[Mnbird] Snow Geese in Minneapolis?

[Richard Carlson]

In Pre-history, when I started birding, Snow Goose flyovers were regular in the western suburbs like Edina and St. Louis Park.  Snow Goose populations have increased dramatically since the 1950’s, so they should be seen in more places. 



Richard Carlson
Full time birder, part time economist
From Minnesota, just temporarily absent since 1960
Sent from my iPad

> On Dec 10, 2020, at 1:34 AM, Richard Becker via Mnbird <mnbird at lists.mnbird.net> wrote:
> 
> I was down at Old Cedar Bridge about 4 pm Wednesday when I happened to look up and see
> about 20 white birds with black on their wings fly over in an obvious V formation. They did not
> have Pelican bills, they did not have the long necks of Swans (plus the black on the wings) and
> they appeared larger than Gulls (plus being in the V formation). In roughly 20 years of birding
> in and around Minneapolis, I've never seen Snow Geese (or Ross's Geese) except years ago when
> there was a blue phase one on Lake of the Isles that I was told was injured and couldn't leave,
> but these birds looked pretty much like Snow Geese. It seems pretty late for migration, and these
> birds were moving south to north, so I assume they were planning to stay for at least a short
> while in the area. Has anyone on the list seen or heard about Snow Geese in the area recently,
> as I don't know what else they can be but I'm not 100% on the identification?
> 
> Also, there was a Northern Harrier hovering over something in the vicinity of the new bridge
> around 3 pm. Finally, down by the Bass Ponds, there were a bunch of Hooded Mergansers on
> one of the ponds, two of which I observed struggling with but finally downing frogs that at first
> seemed too large for them. Frogs seem so much more manageable when it's an Egret doing the
> eating.
> 
> Richard Becker
> 
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