A Goose of Our Own

As you may have noticed in previous posts, I have been interested in geese lately, especially the cackling geese that spend their winters in western Oregon. This is probably one of the most poorly known birds species in North America because cackling geese were recently split as a species from larger Canada geese.

Cacklers are further divided into four subspecies, three of which winter in my part of the world. The smallest and easiest subspecies to identify (in my opinion) has been redundantly named the cackling cackling goose (Branta hutchinsii minima). The two larger subspecies are the Taverner's cackling goose (Branta hutchinsii taverni) and the Aleutian cackling goose (Branta hutchinsii leucoparia).


Cacklers resemble Canada geese but are only slightly larger than mallard ducks. To me, they look like large footballs with short necks and small heads.

Alaska FWS

Adult cackling cackling geese have dark purplish-brown breasts, while juveniles are lighter in color. Some have white rings at the base of their necks, but most do not.

The cackling cackling goose population nests on the northern coast of Alaska and migrates south in the fall. Their wintering range was mostly in California until the subspecies declined to endangered status. The population has since since recovered, but now primarily winters in the Willamette and Columbia Valleys of Oregon. Those of us who live here are therefore among the only people in the world that have a chance to view this small goose. The cackling cackling goose is therefore a subspecies of our own.

While birders and hunters may welcome these geese each winter, some farmers and ranchers here may wish cacklers would return to California for good. I recently noticed how a flock of cacklers can descend on a field and remove much of its cover with army ant-like efficiency.


Here is the freshly planted grass field south of our apartment last Friday when I first noticed a flock of geese.


This is how the same field looked the next Monday morning. I hope the landowner does not mind the grass removal.


You can see here where the geese stepped on the grass, knocking away the dew, and proceeded north, picking the young grass leaves along the way.

The right side of the patch had geese, while the left side did not.

It seems that managing population growth while minimizing crop damage by this and other cackling geese subspecies will be a challenge. I hope that the flocks can find enough conflict-free food in our valleys so they will return for many winters to come.

Fernhill Visit

On Saturday, Sarah, Andie, and I visited Fernhill Wetlands in Forest Grove. While enjoying a walk in the sun, we saw 36 species of birds including newly arrived great egrets (above), tundra swans, pintail flocks, and mew gulls.

We also found some shorebird tracks,


an old robin nest in a cottonwood,

and a woolly bear moth larva.

Bad Waterfowl Photos

This morning I took a walk through a field that has been recently been planted with grass and I found a huge flock of cackling and Canada geese.

The Canada geese, on the left, were twice the size of the cackling geese on the right.

There were at least two subspecies of cackling geese in the flock and you can kinda make out variation in their colors in this photo. These little guys spend much of the year on the stormy tundra, so it seems today's sunny weather would be a welcome change for them.

I also found six buffleheads in the pond at the end of the field. The white-headed males were quite brilliant in the full sun. A few usually hang out in the pond during the winter and spring months.

Branches, Leaves, and Nests

It is now is one of my favorite times of the year because trees, such as these Oregon white oaks, are busy losing their leaves.


I dig the forms of the bare branches and I like to paint their silhouettes against gray skies, capturing variation within and among species.


The fallen leaves are impressive as well. These huge black cottonwood leaves are held near the dog's nose for scale.

Andie enjoys sniffing and running through the newly fallen litter.


Now that many trees have lost their leaves, I have been relocating nests from this summer, such as this robin nest,

an American goldfinch nest,

and this cedar waxwing nest I helped build.

At Dawson Creek, I spotted another nest high in an aspen.

Upon closer inspection, it is an old wasp or hornet nest that probably would have terrified park-goers had the leaves not hidden it while it was active.

Pelicans and Other Beach Creatures

This weekend, Pacific City was taken over by pelicans.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of the large birds were roosting on the beaches, on Haystack Rock, and in the Nestucca River.

While surveying dead birds, we found this unfortunate juvenile. It was probably killed and eaten by a predator.

Its belly was full of small anchovies, so it probably did not starve to death like many of the birds we find.

On another part of the beach, we found a dead shark. It was about one meter in length and very chubby. Its stomach was pulled out by scavengers who probably ate the contents. Any shark experts recognize the species?

After finishing our surveys, we explored the Salmon River Estuary south of Neskowin. I quickly learned why this is a revered part of the coast. As we watched three river otters frolic near the mouth, we heard a commotion upstream.

A bald eagle stirred up a huge flock of gulls that had been fishing alongside a pack of harbor seals while another bald eagle dined on a fish.

As we prepared to leave, a western gull, one of my favorite bird species, chattered on a nearby rock.

Scrub Jays in Fall

I am putting the finishing touches on a small painting for the Portland Audubon's Wild Arts Festival. The painting is part of the 6x6 Project, where participants receive a free canvas, paint or assemble a picture, then donate it for sale at the festival.

I wanted to capture a typical fall image, so I started by adding a cloudy backdrop.

I then painted some bare oak branches and a pair of scrub jays in their typical poses.

I put the trunk of the tree on the side.

I am now counting down the hours until election results come in. Like many other Oregonians, I mailed my ballot nearly two weeks ago, so I am glad that I do not have to stand in line. Whatever happens tonight, Sarah and I will toast the end of the election season and hope for shorter ones in the future.

One More Day!

Today is the last day of my Campaign News Fast and, for the most part, it has been a success. For the last month and a half, I have not listened to NPR news shows, watched nightly news on TV, or browsed political websites. Some news has seeped in, so I am familiar with the general election trends, but my days have been filled with much less stress than they were four years ago.

Sarah and I spent much of yesterday away from the media by visiting several sites on the east side of Portland. We have been trying to redeem as many Chinook Book coupons as possible before they expire at the end of the month, so we stopped by several restaurants and specialty shops found on this side of town.


We also visited a few parks to look for birds and give Andie some exercise.


The pond at Laurelhurst Park was full of wood ducks and perky hooded mergansers.


We did not see many birds at Mount Tabor, but we enjoyed great views of the city in fall foliage.


Today, I have been trying to enjoy the dark clouds and bright leaves and keep my mind on work.


Tomorrow, I will take in the news, but today I am doing my best to stay clean.