FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Greater White-fronted Geese, Greene Co., TN

[Dnldhlt@xxxxxxx]

D. Holt
sighting from Fri., Nov. 21, 2003
Bridgeburner's Blvd., Mosheim, TN
(Greene Co., TN)

     Following a tip from a local hunter, I went to the field between Walmart 
Distribution Center and Hwy 11E on Bridgeburners Blvd. at about 4:30 pm 
Friday to see if the three white Snow Geese he saw were still there.  The field 
was 
flooded and held a large number of Canada Geese, a smattering of Mallards, 
and the surrounding shore held hundreds of Kildeer.  A brief search revealed 
two 
"blue" Snow Geese, and to my great delight, four Greater White-fronted Geese.
     I called Don Miller to come take a look, and while he was enroute I 
called Wallace Coffey who posted the sighting on the local Bristol-birds 
listserve 
in case any other local birders might be in range for a look before dark.
     From a distance of about 100 yds. with the sun at my back and a 73X 
Meade ETX-125 telescope, I had great views of the white facial marks, flank 
lines 
and tail tips, the irregular black barring on the bellies, the orange legs and 
bills.  Their size was comparable to the Snow Geese.  At first they were 
standing on the shore, so I could see that the outlines of their bellies was 
what 
I think of as "lean", not nearly dragging the ground like a Greylag.  After a 
while they entered the water and fed with the rest of the flock.
  I showed a semi-truck driver what I was looking at while he waited for the 
time to make his delivery to Walmart.  Another local duck hunter stopped and 
we discussed the birds for a while.  At about 5:30, I resumed watching through 
the scope.  I heard the kildeers all suddenly take flight, then saw all the 
geese in view of my scope look up at once, then take flight.  For a split 
second 
I wondered what had spooked them, then I heard a noise overhead and looked 
straight up to see a very large, low-flying USAF cargo airplane with four 
propellers pass over me from behind.  It was going very fast.  It trailed four 
lines 
of exhaust as it descended, passing over Hwy 11E before going into a steep 
right bank turn and circling over me and the now airborne flock of waterfowl 
again.  The plane then continued on over the highway as before, descending, but 
at a much lower rate of speed, and turning right to bring it in line with the 
airport at Greeneville TN.  The geese flew behind the Walmart Distribution 
Center, but did not stop, exiting west just as Don Miller drove up beside me!  
I 
pointed at the departing flock, telling him to look quick.
       I had to leave after that, but he stayed to look around the area until 
total dark.  He didn't see them then, or the following Saturday.  Miller said 
the water was gone from the field they were in by Saturday.   I looked around 
a little again this afternoon, Mon. Nov. 24.  As far as I know, no one else 
has seen the Greater White-fronted Geese in the area so far. 

Don Holt
Johnson City, TN
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