This winter many Common Redpolls are visiting Vermont — typically they arrive in large numbers every other year when their food supply in the northern boreal forrest crashes. We think Pat found one Hoary Redpoll within a flock of 70 Common Redpolls. The red spot on the head looks smaller than on the Common, also the bird is gray, rather than brown on the back. The bird’s bill definitely looked stubby. The line from the forehead to the tip of the bill is a straight line on Hoary.

The Hoary is the bird in the back in this shot.
[photopress:Hoary1.pfolsom.12.07.JPG,full,pp_image]

In these next shots, the Hoary is on the left.
[photopress:Hoary2.pfolsom.12.07.JPG,full,pp_image]

[photopress:Hoary3.pfolsom.12.07.JPG,full,pp_image]

[photopress:Hoary4.pfolsom.12.07.JPG,full,pp_image]

Now it is on the right.
[photopress:Hoary5.pfolsom.12.07.JPG,full,pp_image]