Dean Nicholson
Cloacal Protuberant.
Had this very pale (almost white and grey) Redpoll briefly in my garden yesterday.... it was one of them where i wrongly sacrificed looks for images and only ended up with this one un-blurred shot and only scant views before it disappeared forever...
My first thoughts were of an Arctic type but admittedly doesn't look as convincing in this one shot as it did in life - It was obviously bulkier than the Lessers and fem Mealy present at the same time and as it flew i glimpsed a big white (wide) rump patch but this was in reality just a white blur and no finer detail as regards extent of streaking was seen....the rest can just about be seen here though - broad white wing bars, only very faint markings on the utc's, lack of any warm tones, small bill, long tail.
The flanks streaking is putting me off Arctic (although not a total killer) and would maybe have liked some straw tones to the face? Seemed too grey and white for a Mealy to me but i know they vary....islandica has been mooted but would seem unfanciful?
Comments welcome
My first thoughts were of an Arctic type but admittedly doesn't look as convincing in this one shot as it did in life - It was obviously bulkier than the Lessers and fem Mealy present at the same time and as it flew i glimpsed a big white (wide) rump patch but this was in reality just a white blur and no finer detail as regards extent of streaking was seen....the rest can just about be seen here though - broad white wing bars, only very faint markings on the utc's, lack of any warm tones, small bill, long tail.
The flanks streaking is putting me off Arctic (although not a total killer) and would maybe have liked some straw tones to the face? Seemed too grey and white for a Mealy to me but i know they vary....islandica has been mooted but would seem unfanciful?
Comments welcome
