Rare Cackling Goose discovered among hundreds of Canada Geese
By Bruce Glick
December 17, 2010
441
A few years ago the scientific community officially recognized the miniature race of Canada Goose with the name Cackling Goose. This diminutive goose looks like a Canada Goose but is not much larger than a Mallard. We don't see many Cackling Geese in this area, as is the case for other uncommon geese such as Brant, Greater White-fronted, Snow, and Ross's.
As I mentioned last week, the annual Christmas Bird Counts that are held across the country keep track mainly of birds found on the day of the count, but each count also submits a list of any other species seen three days before the count and three days after the count. Appropriately, these are called "count week birds".
While scouting for the Millersburg CBC I found a beautiful Cackling Goose among the 1000+ Canada Geese at Lake Buckhorn - two days before the official count day. I was able to get some photos of the bird and felt sure it would stay around. However, I was not able to find it, despite looking at Canada Geese until my eyes got tired. I still think it was there, probably sleeping among a group of the much larger geese. Under those circumstances it would be hard to locate.
Cackling Geese nest in the far, far north and have a fairly long migration route down through central Canada to their wintering grounds in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Singles and small flocks are seen with large flocks of Canada Geese throughout the eastern states and out west as well.
Identification is usually easy but can be tricky. One thing to look for is the really small, stubby bill. Overall body size can be deceptive unless you have the different sized geese side-by-side.
The weather continues to be cold and snowy, and it will be interesting to see how the other upcoming CBCs do. There will be a number of counts in our area, including Wooster, Mohican, Ragersville, Wilmot, Ashland and Mansfield. Around the state there will be about 70.
People who feed birds are most likely finding that the activity is heavier than usual. Cooper's Hawks have also been busy, drawn to feeders by the concentration of birds. One Cooper's evidently hit a window at a Millersburg residence recently. I took the injured bird to the Medina Raptor Center and was glad to hear that they felt the bird would recover. It was a beautiful, first-year male. Good birding!
Bruce Glick
birderbruce@yahoo.com
330-317-7798
