The 2018 Snow Goose Scoop
Breaking news on the Migration of Snow Geese through Vermont and New York
Summary Report – October 12
Snow Goose numbers are increasing gradually in the Champlain Valley of Vermont and New York, with approximately 500 geese at Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area in Addison, Vermont, on October 8. Meanwhile, Snow Geese are gathering in larger numbers in the St. Lawrence River in Quebec.
The cold front moving in to the region this weekend should carry more geese into the region. We probably won’t start to see big goose numbers — counts of 1,000 or more — for another week or so. Check back here for updates all season.
The Map
A real-time map, from eBird, of Snow Goose sightings around the world since October 1, 2018. Click on any map pin for details.
Backgrounder
What happened to all the geese? And why you might visit Vermont and not see the thousands of geese actually there.
A Blue Ross's Goose
My lesson on the finer points of Snow Goose/Ross' Goose identification — something that should help you become a better birdwatcher.
The Snowy Owl Scoop
A snowstorm of a different kind: tracking the fall movement of Snowy Owls across the continent.
Other Resources and Readings
Snow Goose – The account from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s All About Birds site, including life history, images and sounds.
Identification of White Geese by David Sibley – Help with telling Ross’s Goose from Snow Goose. David includes tips on hybrids.
Geese Setting the Table for Polar Bears – The New York Times reports that a warming planet leaves polar bears with less opportunity to hunt seals. So they’re turning to snow geese chicks and eggs instead. This article also has a cool video, featuring bears eating goose eggs.
One Day, Two Ross’s – My account of seeing an exceedingly rare Ross’s Gull and the generally rare Ross’s Goose during a single day in 2013.
