[cobirds] BCAS January Program: Birds, Science, and Art with Dr. Johanna Beam

Hello everyone,

Boulder County Audubon Society invites you to our January evening program:

Intersecting Birds, Science, and Art
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
7:15–8:45 PM (Doors open at 6:30 PM)
Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder
5001 Pennsylvania Ave, Boulder, CO

In-person and Zoom options available

What do art, science, and eBird sightings all have in common?
Join us for an engaging presentation by Dr. Johanna Beam, who will share her journey from teen naturalist to research scientist and scientific illustrator. Johanna will explore how eBird data are used by scientists and artists alike, including how these data have helped illuminate species' ranges and evolutionary history—highlighted through the Yellow-breasted Chat and the discovery of the Chihuahuan Meadowlark.

Dr. Beam is a postdoctoral research fellow at Colorado State University and Texas Tech University, working with the Bird Genoscape Project. Her research focuses on evolutionary genomics in birds, and she is also an accomplished scientific illustrator. As a high school student, Johanna's careful observation of an unusual meadowlark led to a genetic study that ultimately contributed to the recognition of a new bird species added to the official North American species list in 2022.

In-Person Program
BCAS is pleased to welcome everyone back to in-person programs at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder. Doors open at 6:30 PM for socializing with light refreshments, and the program begins at 7:15 PM. Masks are optional; free surgical masks will be available. Please stay home if you are feeling sick.

An FM hearing assistive system is available in the Earth room where BCAS programs are held. The receivers and headsets for these can typically be found in a basket on the table to the right as you enter the double doors to the Earth room. There are four receivers of this type. They are fed sound directly from the sound system and the user can control the volume themselves. More information on how to use these systems -  links to  https://centerforhearingaccess.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-use-assistive-listening-systems.pdf?t=1768882810 

Online Program (Zoom)
The Zoom meeting room opens at 7:10 PM, with the program beginning at 7:15 PM. Questions for the speaker will be taken through the chat feature. The zoom link will be posted here on the day of the event Intersecting Birds, Science, and Art — Boulder County Audubon.

We hope you'll join us for this unique evening at the intersection of birding, science, and art.

Best regards,
Boulder County Audubon Society

Matias Comina, Boulder County 

Board Member at Large 

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Re: [cobirds] Re: Merlin update for Android (might eventually be released for iOS)

As far as updating bird packs, there is now a Merlin  option to download the sounds separate from the photos, so you can download sounds so

they are available  to listen to, even without good reception. 

Pat Cullen

Longmont, CO

On Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 2:45:17 PM UTC-7 Caoimhín Perkins wrote:

I miss the old Merlin in general. I have bird packs downloaded with their audio, but it still has to load their audio packs whenever I look at a bird's profile, which means I can't listen in areas with no reception. It didn't use to do that.

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[cobirds] BCAS program: Intersecting Birds, Science, and Art - Johanna Beam - Tu 1/27/26

Please join Boulder County Audubon for our monthly speaker series!

Intersecting Birds, Science, and Art

Tuesday, January 27, 2026
cookes & conversation starting at 6:30 PM 

program at 7:15 PM -  8:45 PM

Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder 

5001 Pennsylvania Avenue Boulder, CO, 80303

What do art, science, and eBird sightings all have in common? Dr. Johanna Beam will dive into her personal journey from teen naturalist to research scientist and everything in between. Johanna will talk about all the various ways scientists and illustrators use eBird data in their work, including how eBird data has shed light on species' ranges and evolutionary history with Yellow-breasted Chat and Chihuahuan Meadowlark.

Dr. Johanna Beam is a postdoctoral research fellow at Colorado State and Texas Tech universities. She studies evolutionary genomics in birds and is also a scientific illustrator.

Johanna participated in Boulder County Audubon's Teen Naturalist program, attended Audubon's teen bird camp at Hog Island, Maine, and studied bird evolution at CU Boulder. After getting a PhD in ornithology at Penn State, she returned to the Front Range as a postdoc with the Bird Genoscape Project. 

