ML50271501

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

I'm glad I ran into Marj earlier today when I did because I only had a few minutes to get a couple of documentary photos of this beautiful, pristine looking goose before some idiotic and inconsiderate dog owners let their dog off leash so it could run across the field and put up a couple hundred geese. The dog morowners (my intentional marriage of the words moron and owners) were only 20 feet to my left and could clearly see I was photographing the flock. I scolded them as the birds took flight and they replied back they were sorry. Luckily the geese set down on the pond with about a 100 geese that we already in the water. After walking a short distance to get better lighting, I was able to get a few distant photos of the Ross's Goose before another unleashed dog ran out onto the far extending point, which put up a small group of 8 geese, that unfortunately included the Ross's Goose, which then left the area. Thanks to Marj and Jason for the heads up on this Ross's Goose. Diagnostic characteristics observed indicating this as a Ross's Goose and not a Snow Goose were the following: a rounded head was seen versus the elongated head of a Snow Goose, there was a lack of a distinctive grin patch (Snow Geese have significant bevelling between opposing tomia (the cutting edge of the mandibles) surfaces, short stubby bill with grayish coloration at the base in conjunction with a high amount of vertical feathering at the base of the maxilla. Snow Geese have a more elongated bill.

Technical information

Model

COOLPIX P600

ISO

100

Focal length

258 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/6.5

Shutter speed

1/500 sec

Dimensions

1600 pixels x 1200 pixels

Original file size

778.26 KB