Ross’s Goose
Anser rossii
This species is very similar to the Snow Goose, but the Ross’s Goose is smaller, though a size comparison can only be done when the birds congregate together. Fortunately for us, the two species seem to enjoy each other’s company. More noticeable is the smaller beak size of the Ross’s Goose.
Ross’s Geese breed in central Canada along the western shores of Hudson Bay, in the Queen Maud Gulf Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Baffin Island, and the northern limits of the North American Continent.
Both Ross’s and Snow Geese are relentless grazers, stripping the land in many places in the Arctic where they spend spring and summer. This concerns some researchers regarding the negative impact on the environment. Considering these birds have expanded their nesting range since the 1950s, these concerns may have merit.
Modern science does not recognise any subspecies of Ross’s Geese (i.e. they are monotypic).
Because of the remoteness of their breeding grounds, it should surprise no one that I have only met these birds on their winter range in California and New Mexico.
39 Photos
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
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Description: Merced NWR, south of Merced, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:12:27 15:37 |
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Location:
Merced NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 |
File Name: D3X5120-RossGeese |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
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Description: Ross’s Geese by the thousands at Merced NWR, south of Merced, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:12:27 16:31 |
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Location:
Merced NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X5321-RossGeese |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
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Description: Ross’s Geese near sunset foraging at Merced NWR, south of Merced, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:12:27 16:53 |
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Location:
Merced NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 |
File Name: D3X5511-RossGeese |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
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Description: Ross’s Geese at sunset landing at Merced NWR, south of Merced, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:12:27 16:57 |
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Location:
Merced NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/800 |
File Name: D3X5580-RossGeese |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
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Description: Ross’s Geese at sunset landing at Merced NWR, south of Merced, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:12:27 17:19 |
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Location:
Merced NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/400 |
File Name: D3X5639-RossGeese |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
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Description: Ross’s Geese at sunset foraging at Merced NWR, south of Merced, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:12:27 17:30 |
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Location:
Merced NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 |
File Name: D3X5656-RossGeese |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
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Description: Flying with Snow Geese at Bosque del Apache. Near Socorro, New Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2001:12:29 14:40 |
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Location:
San Antonito |
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Camera Information: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 4000 ED, |
File Name: A1L29e22-RossGoose |
| © 2001 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
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Description: Vendel Road, Salton Sea NWR and Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2004:02:07 9:34 |
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Location:
Salton Sea NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: JCD_6013RossGeese |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, (shadetree-Imaging.com) |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
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Description: (Chen rossii) Captured flying with Snow Geese on 2019-01-21 at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge near Willows California (USA). |
Date Taken: 2019:01:21 13:43 |
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Location:
Sacramento NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 450 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: RossGooseSnowGoose_D506916-Sacramento-NWR |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
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Description: Ross's and Snow Geese often share company at Vendel Road, also known as Unit #1 of the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge. It occupies the agricultural and marsh lands at the southern tip of the Salton Sea near Westmorland in Imperial County. |
Date Taken: 2019:10:28 13:34 |
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Location:
Vendel Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossSnowGeese_D5X6125-VendelRoad-SaltonSea |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
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Description: Ross’s Geese at sunset landing at Merced NWR, south of Merced, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:12:27 17:36 |
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Location:
Merced NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X5674-RossGeese |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
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Description: This bird flew in with a group with Snow Geese at Vendel Road, Salton Sea NWR. Imperial County, Southern California. |
Date Taken: 2014:11:30 12:21 |
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Location:
Vendel Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X3144-RossGeese |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
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Description: Flying in group with Snow Geese at Vendel Road, Salton Sea NWR. Imperial County, Southern California. |
Date Taken: 2014:11:30 12:15 |
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Location:
Vendel Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6400 |
File Name: D3X3003-RossGeese |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
