Ross' Goose

At 23 inches in length the Ross's Goose is obviously the smaller species as seen beside the 28 inch long Snow Goose. Both species breed in the Actic tundra, and a few of the much more rare Ross's may be observed amongst the flocks of thousands of Snow Geese at such wintering grounds. The birds above were part of large flock (several thousand birds), working through the rows of stubble in the expanses of harvested corn fields which cover chunks of such wildlife refuges. In such a place the birds can find relative safety, as they move from the open water of a protected lake, to the refuge fields. Protected wintering grounds are crucial to such birds' survival. Such gatherings of geese, draw much interest. The refuge is surrounded by private land, and much of this is either owned or leased by hunt clubs. There blinds seem to ring the fringe of the refuge, all with openings sighting the sky towards the goose who would cross the canal, cross the boundary, and perhaps find the pot. Those above on this day, found corn, a last feed before a flight to the open water of Pungo Lake. The mp3 file which loads with this page, is of the flock, as it forages on the remaining ears of corn, and rotates from the back of the flock, from the corn grazed areas, to the head of the flock--to the ungrazed area.

Imagine a place or a time when such a place would exist, a place as open to the sky as it was the day the first europeans set eyes upon it. Imagine a place so tangled and choked by scrub and vegetation, that only a canoe would provide limited access. Imagine above this, a spectacle of 70,000 brilliant white and black geese, spiraling against the winter sky in a cacauphony, there honks heard at distance, above the low rumble of wings, aggregating in a droan or a roar. Imagine such a flock coming and going, the silence interspersed between moments of chaos.
Imagine seeing with wide eyes on a bright winter day, the largest birds you had ever seen, 30,000 white swans in lines and Vs of dozens of birds,flying from a lake blocked from view. Majestic, and bugling as they fly from the horizon, to just a few yards above your head-- so close you can hear there lungs working, muscles and feathers pumping against the chilled air, whistling wings plaintive honks to family members filter through the wind, as they move group after group, past you and towards the horizon again. Imagine standing in that place for hours, in the morning, and then if you'd like again in the afternoon and evening to view the return, Imagine, or visit Pungo Lake--an amazing place..

Pungo Lake Ross's Goose (make that geese!)
in with many snow geese.
11 January 2009 1700hrs
Canon XTi, Sigma 170-500 @ 500mm
(the bird is landing, in the bottom right quadrant) Photo by David Ross
theBirdZoo.com homepage

   I was shooting (photographing) lots of snow geese in poor light at the Pungo Lake Unit of Pocosin Lakes NWR. Upon reviewing the shots later, there was this small surprise amongst many snow geese.
   There are a few in this series--non great. But looks like a pretty good Ross's Goose to me. Will Cook actually noticed the second one--or at least its head through the legs of a bigger brethren also landing lower left.
   It was in a flock congregating in the first large cornfield in the refuge, visible from the blacktop before the road goes to dirt with the right angle jog on D-Canal.
   These shots were taken parallel to the asphalt road, a half mile from the maintenance facility. The geese were congregating in a large flock of several thousand birds. They were working the corn stubble, sort of rolling from the back flying and alighting in the front. The flock worked closer and closer towards the minivan. The birds would then jump the narrow canals separating the fields.
    The geese, and a few Tundra Swans, were spending some of their time on the green fields closer to the maintenance building as well.
dlrossjr @ gmail. com.