ML46309221

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

While birding along Welch Rd in search of the Bohemian Waxwings that had been seen in the previous days, I noticed a large goose flock (mostly dusky Canada Geese with some Cackling mixed in) in the distance. I turned my scope and began to look through them, and noticed two lighter colored birds. I ID'd them as juvenile Greater White-fronted Geese, but something seemed different about them. I took some photos through my scope at full power at this distance (about 1km away). Here is one: I almost just dismissed them as juvenile Greater White-fronted Geese from this distant look, but I decided to go find a closer vantage point. I'm really glad I did!! I literally told my Mom in the car, "I'd like to get closer to the flock. There's two birds in there that are probably just juvenile Greater White-fronted Geese but who knows, they could some mega rarity!". Down from Lochside Drive off of Dooly Rd, the flock was quite close. Once at this location, I immediately spotted the birds in my scope. When I saw them, I couldn't believe it. Pink-footed Geese!! My heart starting beating like crazy. All of a sudden, the whole flock took off, and I snapped photos with my camera as they left. Thankfully, they circled around and landed back where they were before. I quickly relocated the two Pink-footed Geese, and sent the word out to the birding community. I spent some more time watching them and photographing them until I had to leave for the ferry to Vancouver, just as the first birders from Victoria were arriving to see the birds. Obviously, provenance is a big question with a bird as unusual as this. Pink-footed Geese nest in Iceland, Greenland and Svalbard, and winter in parts Europe. They are a vagrant to northeastern North America in winter. There is one other pacific coast record, from Grays Harbor, Washington, of two birds that stayed from November 2003 to January 2004. That record was very controversial, and was not accepted by the Washington Bird Records Committee, however that was at a time when Pink-footed Geese were a much more unusual vagrant to North America. Here are some notes as to why I think these could potentially be of wild origin: -Pink-footed Geese are rare in captivity in North America (Page 49 the Rare Birds of North America by Steve Howell). As of now, no captive birds are known in BC or WA. -Pink-footed Goose numbers have greatly increased in recent years, resulting in more vagrants to North America. -This is one of the best years (if not the best) we've ever seen for the number of vagrant Pink-footed Geese in North America. -these birds are with a large flock of migratory geese, including many Dusky Canada Geese (some of which are neck-banded) and many Cackling Geese (not the city park geese escapees often end up with). -The entire flock, including the Pink-footed Geese are wary of predators such as eagles -Pink-footed Geese are very capable flyers- if a Purple Sandpiper can end up in Victoria, why can't a Pink-footed Goose? Reasons to believe these are not wild birds and are escapees: -It's a long way for a Pink-footed Goose that nests in Iceland, Greenland or Svalbard to fly to Victoria. -There is only one west coast record (Grays Harbor, WA), and although very controversial, it was not accepted. -There is a chance that someone keeps geese like these in captivity somewhere. It will be interesting to see how this plays out!

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

ISO

1000

Focal length

560 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/8.0

Shutter speed

1/320 sec

Dimensions

1500 pixels x 1000 pixels

Original file size

590.94 KB