The 2019 Snow Goose Scoop
Breaking news on the Migration of Snow Geese through Vermont and New York
Summary Report – Sunday, December 31, 2019
The Snow Goose season has ended in the Champlain Valley of Vermont. Greater Snow Geese have settled into their wintering grounds in mid Atlantic states, with only sporadic reports across the Northeast. During spring migration, Snow Geese tend to be more dispersed through the Champlain Valley. So we’ll be back next in October with the 2020 Snow Goose Scoop, with migration heating up by Election Day. (Let’s hope we all can survive until then.) Here’s to a peaceful new year.
The Map
A real-time map, from eBird, of Snow Goose sightings around the world since January 1, 2020. Click on any map pin for details.
2019 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.
Resources and Readings
Snow Goose – The account from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s All About Birds site.
Identification of White Geese by David Sibley – Help with telling Ross’s Goose from Snow Goose.
Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area – Vermont’s prime goose-viewing opportunity. The visitor center is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9am to 4pm, until November 10.
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.
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.
