Mealy, Lesser and Arctic Redpoll at Storsand, Malvik

There have been a lot of redpolls around this winter. Today I found a big flock of over 800 birds at Storsand, Malvik. Most of these were Mealy Redpoll Acanthis flammea (N=gråsisik), but there were also several Lesser Redpoll Acanthis cabaret (N=brunsisik), and at least 3 Arctic Redpoll Acanthis hornemanni (N=polarsisik). The birds were feeding on seeds on the lawns at the camping site at Storsand. The photographs are not great - it was cloudy, there was snow in the air, and the birds were extremely restless.

Part of the flock of redpolls, most (?all) in the photo are probably Mealy Redpoll A. flammea

The third bird from the left (in foreground) is a Lesser Redpoll A. cabaret, and the 7th bird from the left is probably also a Lesser. Note the browner plumage and brownish wingbars.

An Arctic Redpoll A. hornemanni. Note the whitish plumage and straw-coloured face and neck.