Redpoll sp? Epping Forest. (1 Viewer)

[KenM]

Found today, 2 birds not showing very well, high in a lofty birch.
One bird not imaged had an obvious broad dark streak to the UTC’s (believed to be a female/1st Winter), however this bird does not appear to have one, also being a male showing a faint rose wash to the breast.
Granted the images are not great, however the apparent lack of streaking on the flanks, breast area and UTC’s is giving a degree of concern.
Comments welcome.

Cheers

 

[Bismarck Honeyeater]

If that’s not an Arctic Redpoll, I’d like to know what it is!

 

[Ratal]

Arctic Redpoll! Nice!

 

[KenM]

Thanks guys!
I was leaning that way myself however, self doubt crept in on the basis that I could not see the upperparts, thus felt the need to restrain anything more gung ho!
I’ll be combing the local birch trees from here on in!👍

 

[Bismarck Honeyeater]

Thanks guys!
I was leaning that way myself however, self doubt crept in on the basis that I could not see the upperparts, thus felt the need to restrain anything more gung ho!
I’ll be combing the local birch trees from here on in!👍

I would hope it’s got a nice white rump (can’t imagine it won’t) and white wing bars. Presumably Coue’s. There was one in Lincs today too, so perhaps the start of a little influx.

 

[KenM]

I would hope it’s got a nice white rump (can’t imagine it won’t) and white wing bars. Presumably Coue’s. There was one in Lincs today too, so perhaps the start of a little influx.

Would hope so too BH, especially with the temp dropping over the weekend.👍

 

[exilipes]

Is there really anything visible here to exclude a male Mealy? The one shot of the bill in profile suggests that ID to me.

An interesting bird but it needs better views / photos and a view of the rump to be sure of the ID imho.

 

[Hotspur]

Identifying this as a slam dunk Arctic Redpoll based on these images is foolhardy IMO. This could be something interesting but we can see very little. The UTCs look unpatterned but the photos are not good. The one head shot we see in profile looks like a Mealy but tbh, ruling out lesser is tricky with no images of the upper parts. I'd certainly be trying to get better views, make notes on the features seen in the field and get better photos but unless this is reseen I suspect its one that will not be pinned to species.

 

[Rotherbirder]

Flocks often hang around in the same/similar area so you may just catch up with it again Ken. Looking forward to more images - good luck!

RB

 

[KenM]

What a learning curve this has been, no wonder the “complex” is just that!
From Arctic/Meally convergence and with DNA not being separable, to Lesser and Meally both being able to show unstreaked UTC’s that was a first for me!
This all being gleaned from a BF 2003 thread put up by Adey Baker.
Have managed to procure a few more shots of the subject bird, showing a single bad rump shot (not easy under the circumstances), with a streaked white rump, this along with faint flank streaking and white UTC’s, also a moderate sized bill.
Has now led me to believe that these birds, now with the benefit of knowing that Meally Reds can have unstreaked UTC’s are “almost” certainly Common/Redpolls.
……a voyage of discovery.😮

Cheers

 

[exilipes]

Glad your persistence was rewarded Ken - always good to resolve queries that have been niggling!

 

[Rotherbirder]

Agree, not so Arctic-like now, especially around the bill.

RB

 

[KenM]

Glad your persistence was rewarded Ken - always good to resolve queries that have been niggling!

Talking of niggling!
The Winter of 2014 bestowed upon me and my feeders (daily almost) a pair of I know not what?
Having had up to 30 Lessers at 2+metres, mid-late January I hosted two birds of the same ilk, couldn’t really find a likeness elsewhere, so I called them “sub-Arctics”…unfortunately I never did see the UTC’s!😮