Vermont Rare Bird Reports 2025

This was a kayak trip so I was with two nonbirders and one casual birder. They would be able to offer that they knew it was not a Canada Goose and it was a bird they did not know. I will provide their contact information if you think their input would be helpful.

Lake was fairly calm at that point.

Naked eye observation. This was an incidental encounter while kayaking. I know that photo documentation is favored for these reports in this era. I felt it was important to make this report anyway so there was some record of it.

I have seen this species over the years, never this close. I think all previous observations were all through a scope.

Converse Bay just north of Ceder Island on Lake Champlain.

Bird was quietly floating by itself. There was a large flock of Canada Geese to the east in a cove they favor because of its proximity to a large lawn, but at this point it was farther west in the bay than the flock.

Bird was silent.

I entered the observation into ebird as shortly after getting back on land. That description is as follows, "Smaller than a Canada goose with a dark head and ring around it's neck. Prominent white tail coverts." I made a really bad drawing to remember the features. Again because this was a kayak trip there were no optics or cameras.

Smaller that a Canada Goose, but having the shape of a goose, neck and beak of a goose. Larger and more robust than a duck and a longer neck that a duck.

Head was black. Throat had a white band. This was around the throat, not the chin strap of a Canada goose.

Bill was black. Bird was floating, so feet were never observed.

Black and gray coloration was observed.

The prominent white tail feathers were what stood out on this section of the bird.

Bird was not seen in flight.

Only observed floating.

See above.

Very different marking than a "blue" phase Snow Goose. Head was completely dark. That's the only other dark wild goose I can think of and it would also be rare at this time of year. A barnacle goose would be even rarer. None of the dark domestic geese have a dark head and neck and thin white band on the neck.

The bird was relocated later in the afternoon in the eastern cove with the Canada geese. S259305924 I was with one member of the earlier party who was not a birder. I entered another checklist to document the sighting. I have been traveling much of the summer and finally have time to enter this report.