[MASSBIRD] Family of Brant in Bourne

[Mary Keleher]

Yesterday, 2/27, I spent a few hours birding in Bourne. The most interesting sighting to me was an obvious family of Brant, 2 adults and 2 young, which were almost half the size of the 2 adults. One of the adults showed some aggressive behavoir towards any other Brant that came too close to the family, frequently stretching out its neck and head at the other Brant. This behavoir can be seen towards the end of the video I recorded. Below is a link to the video and several photos.

After checking several references I discovered that families of Brant can stay together during the winter months. Maybe others have experienced seeing a family of Brant before but this was a first for me. I would have never expected to see a family of Brant in Bourne on the second to last day of February.

Photos of Brant family. Click slideshow for larger images. http://www.flickr.com/photos/26056276@N07/sets/72157614439830117/

Video of Brant Family. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s20MOlO7x1A

Location: Bourne, Barnstable County, MA, US
Observation date: 2/27/09
Number of species: 45

Brant 23
Canada Goose 92
Mute Swan 6
Gadwall 6
American Wigeon 6
American Black Duck 90
Mallard 78
Ring-necked Duck 15
Greater/Lesser Scaup 36
Common Eider 1200
Long-tailed Duck 3
Bufflehead 85
Common Goldeneye 42
Red-breasted Merganser 10
Common Loon 1
Horned Grebe 13
Accipiter sp. 1
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Rock Pigeon 40
Mourning Dove 5
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 3
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 8
American Crow 40
Black-capped Chickadee 47
Tufted Titmouse 21
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Carolina Wren 8
Hermit Thrush 2
American Robin 8
European Starling 28
American Tree Sparrow 3
Field Sparrow 8
Song Sparrow 23
White-throated Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco 16
Northern Cardinal 11
Red-winged Blackbird 3
House Finch 11
Pine Siskin 3
American Goldfinch 2
House Sparrow X

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Mary Keleher
Mashpee, MA  
Cape Cod Bird Club
www.massbird.org/ccbc      

[Glenn d'Entremont]

This is fascinating. ALL young geese in MA at this time of year (late February) should be fully grown from a size perspective. The juvenile plumage seems to be fresher than "normal" in MA. So, do we have a "local" nesting? Or does this represent a really late successful nesting in normal range? Or farther south of normal range? Given the extreme winter here and to our north, it would seem out of the question for a late successful nesting in normal range.

Or are these just runts?

Sibley's shows the juvenile plumage as "Aug-Nov". It also states first summer plumage as "May-Jul". So what is the natural variation timing of these plumages? In other words, are these birds in a plumage which is normal in timing and extent?

Questions to ponder.

Glenn

Glenn d'Entremont: gdentr...@comcast.net Stoughton, MA