Snow Goose--Chen caerulescens

Snow Goose has dark eyes, pinkish bill, and a prominent black "grin patch."

Snow Geese are rare, but they are regularly seen in Orange County because California and thus Orange County are on the migration route to their Canadian breeding grounds.

With the hungry, gluttonous ducks and coots feeding on handouts.  Kind of makes me sad.

Snow Geese are often seen in groups, but in the OC we often see then alone or with a few other Snow Geese.

Snow Goose swimming in a lake in a small neighborhood park.

Notice the black wing tips.

Notice the pink legs.

Notice the tint on the head.

What're you looking at?  Notice the yellowish coloring tinting the face.

Notice the very prominent black grin patch.

Differentiating Snow Geese from domestic, white geese

Larger Domestic Goose--Large, with Orange legs and bill.   Notice the large looking belly.   The Snow Goose would be smaller and have a smaller belly.    All white wings.

Orange eye ring, smaller light-colored grin patch. All white.  The Snow Goose has no orange eye ring, dark eyes, and a pink bill with a black grin patch.

Unlike the dark-eyed Snow Goose, the domestic goose has blue eyes.



Snow Geese and Ross's Geese

 Here, a Ross's Goose hangs out in a San Fernando Valley park with other geese.  Notice he has the same coloring as the Snow Goose, but the Ross's Goose is much smaller.  The Ross's Goose has no tinting on the head or neck.  Whiter overall head and neck than the Snow Goose.  The bill is much smaller proportionally than the Snow Goose, and can show a bit of green coloring at the base.   The Ross's Goose may have a much smaller and less obvious grin patch.   

The Snow Goose has a larger bill compared to the Ross's Goose, and a large, dark grin patch.  Unlike the domestic goose, the Snow Goose has dark eyes vs. the domestic's blue eyes.  The Snow Goose black wing tips unlike the white wings of the domestic goose.  The Snow Goose has a pink bill and legs unlike the orange bill and legs of the domestic goose.



OC Birder Girl Links

Wild Ducks of Orange County


Odd Ducks


Bird Walks and Nature Programs in and Near Orange County


Orange County Bird Check Lists



Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns of Orange County

Links

All About Birds: Snow Goose

Detailed page about the Snow Goose. Although it is multiplying, it is still a rare bird in Orange County. Read all about the Snow Goose.



All About Birds:  Ross's Goose

Detailed page about the Ross's Goose.  Rare in Orange County.


Confusing Domestic Geese (and hybrids)


From Cornell. Some confusing geese.



Snow Geese Fuel up for Migration

Read more about Snow Geese.  

Eurasian Wigeon--Anas penelope--A Rare Bird

I staked this Male Eurasian Wigeon out for at least a half hour to get these pictures.

 

Spotting a Eurasian Wigeon certainly was exciting for me since I had never spotted one before. Knowing what to look for and when to look for it made me take a second look at a flock of American Wigeons taking a nap on Lake Huntington in Huntington Central Park. I knew it was the right time of year--winter. And I knew that they often travel with flocks of American Wigeons. So I took my time slowly scanning the flock of American Wigeons bobbing on the lake. 

Finally, this bird wakes up so I can get a picture of his black-tipped blue bill.

There are a lot more Eurasian Wigeons flying along the flyways on the Pacific Coast than there are on the Atlantic Coast. One reason for that is how close the continents are up by Alaska. Eurasian Wigeons, as you might guess by the name, are common in Europe and Asia. They breed in the northern areas of Europe and Asia. They winter in the southern areas of Europe and Asia, and in northern Africa. It makes sense that they might mix and mingle with our American Wigeons up north by Alaska and Siberia and end up migrating down the Pacific Coast with our American Wigeons. Our American Wigeons also turn up in Asia and in Europe.

Most of the time I spent watching the Eurasian Wigeon, I saw this.

Like the American Wigeon, the Eurasian Wigeon is a dabbling duck. You will see its head go under the water, and its tail end stick up. This is no diving duck. It eats aquatic plants and terrestrial plants. It also eats seeds and occasional insects. It is not uncommon to see it on the grass with the American Wigeon eating plants and roots and insects.

Taking a drink in this fresh water lake.

