Monday 31 December 2012

Richardson's Canada Goose

This post may cause a few cross words aimed at yours truly, indeed I have already had some words passed to me on other sites, but I will still go ahead and post it.

A small goose has been present on the Norfolk coast since November, a bird that courts controversy when it appears in this country, especially the south half. This bird is the Lesser Canada Goose, or to be more precise, the Richardson's sub-species of Lesser Canada Goose, Branta hutchinsii hutchinsii. This bird has recently been split from its larger cousin, the Greater Canada Goose (or just Canada Goose to you and me), something I was unaware of and so I hadn't bothered going to see the bird in Norfolk as I didn't think that it was a viable tick. After looking through a few websites and books I discovered the split and after a conversation with Chris Orders, decided to make the trip.

All seems fine, so far. The reason for the controversy is that the Lesser Canada Goose is a pretty rare wild bird in this country, most accepted records are in Scotland, although there has been one in Norfolk in 1999, but is a bird that is kept in wildfowl collections and sometimes escapes. We were worried that this bird wasn't wild, but Chris spoke to a friend who is 'up' on this sort of thing who said that the bird was showing good credentials, so we thought, what the hell.

We arrived at the birds preferred area, but no Richardson's/Lesser Canada Goose, great, another wild goose chase! After two hours of walking along some rather unforgiving shingle we decided to drive back towards Cley to see if we could see any 'little' geese. We stopped in a laybay and scanned a flock of Brent Geese, no Richardson's. A person we had met previously saw us looking and pulled over to tell us that there were several birders looking at a flock of Brents and Canada Geese on the East Bank, very kind of him, so we went there. On arrival several birders were on the little blighter and so we got our first view. A small goose, about two-thirds of the size of a Canada Goose, with a shorter bill, steep forehead and 'flat' appearance of the top of the head. The breast is also slightly darker. We walked along the bank to see if we could get any nearer for some shots, with the geese always moving that bit further away in front of us, they seemed pretty jumpy. Chris digiscoped, I took some with my camera at full zoom and tried a bit of digiscoping, but mine were all rubbish. The results are below.





 My efforts are above, which hopefully show the goose well. The smaller bird in the top two photos with the bottom photo showing the bird with its wings open.

Chris's digiscoped shot shows the bird far better.

copyright Chris Orders
Lots of birders were there looking at this bird, all happy in 'ticking' it as a wild bird. I think the debate will carry on as to whether it is a wild bird or not, with the final say going to the BOU. An interesting article about this bird and other Lesser Canada Geese can be found HERE, just scroll down to the section referring to this bird, you may find it interesting reading. Whatever the outcome, it was good to see the bird and until otherwise notified, it's on my list! (Sorry if this offends anyone) A short video (using my camera) of the bird swimming is below.


Whilst we were in Norfolk we visited Titchwell, although on a windy, cold day with squally showers, it wasn't the greatest place on earth. We saw a rather strange Golden Plover amongst the flock, almost completely white and an adult Yellow-legged Gull, but other than that, just the normal waders and Marsh Harriers.

copyright Chris Orders
We left whilst being treated to a lovely sunset.

copyright Chris Orders

14 comments:

  1. I'm always somewhat bemused by things like this.
    To my mind a bird is a bird, and should be accepted for its beauty and individuality; like people.
    We have a few various birds here that some 'birders' just would not count. Even the good old Canada Goose by some.

    All the best for 2013

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Couldn't agree with you more Keith! It's the worst side of the birding/twitching world, sometimes I wonder why I bother! We think nothing of 'ticking' Canada Geese and Mandarin Ducks, but these all tend to be feral birds.
      Hope 2013 brings you everything you wish for!
      J

      Delete
  2. Its a different bird that you can say you have seen and thats good enough for me John.
    In my ignorance, if I had seen it I would have put it down to being a Canada/ Barnacle cross, which shows the extreme limitations of my birding ID skills.{:))

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. To be quite truthful Roy, it's not that easy to pick out from a flock of Canada Geese as they vary in size with some females being quite small!
      I have it on my list, but may take it off and put it in reserve!
      J

      Delete
  3. I don't get that involved John. A hobby is just that and I go my own sweet (or otherwise) way. I just enjoy and appreciate all the birds which come to my garden.
    Best wishes for 2013 to you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks John, the same to you.
      I wish I didn't, I try to not take it too seriously, but get drawn in, although I am not as precious about such things as some people.
      J

      Delete
  4. Happy New Year John. I think you nicely put the debate in perspective. It's clearly different to the 'Canada's'. As to whether or not to have on your list it's whatever you are comfortable with. Some people are far to up themselves and serious. I know there is an academic side to these things which I respect but the majority of us are having fun.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Mike, Happy New Year to you too.
      Couldn't agree more, some people take it far too seriously! As I said above, I have now taken it off my main list, but am keeping it in reserve, don't want to be accused of bumping my list up by using 'dodgy' birds! ;)
      J

      Delete
  5. Hello John. My cousin lives in Vancouver and she told me that the City Authorities, who consider the Canada Goose to be a 'nuisance', once boxed up thousands of them and sent them, at great expense, to Banff or somewhere a long way off. They all immediately flew back to Vancouver! Ha, ha!
    Click here for Bazza’s Blog ‘To Discover Ice’

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Bazza,
      Happy New Year to you!
      I think you call that 'irony', don't you? ;)
      J

      Delete
  6. As far as I'm concerned a bird's a bird John. I can't be doing with all this 'plastic' nonsense....birding snobbery I think. That is why I am always put off when I see a clique of twitchers, they usually seem to be trying to get one up on each other...I avoid them like the plague ;-) Well done on seeing it anyway, I suspect I wouldn't have realised what I was looking at.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jan,
      Happy New Year!
      I must admit that I get a bit fed up with it sometimes, people get far too serious about this sort of thing, especially the really die hard twitchers.
      I hope that you wouldn't avoid me if you saw me at a twitch! ;)
      J

      Delete
  7. Dear John,
    seeing such a beautiful sunset; the suspense of "chasing" the birds, fresh air - it sounds jolly good to me. And the discussion of the connoisseurs - they remind me of those ultra-knowing wine-experts - something I do not even try to understand, while well knowing which wine I like. To me those Marsh Harriers look lovely!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Britta,
      Happy New Year!
      It was good to get out in the open air after the Christmas festivities! It was also good to see the specific goose, regardless of its' credentials!
      I think you mean the Golden Plovers, haven't got any shots of Marsh Harriers. :)
      J

      Delete

Thank you for taking the time to comment on my humble blog.