GIF of the Week: The Visiting Swan Goose

It seems our migratory guest has departed Kin Town.

Whether it flew back to China, Northern Japan or, Russia is an unknown.

Sometimes, these birds just move to another spot on the island.

Why not ?  They are here for winter vacation.

Whenever I run across a critter, I have never seen before, I take plenty of photos.

The more angles you see it from, the easier it is to make a positive identification.

Before, I do my end of the month review, I look for images to throw away.

Hah.  Hundreds of this bird are getting recycled.

 8 photos were saved to create this motion GIF of the bird twisting its neck around.

For those interested in learning more about the Swan Goose, there are some good links:

Avibase --  Bird Checklists of the World  OKINAWA

BirdLife International

Swan and Goose Identification PDF

The Swan Goose is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Redlist

Related Posts:

Wildlife Images: Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides) 

Kin Town Geese in a GIF

Kin Town Geese in a GIF

Scientists Haven't Chirped About It Yet

 

 

A few of the bird people have gone out and observed these two geese.

So far all I'm hearing is, Swan Goose and Bean Goose, being tossed around.

It just strikes me as odd, that they hangout together and, eat the same grass.

There's no telling what a Bean Goose is doing around here.

There's no beans, to eat, in that field.

They just waddle around the field eating grass and pooping. 

Did You Ever See a Goose Poop ?

 

 

It reminds me of a used car salesman, we used to have around here.

He was a good liar, whenever it came time to sell an old junk car to someone.

We used to say, "He's slicker than goose poop sliding down a tuba" !

Mysterious Goose Situation in Kin Town

The Pair Was Spotted Again Today

 

 

The feathers on their backs and sides look the same.

Once you get past the base of the neck, it looks like two different breeds of birds.

Everybody wants directions to see these geese, now.

Not too good at giving directions, I'll have to find someone to GPS the spot for me.

Thinking, I could Google Map the place was a mistake.

It looks like the satellite and map people, haven't been there, yet.

These geese, hangout together, eat the same stuff and, fly together.

But, folks are telling me, they aren't the same species.

The big guy, is a Swan Goose. The gal, is some sort of Bean Goose.

Not being any kind of bird expert, I'll let someone else decide, what they might be.

See how the guy bird, is ignoring the gal ?

There's always the possibility, they are a married couple, is what I've been thinking.

From the Handbook of the World, check this out:

It's a scientific description for the female bird, pictured above.

"Taxonomy: Anas Fabalis

Closely related to A. brachyrhynchus, which has been considered a race of present species. Taxonomic treatment of this complex has varied: in addition to recognition of A. brachyrhynchus as a full species, some studies have advanced the case for treating race serrirostris (with rossicus) as a separate species, morphologically and reproductively distinct from the three taiga populations of present species; a subsequent phylogenetic review also recognized three species within the complex, but in this case A. brachyrhynchus, A. fabalis (including rossicus and serrirostris) and A. middendorffii (incorporating johanseni as a synonym). In view of the contradictory findings of these various studies, and the fact that races intergrade to an uncertain extent, it would seem safer for the time being to retain the widely recognized treatment of two species, A. brachyrhynchus and A. fabalis."

Go Birding Europe Give Some Interesting Facts

 

 

There are several photos of the Swan Goose and, a bit of history.

One Swan Goose image, shows a bit of orange coloring in the bird's bill.

And, there's a page of Domestic Swan Goose Hybrids but, none like this couple.

That would be alright, if we had a bird from China and one from Russia, visiting here.

If they got hooked up correctly, we may have some goose eggs, lying around somewhere.

And, when they hatch, we'll call them the Ryukyu Goose !

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."