[EBB Sightings] Cackling Geese @ Arrowhead

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I went to Arrowhead to see the Clappers, and also found my first instance of 
having to deal with the Canada Goose split.   Four different types of geese 
were in the fields adjacent to the rail area (west of the last parking lot): 
Greater White-Fronted, Canada(~36" long, big bill, pale breast), and two ssp of 
Cackling.   One was the size of the white-fronts, with small bill and some 
variation in breast color, most somewhat darker than the Canadas, and the second 
ssp was tiny and gray, with flanks and mantle nearly the same color.   I'm 
pretty sure this was minima, or "Cackling" Cackling Goose, though I saw no purple 
sheen on the breast.   None of the birds had the notable neck rings of 
leucoparia, though two birds had partial or weak ones, and I don't yet know how to 
tell the difference between the two larger ssp of Cackling. 
David Sibley has a site about this issue 
(www.sibleyguides.com/canada_cackling.htm) with a lot of written description, but no drawings, and he cautions 
that too little is known yet to differentiate all of the subspecies from each 
other, and even the largest and smallest ssp on each side of the new split.

A photographer was already on one Clapper Rail when I arrived, and we found 
two more birds in good view.   A young Peregrine flew over, and on the way 
home, I stopped at L Merritt and finally found the female Tufted Duck nearly at my 
feet just south of the Nature Center.   For three years I've made a few 
attempts each winter to find this bird, with no luck until today.

Brian Fitch

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eva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" SIZE=3D"2">I went to Arrowhead to see the Clappers=
, and also found my first instance of having to deal with the Canada Goose s=
plit.   Four different types of geese were in the fields adjacent to th=
e rail area (west of the last parking lot): Greater White-Fronted, Canada(~3=
6" long, big bill, pale breast), and two ssp of Cackling.   One was the=
 size of the white-fronts, with small bill and some variation in breast colo=
r, most somewhat darker than the Canadas, and the second ssp was tiny and gr=
ay, with flanks and mantle nearly the same color.   I'm pretty sure thi=
s was minima, or "Cackling" Cackling Goose, though I saw no purple sheen on=20=
the breast.   None of the birds had the notable neck rings of leucopari=
a, though two birds had partial or weak ones, and I don't yet know how to te=
ll the difference between the two larger ssp of Cackling. 

David Sibley has a site about this issue (www.sibleyguides.com/canada_cackli=
ng.htm) with a lot of written description, but no drawings, and he cautions=20=
that too little is known yet to differentiate all of the subspecies from eac=
h other, and even the largest and smallest ssp on each side of the new split=
.

A photographer was already on one Clapper Rail when I arrived, and we found=20=
two more birds in good view.   A young Peregrine flew over, and on the=20=
way home, I stopped at L Merritt and finally found the female Tufted Duck ne=
arly at my feet just south of the Nature Center.   For three years I've=
 made a few attempts each winter to find this bird, with no luck until today=
.

Brian Fitch

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