Vermont Rare Bird Reports 2023

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Partly cloudy, light wind

Nikon 82mm FieldScope; 25-60x zoom eyepiece

I've seen this species multiple times, including last year in Addison County and in 2011 when I found NH's first state record of this species.

Flooded farm field containing lots of geese and ducks (AMWI, NOPI, GWTE, WODU, GADW) as well as a massive mixed flock of blackbirds and grackles.

Only seen in flight. It was flying with one CAGO and they both circled the field low (approximately 20' off the ground) before flying farther NW behind a tree line where there were additional fields with more CAGO. I watched the bird in the scope for about 15 seconds; once i was confident in the ID, and it became apparent it was going to land, I went to grab my camera in the car but it was too late to get a doc shot.

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Was scanning multiple flocks of Canada Geese (CAGO) flying in, and as I panned across, I came across this bird flying with another CAGO directly in front of it. I noticed its brown neck and smaller size, and immediately knew I had something good. Initial possibilities I considered while watching it included Greater White-fronted Goose, Pink Footed Goose, and Bean Goose. Afterwards I also considered a domesticated barnyard goose. See notes below.

Obviously a goose with longish neck, broad wings, and similar shape to the accompanying Canada Goose . Definitely smaller than the CAGO, but I didn't notice it well enough to give an exact estimate of how much smaller.

From my notes taken immediately after observing the bird: "brownish/gray neck that got darker towards the head." In hindsight, I'd describe the neck as more brown than gray.

from my notes: "Small stubby, dark bill." I did not notice a pink coloration on the bill, but I'm not sure I was close enough and had good enough lighting to pick that out in flight. I did not see the leg color.

Brownish/gray

same color as the rest of the back.

from my notes: "Silvery wings." They weren't quite as bright as a Barnacle Goose, but they were still noticably more silvery than the brown neck.

didn't observe the underside for any significant period of time. No notes taken regarding the underside

from my notes: "White u around the edge of the tail." more than anything I remember it being a bold white pattern - not sure if it actually was a U shape. But the white marking on the tail was quite striking.

Greater White-Fronted Goose: During the observation I honed in on the bill. It was dark, not orange. No white around the base of the bill. No black speckling on the breast. And neck wasn't a uniform brown - it got darker towards the top.

Bean Goose. The bill was was tiny (Bean Goose should have had a larger, longer bill) and the neck went from brown at the base to darker by the bill (Bean Goose would have had a more uniform neck color)

Barnyard (domesticated goose): small size and dark, dainty bill rule out a normal barnyard goose.

Other geese species: Canada Goose and Barnacle Goose easily eliminated based on neck and breast color/pattern. Greylag Goose eliminated based on bill color.

This observation fits within the pattern of of occurrence for pink-footed goose (PFGO) in interior New England - with late March through early April being the peak time for this species locally. Also apparently a PFGO was observed in far western MA on March 20th this year. And later the same day that I observed this PFGO, another (or the same?) PFGO was discovered 60 miles to the north (as measured in google earth) (https://ebird.org/checklist/S131778233). I observed my PFGO just before 10am and the first Canadian observation was at 1pm. It is conceivable, or perhaps likely, that they are the same bird since no one else was able to relocate the PFGO in Colchester despite several folks looking throughout the day.