Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2003 07:52:43 -0800 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Clive Harris Subject: Geese at Black Hills 10/20 In-Reply-To: <200301190229.h0J2Te129294@mail.bcpl.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Dear all There was a large gathering of Canada Geese early this morning at Black Hills - at least 2000 but I am sure that is an underestimate. Scattered in with the rest of the Canadas were 4 very petite, pale-breasted and short-billed Canadas. There is of course quite a size variation in the Canada flocks but these birds stood out. They were markedly smaller any other Canadas, and only around 15% longer in the body than the nearby Mallards (I digiscoped them but the pics aren't fantastic). If I had found them on the Eastern Shore in a Snow Goose flock I would've been happy to call them Richardsons'. What is the received wisdom for very small Canadas found in these parts - do people see feral small form Canadas around in our area? There were also 2 white-phase Snow Geese (and one farmyard hybrid). The geese started to leave by 8:30. As was noted in an earlier post, the number of ducks is not all that large, but most of the expected species were there (including Redhead and Common Merganser and decent numbers of Tundra Swans, though they were distant). Regards Clive Harris Cabin John, Md --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================