Eurasian Wigeons are both very similar and very different than American Wigeons. Both have similarly shaped heads with a center stripe on its head and a small blue bill tipped with black. But the Eurasian Wigeon lacks the black patterning on the cheeks, and it has a buff rather than white center stripe. What sets it apart most distinctly is the reddish head. It really stands out in a crowd of American Wigeons.

Back to sleep.

 The confusing this is that Eurasian Wigeons and American Wigeons hybridize often and what indicates a hybrid has been debated by birders for quite a while. Some insist that some or most Eurasian Wigeons have a little green behind the eye while others insist those are hybrids. The most tell-tale indicator of a hybrid seems to be an extended green eye-stripe rather than a small patch, and/or black patterning on the cheeks like an American Wigeon. In addition, the Eurasian Wigeon has gray sides and the American has brown sides. The female has a warmer head color than the American Wigeon and no black border at the base of its blue bill. Since Eurasian Wigeons hang out almost exclusively with their American cousins, it pays in fall and winter to check out any flocks of Wigeons for the Eurasian Wigeons.

All tucked in. Even with its bill tucked in, the reddish head is like a beacon across the lake saying, Eurasian Wigeon!

Eurasian Wigeons can be found in wetlands, lakes, channels, ponds, bays, and community parks with lakes or lawns. Unfortunately, they do not breed here--no records yet. However, many people suspect that on occasion, they do and that we will someday have records of Eurasian Wigeons breeding in North America.

Snoozing.

 In years past, Eurasian Wigeons have also been seen in Orange County at Clark Regional Park, and Carr Park. In general we can say that if you want to see Eurasian Wigeons, look for them starting in October and through March--on occasion as late as April. Definitely check out Upper Newport Bay near San Joaquin Hills Road. Don't forget Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. Also check out lakes in parks like Tewinkle, Huntington Central Park, Village Park, Twin Lakes, Carr Park, Clark Regional Park. Most places you see American Wigeons, you may see Eurasian Wigeons. Birding in Orange County during fall and winter is a lot of fun due to the migrants and wintering waterfowl. There are always a few rare birds around. So when you go out birding in Orange County in the fall or winter, keep your eyes peeled for the Eurasian Wigeon and other rare migrants and wintering waterfowl.




OC Birder Girl Links



American Wigeon--Anas americana



The Wild Ducks of Orange County




Odd Ducks



Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve


 
Central Park in Huntington Beach


 
San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary



Tewinkle Park -- Costa Mesa



Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve aka Newport Back Bay

Where a lot of sightings have occurred. Usually just past the parking lot by the Big Canyon spillway.




External Links and Resources



All About Birds: Eurasian Wigeon


Page about the rare bird the Eurasian Wigeon.


Animal Diversity Web: Eurasian Wigeon

Detailed article by students at Michigan State University.

ANTI-PREDATOR BEHAVIOR OF BREEDING EURASIAN WIGEON

Journal of Field Ornithology: Vol. 63, No. 3, Summer, 1992

Age-related Pair Bonding by Male Eurasian Wigeons in Relation to Courtship Activity

Auk: Vol. 107, No. 1, January-March, 1990

Arizona Field Ornithologists: Female Eurasian Wigeon

Very good detailed article with pictures on distinguishing the female Eurasian Wigeon from the American Wigeon.

BirdWeb: Eurasian Wigeon

Detailed information from the Seattle Audubon Society.

CalPhotos from Cal State Berkeley: Eurasian Wigeon

Photos of Eurasian Wigeons.

Eurasian Wigeon Distribution and Migration in North America

Great Migration and wintering map with links to other range information and images of Eurasian Wigeons.

Internet Bird Collection: Eurasian Wigeons

Videos of Eurasian Wigeons. Good quality.

JPG Magazine: Picture of Eurasian Wigeon by Jeffrey Bennett

Very good close up shot of Eurasian Wigeon.

Ohio Division of Wildlife: Eurasian Wigeon
Short article with no photo, but a nice sound clip.
USGS: Eurasian Wigeon
Short, but helpful Article.

Notice that the Eurasian Wigeon's call, though similar, is different than the American Wigeon. If you familiarize yourself with it, you will have one more clue that a Eurasian Wigeon is in a crowd of American Wigeons.

