It's an understandable mistake. These two geese are marked exactly like Greater White-fronted Geese, with white behind the bill and a thin white stripe on the side. They differ from the "real" geese by being enormous. They are fat and stocky and have a huge rear end. They're as big or larger than Canada Geese. Greater White-fronts should be slender and slightly smaller than Canadas.
Kevin -----Original Message----- From: Paul Anderson [mailto:p...@grammatech.com] Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2017 2:51 PM To: Kevin J. McGowan <k...@cornell.edu>; CAYUGABIRDS-L <cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu> Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Stewart Park this morning - two Greater White-fronted Geese I just learned that two domestic geese have been hanging around in Stewart Park, and that they were seen this afternoon at the high school playing fields. I think I jumped to the wrong conclusion; the geese I saw were sleeping and tightly tucked up, so I didn't get to see any patterns on the head. I think it is more likely they are the same two domestics seen later. Sorry if I sent anyone on wild goose chase! On 12/27/2017 12:02 PM, Kevin J. McGowan wrote: > I just tried and failed for Paul's geese. Perhaps the 5 Bald Eagles (3 > adults, 2 immatures) hunting over the park had something to do with it. The > dead goose on the ice looked to be a Canada. > > Kevin > > -----Original Message----- > From: bounce-122157940-3493...@list.cornell.edu > [mailto:bounce-122157940-3493...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Paul > Anderson > Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2017 10:02 AM > To: CAYUGABIRDS-L <cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu> > Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Stewart Park this morning - two Greater > White-fronted Geese > > The viewing conditions from the East side of Stewart Park this morning were > quite good; it's bright and although it is quite cold, there is very little > wind. > > The most notable birds were two Greater White-fronted Geese sleeping next to > a small group of gulls and easy to find. If these two stick around for the > bird count we will have a record. The species has been seen only twice > before, and only solo. > > I searched in vain for a Glaucous gull, but found none. > > The raft of ducks is visible from there, but they are much better seen from > East Shore Park. Among them were two Pintail, two Ruddy Ducks, a handful of > Lesser Scaup, and a few Ring-necked Ducks. I was surprised to find no > Canvasback. > > > -- > Paul Anderson, VP of Engineering, GrammaTech, Inc. > 531 Esty St., Ithaca, NY 14850 > Tel: +1 607 273-7340 x118; http://www.grammatech.com > > > -- > > Cayugabirds-L List Info: > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave > .htm > > ARCHIVES: > 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html > 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds > 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html > > Please submit your observations to eBird: > http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > > -- > > -- > > Cayugabirds-L List Info: > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave > .htm > > ARCHIVES: > 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html > 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds > 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html > > Please submit your observations to eBird: > http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > > -- -- Paul Anderson, VP of Engineering, GrammaTech, Inc. 531 Esty St., Ithaca, NY 14850 Tel: +1 607 273-7340 x118; http://www.grammatech.com -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
