While Steve is correct that wintering geese are often highly mobile, traveling large distances between roosting lakes and feeding grounds throughout each winter, I know of four additional birds at two additional sites that have shown strong sight fidelity. I have documented the return of a recognizable individual Cackling Goose and an associated Canada (possible mate?) at Hendrickson Park in Nassau for four winters now. Many Brooklyn borders are familiar of course with the pair of Brant x Snow Goose hybrids (affectionately dubbed “Bro Geese”) at Canarsie Pier. There are exceptions to every rule!
Cheers! -Tim H > On Dec 31, 2019, at 4:12 PM, Steve Walter <swalte...@verizon.net> wrote: > > I have to disagree in the case of wintering geese. I don’t keep tabs on every > rare goose that turns up on Long Island. I best remember those on the western > part of the island, especially those that I’ve photographed. Looking at my > records of photographed rarities (and even Snow Geese in unusual places), and > to the best of my recollection otherwise, I can’t find examples of geese that > have returned to the same site in a following winter – but for one exception. > This was the believed to be Brant – Cackling Goose hybrid that returned to > Flushing Meadows for many years. What’s more, it appears to me that geese > will relocate during the same winter. Lots of examples of rarities first > appearing at a site in mid-winter, while others disappear. > > That said, it should be expected that in highly favored congregation points – > a Belmont Lake for example – more total geese would lead to a greater chance > of a same rare species reoccurrence (which might or might not be the same > individual). > > One could also pay attention to banded Canada Geese. I sort of do, but I > don’t have well organized records to refer to at the moment. > > > Steve Walter > -- > NYSbirds-L List Info: > Welcome and Basics > Rules and Information > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > Archives: > The Mail Archive > Surfbirds > ABA > Please submit your observations to eBird! > -- -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