As a high school student, Johanna's keen eye and ear led her to notice an odd-looking meadowlark. Her curiosity about this bird turned into a successful undergraduate research project on the bird's genetics and ultimately a first-author report describing a new species, the Chihuahuan Meadowlark, accepted to the official North American species list in 2022. Johanna will share more about this story and her journey as a birder, scientist, and scientific illustrator.

Also on Zoom - check https://www.boulderaudubon.org/all-events/jan-2026-program for the link a day before the event.

I'm excited about this one and hope you'll attend too.

- Sandra Laursen

for the BCAS programs committee

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[cobirds] Applications now open for Teen Summer Camp at Hog Island, Maine

Boulder County Audubon Society is now accepting applications for the 2025 Summer Teen Program at Hog Island, Maine.  Colorado teens 15-17 years of age are eligible to apply.  Please check our website for the application form and instructions.  The application deadline is February 1, 2025.  Questions can be directed to scholarship@boulderaudubon.org

https://www.boulderaudubon.org/bird-camp-scholarships

[cobirds] Re: Merlin update for Android (might eventually be released for iOS)

It would be great if they added a "Auto Save recordings" option in your settings, so it is a choice for the user instead of just a blanket upgrade.

Adrian Lakin

Mead, CO 

On Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 10:56:25 AM UTC-7 Kevin Schutz wrote:

I just ran across this "feature" earlier this morning.  It also seems that many earlier recordings have vanished.  I can't say I like this update.

Kevin Schutz

Monument, CO

On Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 9:04:14 AM UTC-7 Adrian Lakin wrote:

Some of you might've already noticed this update, but for the rest of you, there's new functionality that will impact you...

Prior to this update, when you were recording and you pressed the square button at the middle bottom of the screen, it both stopped the recording and also saved the recording to your phone. That is no longer true. Now the button stops the recording but DOES NOT SAVE IT. You can tell that the recording is on your phone because you can see the list of species and you can play the recording back but it IS NOT SAVED. If you start another recording or close Merlin, the recording is discarded, lost forever. If you do want to save the recording, a second step is now required. You must press the large button labeled "Save" at the upper right of the screen, and you must do that right away, before leaving the screen.

Some might like this because it doesn't fill up your phone's storage, but others will be really annoyed if they lose a recording.

Adrian Lakin

Mead, CO

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Re: [cobirds] Re: Merlin update for Android (might eventually be released for iOS)

I miss the old Merlin in general. I have bird packs downloaded with their audio, but it still has to load their audio packs whenever I look at a bird's profile, which means I can't listen in areas with no reception. It didn't use to do that.

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[cobirds] Re: Merlin update for Android (might eventually be released for iOS)

I just ran across this "feature" earlier this morning.  It also seems that many earlier recordings have vanished.  I can't say I like this update.

Kevin Schutz

Monument, CO

On Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 9:04:14 AM UTC-7 Adrian Lakin wrote:

Some of you might've already noticed this update, but for the rest of you, there's new functionality that will impact you...

Prior to this update, when you were recording and you pressed the square button at the middle bottom of the screen, it both stopped the recording and also saved the recording to your phone. That is no longer true. Now the button stops the recording but DOES NOT SAVE IT. You can tell that the recording is on your phone because you can see the list of species and you can play the recording back but it IS NOT SAVED. If you start another recording or close Merlin, the recording is discarded, lost forever. If you do want to save the recording, a second step is now required. You must press the large button labeled "Save" at the upper right of the screen, and you must do that right away, before leaving the screen.

Some might like this because it doesn't fill up your phone's storage, but others will be really annoyed if they lose a recording.

Adrian Lakin

Mead, CO

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[cobirds] Merlin update for Android (might eventually be released for iOS)

Some of you might've already noticed this update, but for the rest of you, there's new functionality that will impact you...

Prior to this update, when you were recording and you pressed the square button at the middle bottom of the screen, it both stopped the recording and also saved the recording to your phone. That is no longer true. Now the button stops the recording but DOES NOT SAVE IT. You can tell that the recording is on your phone because you can see the list of species and you can play the recording back but it IS NOT SAVED. If you start another recording or close Merlin, the recording is discarded, lost forever. If you do want to save the recording, a second step is now required. You must press the large button labeled "Save" at the upper right of the screen, and you must do that right away, before leaving the screen.

