Subject: WA Ross's Geese
Date: Apr 17 17:35:59 2000
From: Charles Swift - charless at moscow.com


----- Original Message -----
From: Diane Weber <weberd at wsu.edu>
To: <inland-nw-birders at uidaho.edu>
Sent: Monday, April 17, 2000 10:44 AM
Subject: Northwestern Whitman County Birding


[snip]
> We began each day going through Winona, then driving many of the Whitman
> county roads to the west and southwest of Rock Lake. On Sunday we circled
> Rock Lake. Saturday we saw 64 species of birds and on Sunday added 16
more,
> for a total of 80 species for the week-end. Highlights include:
> - a single swan, which we tentatively identified as a Trumpeter, on the
> seasonal pond east of Texas Lake. The swan took off immediately at our
> approach, and as it was flying away we did not see any yellow on its bill.
> - 40 Ross' Geese at the southern end of Rock Lake. The geese were again
> near the boat launch at 5:00 pm on Sunday. (They had not been there on
> Saturday.) We got excellent looks at them, in good light, as they were
> feeding. There was no black on the lower bill, only the dark grayish area
at
[snip]

Based on a recent discussion about Ross's Gees on tweeters I would say that
the Weber's Ross's Goose sighting above establishes a new (and fairly
stunning!) high count for Washington (assume this is still considered to be
part of Washington!). Their count the previous week at this same location
was of 60 individuals which I believe is 5 times the previous high count of
12 for Washington.

Charles.