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--Boundary_(ID_wMuwI2PGG3pUb3kym5+IIQ)
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This afternoon in a very large (2000+) flock of Canada Geese in the stubblefield just W of N
Tidal Bore Road in Central Onslow, Col. Co., I found an adult Greater White-fronted Goose
and a group of four Cackling Geese. Nearby, in a smaller flock of Canadas alongside S
McWilliam Road was the blue-phase Snow Goose ("Blue Goose") reported nearby on
November 11.
The Greater White-fronted Goose appeared to be a North American bird - rather lightly
marked below and not particularly orange-billed: thus probably not of the Greenland
subspecies.
The four Cackling Geese (which stayed tightly together - a family group?) were considerably
smaller than the accompanying Canadas and stood out due to their shorter, slim necks,
proportionally larger white cheek patches, squarish heads and very short, stubby bills. One
had a nearly complete white neck collar, the others partial collars. They all appeared to
belong in the central-continental "Richardson's Goose" race, Branta hutchinsii hutchinsii. Just
as I prepared to photograph them (maybe 50m range) something startled the group and they
flew, dropping in to a big group of Canadas much farther away. I then lost them in the driving
rain and wind (the snow came later!).
I should mention that the big flock contained at least one very small Canada Goose, closest
in size and appearance to descriptions of the central continent "race" Branta canadensis
parvipes. Superficially it resembled a big Cackling Goose, but the bill and head were all
wrong: sloping and Canada-like. There were also some medium-sized very dark birds maybe
attributable to B. c. interior. The proportion of dark birds has been increasing over the past
couple of weeks, probably indicating that new birds entering the flock are coming from farther
north than the local birds that dominated at first. And now with the White-front and Cackling
Geese we have a western component.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Eric L. Mills
286 Kingsburg Road
RR#1, Rose Bay, Nova Scotia B0J 2X0, Canada
e.mills@dal.ca
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
--Boundary_(ID_wMuwI2PGG3pUb3kym5+IIQ)
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This afternoon in a very large (2000+) flock of Canada Geese in the stubblefield just W of N
Tidal Bore Road in Central Onslow, Col. Co., I found an adult Greater White-fronted Goose
and a group of four Cackling Geese. Nearby, in a smaller flock of Canadas alongside S
McWilliam Road was the blue-phase Snow Goose ("Blue Goose") reported  nearby on
November 11. </span></font>
</div>
<div align="left">
<font face="Arial" size="2">
<span style=" font-size:10pt">
<br />
</span>
</font>
</div>
<div align="left">
<font face="Arial" size="2">
<span style=" font-size:10pt">
The Greater White-fronted Goose appeared to be a North American bird - rather lightly
marked below and not particularly orange-billed: thus probably not of the Greenland
subspecies. </span></font>
</div>
<div align="left">
<font face="Arial" size="2">
<span style=" font-size:10pt">
<br />
</span>
</font>
</div>
<div align="left">
<font face="Arial" size="2">
<span style=" font-size:10pt">
The four Cackling Geese (which stayed tightly together - a family group?) were considerably
smaller than the accompanying Canadas and stood out due to their shorter, slim necks,
proportionally larger white cheek patches, squarish heads and very short, stubby bills. One
had a nearly complete white neck collar, the others partial collars. They all appeared to
belong in the central-continental "Richardson's Goose" race, <i>Branta hutchinsii hutchinsii</i>. Just
as I prepared to photograph them (maybe 50m range) something startled the group and they
flew, dropping in to a big group of Canadas much farther away. I then lost them in the driving
rain and wind (the snow came later!). </span></font>
</div>
<div align="left">
<font face="Arial" size="2">
<span style=" font-size:10pt">
<br />
</span>
</font>
</div>
<div align="left">
<font face="Arial" size="2">
<span style=" font-size:10pt">
I should mention that the big flock contained at least one very small Canada Goose, closest
in size and appearance to descriptions of the central continent "race" <i>Branta canadensis
parvipes. </i>Superficially it resembled a big Cackling Goose, but the bill and head were all
wrong: sloping and Canada-like. There were also some medium-sized very dark birds maybe
attributable to <i>B. c. interior.</i> The proportion of dark birds has been increasing over the past
couple of weeks, probably indicating that new birds entering the flock are coming from farther
north than the local birds that dominated at first. And now with the White-front and Cackling
Geese we have a western component. </span></font>
</div>
<div align="left">
<font face="Arial" size="2">
<span style=" font-size:10pt">
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ</span></font>
</div>
<div align="left">
<font face="Arial" size="2">
<span style=" font-size:10pt">
Eric L. Mills</span></font>
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<div align="left">
<font face="Arial" size="2">
<span style=" font-size:10pt">
286 Kingsburg Road</span></font>
</div>
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<span style=" font-size:10pt">
RR#1, Rose Bay, Nova Scotia B0J 2X0, Canada</span></font>
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<span style=" font-size:10pt">
e.mills@dal.ca</span></font>
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ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ</span></font>
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--Boundary_(ID_wMuwI2PGG3pUb3kym5+IIQ)--
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