We had an unusual bird in the yard this evening about dusk. It was about 15" tall, with a long neck, relatively short legs, and a short beak. It's body was grayish brown with white mottling and the neck was grayish brown. It ran across the road and did not fly. We have a lot of Canadian Geese around here (base of the Adirondacks in Upstate NY) and I'm wondering if this might be an immature one. I was unable to find it in my field guide. Any birders out there know what this was?

-- Cindy in NY (cjpopeck@worldnet.att.net), July 26, 2001

Answers

It sounds like a Canada goose to me. We have 3 pair that come in every spring and have their young ones down on one of our ponds. Ours have all been through their flight training and are gone.

-- hendo (redgate@echoweb.net), July 27, 2001.

Thanks for the info! I saw the goose again this past Sunday. By the time I go the camera outside it was gone. We didn;t think it could fly but I guess it must have!

-- Cindy in NY (cjpopeck@worldnet.att.net), July 31, 2001.

I've been trying to find a web picture of an immature Canadian goose with no luck. There are many subspecies of the Canada goose, of varying sizes from giant to duck sized. Plus there are Brant geese, which are similar and a close relative. If this one seemed "different", perhaps it was a subspecies. What I did find on the immature or juveniles said they were duller than the mature adults.

-- Joy F [in So. Wisconsin] (CatFlunky@excite.com), July 31, 2001.

I asked the "experts" on the Audabon website and they said it was an American Bittern. I don't think so. This was definately a goose of some sort. I'm trying to get a hold of the local conservation officer for a verification.

-- Cindy in NY (cjpopeck@worldnet.att.net), August 02, 2001.

Cindy, I'm in the Adirondack's too. Is your weather strange?We've been having strange storms and then light frosts here. Hot then cold. The trees are already changing.

-- Peg (Ashlinep@localnet.com), August 03, 2001.