Telling an American Wigeon and a Eurasian Wigeon Apart
 

American Wigeon x Eurasian Wigeon at Rhododendron Gardens
Interesting discussion on Flicker about whether a bird with green on it is a hybrid or not.

Friends of Greenlake (Washington): American and Eurasian Wigeons

Discussion of American and Eurasian Wigeons and pictures of both and a hybrid Wigeon.

Eurasian and American Wigeon Hybrids

Picture and short paragraph on Wigeon hybrids. From Arizona Field Ornithologists. Also see this picture of an American-Eurasian Wigeon hybrid. Also see their comparison of American and Eurasian Wigeons.

Green Nature: Eurasian Wigeon Hybrid Controversy

Is a green patch evidence that the bird is a hybrid or do many Eurasian Wigeons have it?

Identification of Wigeons from the ABA

Article with pictures, illustrations, and text about American and Eurasian Wigeons in many plumages.

From Birdinfo.com: Eurasian and American Wigeons

Picture of male Eurasian and male American Wigeons. See also this picture of a hybrid.

Eurasian X American Wigeons in Western Oregon

Journal Article about hybrid Eurasian and American Wigeons. Western Birds: Vol. 24, No. 2, 1993

Where have Eurasian Wigeons been seen in Orange County?



(Compiled from the Orange County Rare Bird Alert. Tried my best to get it right --hope I didn't miss anything.)

Weekly Report March 5, 2008 --Tri-City Park in Placentia





Weekly Report February 27th, 2008--Hungtington Central Park West Side

(My sighting--photos above.)




Weekly Report February 20th, 2008--Lake Forest off of Ridge Route between Muirlands and Rockfield 23102 Ridge Route Drive, Lake Forest




Weekly Report February 13th, 2008--Upper Newport Bay




Weekly Report Nov 28th, 2007--below San Joaquin Hills Road and the Big Canyon area off of Back Bay Drive.




Weekly Report Nov 21st, 2007--Upper Newport Bay the Big Canyon area off of Back Bay Drive.





Weekly Report March 14th, 2007--Tewinkle Park, Costa Mesa





Weekly Report March 7th, 2007--Tewinkle Park, Costa Mesa





Weekly Report February 21st, 2007--Tewinkle Park in Costa Mesa, northern boundary





Weekly Report February 14th, 2007-- Upper Newport Bay





Weekly Report January 17th, 2007--Tewinkle Park, Costa Mesa





Weekly Report January 10th, 2007--Tewinkle Park, Costa Mesa





Weekly Report December 20th, 2006--Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve





Weekly Report December 6th, 2006--Village Pond Park 23102 Ridge Route Drive, Lake Forest





Weekly Report November 15th, 2006-- Big Canyon area of Upper Newport Bay off of Back Bay Drive







Weekly Report March 1st, 2006--Upper Newport Bay, Big Canyon area (east side)





Weekly Report February 15th, 2006--Lake Forest Golf and Practice Course near the 5th hole in the pond





Weekly Report January 25th, 2006--Garden Grove Community Center...nearby lake





Weekly Report January 4th, 2006--Upper Newport Bay






Weekly Report December 7th, 2005--Upper Newport Bay 4 males and one female






Weekly Report November 30th, 2005--Huntington Central Park East Side






Weekly Report November 23rd, 2005--Huntington Central Park, east side






Weekly Report November 16th, 2005--Upper Newport Bay at San Joaquin Hills Road and Back Bay Drive





Weekly Report November 9th, 2005--San Joaquin Hills Road and BackBay Drive.







Weekly Report November 2nd, 2005--Village Pond Park 23102 Ridge Route Drive, Lake Forest







Weekly Report October 26th, 2005--"the exit of Big Canyon, Upper Newport Bay"







Weekly Report October 12th, 2005--"an eclipse male EURASIAN WIGEON was at the end of San Joaquin Hills Road in Upper Newport Bay"







Weekly Report March 23, 2005 --Twin Lakes Park in Garden Grove







Weekly Report March 9, 2005--Laguna Niguel Regional Park, "last reported this morning (Wed) along the little stream near shelter #3" AND Upper Newport Bay







Weekly Report February 23, 2005--Laguna Niguel Regional Park near Shelter #7







Weekly Report February 16, 2005--"Upper Newport Bay, as many as 3 EURASIAN WIGEON were seen along Back Bay Drive"







