Snow Geese can regularly be seen migrating overhead during the fall (and maybe spring, though I don’t recall seeing them much then). However, I have only heard of a handful of reports of them actually on the ground, and most of those have been individual birds who for some reason failed to keep up with their flock.
On Alaska Day this year, I got a message about a possible Ross’s Goose at Crescent Harbor. I wasn’t able to get down there right away and by the time I was on my way, I had follow up message(s) that the bird was actually probably a Snow Goose. When I got down to the corner of the harbor where it seemed content to eat dandelion greens, I could see why folks might have initially thought about a Ross’s Goose. It seemed quite small for what I would expect of a Snow Goose. However, the bill was not so small as would be expected for a Ross’s Goose.
I do not know what led to this bird showing up at the harbor. It acted very tame, but apparently was not injured (or at least not so much that it couldn’t fly), as other people observed it fly a short distance after being disturbed. While I was watching, it seemed disinclined to move far, only walking down the slope toward the water when a larger group of people walked by. It was there for at least another day, but I do not know what ultimately happened with it.
