Sunday, December 22, 2024

Sundays Cackling..and throw in an eagle too

Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) (1)
- Reported Dec 22, 2024 09:07 by Forrest Wickman
- Prospect Park, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6602841,-73.9689534&ll=40.6602841,-73.9689534
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S206243767
- Comments: "Fairly rare—only my second ever in the park, at least when it comes to one I feel comfortable enough identifying and listing, and my first this year—and sometimes a difficult ID, though this bird immediately stood out as not only being very short-necked and small-bodied (even among a flock of already small Canada Geese) and having a steep forehead, but for its tiny, stubby bill, which was almost invisible at a distance until I raised my binoculars. Still, because this can be a tough ID, I quickly texted photos to other trusted birders and took to the Discord asking for second opinions, and everyone agreed that it was a Cackler. Unfortunately, less than a half hour after I first saw the bird and started to get out word, it took off with its whole flock, headed SW. A few of us combed the lake for about an hour after that, but no other geese that even seemed to be promising Cackling candidates remained on the lake. Photos."

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) (1)
- Reported Dec 22, 2024 12:03 by Forrest Wickman
- Floyd Bennett Field, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.5923453,-73.8914328&ll=40.5923453,-73.8914328
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S206246248
- Comments: "Immature bird. Flew directly overhead."

"Feed the birds in winter; in return, they will feed your soul with the look of gratitude!"

--Mehmet Murat ildan