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Lake Mattamuskeet - Cackling Goose



I just returned from "Trial #2" at Lake Mattamuskeet.  Those of you that read 
my post on 12/12/99, know that I am training to bird by bike for a big trip 
to Attu, Alaska this Spring.  Anyhow, the birding today was almost identical 
to my Trial #1 trip to Lake Mattamuskeet on 12/12/99 , but the numbers of 
birds increased.

The highlight of the day was sighting the CACKLING GOOSE that I found in 
December for a second time.  This Aleutian minima subspecies of the Canada 
Goose is back at the identical place I originally observed it on 12/12/99.  
The bird is associating with eight other Canada Geese of the nominate race can
adensis in the MI-10 impoundment at Lake Landing.  I observed it for about 15 
minutes as it rested and preened on the water.  I confirmed that it does not 
have any white breast band.  The birds breast and flanks are the same color 
as it's back, which is approximately the same color as the back of the 
nominate race Geese with it.  The Cackling Goose is no larger than the 
Pintail's nearby.

Was this individual observed during the Lake Mattamuskeet CBC?  If not, I 
suggest adding it at least as a species observed during the week of the CBC.  
It was probably in the area.  Has this subspecies been reported in North 
Carolina before?  I have not heard of any since I moved here in 1993.  Were 
they seen periodically when the overall Canada Goose population was larger in 
NC earlier in the 1900's?

Other highlights of the day included four ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS (2 on the 
Wildlife Drive and 2 on the causeway near the observation platform), PALM 
WARBLER on the causeway, AMERICAN BITTERN, three BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS 
at Lake Landing, COMMON MOORHEN on the Wildlife drive, FOX SPARROW on the 
Wildlife drive, thirty CATTLE EGRETS in the field at the North end of the 
causeway and thirteen (13) BALD EAGLES throughout the refuge.  At one point, 
I had eight eagles flying around me in two kettles at MI-10!!!

I hope someone else gets to see the Goose!  Good luck!

-Brad Carlson
Winterville, NC
Bcar105390@aol.com