[cobirds] Redpoll ID

COBirders,

Yesterday I camped out at the Ft. Collins Museum of Discovery feeders, hoping to spot a Hoary Redpoll. Despite the frequent attention from raptors: Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Merlin (2) and Kestrel; the Redpoll flock of ~75 birds was actively feeding most of the morning. 

I focused on the palest birds and by midday felt I had several candidates for Hoary, however, after studying the photos & seeking some outside (objective) opinions, I believe all three are Common Redpoll. For anyone else on the Hoary mission, a collection of "light Commons" can be viewed here:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/pgburke/

Arguments against Hoary:

 - streaking on undertail coverts -- while faint, should be pure white

 - size of red poll -- should be smaller & positioned more toward the "forehead"

 - bill size -- very subjective, but on the birds I photographed, bill size more consistent with Common

Happy hunting!

Peter Burke

Boulder, CO

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http://www.linkedin.com/pub/peter-burke/5/788/a62

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