As a longtime birder in Minnesota, just having moved here three months ago, I have seen thousands of redpolls, and nearly 25 hoaries. I have seen hundreds that show Hoary tendencies, spent hours studying them, and I have even seen the Greenland race on one occasion, which makes it very easy. The fun is in the observation and the knowledge you pick up. The discussions on this listserver have been excellent...Photographs or video help an awful lot...The difference between one streak on the rump or three requires a great angle of unobstructed view, great clarity of view with good optics, and a ton of luck to have these fidgety birds stay put long enough to satisfy your mind. I expect to continue to log in Redpoll Species in those cases where I did not satisfy the criteria for Hoary... The outcome is the same...interacting with a sublime flock of Boreal Birds, about as good as it gets...
Now if I can just find a WT Ptarmigan in winter plumage.... Good Birding, Mark Alt Denver -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
