1st Round

2nd Round

08/09/2009
Darren Clark--Accept

The written description is good and the photographs help support the identification of the bird as Cackling Goose.

10/05/2009
Darren Clark--Accept

Same comments as before

9 August 2009
Hardy--Reject, specific identification not established

Too large for minima - only race identifiable in field as CACG.

6 September 2009
Hardy--Reject, specific identification not established

This is an interesting record; the apparent steep forehead certainly is suggestive of a CACG, but the perspective angle appears odd in addition to the size of the bird being apparently in the overlap between CACG and CANG.

08-10-2009
Sturts--Accept

The description and photo fit that of the Cacklng Goose.

08-26-2009
Sturts--Accept

I'm still convinced.

08-10-2009
Dave Trochlell--Accept

Although I don't know which subspecies this goose was, I'm convinced it was a Cackling Goose.

08-23-2009
Dave Trochlell--Accept

I'm not sure which subspecies of Cackling Goose this is, but the description is quite thorough, and the image clearly shows the Cackling Goose head, bill, and body structure. I'm convinced.

8-12-09
Carlisle--Accept

convincing description & photo

9-27-09
Carlisle--Accept

no change from 1st round

08-15-2009
chuck trost--Accept

The bill shape looks good to me, and the description is quite adequate.

09-18-2009
chuck trost--Accept

The head and bill shape still look adequate to me.

08-17-2009
Doug Ward--Accept

Both the description and photograph are sufficient for me to accept.

09-08-2009
Doug Ward--Accept

As the numerous records of Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) triggered a fair amount of discussion on suitable criteria for acceptance by the IBRC, I decided to reassess this record which I thought was fairly straight forward based on the description (particularly of head and bill structure) and the accompanying photograph. After considering the various points made by committee members in general, and specifically considering what I thought was an excellent species account in ABA’s North American Birds (“Distribution and Identification of Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) Subspecies”; Vol. 62(?): 344–360), I’m standing by my initial accept vote. While these birds were not B.h. minima, and very likely B.h. hutchinsii, they were indeed Cackling Geese.