Geese Galore! Whale Rock Reservoir
|
Kaaren Perry
Reading yesterdays reports of Greater White-fronted Geese I decided this morning to take a ride up to Whale Rock, arriving at 10:45. As I approached the far end of the reservoir I heard the distinctive clack-it-ti-cluck clatter of GWFG from my open window. Quickly pulling over at the little parking area I counted 42 GWFG circling over the water and hillsides. About 1/4 of the GWFG showed the white front at the bill base, the rest appeared to be immature. This morning was only the second time in 12 years that I have seen such numbers at WR.
Easy to spot was a Snow Goose flying in the group. The entire flock circled for a few more seconds before landing on the shore GWFG still clacking away for a few minutes. They then began dispersing to graze where they continued during the 45 minutes of my observations. Near the bank below were 12 Cackling Geese, a few showing a narrow white band, possibly the hutchinsii subspecies? The mist over the water made identifying the ducks difficult. I did manage a scope view of 12 Ring-necked Ducks swimming in a small group rather close to shore. 2 Wilson's Snipe were moving together on the near bank and the adult Bald Eagle made his morning pass over the water. Referenced on flickr: https://ebird.org/checklist/S120506807 Kaaren Perry Morro Bay |
|
|
|
Tom Edell
I drove up to see the geese after seeing Kaaren’s report and found Petra and Jack already there. The numbers had increased since Kaaren’s visit. We counted the geese several times and came up with 150 Greater White-fronted, 20 Cackling, and one Snow. The waterfowl on the reservoir were badly backlit in the afternoon so only species seen (no numbers) were recorded. Shorebirds included five distant dowitchers, one Wilson’s Snipe, a Least Sandpiper, two Killdeer, and one Dunlin that provided only the second record for the reservoir.
Tom Edell Cayucos, Ca
From: slocobirding@groups.io <slocobirding@groups.io> On Behalf Of Kaaren Perry
Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2022 2:23 PM To: SLOCOBIRDING <slocobirding@groups.io> Subject: [slocobirding] Geese Galore! Whale Rock Reservoir
Reading yesterdays reports of Greater White-fronted Geese I decided this morning to take a ride up to Whale Rock, arriving at 10:45. As I approached the far end of the reservoir I heard the distinctive clack-it-ti-cluck clatter of GWFG from my open window. Quickly pulling over at the little parking area I counted 42 GWFG circling over the water and hillsides. About 1/4 of the GWFG showed the white front at the bill base, the rest appeared to be immature. This morning was only the second time in 12 years that I have seen such numbers at WR.
Easy to spot was a Snow Goose flying in the group. The entire flock circled for a few more seconds before landing on the shore GWFG still clacking away for a few minutes. They then began dispersing to graze where they continued during the 45 minutes of my observations. Near the bank below were 12 Cackling Geese, a few showing a narrow white band, possibly the hutchinsii subspecies?
The mist over the water made identifying the ducks difficult. I did manage a scope view of 12 Ring-necked Ducks swimming in a small group rather close to shore. 2 Wilson's Snipe were moving together on the near bank and the adult Bald Eagle made his morning pass over the water.
Referenced on flickr: https://ebird.org/checklist/S120506807
Kaaren Perry Morro Bay
-- Tom Edell Cayucos, CA |
|
|