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Description: Captured flying on 2019-01-21 at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge near Willows California (USA) |
Date Taken: 2019:01:21 13:44 |
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Location:
Sacramento NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 490 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: RossGoose_D506932-Sacramento-NWR |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: (Chen rossii) Captured flying with Snow Geese on 2019-01-21 at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge near Willows California (USA). |
Date Taken: 2019:01:21 13:43 |
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Location:
Sacramento NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 450 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: RossGooseSnowGoose_D506916-Sacramento-NWR |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
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Description: Numbers of white geese at Bosque were low during my visit, but the Ross's Geese seemed to outnumber the Snow Geese. It was a relatively slow day for birds at Bosque del Apache, but even a slow day there beats most places I’ve birded. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:30 13:00 |
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Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X3222-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: Numbers of white geese at Bosque were low during my visit, but the Ross's Geese seemed to outnumber the Snow Geese. It was a relatively slow day for birds at Bosque del Apache, but even a slow day there beats most places I’ve birded. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:30 14:04 |
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Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X3794-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
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Description: It required a close examination of the mass of white geese before me to pick out the Ross’s Geese. The world famous Bosque del Apache may not be the center of the geese and crane universe today that it once was, but it can still provide a few thrills. A tour on this Tuesday in December taught me this lesson. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:22 11:55 |
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Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X0755-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: It required a close examination of the mass of white geese before me to pick out the Ross’s Geese. The world famous Bosque del Apache may not be the center of the geese and crane universe today that it once was, but it can still provide a few thrills. A tour on this Tuesday in December taught me this lesson. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:22 11:58 |
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Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X0799-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: With the close approach of white geese, capturing these headshots seemed like a good idea. It required a close examination of the mass of white geese before me to pick out the Ross’s Geese. The world famous Bosque del Apache may not be the center of the geese and crane universe today that it once was, but it can still provide a few thrills. A tour on this Tuesday in December taught me this lesson. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:22 12:12 |
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Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X0973-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: With the close approach of white geese, capturing these headshots seemed like a good idea. It required a close examination of the mass of white geese before me to pick out the Ross’s Geese. The world famous Bosque del Apache may not be the center of the geese and crane universe today that it once was, but it can still provide a few thrills. A tour on this Tuesday in December taught me this lesson. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:22 12:14 |
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Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X1008-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: With the close approach of white geese, capturing these headshots seemed like a good idea. It required a close examination of the mass of white geese before me to pick out the Ross’s Geese. The world famous Bosque del Apache may not be the center of the geese and crane universe today that it once was, but it can still provide a few thrills. A tour on this Tuesday in December taught me this lesson. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:22 12:13 |
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Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X0986-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: With the close approach of white geese, capturing these headshots seemed like a good idea. It required a close examination of the mass of white geese before me to pick out the Ross’s Geese. The world famous Bosque del Apache may not be the center of the geese and crane universe today that it once was, but it can still provide a few thrills. A tour on this Tuesday in December taught me this lesson. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:22 12:12 |
|
Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X0969-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: With the close approach of white geese, capturing these headshots seemed like a good idea. It required a close examination of the mass of white geese before me to pick out the Ross’s Geese. The world famous Bosque del Apache may not be the center of the geese and crane universe today that it once was, but it can still provide a few thrills. A tour on this Tuesday in December taught me this lesson. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:22 12:16 |
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Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X1054-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: It required a close examination of the mass of white geese before me to pick out the Ross’s Geese. The world famous Bosque del Apache may not be the center of the geese and crane universe today that it once was, but it can still provide a few thrills. A tour on this Tuesday in December taught me this lesson. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:22 11:55 |
|
Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X0760-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: After my visit to Malheur NWR in Oregon, and I headed to Idaho, I made one more visit to the fields north of Burns Oregon, and found a new location with closer views of birds such as Ross’s Geese. |
