This afternoon (Nov. 8) I saw a classic typical Cackling Goose associating
with Canada Geese near the inland swimming beach at Maumee Bay State Park,
Lucas County.  I actually saw it come in with a flock of about 40 Canadas a
little after 1:30 p.m., and in flight overhead it stood out easily as being
half the size of the other birds, so I went to find the goose flock on the
ground.

According to what Mark Shieldcastle has told me, Cackling Goose should be
regular here in small numbers; but because it was only split from Canada
Goose a couple of years ago, many birders may not have come to grips with
the species yet.  If you go to look for this bird, sifting carefully through
the goose flock on the ground or on the water is a very good exercise in
looking at the amount of variation in Canada Geese, with some being clearly
smaller than others.  But when you hit the real Cackling Goose, it's
strikingly obvious that you have the right bird.  Not only is it much
smaller than any of the Canadas, it's also a different shape, with a short
neck, very small squarish head, and very short stubby bill.  This individual
is very pale-chested and has a subtle grayish tone to the body plumage.

Brian Zwiebel had reported a possible Cackling here on Nov. 4 and I suspect
this was the same bird.  There were also a couple of Greater White-fronted
Geese at Maumee Bay over the weekend; I didn't happen to see those birds
today, but they could still be in the area, as the geese move around during
the day (as evidenced by the fact that I saw the Cackling Goose arriving
from elsewhere).

I didn't have time to check out the wooded areas at Maumee Bay today, but
between the inland swimming beach and the Lake Erie beach I saw a few other
birds of interest, including one Greater Yellowlegs, about 25 Forster's
Terns, at least 2000 Ring-billed Gulls with just a handful of Herring and
Bonaparte's Gulls, and a flock of about 60 Snow Buntings.

Kenn Kaufman
Rocky Ridge, Ohio

______________________________________________________________________

Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.

You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]