Common Redpoll

Saturday, April 16^th, a small bird joined the goldfinches squabbling over first rights of eating the delectable thistle seeds from the mesh sock hanging on our porch rail.  The littler bird seemed at a disadvantage in some manner, but I had to watch a while to understand the situation.  This is the little guy taken today.

It seemed it sort of never stopped flying.  It would cling to the sock, but at the same time would continue to flutter its wings rather than merely perch and eat.  After watching it for a while it could be noted that one leg wasn’t functioning properly.  The littlest bird on the feeder clung to the sock with but one tiny foot, and had to continuously flutter the opposite wing to maintain balance in order to eat.  In the meantime the larger goldfinches harassed it in an attempt to drive it away.  In this second view you can see that only one little foot is in sight.

Yet the small bird valiantly held on for dear life as he wrestled the tiny seeds from their repository.  I continued to watch fascinated at its tenacity, but I mused that if I were hungry enough I too might learn to be tenacious.  As I studied its actions I caught glimpses of its non-functioning leg.  It was hanging rearward with the toes all curled up, and apparently totally useless for its normal purposes.  Yet the tiny bird clung to the sock in spite of attacks by the goldfinches, eating the small seeds until it could take no more, and flew to the safety of a nearby tree.  Again only one foot, but you can see the red head presumably giving it its name.

Today, Sunday, it returned, still hungry, still feisty enough to obtain some nourishment before being driven away by the larger goldfinches.  Finally tiring, it perched for a rest on a porch rail where I was able to snap some photos of it.  With the photos in hand, I was able to search through some bird identification books, but I had some difficulty determining what it was.  I checked for various kinds of sparrows and finches, which I thought it to be one or the other, with no success.  Finally, in the third book, I located a photo of a Common Redpoll that appeared to be a close facsimile of the brave little cripple.  Onward to Google, the great-know-it-all, to find any number of images that proved it to be a female Common Redpoll.  One more view of the little gal.  Did you note the milk station can in the background?

Never before, to the best of my recollection, have I spotted one of this species, but I have now, and maybe the bravest one in the county, if not the state.