Subspecies: gambelli/sponsa (Western)
Adult. From time to time unexpected water birds show up in the park. Looks like a wild bird. Probably too early in the year to be a spontaneous migrant from this years southbound movement, but perhaps a bird that didn't move north last spring.
Subspecies: gambelli/sponsa (Western)
The American birds seem to be darker than the European ones.
1354 (1 photos) 2011-10-17 Unknown locality, Scania, Sweden
Subspecies: albifrons
3 adults with black belly marks and two young birds without them.
1355 (1 photos) 2011-10-17 Unknown locality, Scania, Sweden
Subspecies: albifrons
Lone adult.
1359 (1 photos) 2012-11-01 Presa La Colorada, El Llano, Aguascalientes (Agu), Mexico
Subspecies: sponsa
A regular but scarce species in Aguas during winter.
2547 (4 photos) 2017-11-23 La Paz, Baja California Sur (Bcs), Mexico
Subspecies: gambelli/sponsa (Western)
4 adult birds. Long timers in the area though I hadn't heard about them when I found them. At the sewer plant. Also one of the common rarities in the area.
2567 (2 photos) 2018-03-10 Highway 200 north of Campo Acosta, Tomatlán, Jalisco (Jal), Mexico
Subspecies: sponsa
Young bird with limited white shield. Unusual observation here close to the coast of Jalisco and my first in the state. Was alone among all the other waterbirds in a small pond along the highway.
Subspecies: gambelli/sponsa (Western)
Second calendar year. With the brownish juvenile looking patches the bird must be a 2cy with black belly markings starting to develop. An unusual record at this time of year. Perhaps a bird that decided not to migrate north this year, or was left behind unable to.
Subspecies: albifrons
Two adult birds. Probably a pair. Interesting to see how irregular the breast banding is from side to side on especially the bird in picture 1, 3 and 5.
The birds were foraging right next to the road, perhaps after having just arrived from Sweden. As you can sense they were not too happy with the attention I gave them, so even though I tried to keep a distance they eventually took off disappearing low behind the nears buildings.
Subspecies: albifrons
Two adults with white fronts and well-developed black belly patches. Same birds as 3206.
So they lingered on after all. The huge lawns probably being a too big temptation to resist, despite of the vast traffic of people and dogs.
This time, though, the birds were not flushed by me nor a notoriously inconsiderate dog walker, but by a small dark helicopter coming from the airport. The present gulls also took flight, but they all responded instinctively when it was still far away, and small looking, why I guess they took it for a fast approaching raptor on attack.
Visiting the place days after there were no signs of the geese. They probably continued their journey as a cooler northeastern wind made the temperature drop several degrees.
Subspecies: [albifrons]
Young bird, 2cy. Aged by lack of black belly markings and little white in the head.
This was a lone bird among some hundred Barnacle Geese. Interesting to notice that it was the same size as the Barnacles, making it very small for its species, more like a Lesser White-fronted.