Some might like this because it doesn't fill up your phone's storage, but others will be really annoyed if they lose a recording.

Adrian Lakin

Mead, CO

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[cobirds] Juvenile Cooper’s Hawk, Louisville

Birders:

The bird I posted about yesterday is a juvenile Cooper's Hawk, not a juvenile American Goshawk.

Thanks to Scott Rashid and others for helping me with the identification.

Paula Hansley

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[cobirds] Juvenile American Goshawk, Louisville

CObirders:

I'm going to go out on a limb and identify this hawk as a juvenile American Goshawk.  It is difficult to distinguish this species from a juvenile Cooper's Hawk, but I think that my pictures enable that to be done.

This bird has field marks characteristic of a juvenile Am. Goshawk:  (1) uneven tail bands, (2) a white supercilium and black auricular patch, (3) heavy dark brown streaking on breast and belly, (4) speckled pattern on upper back, and (5) a bulkiness that is apparent when taking off.

Experts may say that sitting on a fence is more characteristic of a Cooper's Hawk, but I have seen an Am. Goshawk sit on a fence post out in the open while living in the mountains.

A few weeks ago, I saw an adult goshawk in my catalpa tree,  but I was unable to get a picture of it.  I suspect that the two birds are related.

Having hawks around our feeders is a mixed blessing!  Most days I simply have no birds because there is a hawk (usually a Cooper's, but I have also had Red-tailed Hawks). 

Paula Hansley

Boulder County

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Re: [cobirds] e-bird question

Thanks for the info.  The reason I asked is because I have a picture of a bird that gave me an unexpected result from the e-bird photo ID function.  I have been looking back at some of my pictures and remembered taking the picture below a couple of years ago.  Looking closely at the lighter colored dove (which at the time I assumed was a leucistic Eurasian collared dove), I am wondering whether it could be an African collard dove instead.  It has characteristics that support such an ID.  First, it obviously is lighter than a typical Eurasian collard dove, with little contrast between the primaries and overall body color. Second, it appears to be smaller headed than ECD (subjective assessment). Third, the mottled feather pattern is often present on [domesticated] ACD (see eBird Checklist S60518709 or eBird Checklist S75581900 ).  I examined pictures of African collared dove from areas of the world (New Zealand, sub-Saharan Africa, islands east of Madagascar, etc) that do not have any ECD records and found a number of pictures that match the present bird. Fourth, e-bird's photo ID feature ID'ed it as an African collared dove. Finally, there are US e-bird records of ACD that predate ECD colonization in the east, and there are about 20 previous ACD records for the I-25 corridor.  I am not by any means saying that the bird is a natural vagrant, but rather descendant (or escapee) of a domesticated African collared dove (i.e., "Barbary dove"). Comments welcome.

Thanks,

Tom Curtis

On Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 10:35:43 AM UTC-7 Ann Chavtur wrote:

The images are vetted by reviewers but also eBird has gotten a lot smarter. Late last year an update to eBird made a change such that eBird itself is checking the image for accuracy. On a safari trip to Africa our guide told us that  bird we spotted was a Northern Fiscal. When I uploaded my image to eBird, the app told me the image I uploaded was a different Fiscal. I was very surprised because I had not had that happen before. It was a pretty cool check and I got a new life bird in the process. Of course this only works if you have a good clear image where the bird is identifiable.  Since then I have had eBird flag an image after upload when I put the picture against the wrong bird in the list. It will even provide the button to move it to the correct bird in the list. (No more embarrassing emails when a reviewer points out you switched your Yellow Warbler and Yellow-rumped Warbler images on upload.)

Ann Chavtur

Monument

On Friday, January 16, 2026 at 1:45:51 PM UTC-7 Josh Bruening wrote:

Tom,

If you are referring to the eBird/Merlin photo ID program, here is an article about that topic with a helpful link that goes much deeper into the process.

Merlin Photo ID : Help Center

Josh Bruening

Fort Collins

On Fri, Jan 16, 2026 at 12:21 PM tom none <jtcu...@gmail.com> wrote:

Does anyone know whether the photos used by e-bird for photo ID are vetted for accuracy or do they just depend on what the observer lists?

