[mou] Freaky waterfowl on Fairmont CBC

[Brad Bolduan]

As usual the Fairmont CBC was held on the first Saturday of the count period
(today).  I am sure next year's will be the first available Saturday, so
those who are looking for a count where you can filter through waterfowl can
put "Fairmont CBC" on your calendar for Dec 15, 2007. I had to make the
pitch.  That way we can quit drawing straws to see who has to count the
geese (just kidding).

Anyhow, Ed B-K and I studied at least three strange waterfowl on the
Fairmont CBC today.  All are assumed to be abnormal plumages of common
species.

1)  We had a large Canada Goose (Likely Giant) which was proportionately
similar to the nearby and similarly sized Canada Geese.  If anything this
bird may have appeared slightly larger necked.  The plumage was reminiscent
of a Canada Goose, except the head was mostly white.  The bird also appeared
to be molting feathers in the neck, as there was some white flecking in the
dark neck.  The kicker is that the bird had orange (or pink) legs.  Brian
Smith had described a similar goose on the Fairmont count perhaps three
years ago.  I took a few distant and obscured slides of this bird today if
anyone is interested.   Even a series of poor photos would describe the bird
better than I could from memory.

2)  There was a similar Canada Goose studied by Ed B-K which had the same
head pattern, but dark legs.

3)  Lastly we had an odd duck (literally) assumed to be a Mallard.  In
anything but perfect light this bird looked pure black, except for a white
breast patch.  There also appeared to be two "rings" on only the lower
mandible (about where the rings on a Ringneck Duck are).  In perfect light
there was some contrast visible on the bird (ie the flanks were lighter than
the folded wing).  With the possible exception of the tail and rump area,
the bird appeared proportionately similar to the nearby Mallards.  The bird
sounded like a Mallard.

Anyhow, about a dozen years ago we had some Mallards which had a fair amount
of extra white in various areas, but this dark Mallard is new to me.  We
also seem to be seeing an increasing number of white headed Canada Geese.  I
am assuming all are examples of partial albinism/melanism.

New species on the Fairmont CBC will include; Cackling Goose (although we
had this species prior to the split, including photographed individuals and
a neck collared Richardson's(a three character collar)), and a neck collared
Trumpeter Swan.

Brad Bolduan
Windom