Cackling Goose with Canada GooseCackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) with Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) behind it –  Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/1500, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

Last week I spotted a bird that isn’t usually here in Utah this late in migration, a Cackling Goose. I was getting set up to photograph some Black-necked Stilts when an goose caught my eye in a flooded field. I stopped looking at the stilts and focused on the goose. As you can see in the photo above the goose in the front is much smaller than the goose in the back and its bill is shorter too.

Cackling Goose with mallard behind itCackling Goose with mallard behind it – Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/1600, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light 

In the image  above the goose is in front of a male mallard and it is not much larger than the duck. It was already late in the day so the light was not great. The images I took weren’t the best but I was trying to get images of it with other birds in the frames so I could compare the sizes.

Cackling Goose walking along a flooded fieldCackling Goose walking along a flooded field – Nikon d200, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 400, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

The goose swam towards the edge of the water  and walked up in the ground giving me a better look at the length of the legs and the lower body.

Cackling Goose foragingCackling Goose foraging – Nikon D200, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 400, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

I suspected that the bird was a Cackling Goose so I posted a few images of it on the UBIRD discussion forum and several people there told me that it was what I had suspected. A lifer bird for me.

I would love to see more Cackling Geese, hopefully in great light.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see my Cackling Geese photos plus facts and information about this species.