By: Sally Siko- Admin Birdwatching NC

This morning was actually one of the best birding days I’ve had in a while! I got up early and drive out to the Mid Pines Road area because I’d heard of reports that said that there was a White fronted Goose hanging out in the fields of NCSU farms.

It was super cloudy and kind of dark when I arrived at 7:45. I drove up and down Mid Pines Rd anyway scanning the vast landscape for signs of the Goose. I had no luck! This bird was nowhere to be found.

By now, it was around 8am so I thought I’d try looking for the Goose at nearby Yates Mill Park. On my way out to Yates Mill, I got lucky and spotted a Peregrine Falcon sitting in a tree just north east of the Mid-Pines dog-leg. Wow! That was freak’n awesome!!! You can read about that encounter HERE.

As I pulled into the parking lot of Yates Mill, I could see a huge flock of Canada Geese sitting on the water through the trees. Now, I was getting excited! I’d had a hunch that the White fronted Goose would be likely to be found in the company of other geese. Now, it was time to see if this idea paid off.

Making my way to the boardwalk, I could hear the geese honking and splashing. As soon as the flock was in sight, I took out my camera and started searching for the White- fronted Goose (WFG) on the water. This was not easy! There were so many Canada Geese, Mallards, and Ruddy Ducks here that picking out the WFG in this loosely mixed flock was proving to be difficult.

Then, there it was!

I was so happy that I finally spotted it! the White fronted Goose was much smaller than the Canada Geese . Yet, he/she seemed to fit right int with the rest of the flock.

Who is watching who? Lol!

I spent about an hour watching the WFG and taking photos. I think this is remarkable sighting because this Arctic tundra-nesting species normally spends it’s winters in the western half of the United States. So cool to think that this little Goose had somehow ended up here in central North Carolina…and I’m standing here looking right at it.

As I made my way back to my truck, I smiled at the wonder of finding a Peregrine Falcon and a Greater White fronted Goose in the same day. One bird was found by research, & instincts, the other by pure luck. I think that both kinds of encounters are a joy to experience in equal measure.

Happy Birding!

-Sally

Here is a map of Yates Mill Park. The Greater White fronted Goose was seen in the northern part of the pond.