Saturday 28 April 2012

Lesser Snow Geese

When I was holidaying in Canada I had gone on a trail walk on the West Dyke in Richmond, British Columbia. While coming back from there I noticed a football stadium full of white birds. I stopped and went closer and realised that these were the Lesser Snow Geese (Chen Caerulescens). They were there in their thousands and covering the whole field.

Lesser Snow Geese came to play!

They are migratory birds and travel long distances of over 4000 kms from Alaska and Siberia in winters to come to the Fraser River Delta. This is the biggest river in British Columbia.

Lesser Snow Geese

The birds have two colour plumage morphs - white and grey or blue though the majority is of the white ones.   That is why sometimes they are also called the Blue Goose.

A blue morph Snow Geese among white morph birds

This sighting of the migratory Lesser Snow Geese in such great numbers at such a close range was a sheer delight.

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