Glad to hear these geese are still around! As Tim and Doug speculate this is indeed the non-stained Ross’s that was found in Massapequa on 1/9. This bird, along with the two White fronts, have been ranging as far north as the LIE along Pinelawn Avenue. As Shai Mitra mentioned in his post from 1/14, I had by chance intercepted the Ross’s Goose in Melville shortly after he and Pat Lindsay viewed the bird, and two White-fronts, on Belmont Lake. The bird’s gleaming white body was hard to miss as they were feeding in a small, grassy depression right along the west side of Pinelawn Avenue just south of the Long Island Expressway on the grounds of Este Lauder. This is pretty much across the street from West Hollow Middle School where I had viewed the Ross’s the previous evening.
Of course, I had to turn around and grab some photos as this was a good opportunity to try and definitively confirm whether or not we were dealing with a third Ross’s Goose. As initially suspected, I can now say with certainty that this is the goose that I had on 1/9 in Massapequa which is now associating with the larger “Belmont flock". While viewing and photographing the Ross’s both Greater White-fronted Geese landed in right next to me! Always amazed how geese adjust their behavior in more urban settings. Attached are links from both of my eBird checklists containing helpful comparison images of the Ross’s Goose on both dates (9 Jan & 14 Jan). I was really lucky to get enough detailed images to allow for individual study and a close look at the skin wrinkles at the bill base of the upper mandible show an identical pattern: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26805983 <http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26805983> - Massapequa, 9 Jan http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26892885 <http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26892885> - Melville, 14 Jan These geese seem to shift roosting/feeding locations and it would be worth continually checking Belmont Lake (as seen today), Elda Lake and associated feeding areas north to the LIE in Melville. Colonial Springs Golf Course is also a good roost/feeding site but unfortunately has been strictly off limits for birding. I have not been seeing large flocks at St. Charles Cemetery but regardless this place always warrants attention. As far as the initial Avon Lake Ross’s, as far I can tell this bird was last seen and photographed by Sean Sime and Joe DiCostanzo on Unqua Lake on 1/12. Here is a link to their checklist with a helpful image taken by Sean: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26868489 *In this photo you can just make out some of the yellow staining along the sides (harder to see when the bird is roosting on water) as well as the wart at the base of the birds upper mandible. Features that are absent in the previously mentioned Ross’s. Best, Derek Rogers Sayville > On Jan 18, 2016, at 11:28 AM, Tim Healy <[email protected]> wrote: > > I was on the road when I got Doug's report from Belmont, so I decided to hit > the lake first instead of last. I found the Ross's Goose straightaway, > gleaming among the Canadas. Doug and I are in agreement that this appears to > be the recently-seen "clean" individual without any staining on the sides. > The Cackling Goose took a bit more effort, but after one-and-a-half loops of > the trail I was able to locate it near the hidden cove. It stood out clearly > on all subsequent sweeps, and I had it and the Ross's in the same binocular > field twice. I scanned a bit more, picking up additional waterfowl including > Wood Ducks, Pintail, PB Grebes, and Ring-necked Ducks. Also present was my > first-of-year kingfisher. As I was turning to leave, I heard Greater > White-fronted Geese calling. A pair took off from a well-hidden spot along > the shoreline and flew north by themselves. Hopefully they return soon. > Thanks again to Doug for the timely report! > > Cheers! > -Tim H > -- > > NYSbirds-L List Info: > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm > > ARCHIVES: > 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html > 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L > 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html > > Please submit your observations to eBird: > http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > > -- > -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
