Feeder Frenzy.

[JayinMN]

Not much was out this morning in the wind and snow. I was playing around with BIF images at the feeding station in Meadowlands. I usually don't care for feeders in my pictures but I think in this case it shows the chaos around them. For you avid birders, there is a Hoary in one of the picture, a bit hard to pick out but its there. Can you tell which one it is?

[finnbay]

Some unique shots, Jay. I like 'em! I'm not enough of a birder to pick out Waldo, however.

[Dbl]

I like these shots as well, put me in the same category as Ken on ID'ing the bird.

[mmeyer]

I'm no birder but I'll guess it's the one behind the yellow bird. See, I told you i'm no birder. I don't even know what the yellow bird is!!

[JayinMN]

Nope, its not in the picture with the evening grosebeak "the yellow bird." I would tell ya'll but if anyone will know it will probably be Steve. This time I am sure its a hoary.

[Steve Foss]

Hey, why pick on me?

These are cool. I love wing flare in BIF shots, feeders or not, and you get lots of interaction at feeders.

Based on the almost complete lack of streaking on the undertail coverts (what streaking I can see is on the rump, not under the tail), my guess on the hoary is the bird in the lower left-hand portion of the second image.

[Dotch]

This is always fun to see just what it turns out to be. Having seen what were likely common redpolls here one winter only (a brutal one I might add) out of the 23 we've lived here, hardly makes my opinion valid. However, if forced at gunpoint, my first guess was the butt shot on the far right in the middle photo. Second guess would be the one in the lower left of the same photo.

Nothing wrong with good feeder photos like those, especially when they show birds in flight and particularly those some of us don't get a chance to see. That evening grosbeak is very pretty, one we don't see in SC MN very often and never at this point at our feeders.

[JayinMN]

Steve and Dotch, you guys got it, its the one in the second picture in the lower left hand corner flying up to the feeder. I can mark it down as my official first Hoary. I "think" I have seen them in the past but not really sure...lol Now trying to get a picture of one in the middle of a flock of about 100 redpoll is a challenge in itself. By the time you pick it out they fly into the trees and its time to start over. Here is a clear picture of it eating with its common cousins.

[Steve Foss]

Yes, in this image it's further confirmed by the larger amount of white on the lower wingbar, which is another subtle field mark separating the two. Compare it to the wingbars on the bird just to the right and slightly below it. The field mark was in the original image and I saw it there but wasn't sure because feathers open and close in flight and can be deceiving.

[Jim Almquist]

JayinMN those are very neat BIF so who cares if there happens to be a feeder in the way