What is this goose? [Weld]

The "Nunn Guy"

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Jan 24, 2019, 12:29:49 PM1/24/19

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Hi all

Domestic or hybrid? Photos here:

http://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org/albums/view/65/35th-ave-gravel-pit-ponds-greeley

Thanks Gary Lefko, Nunn

http://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org/

joe.ki...@gmail.com

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Jan 24, 2019, 1:47:11 PM1/24/19

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Hello Gary,

If you look closely at the face of the goose in your photos (especially the photo where the goose is facing sideways), you can see the outline of the "cheek patch" that occurs on Canada and Cackling geese. On an ordinary cackling goose, that patch would be white; on this goose it seems to be a lightish brown which contrasts with the dark color of the rest of the goose. Once you see it, the cheek patch is quite obvious and because of that field mark I would call this goose a melanistic cackling goose. (I'm assuming it's cackling based off of the stubby bill, but lesser Canada is not out of the question.) There have been recent reports of a couple different melanistic cackling geese in Northern Colorado, and the goose you photographed appears very similar to the pictures from those other reports. This is just my opinion, and other people might have different opinions, but I would confidently ID it as a melanistic cackling goose.

Joe Kipper

Fort Collins

DAVID A LEATHERMAN

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Jan 24, 2019, 3:51:14 PM1/24/19

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Joe, Gary, et al,

I have seen a few geese lately, particularly at Milavec Res in Frederick, that appeared oil-stained. That is another possibility with this bird. Feathers look "wet". Without seeing the bird up close, or actually inspecting it in-hand, may be tough to tell which it is for sure, melanism or oil. If aquatic insects land on my blue Honda all the time, thinking it's a pond, I would imagine waterfowl can land in pools of oil thinking they are clean water. Just a thought.

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins

From: cob...@googlegroups.com <cob...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of joe.ki...@gmail.com <joe.ki...@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2019 11:47 AM
To: Colorado Birds
Subject: [cobirds] Re: What is this goose? [Weld]

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Scott

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Jan 24, 2019, 5:21:31 PM1/24/19

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Looks like it is Canada/cackling type goose that is soiled with oil or some such thing.

Scott Rashid

Estes Park

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