Showing posts with label Cackling Goose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cackling Goose. Show all posts
Saturday, December 3, 2022
Saturday, March 5, 2022
Sunday, October 24, 2021
Sunday, December 20, 2020
Monday, April 27, 2020
042720 Migrants of Central Oklahoma and Resident Raptor
Yellow-headed Blackbird, View 2
Yellow-headed Blackbird, View 3
Cackling Goose, View 1
Canada (L) and Cackling Goose (R)
Eastern Kingbird
Red-shouldered Hawk
Saturday, 042520 was another excellent birding day. There is a possibility that there are three Green Herons at The Cove. It is suspected that we're looking at the patriarch male and two females, both to be nesting in different trees. The nest, if there is one or more, hasn't been established yet, as writer wishes to give the birds adequate space this early in the season. One of the usual Northern Flickers was heard just below the berm east of there around the mulberry/Bradford pear tree cluster.
Several Spotted Sandpipers were observed on Shorebird Jetty. South of the jetty, five Lesser Scaups were discovered and a few American Coots closer to the west side of Heron Cove. On the west side of the jetty was a lone Yellow-headed Blackbird with a suspected wing and foot injury. The area rehabilitator was contacted, but it was learned a short time later that the blackbird disappeared. Possibly it was really well enough to fly or a predator took care of the situation, though none was observed while at location. There are still two or three Savannah Sparrows connected to this area.
Two Orchard Orioles are still in the area (males) and one Baltimore Oriole has been in the large oak by the east side restrooms, as well as a pair of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers. The other two Baltimore Orioles had relocated themselves at my residence and the next door neighbor's oak tree. There are still two or three singing Warbling Vireos at Boomer Lake, along with another near writer's location.
A possible Richardson's Cackling x Canada Goose was discovered on Memorial Jetty with what might be its Canada Goose mate. It is possible that this might be the same individual that another birder had seen within the past several days. Looking at the photo, the small bill and smaller stature is seen, but there is clearly a mix of Canada in there.
It has also been noticed that more than one pair of Canada Geese had nests on all three east side jetties. It appears that all eggs are either dead or had been addled. A Mallard may still be brooding eggs, but we did see a trail of eleven ducklings earlier in the week with some that could have easily been adopted. I have not seen the family since that initial finding.
There were two Western Kingbirds across from the Kicker plant, as well as a pair of Mourning Doves and what may be a lone Eurasian Collared-Dove. A pair used to nest in a small tree once near the large oak beside the restrooms, but that area has been cleaned up to allow the storm drain appropriate function. A lone Eastern Kingbird, who has been vascillating around the northeast jetty, along with two more Scissor-tailed Flycatchers whose territory runs to the Kicker field, and two more Savannah Sparrows are temporarily residing there. Many more birds felt comfortable at the marsh grass before the old rotten snag collapsed into several pieces. A male Eastern Bluebird was found on the Boomer Lake side of Kicker this morning. The Orchard Oriole has been patrolling that area as far as the large oak south of there.
We're still finding interesting things around Goose Island, like Northern Shovelers and Blue-winged Teal. Cormorants are still roosting in the tree, mostly by the lilac on The Island.
The wooded area has still been providing many interesting species, including Yellow, Yellow-rumped, and Black-and-White Warblers, as well as Swainson's Thrush, Red and White-eyed Vireos, and even the Pileated Woodpecker stopped by from Boomer Creek for a short time. The Clay-colored Sparrows were also close by with Harris's and Field Sparrows, and Carolina Chickadees. There's likely still more in the area that haven't yet been discovered. It is a nice treasure trove of bustling activity in the midst of migration. A Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher was also heard, as well as an Eastern Phoebe out around the Kicker Field, along with an Eastern Meadowlark and Killdeer.
Since our American Kestrel has been attending to nesting and feeding duties, he has not been on the north end of the Kicker fence on the electrical lines. When the youngster(s) fledge, he will return, possibly with his mate and the young until they are ready to depart for the season.
On the return trip, coming around the stretch bordering Kicker's north and approaching the west gates, a Red-shouldered Hawk blew past me, no more than seven feet away. It was not overhead, it was directly in front of me. It was so close, it could see the red shoulder patch and see the yellow nares, which determined that this was a first year bird. It landed in a cottonwood tree, which was where this photo was made. A nice end to a glorious birding day!
Too bad there was no Bald Eagle nor Osprey today. They were getting to be a great habit. Now I'm looking for their presence. Many times the eagle is atop the new metal electrical poles just surveying its territory. The Osprey was getting to be familiar, too, as it was found three or four days riding the air currents while it was peering into the lake looking for fish. Both of these familiar denizens were missed.
Today gave us a respectable 64 species.
Sunday, December 1, 2019
Sunday, January 6, 2019
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Oklahoma Winter Bird Profile: Cackling Goose
The Cackling Goose looks very similar to the Canada Goose. To the uninitiated, this bird can be easily overlooked in view of the fact that it is with a group of Canada Geese, but such conditions teach us to look closely at every individual. Hidden within groups tends to be many gems.
This subspecies is most common in the southern Great Plains as well as surrounding states and staging areas in the winter. There are several subspecies: Pacific, Aleutian, Minima, Taverner, and Richardson's. With these all being migratory birds, they are observed in the coastal portions of the High Boreal Forest in the central and northwestern regions as breeding birds.
As always, there will be variations among these geese, not all will be clearly pure species or subspecies and they commonly hydridize. Facial patches (or chinstraps) and neck rings vary, as do colorations of the breast. Bill length variations are also extensive with plenty of overlap, but as a general note, the bill length will usually be shorter than the Canada Goose and the head is rounder with a difference in forehead steepness. This is what separates the Branta genus (black plumage) from Anser (gray plumage).
Cackling Goose
Boomer Lake Park, Dec. 2014
Adult birds will show a characteristic "U" on the dark uppertail contrasting well with the black, most noted when the bird is in flight. Overall, the bird is mostly brown with normal differences described above. However, shades of brown will vary, which determines which subspecies is being noted.
The shortest billed Canada Goose is the Lesser, while the longest billed Cackling Goose is the Richardson's, and both can be found sharing the same space in the center of the country. Males will tend to be longer billed than females.
Surprising through genetic structures, the Cackling Goose is quite different from the Canada Goose. Mitochondrial DNA sciences have opened up an entirely different world of information since its advent, with much more coming to light as scientific study broadens within that region. There will be more coming to light as new studies increase and specialize.
Briefly, these geese breed along tundra ponds, coastal marshes, and steep turfed slops above rocky shores. They are strictly herbaceous. Some will nest upon cliffs and others upon slightly elevated sites near water.
Another View of Cackling Geese In this Module:
https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2014/01/land-of-beauty-time-of-reverence.html
Saturday, December 27, 2014
The Melody of Winter, Part One
Great Blue Heron Stretches
Northern Mockingbird Poses
Great Blue Heron Shows Off
Male Canvasback
Cackling Goose
Carolina Chickadee
Two Females and One Male Canvasback
46-50 degrees F/0830-0930/partly cloudy/20 mph winds
As we begin the biguine for the season, life is calm yet full of life on the lake. The Cackling Goose is a rare visitor here, and this one was a stunning example. They are generally with groups of traveling Canada Geese, and this was was clearly posing, like George Washington on the Potomac.
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