November 27th, 2005. Castle Hill Farm fields, Newtown, CT.
| Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis. Juvenile molting to first-winter.
| Found by Larry Fischer of Newtown, CT.
|
Latest comments: Magnus
Hellström of the Swedish Rare Birds Committee had commented as follows;
“I agree, the bird is most probably a 1st autumn bird. The presence of
active moult at this time of the year is highly suggestive of a
juvenile (adults moult complete in late summer, and partial
pre-breeding in late winter), and wing coverts seems to have a faint
brown wash (contrasting to the mantle/scapulars). The mantle/scapulars
seems to show two distinctly different generations of feathers. The
blackish ones with prominent white tips are of adult type, and I think
you could safely call the duller/browner ones juvenile.
I believe I would make the same assumption as you: the darker (rear) flank feathers could be explaind by ongoing moult...
I would accept this as a bird in first-winter plumage!”.
| This
young Barnacle Goose was found on farmland near Newtown, CT. It appeared
to be favoring one particular corn stubble field though I had to wait a
while for it to eventually fly in from the East. The bird was with a
flock of Canada Geese, several of which were wearing neck bands (which I
read and noted). Hopefully some feedback on the band numbers will give
an indication as to the origins of at least part of the flock. Also of
interest in the same field, a Greater White-fronted Goose, race uncertain, with 4 hybrid
young. Looking at the hybrid young, the other parent was almost
certainly a Canada Goose.
The Barnacle Goose
appeared wild in all respects. It was free-flying and not carrying
bands on the legs or neck, with no obvious damage to the flight
feathers. On the ground, the bird did seem to have a slight limp.
Plumage features would suggest that the scapulars were new and adult
like, whilst much of the rest of the plumage was juvenile. (See the
captioned image below).
November would be a highly
favorable month to discover a vagrant Arctic goose in New England. The
age of this bird could also be an indicator of a wild origin, and a
candidate genuine vagrancy.
| | Taken using Canon Powershot A-95 through Swarovski telescope. |
|
