The 2021 Snow Goose Scoop
Breaking news on the Migration of Snow Geese through Vermont and New York
Summary Report — October 14, 2021
The Snow Goose vanguard has arrived in the Champlain Valley, with up to 200 geese reported from the Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area in Addison, Vermont, this past weekend. Many more geese are yet to come.
My analysis of goose counts over the past 10 years shows that numbers usually don’t peak in the Champlain Valley (Vermont and New York) until the first and second weeks of November, approximately two weeks later than peak counts in the 1980s and 1990s (when I first began watching and counting Snow Geese here in Vermont).
So enjoy the fall foliage and some apples — there’s no rush yet to see Snow Geese. But check back here for updates.
The Map
A real-time map, from eBird, of Snow Goose sightings around the world since October 1, 2021. (Requires an eBird account.)
2021 Backgrounder
What happened to all the geese? And why you might visit Vermont and not see the thousands of geese actually sitting 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.
