Greetings Ontbirders, Today, Saturday 26 April, after visiting the Riceville area early in the AM (anticipating possible flocks of Snow Geese but finding none - in fact, nothing but Canada's and only very few of these), we proceeded west to the Cobb's Lake creek floodplain between the communities of Pendleton & Bourget, east of Ottawa. At approx. 11:00 hrs we encountered a flock of ~ 1500 Snow Geese flying in & landing east of Johnston Rd. & south of Russell Rd. Additional groups of both Greater & Lesser Snow Geese, including approx. 20 blue-morph's, continued to arrive. By 11:20 the number had increased to ~ 3000, at which time we discovered an adult ROSS' GOOSE among the majority of Lesser Snow's. All the geese were viewed at close range.
We monitored the flock for about 1 1/2 hours, and were able to study one ROSS' GOOSE for at least a full 1/2 hour. There was probably a 2nd ROSS' , but the flock was very restless and circuunmstances continued to change. We initiated a Rare Bird Alert for the Ottawa-Gatineau area @ 11:30. The geese were still present when we departed at 12:00, at which time one of the Ross' Geese was relocated. While observing the Snow Geese, a MOOSE was observed crossing the corn fields behind the geese (not kidding!). There is a resident moose population in the nearby Larose Forest. Our party had difficulty deciding which was today's highlight....The Goose or the Moose?... DIRECTIONS >From Ottawa, take Hwy 417 east to exit 88, then north to Vars. Continue north to Russell Rd. (Regional Rd. 26) then go east / northeast through Bourget. Follow Russell Rd (which becomes R.R. 2 at the village of Cheney) . East of Bourget, look for Johnston Rd. on your right (south). The Snow & Ross' Geese (and the moose) were on the south side of Russell Rd. near the the bridge marked "Cobbs Lake Creek". The geese may remain for another day or so... the moose is well into the woods by now. Good Birding, Bob Bracken, Chris Lewis, Bev Scott & Paul Mirsky Ottawa [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Christina Lewis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
