Sarah Lemmon February 12, 2016 6:51am

Photo by Louis Kreemer

You may have noticed a new bird at Green Lake. According to 14-year-old birder Louis Kreemer, this rare bird, is the Common Redpoll and is a finch. Kreemer spotted them recently at the lake and says the Common Redpoll have a forked tail, yellow beak, clean white belly and streaked sides as well as a distinct red cap.

“They are a mountainous species and are nomadic and irregular. The highest number counted (at the lake) was about 75 individuals,” Kreemer said. “A birder I know has a theory that the birds split up and fly around the neighborhood as well. The main reason that they have stayed is one of their favorite foods, birch catkins, are abundant at the lake.”

via Louis Kreemer

These birds often nest in the Arctic and occasionally migrate to southern Canada and the northern states, according to Audubon.

Just how long will these birds stick around?

Kreemer, who is part of a teen birding group says they’ve been here for about a month but will likely be here a while longer because of the healthy supply of Birch trees in and around Green Lake. So be on the look out the next time you walk near the lake.