These are pretty old photos taken on October 27 at the very same place in Sekino-E. The same Tundra Bean Goose (Anser fabalis serrirostris) was still presenting very well as usual, and even tamer! The bird looked so healthy and stopped constantly closing its left eye, so the idea of it being an exhausted bird blown up to Beppu by the storm waiting to get back on its route was completely incorrect. It seemed to be very much enjoying the dried lotus roots on the side of the footpath. I could even use my 18-55mm lens to take photos of it! I swear it is wild!
See, it finally flew off, not because of disturbance, but annoyance instead, I think.... I also talked to a farmer who was working in the lotus field the other day about the goose, and he said that it's the first time for him to see a goose in his field. He even fed it with some lotus roots he dug up, he said! I revisited the place on October 31 evening to check the goose, and was surprised to see not just 1, but 2 geese in the field! The birding oba-san whom I met in spring was already sitting there with the geese as I walked in. What's better is that the new comer is not a Tundra, but a Taiga Bean Goose (Anser fabalis middendorffii) instead!
Adult Taiga Bean Goose (Anser fabalis middendorffii)
Immature Tundra Bean Goose (Anser fabalis serrirostris)
Look at how those bill and head structures are so different! A.f.middendorffii (left) has a much longer bill, head and neck which make it looks more like a swan, while A.f.serrirostris (right) looks pretty much like Greylag or Pink-footed, shortist bill and more rounded head.
8 comments:
Great discovery and outstanding photos!
Great photos!
There is a similarly tame Bean Goose at Utonai-ko (near Tomakomai) that is completely wild.........
Thanks a lot Ari and Stu!
Yes I remember that tame Bean Goose you photographed. It's a Taiga Bean Goose. Seems like they only become wary when in flocks.
These geese caan really cheer you up in the cold of winter. Great photos Ayuwat.
She is showing off just for you... You should bring her some bread next time ;-) Beautiful set of pictures as always!
Lovely images of a nice goose.
Even better shots of the goose A. The pictures made me smile the way it seems to have taken up residence and joined in the local community. Very informative shots and explanation of the differences between middendorfi and serrirostris - I think folk around here will be looking to separate them now, if they can get close and good views enough.
Very instructive photos.... our Hong Kong Bean Goose "guests" are much more shy - but still around after more than a week
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