Rare Bird Report 34-B-08
IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM
SPECIES: Cackling Goose
HOW MANY: one
REPORTER: Terry Gray 890 Stefany Ln Moscow ID 83843-0635 208-882-1585
REPORTER EMAIL: clgtlg@moscow.com
OTHER OBSERVERS: Terry Gray First discovered by Charles Swift a couple weeks earlier.
DATE REPORT PREPARED: 12/8/2008
DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED: October 22, 2008
LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION: Moscow, Idaho. University of Idaho Dairy Ponds in northwest Moscow.
HABITAT: Large Pond
CONDITIONS: Late morning with clear skies and light wind, sun overhead to the south. Nocks, spotting scope and 15x times 2 digital camera.
DID YOU TAKE NOTES?: Yes, later the same day
DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?: Yes, later the same day
WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?: The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western Norht America.
DESCRIPTION: Cackling Goose Not sure of the sub species
BEHAVIOR: Did not hear this bird vocalize. Bird was swimming around on this pond with other larger Canada Geese and Mallards. Did not observe this bird in flight.
HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU? This bird was very small in comparison to the Canada Geese it was with and just slightly larger than the Mallards. Bird had a very short neck and small squarred off head and extremely short bill. Looked to have a dark breast depending on the light with no bright white line between the black neck and the breast. Obvious that it was much smaller as you will see from my photos.
HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY? Overall size of the bird in comparison with the Western Canada Geese and Mallards near by and the smallness of the head and short stubby bill.
EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES): I have filled out at least 3 other rare bird reports on this species since 2004.
GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: 10 years and feel very confident in my bird identification skills for this species.
WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: Photo
