Wednesday 14 January 2009

Repoll Review Part 1

Spring 2008 was excellent on the island for the capture of redpolls - the iPod was used to attract flyover redpolls into the Obs garden. In amongst good numbers of Lesser Redpolls there was a sighting of a Mealy Redpoll (6th May) and the following Mealy was later caught on 6th May:





Then on the 9th May the third Mealy of the spring occurred when the following male was trapped (left with Lesser Redpoll right):


3 comments:

Phil Woollen. said...

Hi Steve.
A good although irreverent review of Redpolls here: http://www.freewebs.com/punkbirder/rolloverview.htm

I would suggest that the 'polls in part two are Mealy as well. From what I understand Greenland type are much streakier on the flanks and resemble big Lessers.

Hilbre Steve said...

Thanks Phil - I'd looked at Punk Birder - informative and funny!

You may be right (and it is probably what I thought at the time)about the Redpoll Spp being the fourth Mealy of the spring...

But compare the streaking on the Redpoll Spp (heavy and on buff background) with streaking on two obvious Mealys. Mealy (1) 6th May - not much flank streaking on white background. Mealy (2) male 9th May - hardly any flank streaking on white (or rosey!) background...

...and what about that konk?

I think the measurements will probably be inconclusive otherwise I'd have nailed it at the time!

Keeps us going on dark winter days though...

Mystery chiffchaffs coming next!

Hilbre Steve said...

As suspected the wing length we took at the time meant that it was not even a Mealy (according to Svensson) ...