Today at about 1:00 PM I finally caught up with the Ross's Goose that
everyone else has seen but which had led me on a merry chase. It was
with a flock of about 30 Canadas in the parking lot of Bellflower
Elementary School on Rt. 306 in Mentor. Although the Canadas liked to
keep it at a distance and charged it several times, the bird seemed
relaxed, if a tad shy. Still, I was able to get field-filling views from
the car with my 8-power binoculars and did not need to break out the
scope. I was able to see the bird feed, and I noticed that it picked
daintily at the tops of the grass. (If memory serves, a behavioral
characteristic that can be useful in separating Ross's when mixed with
Snow Geese is that the Snows often dig at the roots of grasses and tend
to get their heads muddy, whereas the Ross's do not.)

At about 3:00 PM, while out on other errands, I passed by Lincoln
Electric on Rt. 2 and noticed a white bird in the middle of a flock of
Canadas there. I can't be certain, but I am pretty sure it was the
Ross's again---the distance would only be about 2 or 3 miles, as the
goose flies.

I also wanted to pass along an update on the Cattle Egret that was near
my apartment on Tamarac Blvd in Willoughby earlier this week. I have not
seen the bird since Tuesday morning, and it may well have moved on,
although I will keep watching to see if it reappears.

Happy birding to all,

Ray Hunziker

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