#258

Technology is cool.

I got a text message today:

  Ross Goose by wave pool - field south of pool complex.

I like messages like that. Short. To the point.  (Totally unlike this blog!)

Oh, by the way, the Ross's Goose is quite possibly one of the rarest waterfowl to be had in the state of Michigan.

Before too long, I was looking at it.

NO NO NO, the photo is not mine, but it does show the bird I saw today. 

The right-most bird is the bird species in question. As you can see, it looks ALOT like the others.  White. Black wingtips.  Pink bill. Yeah, great.

But look at the shape of the head. Look at the thickness of the neck.  Notice how the bill is stubby and more triangular. Those are just some of the traits that make that bird a Ross's Goose and make it a new bird for my Lake Erie Metropark list - #248!

For the record, the photo above was taken from an excellent article that was posted at Surfbirds.com.  I would request that you all read it. Everybody should know how to separate a Ross's Goose from a Snow Goose. In fact, I would suggest that you read it tomorrow morning.  I understand that there are some people getting married tomorrow? Who cares.  Really.  

Geese.  Learn 'em. Love 'em.  (They do taste good, too.....)

I will see what I can do about securing photos of the park bird in the next few days.