For the Springfield CBC today, my dad and I joined Marianne and (later) Mike Walsh for the Springfield CBC today ("Springfield West" section, Vermont side of Connecticut River. With over 40 species on our section, it was a very productive day. Nice looks at a Winter Wren before 8:30 was soon overshadowed by a female Hoary Redpoll mixed in with a very large (~200) flock of Common. After wading through hundreds of other redpolls in the past few days I was happy to find one standing out as pale and with a noticeably shorter bill. The undertail coverts were less streaked than any other I saw in the flock today, but there were a few dashes indicating a female and/or a younger bird. This was far and away the highlight until around 3:30, in a snow squall, when Mike spotted a raptor perched along Route 5. The tawny nape stood out even at a distance, raising our pulses, and in flight white was seen in the primaries and in the tail, likely a second year. Both birds were in Southern Windsor County, with locations from the ebird list below. Spencer and Doug Hardy Norwich, VT Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) (1) - On Route 5, along treeline south of Bow Baptist Church, west side of field - Checklist: <http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S12306733> Hoary Redpoll (Acanthis hornemanni) (1) - Just north of intersection of Putnam Road with Route 5; in weedy field and pumpkin patch - Checklist: <http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S12306733>