"Look at bill!!!"
And here it is next to a lovely little "Lesser" or Parvipes Canada Goose, showing how much smaller it is and how that bill shape is so different.
Lesser Canada Goose (L) with Cackling Goose (R)
Much to my chagrin, this goose has kept around the area much of the week and was still here over the weekend. I'm a little obsessed with undersized white-chinned geese, and any chance I get to look at Cackling Geese I overindulge. I've got twice as many Cackling Goose photos on my website as Canada Goose--despite the obvious disparity in the number of Canada Geese over Cackling Geese I see annually. So when I drove through "downtown" Sandy and saw the flock of geese was feeding in the median on Centennial Parkway, I couldn't help but pull up and take a few more pictures...
So the point of this post--there is no point, I just really like Cackling Geese. But if there must be a takeaway, it's this--next time you see a Cackling Goose, point at it and say the following in a voice that makes you smile, "It's a Cackler, look at the bill". It will make your birding experience all the more enjoyable!
Cackling Goose (L) and Lesser Canada Goose (R)
Lesser Canada Goose (L) with Cackling Goose (R)
Grainy picture in terrible light--but I had to take it... Just "look at the bill"
So the point of this post--there is no point, I just really like Cackling Geese. But if there must be a takeaway, it's this--next time you see a Cackling Goose, point at it and say the following in a voice that makes you smile, "It's a Cackler, look at the bill". It will make your birding experience all the more enjoyable!
Labels: geese
In the next to last picture, it looks like the Lesser has a leg band.
Here in Oregon, most of our Cacklers are in giant flocks swirling overhead. I don't typically get to "look at the bill". But you nicely captured the difference!
Vjera,
It does have a leg band! I tried to read it but it looked rather old and I couldn't make out any of the digits.
In Utah most of the Cacklers we see are individuals, pairs, or very small groups. But having one this cooperative and close to the camera was a rare treat!
Cheers
Tim
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