2 Hoary Redpolls.

[JayinMN]

I think I spend way too much time in the bog because I have noticed I am starting to pick up on certain field marks that separate one bird from one other of the same species. Now the funny thing is when I start talking about the birds as individuals and point out their characteristics people look at me like I am nuts...lol I don't think they believe I can really tell them apart. If you pay close attention though you will notice things about certain birds that make them easy to identify. Here are two of the three Hoary Redpolls that frequent the S. Admiral Station. These two are pretty easy to tell apart. The grey spot on the rump of the second bird is a dead give away and an easy field marking to find. Once you can tell certain birds apart you will start noticing different behavioral traits about each bird too.

[jonny_redhorse]

Great shots Jay!....2 great shots of a very unique bird!....I saw a few my self today.....

[Steve Foss]

Nice images, Jay. It always makes me smile to think about the amount of plumage variation in individuals of the same species. Sometimes it's subtle, sometimes not, but it's usually there. I've gotten pretty bored with life listing over the last several years, and studying the individuals is one of the coolest things about birding for me. I do it in my back yard, mostly, but you have the Bog for your back yard.

[finnbay]

Great shots and a neat perspective on birding!

[Birdsong]

Neat! Good observation skills! My son was learning birds in the field at school--either St. John's or Evergreen State in WA. The professor discouraged them from life listing. He required a 'Doo-doo List.' (Well that wasn't quite the word, but I saw in the preview that I had used "poor word usage." Oops! Didn't thing the 'P' word was that bad.) Only when you have actually observed a bird's behavior and characteristics long enough to see him doodoo, do you really have a feel for that bird. That being said, your photos are really nice. I think it is hard with red polls to get an eye that draws you in to the photo. The eyes are so dark and so tiny, that the eye looks very flat or recessed. These guys both have a nice orb to the eye.

[Dotch]

They sure are some nice photos. After losing count somewhere over 50 on the common redpolls today in the yard, I honestly don't know how you guys manage to get them to sit still long enough to get the photographs you do. Seems like they are constantly on the move. You must have the patience of Job. My hats off to ya!

[MN Shutterbug]

I'm glad to see you finally got the shots. The second one is sweet, but you need to clone out the corn and sunflower seeds in the first shot.

[Paul]

I'm glad to see you finally got the shots. The second one is sweet, but you need to clone out the corn and sunflower seeds in the first shot.

Dang, That is a lot of cloning to try and do. Mike you trying to kill the guy? LOL

[Steve Foss]

Hey, no need to bother with cloning. You've got the feeding situation in No. 1 and the more natural situation in No. 2, so you can satisfy both markets.

[JayinMN]

I consider the first shot an environmental shot, seems the most common place to find a redpoll is in a pile of sunflower seeds. To clone would only take away from the picture....

[Paul]

Jay, just curious but how far away from the birds were you when you took the shots? 10-12 feet? I am just curious because of how nice the bg turned out on the second shot.

[JayinMN]

With these birds, who are very used to people, I sit about 7-8 feet away on the ground. The background behind that perch I am focusing on is another 10-15 feet away.

[MN Shutterbug]

I doubt Jay is ever more than 10 feet from a bird. He even talks to them.

[Paul]

OK , thanks. One of my favorite places to hang out and shoot has lots of people friendly birds also but has horrible natural backgrounds. I may just have to start bringing a fake background to set up.