I saw the flock of birds, hand unloaded my shotgun and leaned it up against a tree, then grabbed my camera. My grouse hunt had been interrupted by a favorite winter bird: The common redpoll. The ...

Mar. 28—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-capped finches ...