Ross's Goose (2) and Snow Goose (4) were present, and the Ross's came into
view for about one minute at 5:15 PM today, at the Spencer Road pond
sometimes referred to as the old Brooks Nature Club Pond in NE Ross County.
Lighting was poor and viewing was distant but I lit them up with a Swarovski
20-60 zoom getting good comparison views with nearby Canada geese of several
sizes (more on that later) and blue phase Snow geese during the brief
observation interval. The diminutive Ross's were white phase and their round
heads and petite bills contrasted sharply in profile with nearby Snow geese.
Hints of color suggested flesh-pink graying toward the base. Both Ross's
appeared identical to me. I was unable to evaluate the grin patch or the
margin of the bill at the side of the head. The Ross's swam into view from
out of sight in the narrow shallow pool at the south end of the pond. Almost
immediately the Ross's hopped to the bank and took flight with a hundred
plus Canada Geese as a truck pulled into the nearby barn access road.



These are undoubtedly the same geese recently reported by Jay Lehman and
reportedly first discovered during the Kingston CBC. I looked for these
birds twice Wednesday without success. Today I was lucky-they came into
sight due to the truck driving in then took flight on very narrow white with
black-primaries wings a few moments later for the same reason.



After the initial flight of Canada's, Snow's, and Ross's there remained
about 150 Canada Geese. I scanned them soon finding two, side-by-side,
diminutive 'Canada's' with petite bills reminiscent of the Ross's, and with
darker breasts than nearby larger geese (some small and short-necked
Canada's but still large compared to the two in question). I think these two
were Cackling's but I'm not listing them yet-back again to the pond as soon
as I can get away during better light.



Tom Bain

The Glaciated Allegheny Plateau

Chillicothe, Ross County




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