I would like to thank everyone who provided input over the last couple of days.
I was able to access all the resources recommended and came up with some
interesting information. One thing I think bears repeating is Kevin McGowan's
statement about any of our bird records. If we don't report them and they are
never reviewed, basically they don't exist. When particularly exciting events
occur as happened in Orange County this past week, we want to make sure that
years from now it is part of a documented history of these birds. If it isn't,
it becomes just another story. Here is what I came up with. Please note the
previous record of Blue-morph Ross's Goose. If I have missed something, I
apologize. Additional information is welcome if you have something to add.
John Haas
Historical High Record Counts in New York State:
Greater White-fronted Goose:
- 13 Braddock Bay , Monroe County, 6-13 March 1980 Bull’s Birds of NYS
- 12 Orange County Black Dirt Region, 4 March 2011 JH, RS
- 11 Miller Place, Suffolk County 5 April 1883 Bull’s Birds of NYS
- 9 Iroquois NWR 28 November 2010 JM Sub ebird
Ross’s Goose:
- 9 MNWR, 24 October 2008 TJ record ebird ( not submitted to
NYSARC)
- 5 MNWR 18 November 2006 TJ record Kingbird (not submitted to NYSARC)
- 5 Orange County 6 March 2011 TB, JH, RS ,CM, many obs. Sub ebird
Ross’s Goose (blue morph):
- 1 Hudson River, Town of Ft. Edward 30 March 1997 WGE. Accepted
NYSARC
- 1 Orange County 5-6 March 2011 CM, JH, TB, RS KM many obs. Sub ebird
Greater White-fronted Goose - I had several references from people referring to
13 birds at Montezuma somewhere between 2-4 years ago, but I could find no data
to support this. Ebird’s highest count is 9 (as noted above) and I could find
no NYSARC report, but it is no longer a review species. Kingbird had no
reference to this sighting.
Ross’s Goose - the above records were all I could find on high counts. The Bar
graph in ebird shows two records of 9 birds, one in early October (above) and
one in early December which I could find no record of in any of my resources.
It may be possible that since the total was the same, the “high count” records
may only show the first one recorded. All other records I found of Ross’s
Goose included a few of two birds, one of three birds and all others of one
bird.
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NYSbirds-L List Info:
http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME
http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES
ARCHIVES:
1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html
2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html
3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L
Please submit your observations to eBird:
http://ebird.org/content/ebird/
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