Life bird #318
November 13th, 2012
The fellow second from the front is my latest lifer, and a long time coming! This small, stubby-billed Canada-Goose-lookalike is a Cackling Goose, a bird of the far north.
Photos of Cackling Geese are often framed to emphasize their tininess--placing them in the backdrop, for instance, or placing them right next to a "Giant" Canada Goose (the familiar large, long-necked subspecies that frequents our local parks in summer, often with goslings in tow.) I'm as guilty of this as anyone (see above!) But I feel it does novice birders a disservice. Cackling Geese, at least in the east, are not that small compared to smaller races of the Canada Goose, with whom they are often seen. It's the stubby bill that really gives them away, in my opinion. A somewhat fairer comparison shot follows (Cackling Goose in front):
November 13th, 2012
The fellow second from the front is my latest lifer, and a long time coming! This small, stubby-billed Canada-Goose-lookalike is a Cackling Goose, a bird of the far north.
Photos of Cackling Geese are often framed to emphasize their tininess--placing them in the backdrop, for instance, or placing them right next to a "Giant" Canada Goose (the familiar large, long-necked subspecies that frequents our local parks in summer, often with goslings in tow.) I'm as guilty of this as anyone (see above!) But I feel it does novice birders a disservice. Cackling Geese, at least in the east, are not that small compared to smaller races of the Canada Goose, with whom they are often seen. It's the stubby bill that really gives them away, in my opinion. A somewhat fairer comparison shot follows (Cackling Goose in front):
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Mike
November 14th, 2012 at 2:43 pm
Yay lifer!
I don't think I'd have noticed the difference on my own.
ilanikhan
November 14th, 2012 at 9:21 pm
318? Already? It seems like just a little while ago that you were celebrating your 300th!
Suzanne
November 15th, 2012 at 2:47 am
It's been a good year :-)
The following will probably be TMI, but compiling it brought back some pleasant memories. It also proved that I miscounted, this was actually #319.
Gillian
November 16th, 2012 at 11:24 am
Congrats on finally seeing the Cackling Geese! They look so dainty, don't they?