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----- Original Message ----- From: "Hans Toom" <htoom@hfx.eastlink.ca> To: <ns-rba@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Saturday, November 13, 2010 4:10 PM Subject: Fw: [NS-RBA] Greylag Goose today > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Smith, Macklin" <macklins@umich.edu> > To: "Hans Toom" <htoom@hfx.eastlink.ca> > Sent: Saturday, November 13, 2010 3:40 PM > Subject: RE: [NS-RBA] Greylag Goose today > > > Hi Hans, > > Just a brief written report. I had the GLGO from about 8:30 till 9:10(?) > on the old gravel pit pond south of the active gravel pit. When I got to > the area a little before dawn there were only about 25 geese present at > the gravel pit but I could hear a lot of them to the south, and they were > in that other pond--maybe 2000? Also a number of duck species and a > handful of coots, but mostly Canada Geese. They were basically filling up > the area, and some were obviously behind the island and around the point > to the right of the island Just kept scanning and scanning, finding no > GLGO. When briefly over to the gravel pit around 8:00, situation the same > there. Went back to the pond, where I conversed with the fellow from 611 > about the history of the goose and then, seeing a teenager coming out from > one of the houses I asked him if it would be okay to walk down to their > white barn. Yes. This I did and it was a really good hide: lots of > conifers there too. The geese on the pond seemed not to notice me at all, > but there were, as I suspected maybe over 200 others in the SE corner that > were roosting and feeding in the grasses there. These birds I think did > notice me, or perhaps it was just time for them to make their move, but > they gradually began to slip into the water and swim a bit out. Bingo. I > kept the bird in view while I was emailing your and calling your home and > talking with you wife, but I lost it when I attempted to post, as she > suggested (couldn't of course; members only) and I'm not sure whether it > swam out fast and behind the island perhaps or took off. Around this time > a lot of small flocks were taking off, then larger and larger groups. By > the time the first other birders showed up, maybe 9:20, about half the > geese were gone. > > Was sorry not to have done a better job tracking the bird but at the same > time, of course, joyous to have seen it. Spent another hour in the area > then checked some of the places near Masstown. The "original" flock was > right in place, and another one was at the end of a dead end road about 2 > k towards Truro from there on Rt.2, but I couldn't really check that > second flock out--concealed by hay roll and the farmers didn't seem too > welcoming either. No flocks on McKinley(?) road are, in fact no other > flocks anywhere out there that I could see. Went back to the gravel pit > on my way back to the airport and saw maybe 150 Canadas there. A Bald > Eagle flew over, and that was it. > > Again thanks! > > Macklin > > > Macklin Smith > Director of Undergraduate Studies > Department of English > University of Michigan > ________________________________________ >
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