Redpolls, feisty songbirds of the Alaska winter, are flocking to feeders this season

Common redpolls, one of few Alaska songbirds that endure the grueling northern winter, are familiar visitors to Southcentral. But this winter, an explosion of the little scarlet the-capped finches in Anchorage and throughout the region is crowding backyard feeders, sending bird food flying off shelves — and prompting even some bird lovers to wonder about a redpoll takeover. Redpoll numbers this season burst into what’s called a “mega-event”: 4,180 were spotted in Anchorage during December’s annual Audubon Christmas bird count, the highest tally in at least a decade. That’s more...