Chris,

While admittedly no expert on Redpolls, common or otherwise, my conclusion
based on these photos suggest a light Common Redpoll. The facial profile
doesn't look "punched in"  enough and the bill too large to be a Hoary.
However, take my opinion with a grain of salt.

Dana Rohleder
Port Kent, NY

"Enjoy every sandwich."  W. Zevon


----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Petrak" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2003 10:18 AM
Subject: [VTBIRD] Common - or Hoary - or not


Sharon Tierra reported a possible Hoary Redpoll at her feeders last week. On
Sunday, I sat in her living room, about ten feet from the feeder, and the
bird in question. I took about 30 pictures. Back home I studied the photos,
and my guides, and decided it might be a Hoary or it might be a Common.

I've cropped three of the photos and put them on a website:
www.sover.net/~chrsptrk/redpoll1.jpg
www.sover.net/~chrsptrk/redpoll2.jpg
www.sover.net/~chrsptrk/redpoll3.jpg

Monday, Hector Galbraith studied my pictures and came to the same
conclusion. Then he lurked about Sharon's house for an hour. Here is his
conclusion, addressed to Sharon:

about 5 redpolls were present including your pale bird. I had really
stunning views of it down to about 8 feet. What is my conclusion - I don't
know!
First, here is why it could be a male hoary:
1)       the relative lack of streaking on the rump - 2)       the finer
streaking on the flanks - 3)       the relative lack of streaking on the
undertail coverts
4)       the generally frosty look - 5)       the way it held itself (with
the wings drooped the whole time that I watched it exposing its rump and
making it look much fluffier and larger than the accompanying commons)

Here is why it could be a male common: 1)       its rump is not white enough
to be a hoary - 2)       the streaking on the flanks isn't fine enough to be
a hoary - 3)       the streaking on the undertails seems too much for it to
be a hoary - 4)       to me the bill did not seem small enough to be a hoary


So what does all this mean to me - it falls into the grey area between
common and hoary. It could either be a poorly marked exilipes hoary (it is
certainly not a hornemanni hoary) or it could be a very well marked male
common. Maybe we should put something on VTbirds describing this bird as a
caution to other people searching for hoarys. If it is any compensation to
you, your bird looks nearly as convincing as some hoarys reported recently
from Keene, though, having looked at a photo of the Keene bird, I am not
convinced about them, either!