1.16.2013

Hoary Redpolls!

Hey! I got a life bird on my way to work today! In fact, I observed 2 Hoary Redpolls in a flock of ~50 Common Redpolls near the intersection of Gialamas Way and Greenway Boulevard in Middleton. After making a quick stop at the apartment rental office, I saw the redpoll flock fly to a tree near where I was parked. I went to get my binoculars from my backpack, but the birds abruptly took off toward the apartments across Greenway Boulevard. I got in my car and did half a loop on Greenway and relocated the flock at a birch tree in the apartment parking lot right at the top of the aforementioned intersection (they hadn't gone far). I parked in a stall that provided great viewing from inside my car. Half the birds were foraging on the ground the rest were up in the tree. I got great looks at the two Hoary Redpolls; white rump, under tail, very subtle flank streaking, totally "out-whited" the Common Redpolls. They were very obvious when foraging on the ground. Sadly, I did not have my digiscoping rig with me. Life bird, though!