[obol] Tule Geese Over Eugene?

[Steve McDonald]

     Beginning Sunday evening and continuing all night, there was a
stream of Gr. White-fronted Geese, heading to the SE, over the Eugene
area.
Just before dark, a flock of about 120 came over, with very large birds,
that may have been the Tule subspecies.  There were 3 smaller geese with
them, that seemed no more than half their size.  I saw what must have
been a Tule Goose on the ground at a cemetary in Eugene last year, that
was almost twice as large as several other white-fronts nearby.
In recent years, I've seen a couple of white-fronts wintering at Alton
Baker Park, that were much smaller than even the most common type.
There is a lot of variation in size among the subspecies and population
groups of this species.  Since they make only occasional appearances on
the ground in Western Oregon, there doesn't seem to be much recognition
of these differences when they're seen here.

     Whenever the noisy flocks came over last night, the Coyotes and
foxes in the nearby hills started yelping and yodeling and of course,
all the dogs within earshot joined in.  You never realize how many of
these wild canines there are around, until
you hear one of their choruses.  If the Cougars that prowl very close to
residential areas made such identifying noises, it would become scary.

Steve McDonald