Go to top | New Topic | Search     Subject: 4 BOPs & White-fronted Goose Author: Joshua Potter () Date:   2006-11-12 10:18:56.0 Saturday morning Jeremy Bean and I went looking for the White-fronted Goose reported by Bob Crowley last week. We stopped by Lower Kimball Pond first, around 7:30. All we found were two Common Loons and three Common Goldeneyes. Next we headed for the corn fields Bob had pointed us towards near the intersection of Old River Rd. and Macneil Rd. in Fryeburg. We saw some geese east of Macneil along Old River, past a farmhouse on the left. We parked just after the pavement ends, and set up the scope. After scanning the 50+ Mallards and 100+ Canada Geese w/ no luck, we walked further down the road to get a different vantage (many geese were obscured by furrows). What happened next I wouldnt believe if I hadnt been there. A Peregrine Falcon came screaming over our heads towards the geese, and scared up some ducks, which it proceeded to chase with no luck. It then perched in a maple for the remainder of the time we were there, giving great looks through the scope. As soon as it perched, though, it started being mobbed by two Northern Harriers, one male, one female. Still unable to pick out the White-fronted Goose, we moved further along the road, and along the back edge of the field, bordered by the old course of the Saco River (which had a handful of Hooded Mergansers on it.) Back towards the farmhouse a sudden outcry of Blue Jays alerted us to a medium to large juvenile Accipiter, most likely a Coopers Hawk, perched in a large maple. Back to the expanse of geese, Jeremy was finally able to spot some orange legs and a pink/orange bill moving amongst the mass of Canadas. At last we had our White-fronted Goose. After watching him for a few minutes we headed back toward the car. In the brush along the road we had three American Tree Sparrows. As we climbed back into the car, the geese all took flight. At first I was concerned that we had caused the disturbance, but then caught sight of an adult Bald Eagle coming slowly across the middle of the field towards the flock. Not too shabby with four BOPs (Birds of Prey) within an hour in one cornfield. The goose was just an added bonus. Happy birding, Joshua Potter Outreach Coordinator Tin Mountain Conservation Center Go to top | New Topic | Search     Topics  Author  Date   4 BOPs & White-fronted Goose  Joshua Potter   2006-11-12 10:18:56.0    Reply To This Message  Your Name:  Your Email:  Subject: