Birders: We had a lull today in the series of blizzards that have been sweeping through the area. The teperature dramatically dropped overnight and was -18c when I got up at 0730. As soon as it was light the birds started to swarm in my backyard. A dramatic increase in the numbers of Redpolls was obvious. By 1100 there was well over 100. At noon I put out a extra big pail of black oil sunflower seeds and things went wild. The numbers of redpolls kept growing and growing until there were well over 250 birds by mid afternoon. I had at least 7-8 Hoary's of the exilipes ssp. -probably several more- these were just the really obvious ones. At about 1;30 I noticed a large very dark Redpoll and managed to get a decent picture of it from my blind. It was a really obvious Greater Redpoll (C.f.rostrata).It was hard to keep track of all the birds I have seven large thistle socks up and they were covered with birds- and birds were actually perched on twigs etc. close to each sock as if waiting in line. At the same time there were birds all over the large area of ground I keep clear. It was a madhouse. Along with the Redpolls were 50 or so Goldfinches including a really neat partial albino, 15 Juncos, 15 Tree Sparrows, 8 Cardinals, a pile of BC Chickadees, Nuthatches and Woodpeckers, 2 Boreal Chickadees , a few Blue Jays and a lone female Pine Grosbeak. All were present simultaneously. At 2:00 I had to leave the feeding frenzy to take my daughter to dance. I returned a half hour later and looking out the back window- it was quite the site -about 25 Mourning Doves had joined the frey and it apperared like even more Redpolls had arrived. As I was scanning the birds on the ground a large very white Redpoll stood out like a beacon. It had only the faintest of streaking on the breast with just the slightest amount of pink wash. This was about as obvious a male Hornemann's Redpoll (C.h. hornemmani)as it gets. I grabbed the camera and tried to sneak out to the blind and in the process the large flock of Doves spooked and everything scattered in a giant panic. Things started to drift back but I never got another chance to photogragh the Hornemman's.
I suspect the series of heavy snows and very cold temperatures must have induced the frenzy. Before today I had 20-30 Redpolls coming regularly. I wonder if some of the Redpolls are starting to move north again? I sent a picture of the large dark Redpoll to Jean and Ron to confirm it as C.f.rostrata and I will forward a copy to the OFO photo page. Hopefully if its not a raging blizzrd tomorrow I can get some pics of the Hornemman's. Kirk Zufelt _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