Weekly Report February 9, 2005--Twin Lakes Park in Garden Grove Lampson and Haster





Weekly Report February 2, 2005--Laguna Niguel Regional Park and Twin Lakes Park







Weekly Report January 26, 2005--Upper Newport Bay







Weekly Report January 19, 2005--Village Pond Park
23102 Ridge Route Drive, Lake Forest





Weekly Report January 12, 2005--Village Pond Park 23102 Ridge Route Drive, Lake Forest



Weekly Report January 5, 2005--Upper Newport Bay



Weekly Report December 1, 2004--Village Pond Park (Lake Forest)



Weekly Report November 17, 2004--Back Bay Drive and San Joaquin Hills Rd in Upper Newport Bay





Weekly Report November 3, 2004--Upper Newport Bay--" two different EURASIAN WIGEONS were reported, one at the end of San Joaquin Hills Road, the other at the exit spillway of Big Canyon."





Weekly Report October 27, 2004--Upper Newport Bay







Weekly Report October 6, 2004--Laguna Niguel Regional Park

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The Rose-breasted Grosbeak--A Rare Bird

Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak-- Courtesy of the US Dept of Fish and Wildlife Digital Depository

In the early 1980s I bought a can full of seeds that were supposed to grow into flowers and plants that would attract wild birds to my backyard. And grow they did! They grew into huge, tall flowers that then went to seed. The seed heads looked strange, and alien and like something that you might hack off and feed to your your parakeet--or perhaps a flock of parakeets. It was actually kind of disturbing. I was about to mow down this twilight-zone garden when I looked out the window one morning before 7AM and saw a male Rose-Breasted Grosbeak (RBGB) on the ground eating the seeds. I was stunned. Not only did that can of seeds attract birds, it attracted a bird I had never seen before! I checked my guide book several times. (Hey, this was before the Internet, so that is all I had.) After checking, I had no doubt. It was a RBGB. But would anyone believe me? From everything I had read, it was not a bird that lived around here.

A You-Tube video of the Rose-Breasted Grosbeak

However, it turns out that RBGBs are seen in Orange County. Seen rarely, it's true, but they are seen. In fact, several have been seen over the years at Huntington Central Park. RBGBs have also been seen at Mason Regional Park, Laguna Regional Park, Santiago Regional Park, and neighborhood backyards. It is a rare bird, but hardly an impossible bird.

A RBGB is in the family Cardinalidae. The same family as the Cardinal. Like the Cardinal, it eats seeds and fruit, and flowers. In fact, it often shares bird feeders with Cardinals. The Grosbeak part of its name refers to the fact that it has a large beak. This helps it crack seeds.

The RBGB is often compared to a robin, but considered the better singer. The female as well as the male sings. They sing a lot and don't stop when nesting.

The female is drab like most female birds and hard to distinguish from the female Black-headed Grosbeak. There is a link below that discusses the difference between them.


Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak feeding nestlings. Courtesy of the US Department of Fish and Wildlife.

This is a bird that is often hard to see because it is often feeding high in the trees. It does come to feeders though, and that is often the best chance to see it. The term grosbeak refers to its large beak which makes it easy to eat seeds. If you want to know how to pronounce "grosbeak" click Merriam Webster pronunciation here.


Take a look at some of these RBGB links:


All About Birds from Cornell University -- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
The usual thorough article from All About Birds. This one is about the RBGB of course. Lists distribution, range maps, habits, link to hear bird's song, and photographs.


Bedford Audubon Society--Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Information about the Rose-breasted Grosbeak in New York.

Bird Watcher's Digest Species Identification: Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Nice, short article.


Bird Houses 101--Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Good article on the Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Lots of details.


Birder's World Photo of the Week
Nice shot of a Rose-breasted Grosbeak.



Chipperwoods Observatory in Indiana--Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Photos of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks including their wing linings.



Identification of Female Rose-breasted and Black-headed Grosbeaks
Article by Joseph Morlan. It originally appeared in Birding in 1991 and compares the two female grosbeaks and discusses how to tell them apart. Clear.

Internet Bird Collection--Rose-breasted Grosbeak Videos
Videos of Rose-breasted Grosebeaks.

