Mealy Redpoll?

[Kingfisher]

There's always a few lesser redpolls at our local nature reserve in winter. I'm quite fond of them so always watch them for a while. Today the flock was a lot larger than usual, obviously some birds passing through. Now while I was looking at the birds on the feeder today, I noticed one female that stood out. It was larger than the other redpolls, very pale, with a bright white wingbar and no brown on its chest/sides/upperparts. So I was hoping it MIGHT have been a mealy?? Would be a lifer for me...I did take a couple of shots. In the first shot, its the bird on the right, and the one on the left in the second photo. You can see that it looks different from the lesser...sorry the light is rubbish in the second shot but that was the only shots I could get before the bird disappeared.

So...experts please...could it be a mealy???? *fingers crossed* I guess there is a chance...it really did stand out in my opinion...and like I said, I always watch the lessers there and never noticed one that looked different before.

[PeterB]

I wouldn't dare go there but I assume you have seen this.

http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/Fil...y-Redpolls.pdf

[Richard Prior]

I'm not sure myself as I had the same problem a week or so ago I was hoping I saw a mealy but it turned out to be a lesser redpoll I need a Mealy for my Life list.

[Kingfisher]

Thank you Peter, yes, I have looked at that and numerous other photos and am fairly certain it is a mealy. But it would of course be brilliant to have an expert confirm it. Mike, you there?!?!

[astafjevs]

It looks good for common (mealy) redpoll to me. Clearly different to the lesser redpoll on the left of the top pic and right of the second pic.

I am not an expert though!

[MIKE THROWER]

No probs with that one, Common Redpoll race Mealy

[astafjevs]

Well done Sandra

[PeterB]

Well done, I am going to look harder at any Redpoll I see in the future.

[MIKE THROWER]

Originally Posted by PeterB

Well done, I am going to look harder at any Redpoll I see in the future.

This has been the best year ever, I had a flock of Redpolls 100+ strong, with maybe 70% being mealy or Common. Most birds are on there way back to Northern Europe, so chances are slim Peter. I have not seen any since the Sun came a week ago. Before this Winter it was 2005 I saw my last.

[PeterB]

I posted these in another thread, but I assume they are all Lesser?