Christmas Goose on a pond – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I was able to spend a little time on Christmas Eve at the local pond not long before the sun set and the usual birds were there in nice light. Some Common Goldeneyes, a single Double-crested Cormorant, American Coots, Pied-billed Grebes, lots of wild and domestic mallards, a few Redheads, and geese.
There were large Canada Geese and small Cackling Geese and geese that were somewhere in between both their sizes. Perhaps the middle sized geese were Lesser Canada Geese, I just know the more I looked at my long distance photos of the geese the more confused I became with those in between sized geese.
Only one goose came in close enough for me to take a portrait of it and it was one of those in between sized geese. If pushed I would have to say this is a Lesser Canada Goose but who is going to push me for an ID on Christmas Day? 🙂
Even David Sibley has a difficult time positively identifying Lesser Canada Geese: Lesser Canada Goose in the northeastern US.
I’m happy that I was able to photograph birds on Christmas Eve in decent light and that somehow to me this is more than “just” a goose, it is a Christmas Goose and who am I to look a gift goose in the bill?
Merry Christmas…
Mia
Click here to see more of my Canada Geese photos plus facts and information about this species.
Happy Christmas Mia and readers. “Thanks to modern methods of poultry raising as much as to Dickens, that American import, the turkey, began to replace the traditional (bony and greasy) goose as the centrepiece of the Christmas board, as is evident in the 1843 novel A Christmas Carol.” victorianweb.org (I’ll stick with turkey.)
Christmas Goose is good. There is a Brant’s Goose which I s a smaller version. I like the abstractions from the ripples of the water. Have a Merry day and happy shooting this coming year!
Now that is the sort of goose I would love to see for Christmas. Thank you. I hope your Christmas is wonderful.
Have a wonderful Christmas day Mia. I’m already looking forward to next year and all the visual treasures you will be posting. Kind of exciting ain’t it?
Merry Christmas and a Birdy-New Year!
Lesser or not, this is one gorgeous goose! Merry Christmas, Mia!
A truly great Lesser Canada Goose!
Merry Christmas, Mia. Thank you for the blog.
Merry Christmas to you. No snow on the ground in Sheridan,Wy. This is the first time in a long time. Sure it will hit later next month.
Merry Christmas Mia!
Thanks for this fun post! 😊
All good wishes for the New Year!
Merry Christmas to you Mia and thank you for your sharing!
Merry Christmas Mia….and thanks for all your photos throughout the year….I think that’s a great Christmas Goose!…
Mia – love your Christmas Goose…..as I do all of your postings throughout the year. Your gifts to us comes into our inboxes daily…beautiful photos and informative commentary. THANK YOU for sharing your craft & your knowledge! Merry Christmas! Enjoy 2019!