Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) - Ocracoke, Hyde Co., NC
| Common Redpoll with male House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus), Ocracoke, NC 1/17/04. |
| On 12/29/2003 Elizabeth Hanrahan found 5+ Common Redpolls in her yard in Ocracoke, part of a wave of sightings along the Outer Banks. The rest of the wave quickly disappeared for parts unknown, but two remained in Elizabeth's yard, at least through 1/17/04, when these photos were taken. The two tended to stick together, but were often seen with House Finches. We suspect they're both immatures, one male (the brighter one, left), one female (the buffier one, all other photos). |
  
| Note the well-defined red cap (poll), black lores, black chin, and very sharply pointed yellow bill. While most of the bill is bright yellow, the top ridge of the upper mandible is black. |