Common Redpoll

[Ron Lacey]

With the weather warming up they should be heading north soon.

Ron

[dazzlebea]

Oh, how cute! Lovely composition and colors. Birdie has a "mole" on the beak that I think I would clone out. :D

[Ron Lacey]

Oh, how cute! Lovely composition and colors. Birdie has a "mole" on the beak that I think I would clone out. :D

Thanks, I think that's a thistle seed.

Ron

[cfcRebel]

Nice capture Ron. Love the bokeh and colors. I think the mole actually makes her SEXY. :D

[dazzlebea]

Nice capture Ron. Love the bokeh and colors. I think the mole actually makes her SEXY. :D

;) :) Now that's another way to look at it.

[dancinec]

Excellent capture as always Ron, Well done.

[ajbalazic]

What a lovely shot. I'm not a bird photo pro, but this is really pleasing to my eye. Where you waiting for her to land on the branch, or did you follow her here? Great composition either way.

[kr88]

Very nice capture. Love the colors and composition. Nice worrk.

[Gary Fairhead]

Beautiful photo here of a great little bird with great environment. Nice detail and color.

[Reigh Higgins]

Nice shot and compostion Ron. Thanks for sharing.

[Airedale1]

Wonderful image! As others have also said, great composition!

[Ron Lacey]

What a lovely shot. I'm not a bird photo pro, but this is really pleasing to my eye. Where you waiting for her to land on the branch, or did you follow her here? Great composition either way.

Thanks, there was a flock of them around my bird feeders so all I had to do was hang around the tree and take pot shots with a long lens :D

Ron

[Blue Deuce]

With the weather warming up they should be heading north soon.

Ron

I thought Ontario was about as far north as one gets.:confused:

Every element came together in this shot. Well done.

[Becky N]

With the weather warming up they should be heading north soon.

They winter in Ontario? They must like the cold. ;)

Always a pleasure to see your wildlife photos. Capturing the bud really adds to the composition IMHO, reminds us that spring is a-comin'.

[Ron Lacey]

They winter in Ontario? They must like the cold. ;)



LOL yes I guess so, I kind of find it comforting to think a species considers northwesterm Ontario a winter getaway vacation spot:D . Redpolls breed at the northern extreme of the boreal forest. They migrate south as far as the northern states irregularly depending on the severity of the winter. Some years they don't even come this far south, on average I see them 3 out of four winters.

Ron

[stevefossimages]

Very nice shot. They are such sweet birds. Cool looking GUY (it's a male; females lack the red wash down the chest). Ours are still here, too, though I don't expect them to stay much longer.

[Ron Lacey]

Very nice shot. They are such sweet birds. Cool looking GUY (it's a male; females lack the red wash down the chest). Ours are still here, too, though I don't expect them to stay much longer.

Thanks, yes I expect them to be gone any day now. Hey I've been to Ely:D .

Ron

[abigailandsam]

That's a lovely shot, Ron. Nicely composed, too.

[stevefossimages]

Hey I've been to Ely:D .

Ron: Let me know if you're coming this way again so we can hook up and share our redpoll experiences.

[ClareH]

Sharp, with a nice background, only downside is the cut tail. But these little guys don't always sit where you would like. The bud on the branch give a lovely effect.
Clare

[Ron Lacey]

Ron: Let me know if you're coming this way again so we can hook up and share our redpoll experiences.

Will do, I've been keeping a weather eye out for one of Jim Brandenburg's seminars there this summer, it would make a great weekend and give me a chance to revisit the International Wolf Center.

Ron

[stevefossimages]

Ron, I know Jim. He and his daughter, who is his business manager, have been very good neighbors to me as I've grown my own nature photography business. I keep an eye out for seminars, too. I don't know of any he's doing in Ely. If I hear of one, I'll PM you and let you know.

Sorry about hijacking this thread. :o

Now, back to the redpoll! :D

[chemicalbro]

Ron can i come and live in your house please............ you have the most fantastic wildlife right on your doorstep
superb image............ are these birds related to sparrows/finches? (very similar shape)

[stevefossimages]

Redpolls have their own niche. I believe they are most closely related, if not genetically than behaviorally, to goldfinches. Both prefer finer seeds than the seed-eating varieties of sparrow and finch. Those other seed-eaters have stronger, larger bills better adapted to cracking heavier seeds. Redpolls and goldfinches prefer smaller, finer seeds like niger (thistle). That type of seed is very expensive to buy, howerver, and we get tons of golfinches and redpolls at our feeders by offering no other seed but black oil sunflower.

[Ron Lacey]

Ron can i come and live in your house please............ you have the most fantastic wildlife right on your doorstep
superb image............ are these birds related to sparrows/finches? (very similar shape)

LOL MC might have something to say about that:D . Redpolls are members of the finch family.

Ron

[Stephen Stephen]

Lovely capture here Ron.

[Ron Lacey]

Ron, I know Jim. He and his daughter, who is his business manager, have been very good neighbors to me as I've grown my own nature photography business. I keep an eye out for seminars, too. I don't know of any he's doing in Ely. If I hear of one, I'll PM you and let you know.



Thanks Steve, that would be great. I do plan on getting down Ely way sometime this summer seminar or not so I'll get in touch when my plans are in place.

Very cool about you knowing Jim, I've been a great admirer for many years and have several of his books as well as a National Geographic video about him and David Mech studying artic wolves on Ellesmere Island.

Ron