RE: [cobirds] Comments on reported Boulder Ross's Goose

Some additional information on the Ross’s Goose Peter Gent and I  had today at Dodd Reservoir.  This is a different individual than the diminutive immature Snow Goose our group found yesterday afternoon at Dodd Res.. That individual was swimming with a Blue morph and adult white Snow goose and may have been a hybrid but the bill looked to fit for a Snow Goose.  Today’s Ross’s was an immature goose, which by the way are not near as dusky as immature Snow Geese.

 

JWV

 

From: cobirds@googlegroups.com [mailto:cobirds@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of quetzal65@comcast.net
Sent: Sunday, November 10, 2013 12:42 PM
To: cobirds@googlegroups.com
Subject: [cobirds] Comments on reported Boulder Ross's Goose, Bay-breasted Warbler and update on Larimer LBBGs

 

I have posted some photos of the Larimer County Brant, the Boulder County Bay-breasted Warbler and the three Chen geese reported from Longmont, which includes the reported juvenile Ross's Goose, the adult white Snow Goose and the adult "blue" Snow Goose. These are in my recent bird pix gallery at www.pbase.com/quetzal.

 

Update: I have heard that the 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls are still loafing in the northwest corner of Horseshoe Lake in northeast Loveland.

 

Comment on Ross's Goose: The photo is not the best, but the bill shape and head shape do not look right for Ross's Goose. I suspect hybrid Ross's x Snow Goose. Note the lack of a vertical edge to the base of the bill.

 

Comment on the Bay-breasted Warbler: First, thanks to Alan Contreras for finding it, identifying it and sharing with the birding community. This bird has provided a rare Colorado learning opportunity for solving one of the greatest ID challenges (young Pine vs. Bay-breasted vs. Blackpoll Warblers in fall) as well as for understanding warbler foraging behavior. I have posted some comments on the ID features with my photos. I am thinking that this is a first fall male. Anyone disagree?

 

Suggestion: Everyone walk outside, find a pine tree with moths and bees flying around it on this warm afternoon (indicating an aphid infestation), and then check the infested pine carefully for a happy warbler. I'll bet there are others out there.

 

Nick Komar
Fort Collins, CO

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