Fantastic looks of a now cooperative COMMON REDPOLL staying true to a Gray Birch with its abundant seed catkins the Redpoll favors. After a tweet from Dennis on the bird found today by Kathy Toomey,I observed the winter finch behind the fence in the tangles below the birch before it finally came out in the open and worked the tree,finally perching in the upper branches for a good ten minutes. Like I mentioned before with my previous bad luck on earlier winter sightings - a miss,a short look,it was fantastic finally getting the great looks.[I'm really glad I planted those ten gray birches years ago with winter finches in mind. So now my objective came true :-) :-) ]
Even the first Sunday walk group led today by Neil Frumkin lucked in ,seeing the redpoll in my scope..Fantastic! For new birders some having never heard of the species its a thrilling sighting.
The Redpoll is favoring the area behind the Well Drive picnic tables also known by local birders as " Lamppost 249".
Also of interest are the continuing COMMON MERGANSERS, 5 birds total of two drake,three hen. AMERICAN BLACK DUCK actually increased to a dozen birds when normally i was only 3 all winter, a testament to current duck migration.
At the feeders, Kathy Toomey reported the continuing two female PURPLE FINCHes , an uncommon bird for Prospect this time of year.
A few good rare species assuages the winter doldrums...