What Kind of Goose did I see ?

Okay...I just can't take it any longer..."flock of herons", ferchrissake...f:P:

Herons (which don't travel in flocks) fly with their necks coiled in to their bodies, so they look like short-necked birds with huge goiters when they are up overhead. Cranes do fly together in groups, and they hold their necks extended straight out when they are in the air. These two species are easy to distinguish in flight with the naked eye, even from huge distances.

My wife and I have been birders for decades, and we've accumulated lots of bird guidebooks. Quite often we give them away, usually to people we meet who express an interest in birds on their property but can't tell a heron from a hedgehog. Sometimes these are underpriviledged city kids who have never experienced contact with nature and don't have a clue what they're looking at.

Two-dogs, sorry, bud, but you seem to fall into both categories at once! :) Looking at birds is one of the most relaxing and stress-relieving pasttimes there is...I have literally never met anyone who turns into "a bundle of nerves" from watching birds. You, sir, have broken the mold.

PM me your mailing address, and a used-but-not-abused field guide will be winging its way towards you in a day or so. It will allow you to identify just about any North American bird, complete with colour pictures, maps and detailed descriptions.

Hopefully it will help you relax. If nothing else, it'll save you some ammo! :):rolleyes:
 
I think what I saw on the pond that day was probably what they call a Giant Canada Goose, never heard of them until just the other day, a dude on CJOB radio was talking about them. Apparently they are much much larger than a Canada goose. They don't go as far south as other geese and they go south earlier than the others. He said you often hear golfers talk about this giant goose that they saw on the green!
Anyone heard of these giant canada's?


EDIT: What I saw was a very large bird, looked like a goose, was mostly black with what I think was white rings around it. What I remember was black-white-black-white-black-white all along the body length. It lifted off as soon as it saw me (my head and shoulders) come up over the ring dike.
 
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jjohnwm said:
Okay...I just can't take it any longer..."flock of herons", ferchrissake...f:P:

Herons (which don't travel in flocks) fly with their necks coiled in to their bodies, so they look like short-necked birds with huge goiters when they are up overhead. Cranes do fly together in groups, and they hold their necks extended straight out when they are in the air. These two species are easy to distinguish in flight with the naked eye, even from huge distances.

My wife and I have been birders for decades, and we've accumulated lots of bird guidebooks. Quite often we give them away, usually to people we meet who express an interest in birds on their property but can't tell a heron from a hedgehog. Sometimes these are underpriviledged city kids who have never experienced contact with nature and don't have a clue what they're looking at.

Two-dogs, sorry, bud, but you seem to fall into both categories at once! :) Looking at birds is one of the most relaxing and stress-relieving pasttimes there is...I have literally never met anyone who turns into "a bundle of nerves" from watching birds. You, sir, have broken the mold.

PM me your mailing address, and a used-but-not-abused field guide will be winging its way towards you in a day or so. It will allow you to identify just about any North American bird, complete with colour pictures, maps and detailed descriptions.

Hopefully it will help you relax. If nothing else, it'll save you some ammo! :):rolleyes:
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PM sent and thank you very kindly in advance. The info and pics will be greatly appreciated. As well as the ammo savings and relaxation aid.:)

I kinda wonder though, if it will allow me to relax when I'm looking a long necked ugly fish robbing mudda sucka'n pizzzzzza thieven bird!
 
two-dogs said:
I think what I saw on the pond that day was probably what they call a Giant Canada Goose, never heard of them until just the other day, a dude on CJOB radio was talking about them. Apparently they are much much larger than a Canada goose. They don't go as far south as other geese and they go south earlier than the others. He said you often hear golfers talk about this giant goose that they saw on the green!

Anyone heard of these giant canada's?
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They are very common and widespread and can reach weights in the wild up to about 14 pounds. They are not fish eaters as a general rule! If they are coming to your pond in all likelihood its for water and resting! Btw most of the RESIDENT Canada Geese (the ones that breed and reside) in southen ontario, the northern US, Great Lakes and across the prairie pothole regions are Giant Canadas. I could not begin to count how many I have harvested over the years?

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Canada_Goose/lifehistory
 
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the spank said:
Maybe one with clipped wings and penned up being raised domestically but in the wild not happening. Thats pure L.P. Brezny tall tales of Minnesota honkers. He's also the outdoor writer who endorses 110 yard wingshooting!!

You have to start taking pictures two-dogs. Good quality detailed pictures! Your descriptions could be anything from a cormorant to a vw beetle!
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Ummmm. Ever hunted in James Bay? I have. The wild 20 pound bird exists!
 
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