light falls on the feathers and subsequently the overall appearance. 

Multiple streaks on the undertail coverts and rather broad, blurry streaking along the flanks.