[wisb] Re: Cackling Goose and Merlin Questions
- From: Richter Museum <richter@xxxxxxxx>
- To: "'vbirdman@xxxxxxx'" <vbirdman@xxxxxxx>, "wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 30 Sep 2010 20:38:20 +0000
It seems like we go through this Cackling Goose question ever autumn! If your
goose is not about the size of a drake mallard it is not a Cackling. Typical
Cackling is a dark breasted, Western species that should occur here rarely. In
Wisconsin we have at least five documented sizes, races, of Canada Geese. The
smallest ones as pictured in Ryan's photos are the same size as the Western
Cackling. However these birds are coming out of James and Hudson Bay, hence
their lighter breasts. To my knowledge, no genetic work has been done on this
population to explore their relationship to Canada or Cackling geese. For the
most part everyone is calling them "Cackling". Many birders are calling any
smaller Canada Goose a Cackling. There are three more small to medium races
between Cackling and our resident "Giant" Canada Geese.
As for Richardson's, or Prairie Merlins, they are uncommon to rare in autumn
migration along Green Bay. They usually occur in late September and early
October, and all that we have trapped have been immature. Anywhere from one to
four birds annually. The first Prairie I ever handled was down at Cedar Grove
back in 1969. They have definitely increased in numbers. The eastern Merlins
have also increased dramatically from the DDT era of a being a rare breeder to
an uncommon city one. In eastern Wisconsin we have had birds at Townsend,
Marinette, Peshtigo, Oconto, Kewaunee with several other nesting sites along
Lake Michigan in Door county. The initial protection given Crows which allowed
them to increase and move into cities has provided many nest structures for
Merlin use. The interesting Merlins are the jet black ones, black as the
western "Suckleyi". Dark, almost black Merlins breed in BC Canada and in the
east along the Labrador coast. One wonders where those birds are from, or if we
have another dark population, closer?
Tom Erdman
Green Bay
-----Original Message-----
From: wisbirdn-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:wisbirdn-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Vic Berardi
Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 2010 7:58 PM
To: wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [wisb] Re: Cackling Goose and Merlin Questions
To add further to the Merlin question concerning frequency of Prairie Merlin in
WI, Ryan's percentage also holds true for northeastern Illinois where the
Illinois Beach State Park Hawk Watch is located. From 2000-2010 we've counted
3966 Merlin of which 4 were deemed to be Prairie/Richardson's with one well
photographed.
Vic Berardi
VBirdman@xxxxxxx
Gurnee, IL
-----Original Message-----
From: Ryan Brady <ryanbrady10@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Tom Schultz <trschultz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; schaufenbuel@xxxxxxxxxxx;
wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wed, Sep 29, 2010 2:34 pm
Subject: [wisb] Re: Cackling Goose and Merlin Questions
I also meant to concur that 99% of the Merlins in Wisconsin are
columbarius/taiga Merlins. I've seen hundreds if not thousands of Merlins here
in northern Wisconsin and have only been able to identify two individuals of
the
Prairie/Richardson's race. Both individuals are digiscoped at
http://www.pbase.com/rbrady/prairiemerlin
Fall migration is likely the best time to find a Prairie Merlin in Wisconsin,
although they are known to breed just across the border in the Twin Cities.
Hawk Ridge in Duluth tallies a just a few individuals each autumn.
Ryan Brady
Washburn, Bayfield County, WI
http://www.pbase.com/rbrady
> From: ryanbrady10@xxxxxxxxxxx
> To: trschultz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx; schaufenbuel@xxxxxxxxxxx; wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [wisb] Re: Cackling Goose and Merlin Questions
> Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2010 13:11:00 -0600
>
> Here are some photos from here on Chequamegon Bay that demonstrate the great
variability in breast color, presence of white "collar," and other features of
Cackling Geese. The first two images show all Cackling while the third has a
few
Canadas mixed in.
>
> http://www.pbase.com/rbrady/image/128945330
> http://www.pbase.com/rbrady/image/128945333
> http://www.pbase.com/rbrady/image/128945336
>
>
> Ryan Brady
> Washburn, Bayfield County, WI
> http://www.pbase.com/rbrady
>
>
>
>
>
> > From: trschultz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > To: schaufenbuel@xxxxxxxxxxx; wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: [wisb] Re: Cackling Goose and Merlin Questions
> > Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2010 21:37:04 -0500
> >
> > Joe asks some good questions, and I would agree that the ID of Cackling
> > Geese is not always easy/straightforward. Even though written several years
> > ago, Sibley's summary page can be very helpful in sorting out the taxonomy
> > and ID issues:
> >
> > http://www.sibleyguides.com/2007/07/identification-of-cackling-and-canada-goose
> >
> > I feel that very small-sized "Canada" geese in our area -- those about
> > Mallard size -- are highly likely to be Cackling Geese. In my experience,
> > the short necks and stubby bill proportions on these tiny geese typically
> > correspond, therefore confirming the ID -- but these features can also vary
> > somewhat between individuals. I think that the Cackling Geese in our area
> > have breasts shades that are somewhat variable -- and not usually
> > noticeably
> > much darker than other Canadas.
> >
> > I would also agree that "prairie" Merlins (subspecies richardsoni) are much
> > less frequent here in WI than are "eastern forest" birds (columbarius). I
> > believe that the "prairie" Merlin race is less migratory.
> >
> > Tom Schultz
> > Green Lake Co.
> >
> >
> >
> > --------------------------------------------------
> > From: "Schaufenbuel" <schaufenbuel@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2010 8:56 PM
> > To: <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Subject: [wisb] Cackling Goose and Merlin Questions
> >
> > > Once again Stevens Point hosts "mini-Canada-type Geese" not much bigger
> > > than a Mallard and half the length of the the "Giant" Canada Goose and a
> > > third smaller than the "Interior" or "Lesser" Canada Goose. These birds
> > > are easily picked out in family groups and appear harassed by the bigger
> > > Canada-types. However they are not classic Cackling Geese lacking the
> > > dark breast, short neck, stubby bill and evident white collar. They do
> > > have skinny necks and smaller, but not tiny, bills. Now are these just
> > > extremely small Arctic nesting Canada Geese or are these these the
> > > "Richardson's/Hutchinson's" Cackling Goose?
> > >
> > > Right now there are six of these little guys on the fountain pool just
> > > south of Best Buy off Highway HH & I-39. Typically, I find one to six
> > > of these minis each year. A few years back though, there was a day when
> > > a larger number passed through.
> > >
> > > And on the topic of Merlin populations, I've have found one "Prairie"
> > > Merlin in Wisconsin out of the thirty or so I've seen. Are my low
> > > number of encounters from this Population typical, at least, in Central
> > > Wisconsin?
> > >
> > > Joe Schaufenbuel
> > > Stevens Point,
> > > Portage Co., WI
> > > ####################
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