Two Emporer Geese were back together and visible late this morning
(10:30 am) from the "Oyster House" site at the end of Oyster House
road, north of Sequim. They were foraging along a sand spit in open
water west of the "island" that is just north of the Oyster House.

Jim Karr


On Mar 2, 2012, at 4:28 PM, Bob and Barb Boekelheide wrote:

> Hello, Tweeters,
>
> The Emperor Geese of Dungeness Bay have apparently separated.
> Yesterday, Jan Sleight photographed one Emperor Goose at Jamestown
> Beach hanging out with Brant, about two miles east from where the
> Emperors have been at Dungeness Bay since 12/31/11. This morning
> (3/2/12) there was a solitary Emperor (Empress?) still in Dungeness
> Bay, swimming with Brant in the inner bay, but I couldn't locate the
> other one at Jamestown or other beach access points. There are lots
> of Brant around, including offshore, so the wayward Emperor could be
> around somewhere with Brant, or maybe moving east, or maybe trying
> to find its buddy. Prior to yesterday these two birds were
> virtually attached at the synsacrum, always seen together since the
> first sighting by Sue Chickman on 12/31/11 at Dungeness Spit.
>
> The Emperor still in Dungeness Bay seems to be top-dog with the
> Brant, pushing the Brant out of the way when pursuing floating bits
> in the bay.
>
> The two Emperors have variable amounts of smudginess on their faces,
> indicative of first-year birds. The bird that remains in Dungeness
> Bay is completing molt of new back feathers. I believe the wayward
> bird seen by Jan at Jamestown is the one with more advanced molt.
> Take a look at Dow Lambert's photos (taken in January) and you'll
> see the differences.
>
> http://www.mastdog.com/DowMar/Birding/emperorgoose.asp
>
> Bob Boekelheide
> Sequim
>
>
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