Orange County Rare Bird Alert Sightings for this Species
Central Park in Huntington beach seems to be a where it is seen most often. Is it because there are more birders there to see it? Or are there more RBGBs attracted to Huntington CP than other places?


Rose-breasted Grosbeak Photos from the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center
Photos from the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. Click on a picture to enlarge.


YouTube Videos of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
YouTube videos of RBGBs. Some good, some not so good. This one of a male feeding a young bird is a good one.






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Reddish Egret--A Rare Bird

Reddish Egret at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Orange County birding gets exciting when a birder spots a rare bird. The Reddish Egret usually lives in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mexico and points south, but in Orange County and the rest of California, it is considered a rare bird.   Recently, news regarding its presence has gone beyond the rare bird alert and the birding boards and made the local newspapers.

As a beginning birder in the 1980s, I first saw a Reddish Egret up in Santa Barbara near the zoo.   I had no idea what it was and had to look it up in my book.   However, I have seen them more recently right here in Orange County.  Although still rare, Reddish Egrets have been regularly seen in the last few years at several locations in Orange County including Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. Only one or two and only once in a while, but regularly. The pictures I have gotten so far are with my zoom. The days I saw the Reddish Egret, it was out to the left of the observation outlook in the shallows. Last year I saw it by the bridge, but that was before my digital camera, so I didn't get any shots. Maybe later this year I will get a closer shot.

Why does the Reddish Egret run around with its wings out? The most common guess is that its wings shade the water, taking away the glare, and allowing the bird to see its prey in the water. The running may flush the prey from hiding places.

Reddish Egret dashing about with its wings stretched out at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve .

Ready to make a mad dash across the water at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve .

If ever a bird might have ADHD, it is the Reddish Egret. It dashes around with its wings held out looking for fish in shallows, usually partly salt water. It surpasses the Snowy Egret for active feeding. It has an auburn head and slate-colored wings. Its shaggy head plumes give it a kind of "bedhead" look.


Strutting at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve .

This bird is now seen regularly all year at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. There are only 2 to 3 individual Reddish Egrets going by the reports of people who have seen them--but they are in the Bolsa Chica area all year. So if you want to see this rare bird, next time you go birding in Orange County, check out Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve--you might just get lucky.



Competing with a Red-breasted Merganser at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve .



Reddish Egret and a Snowy Egret



OC Birder Girl Links


Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve



Black-crowned Night Heron--Nycticorax nycticorax



Great Blue Heron--Ardea herodias



Great Egret--Ardea alba


Green Heron--Butorides virescens


Snowy Egret--Egretta thula



Index of Posts to My Birding Blog



External Links and Resources



Orange County Links



Orange County Register Story about Reddish Egrets




Check the Rare Bird Alert for Orange County for sightings.











Other External Links and Resources


All About Birds--Reddish Egret



Audubon Society's Web Article on the Reddish Egret




Audubon Magazine Article on Reddish Egrets






Links from within the Common Range of the Reddish Egret


And the Audubon Society's profile of the Reddish Egret in their waterbird section.



The State of Texas General Land Office page on their common resident, The Reddish Egret.



World Birding Center in Texas page on the Reddish Egret


University of Texas Information about their banding of Reddish Egrets and other information here.



Audubon Texas and its local chapters have information about birds and places to bird in Texas including information about the Reddish Egret.


Photos


Vireo Photos of the Reddish Egret


And three Photographs below--all courtesy of the US Department of Fish and Wildlife:





























Thanks to the US Department of Fish and Wildlife for the three photographs included above.

My Video of a Reddish Egret feeding at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. Copyright Karen McQuade, the OC Birder Girl.



Video

Internet Bird Collection Video of Reddish Egret's unusual feeding style.

This great example of the feeding style of the Reddish Egret was video taped by Sharyn Staggers. I haven't seen a better one on the Internet.

Bird Cinema: Reddish Egret


Good video.










OC Birder Girl Links



Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve


Black-crowned Night Heron--Nycticorax nycticorax
Cattle Egret--Bubulcus ibis--A Rare Bird



Great Blue Heron--Ardea herodias

Great Egret--Ardea alba

Green Heron--Butorides virescens

Snowy Egret

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