Emails received so far result in the following list of plants we know Common Redpolls in Colorado like, or could be predicted to like:
1) Shrubby Cinquefoil (Pentaphylloides floribunda (also goes by the scientific name of Potentilla fruticosa) seeds - tall shrubs south of Lily Lake. 2) Wood's Rose (Rosa woodsii) - the photo by the observer at Lily Lake shows the bird very near the fruits (rose hips) but it was unclear whether the redpolls were actually picking at the hips (they are too big for the birds to consume in one gulp) or possibly removing the less-conspicuous buds (which would not be red but rather more the color of the stems) [Both of the above plants are in the Rosaceae family, which may be helpful in predicting other plants to which these birds might be attracted.] 3) Birch (Betula) seeds from catkins - two people commented on seeing redpolls in the past back East (Michigan, etc.) associating with birch catkins. This was one of things that seems logical for Lily Lake, although I didn't notice any of these trees while walking its south and west shores. Of course, nearby on the peninsula and shore of the west end of Lake Estes (Matthews-Reeser Sanctuary), River Birch (Betula fontinalis) (also called "Water Birch" - B. occidentalis, by authors other than Weber) is abundant and has been the source of bird interest in the past, but seemingly more so by migrant insectivores seeking insects like Birch Catkin Bugs, which in turn are interested in the birch seeds in the catkins. 4) Thinleaf Alder (Alnus incana subsp. tenuifolia) would be another logical tree in which to find redpolls, having catkins that are very similar to birch. 5) Additional reports were received of feeding on seeds of Wild Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) on the prairie. 6) As stated earlier, I have seen them in the past in Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens) and Engelmann Spruce (P. engelmannii) getting seeds from attached cones. 7) They are also known to occur in deciduous trees feeding on buds (probably flower buds preferentially). It would be nice if observers could flesh out which species of deciduous trees (or conifers other than spruce) over the next several months. Thanks again to Steve for the suggestion and to those who have contributed observations. In the future if you see them on a plant you don't recognize, take a sample and send it to me (612 Stover Street #7, Fort Collins, CO, 80524) and I would be happy to try to figure it out (or take it to a botanist who actually could). Dave Leatherman -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.