Thanks,

Tom Curtis

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Re: [cobirds] e-bird question

The images are vetted by reviewers but also eBird has gotten a lot smarter. Late last year an update to eBird made a change such that eBird itself is checking the image for accuracy. On a safari trip to Africa our guide told us that  bird we spotted was a Northern Fiscal. When I uploaded my image to eBird, the app told me the image I uploaded was a different Fiscal. I was very surprised because I had not had that happen before. It was a pretty cool check and I got a new life bird in the process. Of course this only works if you have a good clear image where the bird is identifiable.  Since then I have had eBird flag an image after upload when I put the picture against the wrong bird in the list. It will even provide the button to move it to the correct bird in the list. (No more embarrassing emails when a reviewer points out you switched your Yellow Warbler and Yellow-rumped Warbler images on upload.)

Ann Chavtur

Monument

On Friday, January 16, 2026 at 1:45:51 PM UTC-7 Josh Bruening wrote:

Tom,

If you are referring to the eBird/Merlin photo ID program, here is an article about that topic with a helpful link that goes much deeper into the process.

Merlin Photo ID : Help Center

Josh Bruening

Fort Collins

On Fri, Jan 16, 2026 at 12:21 PM tom none <jtcu...@gmail.com> wrote:

Does anyone know whether the photos used by e-bird for photo ID are vetted for accuracy or do they just depend on what the observer lists?

Thanks,

Tom Curtis

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Re: [cobirds] e-bird question

Tom,

If you are referring to the eBird/Merlin photo ID program, here is an article about that topic with a helpful link that goes much deeper into the process.

Merlin Photo ID : Help Center

Josh Bruening

Fort Collins

On Fri, Jan 16, 2026 at 12:21 PM tom none <jtcurt325@gmail.com> wrote:

Does anyone know whether the photos used by e-bird for photo ID are vetted for accuracy or do they just depend on what the observer lists?

Thanks,

Tom Curtis

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Re: [cobirds] e-bird question

Hi Tom,

The reviewer for the County often checks photos for accuracy.  I know because Christian Nunes of Boulder is always sending me emails. ;-)

Jim Ward

On Fri, Jan 16, 2026 at 12:21 PM tom none <jtcurt325@gmail.com> wrote:

Does anyone know whether the photos used by e-bird for photo ID are vetted for accuracy or do they just depend on what the observer lists?

Thanks,

Tom Curtis

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[cobirds] e-bird question

Does anyone know whether the photos used by e-bird for photo ID are vetted for accuracy or do they just depend on what the observer lists?

Thanks,

Tom Curtis

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[cobirds] BCAS Field Trip to Walden Ponds this Saturday (January 17th)

Join BCAS trip leader, Carl Starace, at Walden Ponds on Saturday, January 17th, at 10:30 a.m.

Check out this link for further details and other future BCAS field trips! Don't forget to email Carl to register for the walk. 

Daniel Carrier, Boulder County Audubon Society

Boulder, Boulder County

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[cobirds] Pine Warbler-Larimer

COBirders,

The Pine Warbler is still here. I know some people missed it. The invitation to come see it remains open.

R. 

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Rachel Kolokoff Hopper

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rkhphotography.net

hopkohome8@gmail.com

Ft. Collins, CO

[cobirds] Next Thurs., 1/22 - CFO Speaker Series: Floral Resources for Migratory Hummingbirds in the CO Rocky Mtns

The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) is home to many migratory scientists, and one resident breeding hummingbird species (Broad-tailed) and two species of post-breeding migrants (Rufous and Calliope). While there, the birds feed on a variety of wildflowers, but the timing of both migration and flowering of food plants is changing as a result of climate change.

A 52-year study of the timing and abundance of flowering by many of the species visited by hummingbirds has documented the ongoing changes, and those data provide some insights into the challenges faced by migratory birds. David Inouye, recently retired professor and current researcher at the RMBL (where he started work in 1971) will talk about his long-term studies of the hummingbirds and the wildflowers at RMBL.

This Zoom presentation takes place Thursday, January 22nd from 7:00 - 8:00 pm MT. For more information and to register visit: https://cobirds.org/events/speaker-series-david-inouye/

Join us for this informative presentation which is part of Colorado Field Ornithologists' Speaker Series aka Dead of Winter Knowledge Quest.