Date Taken: 2022:04:26 11:40 |
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Location:
Ebenray Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RossGoose_8506397-Burns.OR_.Day4_ |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: After my visit to Malheur NWR in Oregon, and I headed to Idaho, I made one more visit to the fields north of Burns Oregon, and found a new location with closer views of birds such as Ross’s Geese. |
Date Taken: 2022:04:26 11:31 |
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Location:
Ebenray Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RossGoose_8506230-Burns.OR_.Day4_ |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
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Description: My second visit to the fields north of Burns Oregon began in the early morning. I first thought this white goose keeping company with the Greater White-Fronted Geese was a Snow Goose. After looking at the pictures, I changed my mind and called it a Ross’s Goose. |
Date Taken: 2022:04:24 7:40 |
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Location:
North Foley Drive |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RossGoose_8504087-BurnsOregon |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: It required a close examination of the mass of white geese before me to pick out the Ross’s Geese. The world famous Bosque del Apache may not be the center of the geese and crane universe today that it once was, but it can still provide a few thrills. A tour on this Tuesday in December taught me this lesson. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:22 11:59 |
|
Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X0808-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: It required a close examination of the mass of white geese before me to pick out the Ross’s Geese. The world famous Bosque del Apache may not be the center of the geese and crane universe today that it once was, but it can still provide a few thrills. A tour on this Tuesday in December taught me this lesson. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:22 11:59 |
|
Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X0819-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: With the close approach of white geese, capturing these headshots seemed like a good idea. It required a close examination of the mass of white geese before me to pick out the Ross’s Geese. The world famous Bosque del Apache may not be the center of the geese and crane universe today that it once was, but it can still provide a few thrills. A tour on this Tuesday in December taught me this lesson. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:22 12:15 |
|
Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X1036-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: It required a close examination of the mass of white geese before me to pick out the Ross’s Geese. The world famous Bosque del Apache may not be the center of the geese and crane universe today that it once was, but it can still provide a few thrills. A tour on this Tuesday in December taught me this lesson. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:22 11:15 |
|
Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X0175-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: Numbers of white geese at Bosque were low during my visit, but the Ross's Geese seemed to outnumber the Snow Geese. It was a relatively slow day for birds at Bosque del Apache, but even a slow day there beats most places I’ve birded. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:30 13:00 |
|
Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X3231-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: After my visit to Malheur NWR in Oregon, and I headed to Idaho, I made one more visit to the fields north of Burns Oregon, and found a new location with closer views of birds such as Ross’s Geese. |
Date Taken: 2022:04:26 11:38 |
|
Location:
Ebenray Road |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RossGoose_8506362-Burns.OR_.Day4_ |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: With the close approach of white geese, capturing these headshots seemed like a good idea. It required a close examination of the mass of white geese before me to pick out the Ross’s Geese. The world famous Bosque del Apache may not be the center of the geese and crane universe today that it once was, but it can still provide a few thrills. A tour on this Tuesday in December taught me this lesson. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:22 12:13 |
|
Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X0991-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: After my visit to Malheur NWR in Oregon, and I headed to Idaho, I made one more visit to the fields north of Burns Oregon, and found a new location with closer views of birds such as Ross’s Geese. |
Date Taken: 2022:04:26 11:28 |
|
Location:
Ebenray Road |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RossGoose_8506166-Burns.OR_.Day4_ |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: With the close approach of white geese, capturing these headshots seemed like a good idea. It required a close examination of the mass of white geese before me to pick out the Ross’s Geese. The world famous Bosque del Apache may not be the center of the geese and crane universe today that it once was, but it can still provide a few thrills. A tour on this Tuesday in December taught me this lesson. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:22 12:17 |
|
Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X1085-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: It required a close examination of the mass of white geese before me to pick out the Ross’s Geese. The world famous Bosque del Apache may not be the center of the geese and crane universe today that it once was, but it can still provide a few thrills. A tour on this Tuesday in December taught me this lesson. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:22 12:00 |
|
Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X0846-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ross's Goose(Anser rossii) |
|
Description: Numbers of white geese at Bosque were low during my visit, but the Ross's Geese seemed to outnumber the Snow Geese. It was a relatively slow day for birds at Bosque del Apache, but even a slow day there beats most places I’ve birded. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:30 11:03 |
|
Location:
Bosque del Apache NWR |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: RossGoose_D5X2862-BosqueDelApache |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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