Goose ID's please. Aberdeenshire, Scotland yesterday. (1 Viewer)

[Andy Strachan]

Hi guys,

In a flock of pink-footed geese yesterday in Aberdeenshire, I spotted a couple that I'm not really sure about. I'm not really experienced with goose ID.

In the first picture there is one bird with a longer, more slender neck than the rest and it seems to have a bigger greylag type bill. Is it a greylag with a dirty bill or something else? Is it just Pink-footed?

In the second picture one bird has white flashes around the orange bill, which to me looks smaller than a greylag's, and I think I can see some dark streaking around the belly. Is it a White-fronted goose?

Thanks

 

[seawatcher]

Hi guys,

In a flock of pink-footed geese yesterday in Aberdeenshire, I spotted a couple that I'm not really sure about. I'm not really experienced with goose ID.

In the first picture there is one bird with a longer, more slender neck than the rest and it seems to have a bigger greylag type bill. Is it a greylag with a dirty bill or something else? Is it just Pink-footed?

In the second picture one bird has white flashes around the orange bill, which to me looks smaller than a greylag's, and I think I can see some dark streaking around the belly. Is it a White-fronted goose?

Thanks

Alert Pink-footed Goose (outstretched neck) and Greenland White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons flavirostris

 

[Andy Strachan]

Alert Pink-footed Goose (outstretched neck) and Greenland White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons flavirostris

Hi seawatcher, thanks for that. Why do you say the white-fronted is the Greenland race? Is that based on the fact it's in Scotland?

 

[SteveClifton]

Hi seawatcher, thanks for that. Why do you say the white-fronted is the Greenland race? Is that based on the fact it's in Scotland?

Darker plumage than European (Russian) WFG, and the bill is orange rather than pink.

The other goose-any other pics of that one? I need convincing further that it isn't just a PFG with outstretched neck, though based on size compared to the other PFG that's probably what it is.

 

[Andy Strachan]

Darker plumage than European (Russian) WFG, and the bill is orange rather than pink.

The other goose-any other pics of that one? I need convincing further that it isn't just a PFG with outstretched neck, though based on size compared to the other PFG that's probably what it is.

Thanks Steve.
No other pics of the same goose I’m afraid, but I have here the same picture zoomed out a bit more, which might just help a bit to get a better sense of scale.
I only noticed it when I was home. Although, like you, I’m not totally convinced its a PFG either. To me, the bill just looks a different shape and size, but the picture’s so poor I accept it’s probably impossible to really know. And again, I don’t have the experience with these birds.

 

[SteveClifton]

Thanks Steve.
No other pics of the same goose I’m afraid, but I have here the same picture zoomed out a bit more, which might just help a bit to get a better sense of scale.
I only noticed it when I was home. Although, like you, I’m not totally convinced its a PFG either. To me, the bill just looks a different shape and size, but the picture’s so poor I accept it’s probably impossible to really know. And again, I don’t have the experience with these birds.

Thanks, I'm sure you don't need me to say this, but it reminds me of a Bean Goose sp. (maybe Taiga?) but without any other images it might have to be the one that got away!

 

[Andy Strachan]

Thanks, I'm sure you don't need me to say this, but it reminds me of a Bean Goose sp. (maybe Taiga?) but without any other images it might have to be the one that got away!

I'm kinda getting that vibe as well haha but ah well, nevermind. Even if a few of you were pretty sure that it was, I doubt I'd be ticking it off, it's just not convincing either way. I thought it was interesting and good to get some opinions! Cheers

 

[SteveClifton]

I'm kinda getting that vibe as well haha but ah well, nevermind. Even if a few of you were pretty sure that it was, I doubt I'd be ticking it off, it's just not convincing either way. I thought it was interesting and good to get some opinions! Cheers

I'm not sure about anything tbh. Just as you say, not getting a Greylag or even PFG vibe. Dirty orange bill (what it looks like-but was it really?) is definitely intriguing.

 

[birdboybowley]

Looks like a Bean to me too, bill shape, colouring...quite poss Taiga with that conk