Common Redpoll / Carduelis flammea

"There was a problem loading your albums". I was able to add to albums with my third photo but I am unable to add the first two images to albums. At least the problem with Stats seems to have now been resolved - not that it's ever accurate, of course.

This photo was taken on 7 February 2016, when I was on an afternoon birding walk with friends, in Weaselhead. I had been on the same walk three days earlier, but as I had missed the previous week's walk at another location, I felt it was OK to go a second time for the walk in Weaselhead. I had been hoping for sunshne, but unfortunately, the weather was little better than three days before, though the sun did come out in the later part of the walk. I came home with about three shots only, ha.

theweaselhead.com/

www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Parks/Pages/Locations/SW-parks/Weasel...

There are supposed to be no feeders in Weaselhead, but certain ones have stayed. A few people leave seeds for the birds and it must be costing a few regulars such a huge amount of money to do so. Feeding the birds does give these folks tons of fresh air, exercise, and the joy of doing something that they love. Unlike bird feeders in people's gardens, these forest feeders do keep the birds in their natural habitat.

"As energetic as their electric zapping call notes would suggest, Common Redpolls are active foragers that travel in busy flocks. Look for them feeding on catkins in birch trees or visiting feeders in winter. These small finches of the arctic tundra and boreal forest migrate erratically, and they occasionally show up in large numbers as far south as the central U.S. During such irruption years, redpolls often congregate at bird feeders (particularly thistle or nyjer seed), allowing delightfully close looks."

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Redpoll/id

List of species complied by our leaders:

FFCPPSoc. Birding Weaselhead Natural Area, Calgary. 1:15-3:45pm. Sun. Feb 7/16. Overcast becoming sunny, calm, +2 to +7C.

1. Northern Flicker - 1 heard
2. Downy Woodpecker - 2
3. Hairy Woodpecker - 1
4. Black-billed Magpie - 7
5. Common Raven - 6
6. Black-capped Chickadee - 22
7. Boreal Chickadee - 1
8. White-breasted Nuthatch - 6
9. Red-breasted Nuthatch - 2
10. White-winged Crossbill - 3
11. House Finch - heard
12. Pine Siskin - 6
13. Common Redpoll - 8
14. Pine Grosbeak - 15

Red Squirrel - 7
Meadow Vole - 1