Yesterday as I walked past the sliding glass door in the sun room I happened to glance at the new finch sock my mother-in-law gave me for Christmas. At first I thought the birds happily eating away were goldfinches, but one moved and I saw a flash of red on its head. Whoa! What is that? I quickly grabbed my super-sharp new binoculars that Rick just bought me for my birthday (oh, did I forget to mention that my birthday was last week?) and took a good look at the bird. Hmmm … red spot on forehead, a little black spot around the beak. Not a bird I recognized.
It didn’t take a lot of research to find my new bird was a Common Redpoll. From The Peterson Field Guide: “A little, streaked, gray-brown “winter” finch with a bright red cap on forehead, a black chin, and a tiny yellow bill; dark streaks on flanks. Male is pink-breasted.” Bingo!
What started out yesterday as two or three birds turned into an entire flock of the little guys today. Silly finches. They always travel that way. I’m sure they are just passing through on their way to somewhere else but it’s nice to see them anyway.
There were plenty of little spats going on. Get off! There’s no room for you!
And this little guy flying by is not sure he wants to join in the melee!
The sock full of thistle will soon be gone but will the little redpolls be gone too?
Posted by Lynne on 01/04/2013 at 12:10 PM
Filed under:
Daily Life •
Birds