Linda Lee

Louisville

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[cobirds] Boulder CBC results

Hi Folks- we ran the 84th Boulder CBC on a mercifully calm 14 December 2025.   I now have all of the territory reports and can sum up the count as "WOW!"

Our count day total of 110 species ties our best tally in the last 10 years, with 5 more count-week species coming in to reach 115 total for our 2025 count window.  

Our participation was outstanding, with 184 folks contributing their talents in the field and watching feeders.  This is our top figure in the past 10 years (and probably ever, gonna have to dig back to check on this.)  I know a big part of our success is covering most of our 33 territories so well, with a total of 54 parties in the field throughout the day as many of the larger groups split into smaller teams to cover their areas even better.  

Our success is a direct reflection of the quality of our leaders and the effort they put into the count- thanks and kudos to you all!  We only had one territory go uncounted this year- Lefthand Canyon.  Maybe a new Chukar population is being missed up there, ha ha!!

Leading the bird news are 4(!!!!) new species for the count:  Spotted Sandpiper, Tennessee Warbler, Nashville Warbler, and Northern Parula.  The Spottie was in the White Rocks area and the choice warblers were holdouts from the fall's "Magic Tree" spectacle along the creek by Boulder HS.  These bring our all-time species total on the count to 224 species.

Other rarities, seen 10 or fewer times previously on the count, were Lapland Longspur (4 prior counts), a count-week Great-tailed Grackle (which has been ticked on 5 prior counts but a CW bird won't add to that total), Say's Phoebe & N. Saw-whet Owl (6 prior), Hermit Thrush and a CW Eared Grebe (8 prior), and Ross's Goose (9 prior.)  Somewhat astounding given their aforementioned paucity were counts of 5 Say's Phoebes and 3 Hermit Thrushes this year.  

Surely giving its finder Matt H a jolt of adrenaline was a drake Eurasian X American Wigeon hybrid that looked a lot like the Euro version but had traits of both parental species visible upon close scrutiny.

Two non-bird standouts (and I think also new to the count) were a bat species seen over Harper Lake in the Teller Lakes S. territory and an Eastern Yellow-bellied Racer (snake) in the Boulder Reservoir territory.  Probably not great news for either individual organism to be out in the unusual December warmth but for sure a sign of our very temperate fall and early winter. 

Cheers- 

Bill Schmoker, Longmont

Boulder CBC Compiler

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[cobirds] Pine Warbler-Larimer

COBirders,

The Pine Warbler is still here. Birders welcome. See previous post for address & instructions. Because of the feeders it is favoring (down by the lake) best bet is to come around the right side of the house.

R.

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Rachel Kolokoff Hopper

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Ft. Collins, CO

[cobirds] Re: Spanish Peaks CBC - Huerfano County

Fantastic finds!

On Thursday, January 8, 2026 at 12:53:57 PM UTC-7 Polly Neldner wrote:

The Spanish Peaks Christmas Bird Count wrapped up on January 3rd with a respectable 54 species for the day and 56 for the week. The weather conditions were clear with a low of 38 and a high of 63 degrees. Winds were from the Southwest between 15 and 20 mph with stronger gusts throughout the day. All bodies of water were completely open, quite unusual for January. 

We had 18 enthusiastic participants with one dedicated feeder watcher.

Canvasback (drake) was a new species for the count! Photo of CFO Facebook page

Other highlights for the day were:

4 Bufflehead - 3rd time seen 

47 Common Goldeneye - 7th time seen

2 Northern Harrier - 9th time for the count

4 American Coot 5th time seen 

16 Lewis's Woodpecker 13th time seen and the best numbers in a while

1 Prairie Falcon was seen marking is 6th time seen on count day

1 Harris's Sparrow - 15th time seen

1 Spotted Towhee 16th appearance on the count - was afraid we might be skunked on that one!

A flock of Rosy-finch were spotted:

13 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch  10th time seen

150 Brown-capped Rosy-Finch were seen making their 9th time

All in all it was quite a successful day! 

