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| Christmas came early today wearing a suit of red! |
A flash of shocking red and white suddenly appeared outside my window this morning and it wasn't Santa! The four none birder day trippers I was serving tea all startled with amazement! I have been seeing Redpolls at my feeders and in my garden for years now and all others pale to this one... even the Arctics. It fed most of the day on the ground below the niger seed feeder just outside my window. So close to the house I had a hard time seeing it or taking photos through the glass at a angle. Like a sunset none of these photos do the bird justice.
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| on the ground below the window |
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I had to go outside to see it better and of course then it pops up in front of my window again... darn it! I did get this sort of cool shot. I love the Shadows in this photo, plus you can see the back of my computer where I work and watch birds at the same time. |
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| A few Days ago I was thrilled by this! but this new Redpoll is now raining on his parade, in the sunshine to boot! |
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| It hung around all day ever when I cut the lawn |
My book shows this Redpoll is a Spring male of the northern race Carduelis flammea (N Fenno-Scandia)
It is mixed into a group of Twite with 2 other Redpolls a Siskin. They all feed fairly peacefully with occasional visit from Brambling, Chaffinch and House Sparrows.
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| Waiting for me to go back in side the house and stop doing yard work or playing football with Henry. |
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| Fair Isle Wren - Fair Isle's only indigenous subspecies |
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| I have been trying to get a good photo of this colour ringed Twite for weeks now... I thought my luck had changed and this Twite was not as flighty as it has been, but then I noticed a second colour ringed Twite at the feeder at the same time with the same colour combo so it is probably the new bolder bird? The Twite is comically stretched out clearly showing the rings in this photo. |
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| I can even see a few #'s 9 5 8 1 4 if that helps anyone? |
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| The Redpoll in the warm evening light. More photos added from the next day. as it is still here and I can't help but take photos of it!     
 This one is browner with a brick red head  This one is whiter with a dark red head  |
Tommy as you know one of my favourite words is 'STUNNING' and I probably use it to much! However in this case I think I'm going to have to use it again and amend your blog post title a little
ReplyDelete'SIMPLY STUNNING BIRD'
AND A CRACKING SET OF PHOTOS!....I LOVE NATURAL SELECTION
Thanks Jack! changed the title for you... I must use the word "STUNNING" more often now after knowing you. Still I feel I don't have a photo that does this bird justice.
ReplyDeleteHi Tommy, I love the Redpoll pics - yes, the male is a stunner. How's things? Family ok? cheers, Paul
ReplyDeleteHi Paul, I've been wanting to talk to you since last October when I used your trick of using a branch to feeding fruit to Waxwings. lost your contact info... please email me! I need to talk to you!
ReplyDeleteHi Tommy - would be great to chat. My email address is paul(at)abvalve.co.uk
ReplyDeleteLook forward to hearing from you !
cheers, Paul