Date:         Sun, 6 Feb 2011 23:02:45 -0500
Reply-To:     "James F. Flynn Jr." <jim.flynn@MINDSPRING.COM>
Sender:       Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "James F. Flynn Jr." <jim.flynn@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject:      More Ross's Geese, 2/6/2011
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Hi, folks, I birded American Proteins (Forsyth Co.) this morning, then
headed to West Point Dam to look for the great birds that have been seen
there over the past week or so. Highlights included two Ross's Geese (adult
& immature) that graced one of the back application fields at American
Proteins, and an adult Ross's Goose, the two White-winged Scoters and the
immature Black-legged Kittiwake at West Point Dam.

The Ross's Geese at both locations were fairly cooperative and allowed for
pretty lengthy study through the scope. Each exhibited the requisite small
size (the geese at American Proteins were with Canada Geese initially & then
Mallards for some of the observation period; the goose at West Point
accompanied Ring-billed Gulls & Common Goldeneyes), rounded heads, small
triangular bills without "grin" patches, vertical bill/cheek interfaces, and
short necks.  The two at American Proteins flew northwestward at around
10:30. The Ross's at West Point Dam was observed off of the boom in front of
the dam and was surprisingly difficult to pick out among the gulls from
certain angles in the late afternoon sun.

Here are the highlights for the day:

Ross's Goose: 2 (adult + imm), American Proteins; 1 adult, West Point Dam
Gadwall: 1, American Proteins
Redhead: 1 female, American Proteins
Lesser Scaup: 5, American Proteins; 5, West Point Dam
White-winged Scoter: 2 (1 imm male, 1 female/imm), West Point Dam
Bufflehead: 2, American Proteins
Common Goldeneye: 23, West Point Dam
Common Loon: 49, West Point Dam
Horned Grebe: 150, West Point Dam
Great Blue Heron: one building a nest below West Point Dam on the east bank
of the river
Spotted Sandpiper: 1, American Proteins
Wilson's Snipe: 2, American Proteins
Black-legged Kittiwake: 1 imm, West Point Dam
Bonaparte's Gull: 9, West Point Dam
Herring Gull: 12 imms, West Point Dam
Forster's Tern: 1, West Point Dam
American Pipit: 29 (down from a high of 230 in mid January), American
Proteins; 1, West Point Dam
Vesper Sparrow: 3, American Proteins
Pine Siskin: 7, American Proteins

Thanks again to Walt Chambers for another great find at West Point Dam, and
thanks to the many birders that have posted status on the kittiwake &
scoters over the past week.

Take care.

Jim Flynn
Forsyth Co., GA
http://gos.org/
http://atlantaaudubon.org/
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