Wildlife Images: Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides)

Bonus on Today's Wild Goose Chase

 

 

For the past two weeks the hunt for this birds has been taking place, daily.

Luckily, a good shooting friend, pointed me in the right direction.

If it hadn't been for, Shawn Miller, I'd probably still be searching for this wild goose.

We spotted this rascal in a field, a few days ago.

Equipped with only a 300mm lens, I was disappointed with the few shots I had taken.

Today, I went back with the Sigma 50-500mm lens and a tripod, using the Pentax K3.

Even with the lens stretched all the way out, I like to get as close as possible to the subject.

There's no telling what he was talking about.  I couldn't hear him.

Maybe he said, "Come here woman."

Because, all of a sudden, a female Swan Goose arrived on the scene.

Capturing a male and female of this species, was the highlight of today's photography.

They are a rare breed, to be found in Okinawa.

Learn more about the Swan Goose at ARKive

See the difference between wild and domestic Swan Geese at Cornell Edu

Visit Shawn Miller's Okinawa Nature Photography for more wildlife images. 

Update/Correction

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the latest, concerning the photos of the birds above. 

It appears, the second, subject may not be a Swan Goose, afterall.

Quote from a good bird-expert friend of mine, who is like some sort of Masterbirder:

 
"Mike-San, top ones the Swan Goose, bottom is a Tundra Bean Goose. (Anser serrirostris) There's still not a consensus on the status of the Bean Goose, some consider it split as two distinct species Taiga Bean Goose (Anser fabalis) and the Tundra as a subspecies (A. fabalis serrirostris). Though they mingle in the winter, they have distinct breeding habitats meaning not much cross breeding. If their not already two distinct species, they're on the way to becoming such."