Common Redpoll, Carduelis flammea
3 January 2013
I seem to be blogging quite a bit about Common Redpolls recently, but the fact is that we are experiencing one of the greatest redpoll invasions in living memory. For example, our count on the Linwood CBC was a staggering 2,965 individuals, demolishing the previous record of 79! Most days we look out the window at our feeders and see up to a dozen or so but today we were visited by a flock of at least fifty birds and probably more. The pictures above, while not great, (taken through the window in poor light just after daybreak) show the extent of this event. It may be many winters before we have a repeat of this phenomenon. In fact in many years we do not see a redpoll at all.
The pigeons are pointed in a certain direction out of "thermoregulation", along with body fat and downy plumes. Did you know Craig Campbell of the University of Waterloo? His specialty was the Red-shouldered Hawk and documenting Merlin in winter. I have some of his papers and maps for you if you'd like copies.
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I promise this will be my last comment. I don't want to hog the comments section, but I want to say again that I really like your blog. Your love of BIRDS comes through not just a love of twitching.
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