A big movement of Redpolls today gave me the perfect opportunity to study these interesting birds. I hoped it would be a relaxing few hours....it wasn't. Enjoyable however...it was. Firstly, here are some pictures of some typical nice little Welsh Lessers taken today to remind oneself of how
our birds look.
Below is a nice pale bird that landed on the hawthorns...not one of our usual brown streaky lessers. Mealy?
Then there's these two. I saw a few birds like this today. Beefy looking, darker but with obvious white in the mantle and face. Certainly not from around here. Somewhere north west of here?
Then there's this bird. Certainly larger than the accompanying Lessers. Lots of white in the back, and darker looking overall. A big messy looking thing. Northwestern? Icelandica? Note the 'bulk'. difference in the bottom picture
I think I'm even more confused than before. Any comments?
More pictures and mibrant news on the Orme blog -
http://greatormebirds.blogspot.co.uk/
...mine field! Pictures 4/5 look like classic mealy to me.
ReplyDeleteBig numbers reported from Red Rocks also. Obviously birds heading further north.
ReplyDeleteBirds in the hills round Wrexham been on territory for many weeks now. Always though at this time of year you can see and hear birds heading over places like Horseshoe pass. Clearly on passage.
Certainly some good mealy candidates there. Need Rob to get some nets out!
I'm failing horribly with Redpolls too - see here
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