What's good for the goose...

More geese today in snowy conditions, primarily Tundra Bean Geese and Russian Whitefronted Geese with a couple of Pink Footed geese thrown in.

Pink feet are, after Lesser Whitefronted, the rarest of the grey geese, but reasonably regular. Still always nice to see. Let's take a moment of silence to pity these poor honkers in that weather. I realize they've been dealing with, likely worse, for millenia, but still...

Pink Footed Goose

The variation in both species of Bean Goose, as I said before, is immense and it's always good to take stock of birds in a flock if you can take the time.

Tundra Bean Goose
A pretty standard Tundra Bean, perhaps a bit more colour in the bill than the classic field guide depiction, but the shape is pretty on target, short, deep based and scowly. The neck is short and the forehead high, lending a square shape.

Run Rabbit, Run Rabbit, Run Run Run.

Photo-bombed Tundra Bean Goose. The deep based bill, particularly the broad base to the lower mandible, also often gives a slight double-chinned jowl effect.

Tundra Bean Goose

Tundra Bean Goose. Alert birds, with the neck out-stretched are most likely to cause confusion with Taiga, especially when a bird is of a longer billed variation like this one. Again, note the grimace, jowl, broad based bill and high forehead giving a square headed impression.

Tundra Bean Goose

This too is a Tundra Bean Goose with extreme colour level in the bill, which is simultaneously on the long side. When the colour pattern differs from the norm it can be difficult to assess the bill structure, particularly the breadth of the lower mandible base relative to the upper mandible.

Tundra Bean Goose

Tundra Bean Goose. This bird could cause problems in terms of head shape, which seems to blend more fluidly into a relatively longer bill. The base is still broad, however, and the grimace effect still in play.

Tundra Bean Goose

Tundra Bean Goose. A standard, grimacing bird, with a normal bill pattern.

Tundra Bean Goose

Tundra Bean Goose. Occasionally you come across a Tundra with a "pinched" bill going on, differing from the more typical "dorito" triangle shape. Again, focusing on the bill base, is key. In these cases the higher forehead often becomes more pronounced, with an obvious step effect.

Tundra Bean Goose

Tundra Bean Goose. Another bird that could potentially cause problems. As the bill goes, it's not bad in terms of length, and the lower mandible base is also on the narrower side. The neck is still pretty short though, and the head shape reasonably typical.

Russian White-fronted Goose

Again, for the life of me, I cannot understand how these are not split yet. Tickity Boo!

Despite the weather, I still managed to come across some fresh migrants, namely my first swallow and tree pipit for the year. 

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