After the initial scare the day after The Storm and not seeing the Pink-footed Goose at Bowring Park, it was good to know others found it the next day. Five members of a WINGS tour group were especially happy that it was present today. It was a new for them all. We fed the goose mixed bird seed which is eagerly ate among the swarm of ducks. The goose has manners and is not intimidated by the seething mass of voracious ducks. It even ate the seed off the backs of Black Ducks. Amazing how quickly it has become a 'pond duck'. In the fields of Goulds back in November it was difficult to photograph at a distance from within a car. The future of the goose for the next 3-4 months looks bright.
The WINGS groups was kept happy with a rare sunny, warm and nearly windless day at Cape Spear. Fifty Purple Sandpipers were sun bathing on the rocks while waiting for the big seas to level out. Quidi Vidi Lake provided plenty of entertainment from out of province birders not used to the abundance of Iceland Gulls. There were also three Common Gulls plus some Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls for the viewing. An adult male Tufted Duck with a little group of females preening in the shallow waters was a hit.
We scored excellent views of a couple of Dovekies feeding inside a wharf at Flatrock. Lots of photo opts. Good study of 1st winter and adult Great Cormorant resting on a rock. It was a good start to the five full days of tour birding.
It's always nice when a group of birders shows me they are equally iffy at estimating flock size!
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