Polly Wren and Paul Neldner

Huerfano County

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[cobirds] Pine Warbler/Larimer

COBirders,

I have a Pine Warbler at my suet feeder & it is also eating Niger. 1721 Cottonwood Pt. Dr. Ft. Collins, 80524. 

Birders welcome. Come around the back of the house on the left. The suet & niger feeders are hanging in an Aspen on the 2nd level deck. 

Please do not stray from my home as the whole surrounding area is private property.

I live on Long Pond for those of you familiar with the area.

R.

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PLEASE CHANGE MY EMAIL ADDRESS TO: hopkohome8@gmail.com

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Rachel Kolokoff Hopper

Follow me on iNaturalist

rkhphotography.net

hopkohome8@gmail.com

Ft. Collins, CO

[cobirds] Spanish Peaks CBC - Huerfano County

The Spanish Peaks Christmas Bird Count wrapped up on January 3rd with a respectable 54 species for the day and 56 for the week. The weather conditions were clear with a low of 38 and a high of 63 degrees. Winds were from the Southwest between 15 and 20 mph with stronger gusts throughout the day. All bodies of water were completely open, quite unusual for January. 

We had 18 enthusiastic participants with one dedicated feeder watcher.

Canvasback (drake) was a new species for the count! Photo of CFO Facebook page

Other highlights for the day were:

4 Bufflehead - 3rd time seen 

47 Common Goldeneye - 7th time seen

2 Northern Harrier - 9th time for the count

4 American Coot 5th time seen 

16 Lewis's Woodpecker 13th time seen and the best numbers in a while

1 Prairie Falcon was seen marking is 6th time seen on count day

1 Harris's Sparrow - 15th time seen

1 Spotted Towhee 16th appearance on the count - was afraid we might be skunked on that one!

A flock of Rosy-finch were spotted:

13 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch  10th time seen

150 Brown-capped Rosy-Finch were seen making their 9th time

All in all it was quite a successful day! 

Polly Wren and Paul Neldner

Huerfano County

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Re: [cobirds] Interesting goose at Dodd Reservoir, Boulder County

(apologies for 2nd email, but looks like the images didn't go through on the first one)

On Wed, Jan 7, 2026 at 10:20 PM Jeff P <jeff.percell@gmail.com> wrote:

For this bird I'd recommend snow x cackling-- Mottled bill rules out pure snow, slight grin patch indicative of snow. It appears to be slightly larger than nearby Cackling indicative of Cackling. 

I'll take Peter's cue to provide a write up on keys to identifying interesting geese such as this (I was actually already in process with this write up when I noticed his response):

1. Start with the bare parts: 
1. Bill color - most hybrids have mottled bills or grayish-blue cast over pink. Snow & Ross's geese have pink bills.Though note that juvenile snow geese will transition from brownish (black in the case of dark morph) to pink bill as an adult. Canada/Cackling have black legs. Greater White-fronted have orange bills.
2. Bill size/shape - Apply similar review as you would to the base species - length/slope with cackling heritage will be more petite, less sloped though with Snow influence this makes the bill larger, more sloped than a regular cackler. Likewise Ross's heritage will have a more stubby bill with a flatter base of the bill, though Cackler influence adds curvature to the base of the bill. Presence of the grin patch gives good indication between Snow & Ross's, though note that Ross's base species does still have a limited grin patch.
3. Leg color - Snow/Ross's x Canada/Cackling have pinkish gray legs, whereas Snow & Ross's geese have pink legs, Canada/Cackling have black legs. Orangish legs indicate GWFG or Greylag influence. 
2. Then move to body shape:
1. Snow x Cackling will be slightly larger than Cackling.
2. Snow x Canada will be slightly smaller or similar sized to Canada.
3. You can also apply the birds of a feather flock together rule here -- a hybrid in a large group of Cackling geese will likely be Cackling x whatever else... a hybrid in a group of Canada geese is likely Canada x other xy or z.
3. Plumage:
1. This can be inconsistent and watch out for leucism/melanism - if you see a mostly white headed goose, refer to the bare parts as if it has black legs and bill it could well be a leucistic Canada or Cackling goose (see for example this bird, which I think is a Cackling but looks like I decided to list as goose sp.).
2. Plumage can be helpful in identifying Greater White-fronted crosses, as the "speckle belly" influence may be evident there.
3. Attention to folded wings can help with differentiation between a dark (blue or intermediate) snow vs hybrid, as snow x cackling/canada. The dark Snow Goose will generally have a thicker white edge to their feathers, whereas the hybrid will have more Canada/Cackling feature here and/or a thinner white edge.
4. Document with photos!
1. This is super helpful not only to have others review and provide input to your sightings, but also to compare other sightings. While eBird doesn't make it easy to get to a hybrid "species" page (they do exist but I find typing in the hybrid to google is the only way to get there), the hybrids are easily searchable in the media search tool (as well as the range map tool).
2. Focus on good photos of the bare parts - showing bill/legs, plumage as well as group shots that enable you to see body size comparison to nearby species.

