From south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Thu Nov 4 21:55:34 2004 Received: from www.plaidworks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id iA55qWjn006772 for <[[email protected]]>; Thu, 4 Nov 2004 21:52:33 -0800 (PST) Received: from sccrmhc13.comcast.net (sccrmhc13.comcast.net [204.127.202.64]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id iA55opVC006726 for <[[email protected]]>; Thu, 4 Nov 2004 21:50:57 -0800 (PST) Received: from 204.127.205.145 ([204.127.205.145]) by comcast.net (sccrmhc13) with SMTP id <2004110505504401600136ile>; Fri, 5 Nov 2004 05:50:44 +0000 Received: from [67.169.121.5] by 204.127.205.145; Fri, 05 Nov 2004 05:50:43 +0000 From: [[email protected]] To: [[email protected]] (Birders) Date: Fri, 05 Nov 2004 05:50:43 +0000 Message-Id: <[[email protected]]> X-Mailer: AT&T Message Center Version 1 (Sep 14 2004) X-Authenticated-Sender: bS5tLnJvZ2Vyc0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldA== MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.5b1 Cc: Mike Rogers <[[email protected]]> Subject: [SBB] SNGO, ROGO, and CACKGO X-BeenThere: [[email protected]] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5b1 Precedence: list List-Id: South Bay Birding List-Unsubscribe: , List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Sender: south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Errors-To: south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] All, This afternoon 11/4/04, I visited Ocala Middle School near Lake Cunningham to study the goose flock there, finding the adult ROSS'S and adult SNOW GOOSE (Santa Clara County year bird #260 for me) together in a flock of 110 CANADA and 3 CACKLING GEESE (none of the small geese were banded or had either hind toe (hallux) cut and both white geese were strong flyers, flying over to the other portion of the CAGO flock at one point). I studied the 3 CACKLING GEESE carefully, hoping to be able to recognize them individually in the future. Two were similar in size to each other and to the ROSS'S GOOSE. Neither had a white neck collar and both had breasts darker than the larger CANADA GEESE (although not as dark as some 'minima' can be). One bird had a very short, stubby bill, a fairly rounded head, and white cheek patches that connected underneath, with a finger of black feathering partially dividing (creating a point) the rear end of the white under the throat (there was a slight hint of some dusky mottling running up the midline toward the bill, but this was faint). This bird seemed like a fairly typical 'minima' CACKLING GOOSE. The other bird was very slightly larger, with slightly longer legs, and a slightly longer neck. It had a complete broad black divide on the throat separating the white cheek patches, which were limited in extent, a bill that was longer and not as stubby as that of its nearby friend, and a flatter crown that angled upwards to the rear. This bird was so similar in size to the other bird that I would have thought it a 'minima' as well, but the different head and bill shape and prominent black throat divide might suggest otherwise? (Steve does this sound like your 'taverni' from Lake Cunningham?). On the other hand, recent discussions on ID Frontiers seem to suggest that the black throat divide is more related to age (juveniles) than subspecies. The third CACKLING GOOSE was similar in overall coloration, but larger (size approaching that of the Snow Goose, but with a slimmer (and shorter?) neck) and a broad white neck collar. The white collar was broad and bright white in front and narrow with some dusky mottling on the hindneck. The bill was not as stubby as on the 'minima' and the white cheek patches were connected under the throat, although a black point of feathers partially divided the potion near the bill (with some dusky mottling along the midline further back). This seemed like a fairly typical ALEUTIAN ('leucopareia') CACKLING GOOSE to me. It did not associate with the other CACKLING GEESE while I was there. The larger CANADA GEESE also showed a fair amount of variation as well, with one having a white forehead (as depicted by Sibley), a few having narrow black divides separating the white cheek patches, one having a narrow white neck ring in front, and another missing a foot (walking on a stub leg). The highlight of election day 11/2/04 for me was a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH in a pine at my polling place across Sunset Ave. from Washington Park in urban Sunnyvale. And finally, my work computer died twice during the last five days of October and I lost several emails - if I have not responded to your email sent during that time please resend your message. Thanks, Mike Rogers _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. south-bay-birds mailing list ([[email protected]]) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://www.plaidworks.com/mailman/options/south-bay-birds/south-bay-birds-archive%40plaidworks.com This email sent to [[email protected]]