NH - Rough-legged Hawk in Hinsdale

 

Rough-legged Hawk - first-winter, Hinsdale, Cheshire Co., NH. February 22nd, 2021.

The generally excellent run of good fortune with local Rough-legged Hawks continued today when I found this beauty hunting farmland just eight minutes north of my house in Northfield. Much like the two individuals along the Mohawk Trail in Charlemont, MA during Jan-Feb, this was another light morph but with notably thick black striations and a pretty extensive black-brown belly patch giving it an overall darker cast than the other light morphs that I've seen so far this winter. Fortunately there was enough snow-free verge to pull completely off Northfield Road and watch it hunt (successfully) from the roadside. Great views of my favorite North American buteo!

Rough-legged Hawk - first-winter, Hinsdale, Cheshire Co., NH. February 22nd, 2021.

Successfully caught a rodent!

Rough-legged Hawk - location relative to Hinsdale and Northfield, February 22nd, 2021.

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 6 : exilipes

 

Hoary Redpoll (male?) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 8th, 2021.

'Perfect' in many respects; minimal streaking on auricular and flank, and just a single 'pencil' streak on the longest undertail covert. 

Most of my luck with Hoary Redpolls last week actually came from the first morning with the Whately flock when I noted a 'promising' bird in the field but hadn't quite appreciated just how striking it was until I reviewed my photos at home. The bird featured here looks, to me at least, like a classic Hoary Redpoll, possibly a male A. e. exilipes.

Hoary Redpoll (male?) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 8th, 2021.

Hoary Redpoll (male?) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 8th, 2021.

I love the 'baggy trousers' effect and overall whiteness of the bird in this shot. 

Hoary Redpoll (center) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 8th, 2021.

Taken at a different time in the morning but presumably the same male as in the three previous shots. 

The top right bird might also be a Hoary Redpoll (a female exilipes). 

MA - Golden Eagle and another Rough-legged Hawk in Buckland

 

Rough-legged Hawk (light morph) - Buckland, Franklin Co., MA. February 14th, 2021. Possibly sub-adult.

Another Sunday and another family visit to Berkshire East Mountain Resort in Charlemont. After dropping off Matan for some snowboarding I drove the quiet country roads around Heath hoping for a perched raptor, maybe some irruptive finches, or perhaps even a few Bohemian Waxwings. The day was exceptionally quiet and I actually didn't see a single bird other than a few Black-capped Chickadees visiting a feeder in Heath Center.  As the breeze started to pick up and I elected to take my chances at the Deerfield River overlook on the Mohawk Trail, a spot that has recently produced two locally decent  raptors in the form of a Rough-legged Hawk on January 8th, and a Golden Eagle on January 27th. Both of these beauties happened to be juvenile/first-winter birds and both were obliging enough to stick around and be seen by multiple observers - nice! 

Rough-legged Hawk (light morph) - Charlemont/Buckland, Franklin Co., MA. February 14th, 2021. Possibly sub-adult.

Compare with the juv/first-winter (below) photographed from the same location on January 8th, 2021.

Rough-legged Hawk (light morph) - Charlemont/Buckland, Franklin Co., MA. January 8th, 2021. Juvenile/first-winter.

Compare with the probable sub-adult above photographed roughly six weeks later and clearly involving a different (new) individual bird.

Arrival at the overlook was immediately greeted by a Rough-legged Hawk, remarkably similar to my experience on January 8th. Moreover, like the January 8th bird, it was a light morph but as I watched it pass over the Mohawk Trail I noticed a few subtle differences. Some six weeks had passed since the last confirmed sightings of that bird originally found by Brendan Murtha on January 7th. Even so, I'd barely had time to contemplate the idea that the Rough-legged Hawk in view might be a new individual when I picked up a distant high-flying raptor gliding to the NW. As I followed it in the scope it banked before hitting an updraft revealing a stark white tail with a thick black terminal band. It was the immature Golden Eagle! After briefly circling it continued gliding into the NW breeze before losing height as it headed towards Heath Center. 

Golden Eagle (juv/first-winter) - Buckland, Franklin Co., MA. February 14th, 2021. 

Distant scope bird but still exhibiting classic Golden Eagle shape and features including white tail with thick black terminal band, pale, whitish bases

to the primaries, relatively small head and curved trailing edge to the wings typical of young Golden Eagle.

Conditions seemed to be so good for raptors that I hung around the Deerfield River overlook scanning for the next three hours. While there was no further sign of the Golden Eagle, I did have prolonged views of the Rough-legged Hawk confirming my original thought that it was an older individual than the first-winter seen in early/mid-January.  Other raptors also included an immature Bald Eagle, a couple of Red-tailed Hawks and a distant Sharp-shinned Hawk but the afternoon really belonged to the magnificent Rough-legged Hawk that put on a wonderful show. 

Rough-legged Hawk (light morph) - Buckland, Franklin Co., MA. February 14th, 2021. Possibly sub-adult.

The following day (Feb 15th), I spent some time driving the area hoping for either the eagle or the Rough-leg but didn't come up with either perhaps due to poor weather, though I did come across a nice Barred Owl perched out in the open.

Barred Owl - Buckland, Franklin Co., MA. February 15th, 2021. 

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 4 : flammea (more variation).

 

Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea flammea (male) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 11th, 2021. 

No problems with well marked birds such as this. Bright crimson-red throat, fore-cheeks, breast and upper breast sides along with a fairly long pointed bill,

and heavily streaked flanks, that's as well as an overall brownish-gray cast to the upperparts - surely pointing to an adult male flammea? 

Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea flammea (male) - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 11th, 2021. 

Somewhat similar to the male featured above. 

Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea flammea  - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 9th, 2021. 

Quite cold gray-brown tones on this bird which has a small blackish bib and rather heavily streaked flanks. 

Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea flammea - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 10th, 2021. 

This bird looked Hoary-like in the field and was as gray and white as it appears in these two images (above and below). The rump was mostly white but with obvious streaking 'bleeding' from the lower back and the uppertail coverts. The images also show reasonably well marked flank streaking and multiple streaks on the undertail coverts. The bill length and shape also look more in keeping with flammea. This was a tricky bird in the field but I came away with features that better matched a pale, gray flammea rather than exilipes.

Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea flammea - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 10th, 2021. 

Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea flammea - Whately, Franklin Co., MA. February 8th, 2021. 

Probably the coldest, whitest-gray flammea that I noted during the whole week. It seemed to lack any brown, ochre or crimson tones. The rump was very white 

as were the undertail coverts (showing a small amount of black streaking) However, the fairly heavily streaked flanks, long pointed bill plus head shape appear to favor Common Redpoll A. fl. flammea. 

The larger, 'bull-necked' redpoll buried deeper into the tangle looks better for a Hoary Redpoll A. e. exlipes.

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.