Also, remember not every bird is identifiable, so leaving a slash --Snow/Ross's x Cackling/Canada Goose is not a bad thing, and requested by eBird reviewers if you don't have documentation.

Looking at the eBird status/trends page for the geese in Colorado is interesting. 

• Snow x Cackling Goose (a.k.a the Waneka Goose -- credit TF for that moniker) is our most prominent hybrid goose in Colorado - 1,039 reports in eBird --> that is 83% of all records in eBird for this type of hybrid! Colorado is truly the best place on earth to see this type of bird.
• Snow/Cackling x Canada/Cackling Goose - 806 Colorado eBird records.
• Greylag (domestic) x Canada Goose 720 Colorado eBird records -- I wouldn't be surprised if more than half of these are from Belmar Park in Jefferson County.
• Ross's x Cackling Goose - 416  Colorado eBird records --> less than half as frequent as Snow x Cackling, which makes sense as that is a similar proportion to Snow vs Ross's Goose observations. 
• Snow x Canada Goose -  347  Colorado eBird records. 
• Greater White-fronted x Cackling Goose - 193  Colorado eBird records. 
• Domestic sp. x Canada Goose - 136 Colorado eBird records.
• Greater White-fronted x Canada Goose - 54  Colorado eBird records. 
• Swan (domestic) x Canada Goose - 12 Colorado eBird records.
• Ross's x Canada Goose - 15  Colorado eBird records. 
• Snow x Greater White-fronted Goose - 13  Colorado eBird records. 
• Barnacle x Cackling Goose - 1 Colorado eBird record -- what a rare bird!.

Hybrid's are fun id challenges --> I have 18 on my life list including all but 4 of the above listed ones. Snow x GreaterWhite-fronted Goose is one of my favorite bird sightings, though it was in Southern Indiana. (photo here)

Here's to hoping we all get an opportunity to go outside and sort some geese on a freezing morning in the upcoming days - I'm looking forward to some incoming weather to move the geese around! 

Best,

Jeff Percell

Erie, CO

On Wed, Jan 7, 2026 at 8:24 PM Peter Ruprecht <pruprecht@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Randy,

One thing I find useful when identifying dark morph Snow Geese is the tertial feathers that flop over the flanks and rump when the bird is standing or swimming. On a dark morph Snow, these will be black with distinctive white outlines. On hybrids, they're almost always solid brown like on the Canada or Cackling parent. 

Sometimes you can also see the nice blue-gray leading edge of the wing even when a dark morph Snow has its wings folded. Again, the whole wing is usually brown on a hybrid.

See for example https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/36514851

Based on that, I'd call the bird in your photos a hybrid. I personally have a hard time deciding what Anser/Branta mix is in most hybrids (except for tiny Ross's/Cackling hybrids), so maybe someone else will want to offer advice there.

Peter Ruprecht

Superior

On Wed, Jan 7, 2026 at 4:01 PM Randy Siebert <rlsiebert52@gmail.com> wrote:

I got photos of a goose which is either a blue morph Snow Goose or a hybrid. A nice Greater White-fronted Goose was around for size comparison.

Opinions will be appreciated and may save me dealing with an eBird reviewer.

You can see them at:

eBird Checklist - 7 Jan 2026 - Dodd Reservoir - 12 species

Randy Siebert

Lafayette, Boulder County

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