[Ontbirds]Redpoll Challenge-Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

[Kirk Zufelt]

Birders:

We had a lull today in the series of blizzards that have been sweeping
through the area. The teperature dramatically dropped overnight and was -18c
when I got up at 0730. As soon as it was light the birds started to swarm in
my backyard. A dramatic increase in the numbers of Redpolls was obvious. By
1100 there was well over 100. At noon I put out a extra big pail of black
oil sunflower seeds and things went wild. The numbers of redpolls kept
growing and growing until there were well over 250 birds by mid afternoon. I
had at least 7-8 Hoary's of the exilipes ssp. -probably several more- these
were just the really obvious ones. At about 1;30 I noticed a large very dark
Redpoll and managed to get a decent picture of it from my blind. It was a
really obvious Greater Redpoll (C.f.rostrata).It was hard to keep track of
all the birds I have seven large thistle socks up and they were covered with
birds- and birds were actually perched on twigs etc. close to each sock as
if waiting in line. At the same time there were birds all over the large
area of ground I keep clear. It was a madhouse. Along with the Redpolls were
50 or so Goldfinches including a really neat partial albino, 15 Juncos, 15
Tree Sparrows, 8 Cardinals, a pile of BC Chickadees, Nuthatches and
Woodpeckers, 2 Boreal Chickadees , a few Blue Jays and a lone female Pine
Grosbeak. All were present simultaneously. At 2:00 I had to leave the
feeding frenzy to take my daughter to dance. I returned a half hour later
and looking out the back window- it was quite the site -about 25 Mourning
Doves had joined the frey and it apperared like even more Redpolls had
arrived. As I was scanning the birds on the ground a large very white
Redpoll
stood out like a beacon. It had only the faintest of streaking on the breast
with just the slightest amount of pink wash. This was about as obvious a
male Hornemann's Redpoll (C.h. hornemmani)as it gets. I grabbed the camera
and tried to sneak out to the blind and in the process the large flock of
Doves spooked and everything scattered in a giant panic. Things started to
drift back but I never got another chance to photogragh the Hornemman's.

I suspect the series of heavy snows and very cold temperatures must have
induced the frenzy. Before today I had 20-30 Redpolls coming regularly. I
wonder if some of the Redpolls are starting to move north again? I sent a
picture of the large dark Redpoll to Jean and Ron to confirm it as
C.f.rostrata and I will forward a copy to the OFO photo page. Hopefully if
its not a raging blizzrd tomorrow I can get some pics of the Hornemman's.

Kirk Zufelt